Trump-Biden town halls, Amy Coney Barrett hearings, Medicare open enrollment begins: 5 things to know Thursday

NBC and ABC to host dueling town halls with Trump and Biden

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will participate in competing town halls Thursday, in lieu of a face-to-face debate. NBC announced Wednesday it will host a Trump town hall at 8 p.m. ET Thursday in Miami — the same time that ABC will be hosting a Biden town hall in Philadelphia. The two candidates were originally intended to debate face-to-face, but the Commission on Presidential Debates announced it would be virtual after Trump's bout with COVID-19. Trump rejected the idea, and the parties were unable to agree on an alternate format. The two candidates are still scheduled to hold a final debate Oct. 22 — a week from Thursday — in Nashville.

• Previous development: Second presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump canceled

• Election officials' warning: Trump 'army' of poll watchers could frighten voters, incite violence

• 'Would you please like me?' Trump appeals to suburban women during Pennsylvania rally

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Final day of Senate hearings in Barrett nomination

After three days of confirmation hearings, Thursday marks Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's final day with the Senate Judiciary committee. The hearing will feature two panels of witnesses. The first panel will include two members of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which evaluates the qualifications of every judicial nominee. The second panel will include Democratic and Republican witnesses who will likely speak to Barrett’s character or in opposition to her confirmation. After the hearings, the committee can recommend that the Senate either confirm or reject Barrett by a majority vote before moving to the chamber for a full vote.

• 'It seems that the fix is in': Democrats concede Barrett likely to be confirmed but warn of 'conservative judicial activism'

• She's not alone: Amy Coney Barrett 'needed' glass of wine after high court hearings

• Arguments outlined: Barrett's law review articles show how Supreme Court rulings like Roe v. Wade could be challenged

It's open enrollment season for Medicare: Check your health plan

Medicare's annual open enrollment period begins Thursday, and financial planners are urging beneficiaries to review and choose the plan that best suits their health care needs — especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicare health and drug plans can make changes to costs, coverage, and providers and pharmacies in their networks each year, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. Participants should revisit their Medicare enrollment options annually to make sure they are still adequately covered. Experts say most people also should consider buying Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) to help fill "gaps" in Original Medicare coverage. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 7.

• Social Security in 2021: Cost-of-living increase to nudge up benefits 1.3%

• Took Social Security early during the pandemic and regretting it? You could get a do-over.

• Stretch your savings: 5 ways to cut costs in retirement

California braces for another fire threat

Californians are on alert Thursday as dry, windy conditions renewed the threat of fire in a season already marked by deadly, devastating blazes. As of Wednesday, Pacific Gas & Electric began turning off power to more than 50,000 Northern California customers, affect portions of nearly two dozen counties, mostly in the Sierras and San Francisco Bay Area, that could last 48 hours. The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning for extreme fire danger through Friday morning in many areas, with bone-dry humidity and winds possibly hitting 55 mph with gusts to 70 mph possible in the Bay Area. More than 8,500 wildfires have burned more than 6,400 square miles in California since the start of the year, most since mid-August. Thirty-one people have died, and more than 9,200 buildings have been destroyed.

• Triple-digit temperatures, strong winds forecast this week 'elevate fire risk' in California — again

Tony Awards nominations to go virtual

Nominations for the 2020 Tony Awards will be held digitally on Thursday, months after the Broadway season was shut down due to COVID-19. Nominations will be hosted by Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart and will be announced at noon ET on the Tony Awards YouTube channel, Youtube.com/tonyawards. Broadway shut down on March 12. Later that month it was announced that the 74th annual awards ceremony, which was scheduled for June 7, was postponed. There's still no date for the Tony Awards ceremony. Eighteen productions that opened prior to Feb. 19, 2020, will be eligible for awards.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump-Biden town halls, Amy Coney Barrett: 5 things to know Thursday