Six dead. Millions threatened. ❄️

Ashley Shaffer, USA TODAY
·6 min read

Six people are dead following a 100-car pileup in Texas. "Overwhelming evidence" proves former President Donald Trump encouraged mob violence, prosecutors say. And there's a happy ending to the Gorilla Glue hair mishap saga.

It's Ashley with the news to know.

But first, cigars, beer and nudity: Virtual courtrooms have seen more wild moments than a cat filter mixup. Welcome to court – pandemic style.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe here!

Millions in the path of a 'damaging' ice storm

A winter storm dropped ice and snow on Thursday from central Texas through southern New Jersey, triggering widespread power outages and deadly pileups on treacherous highways. In Fort Worth, Texas, where roads were slick and icy, a 100-vehicle pileup led to at least six deaths and multiple injuries on Interstate 35 Thursday morning, police said. The incident occurred around a toll lane separated by a concrete barrier that created a "funnel type of effect," officials said. Farther south, in Austin, more than two dozen vehicles were involved in a pileup on an icy road, officials said. And more than 57,000 customers in Kentucky and 43,000 in West Virginia were without power.

The storm that's likely to affect millions could cause more damage into Friday, and bitterly cold temperatures are expected into the weekend. Keep in mind as you prepare:

House managers chronicle Trump enflaming crowds before Capitol riot

House prosecutors rested their case Thursday in the Senate impeachment trial of Trump, ending two days of presentations during which they sought to directly connect Trump’s words and actions to the deadly mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Managers argued that Trump showed a pattern of glorifying violence against his political enemies, and they warned senators that a failure to convict him of inciting the Capitol riot would raise the risk of further unrest. The prosecutors are hoping to convince senators that Trump should be convicted on the charge that he incited the riot, but they will need 17 Republicans to side with all Democrats and independents to reach the two-thirds majority needed to find Trump guilty.

Next up, the rebuttal: Trump’s impeachment defense team will make their case on Friday to defend the former president on Friday.

Supporters of President Donald Trump, including Jacob Chansley, right with fur hat, are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police officers outside the Senate Chamber inside the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Supporters of President Donald Trump, including Jacob Chansley, right with fur hat, are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police officers outside the Senate Chamber inside the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

What everyone’s talking about

5 more charged in Capitol riots — including two seen with Proud Boys

Federal authorities Thursday continued their pursuit of organized factions within the violent mob that stormed the Capitol last month, charging five suspects with conspiracy and other offenses for their alleged roles in the deadly attack. The five suspects were arrested Thursday after being identified from photographs and social media posts during and after the siege. According to court documents, William Chrestman, pictured wielding a club, and Felicia Konold were observed associating during the day with leaders of the Proud Boys, an extremist group with ties to white nationalism. More than a half-dozen members of the group, including some of its leaders, also have been charged.

A protester, who claims to be a member of the Proud Boys, confronts police officers as supporters of former President Donald Trump protest outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington.
A protester, who claims to be a member of the Proud Boys, confronts police officers as supporters of former President Donald Trump protest outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington.

40% of COVID-19 deaths could have been prevented

About 40% of the nation’s 470,000-plus coronavirus deaths could have been prevented if the United States’ average death rate matched other industrialized nations, a new report found. Who’s to blame? While the Lancet Commission pointed a finger at Trump’s “inept and insufficient” response to COVID-19, its report said the roots of the nation’s poor health outcomes are much deeper. The commission’s co-chairs said the document underscores decades of health, economic and social policies that have accelerated the nation’s disparities.

More COVID-19 developments:

A nurse supports a patient as they walk in the COVID-19 alternative care site, built into a parking garage, at Renown Regional Medical Center, Dec. 16, 2020, in Reno, Nev. Renown Health converted two floors of a parking garage into an alternative care site for COVID-19 patients to increase hospital capacity amid a surge in cases, allowing other facilities to be used for patients in more serious condition.

Real quick

The Gorilla Glue hair mishap comes to an end

All Tessica Brown wanted was for her hair to be laid, but instead, she found herself in a scary, sticky situation. Brown went viral when she turned to social media for help after using heavy-duty Gorilla Glue spray on her hair to keep it in place after running out of Got2B glued hairspray, which she noted was a "bad, bad, bad idea." Thankfully, Brown was finally able to have the glue removed with the help of a plastic surgeon. Her circumstance may be on the extreme end of the spectrum, but it speaks to how little people understand when it comes to Black hair care and the trials Black women have to go through to find adequate products, USA TODAY’s Rasha Ali reports.

Tessica Brown used Gorilla Glue hairspray on her hair when she ran out of Got2B glued hairspray.
Tessica Brown used Gorilla Glue hairspray on her hair when she ran out of Got2B glued hairspray.

A break from the news: Valentine's Day edition (psst ... it's on Sunday)

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for The Short List newsletter here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fort Worth accident, Trump impeachment, Gorilla Glue hair: Thursday's news