More COVID-19 restrictions, Trump and Biden, pre-Thanksgiving TV: 5 things to know Wednesday

Editors, USA TODAY
·6 min read
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Area leaders continue to enact more restrictions to combat COVID-19 cases

As COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket nationwide, states and large counties will continue to clamp down with additional restrictions Wednesday. In California's Los Angeles County, the state's largest and one of the biggest counties in the U.S., an order banning in-person restaurant dining will begin Wednesday night and stay in effect for three weeks. The top elected official for El Paso County, Texas, on Tuesday announced a new curfew, which is overrunning the border area's hospitals and funeral homes. The curfew will go into effect Wednesday and run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night until Monday. In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards' new restrictions that go into effect Wednesday decrease the number of customers allowed at restaurants, gyms, salons, casinos, malls and other nonessential businesses from 75% of their occupancy rate to 50%. Crowds at churches will be capped at 75% of capacity.

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Reports: Trump expected to join Giuliani in visit to Pennsylvania

According to multiple reports, President Donald Trump is expected to join his attorney Rudy Giuliani at a hotel in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, where the Republican-led state Senate Majority Policy Committee will hold a "hearing" on fraud allegations in this month's election. As CNN explains, Trump "expressed strong interest" in going to the event, which was planned by the Trump campaign and Pennsylvania Senate Republicans. This would be his first excursion outside of the Washington area since Election Day. But the trip was not on the public schedule released by the White House early Wednesday morning and Axios reported it is "subject to change." Trump is expected to visit Pennsylvania even though the state already certified the results of Joe Biden's win and despite a scathing ruling from a federal judge last weekend that dismissed the campaign's effort to overturn the state's election results.

Fresh off his Cabinet announcements, Biden looks to the holiday season

President-elect Joe Biden will deliver a Thanksgiving address in Wilmington, Delaware, Wednesday and he plans to focus his remarks on shared sacrifices during the holiday season and expressing confidence that Americans will get through the pandemic together. From there, Biden is expected to travel to his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he'll spend the holiday with family. That comes on the heels of a significant day Tuesday that saw Biden introduce people he will appoint or nominate to foreign policy posts. Avril Haines, Biden's nominee to become the first woman to lead the U.S. intelligence community, is a former deputy director of the CIA. Antony Blinken, the secretary of state nominee, is a longtime Biden confidant who held posts during President Barack Obama's administration. Former Massachusetts Senator and Secretary of State John Kerry will act as a special presidential envoy for climate.

World of entertainment brings surprise and nostalgia before Thanksgiving

Those who enjoy spending the week of Thanksgiving watching movies or binging TV series will have the opportunity to see new content that is unexpected and a nod to the past. Fresh off six Grammy nominations, pop star Taylor Swift announced Tuesday the surprise release of a concert movie of her new album "Folklore," titled "Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions." In the film, which debuted on Disney+ Wednesday morning and is directed by Swift, the singer performs every song from "Folklore" in order for the first time. On the nostalgic side, kids who grew up watching "Saved by the Bell" can stream all the episodes of the new series re-imagining on Peacock Wednesday. The new 'Bell' revisits Bayside High, but picks up years after Zack, Kelly, Slater and Jessie graduated and focuses on a new batch of students. Though the show stands alone as a teen comedy, there are callbacks to the original for the wistful fans.

College basketball season expected to tip off

With any luck, men's college basketball returns Wednesday! It will, of course, be very, very different. And things haven't exactly gotten off to a great start. Several coaches have tested positive for the coronavirus, and games have been postponed or canceled. Preseason No. 1 Baylor, No. 8 Duke, No. 14 Tennessee and No. 20 Oregon are among the latest schools to pull out of non-conference games due to positive tests. On the women's side, the No. 3 Connecticut suspended team activities after a member of the program tested positive. Regardless, starting at 11 a.m. ET Wednesday, we should see a full slate of games, with plenty more scheduled throughout the weekend.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19 restrictions, Donald Trump, Joe Biden: 5 things to know Wednesday