George Floyd, Day 2 of the RNC, tropical storms: 5 things to know Tuesday

Editors, USA TODAY
·4 min read

Has the nation really made progress since George Floyd's death?

Tuesday marks three months since the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while being pinned down by a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. Floyd's death sparked nationwide social justice protests that put pressure on city, state and federal officials to consider police reform and renewed calls for racial equality. How much has changed since then? Activists cite some progress, including plans to defund or disband police, empower civilian review boards, take down Confederate symbols, foster inclusion in the workplace and paint Black Lives Matter murals. But much more needs to be done, they argue. The killings of other Black men, such as Trayford Pellerin in Louisiana and of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin have kept the issue in the forefront.

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What to expect on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention

Day 2 of a most unconventional Republican National Convention kicks off Tuesday and will be capped by first lady Melania Trump delivering a speech from the newly renovated White House Rose Garden. She won't be the only Trump speaking: President Donald Trump is supposed to speak each night of the four-day convention, and his children, Eric and Tiffany, are also scheduled to give addresses Tuesday. And adding to the historic nature of this convention: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will speak Tuesday, breaking from previous years where the Secretary of State of the incumbent's administration stayed away from the political conventions. The State Department said Sunday that Pompeo was speaking in his "personal" capacity.

National Park Service waiving entrance fees, but check before you go

Tuesday marks the 104th birthday of the National Park Service, and to celebrate, visitors won't have to pay park entrance fees. But since the coronavirus pandemic has altered the operations of many national park sites, it's best to check on conditions before you go. For example, many indoor facilities may be closed and some campgrounds may be limited. President Woodrow Wilson signed the legislation creating the National Park Service into law on Aug. 25, 1916. Today, it consists of more than 400 sites. Thanks to a law enacted earlier this month, those park sites will soon begin to see improvements to roads, trails, bridges, campgrounds, visitor centers and restrooms. The law also gave park visitors a perk: An extra day, every August, when you don't have to pay entrance fees.

Tropical Storm Marco has weakened, but Laura stalks close behind

Rain from a weakening Tropical Storm Marco soaked portions of the Gulf Coast as Laura stalked toward the coastline, prompting the National Hurricane Center to issue warnings for coastal regions of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, which could be facing dangerous storm surge on Tuesday. Now a tropical storm, Laura is expected to become a hurricane before slamming into the region on Wednesday or Thursday. Forecasters say the two storms could dump 2 feet of rain on parts of Louisiana, which could cause disastrous flooding and storm surges up to 10 feet. Laura has so far been blamed for the deaths of at least 11 people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, causing flooding and leaving the island of Hispaniola without power.

Children's picture book 'Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice' out

That didn’t take long: Just weeks after making history as the running mate for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris will be the subject of a new picture book out Tuesday. Prize-winning author Nikki Grimes wrote “Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice,” which features illustrations by Laura Freeman. "Discover the incredible story of a young daughter of immigrants who would grow up to defend the rights of people everywhere and be named the Democratic vice presidential candidate by Joe Biden in this moving picture book biography of Senator Kamala Harris," reads the book's description. Harris, a California Democrat, is the first Black woman and first Asian American woman named to a major party presidential ticket. She accepted her nomination Wednesday evening at the Democratic National Convention.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd, Day 2 of the RNC, tropical storms: 5 things to know Tuesday