Hurricane Idalia; The D.A. Targeting Pride; Picketing Paramount on Star Trek Day
Hurricane Idalia; The D.A. Targeting Pride; Picketing Paramount on Star Trek Day
Here are your bedtime stories after a very busy day! In addition to monitoring Florida's west coast, I'm keeping an eye on transphobe Riley Gaines and news of a new sleep aid alternative!
Good evening on this Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina striking New Orleans on this day in 2005.
Here Now the News
HURRICANE IDALIA LATEST: The Category 2 storm is 125-miles from Tampa, Florida, and is forecast to grow to Category 4 and make landfall Wednesday morning in the Big Bend area, north of Tampa. Storm surge could be as high as 16-feet in that region. A northern suburb of Tampa, Spring Hill, could see a surge of up to six-feet. That’s on top of the usual high tide, coinciding with the arrival of Idalia, of 2 1/2 feet. Southwest of Tampa, St. Pete Beach and other coastal towns are under evacuation orders. —ABC News
The hurricane is moving at 18 mph and is just one mile from becoming a Category 3. Tornado warnings are up throughout central and western Florida as rain and wind whip the state from Fort Myers to St. Augustine.
Already, Sanibel, Fort Myers and other coastal cities are seeing flooding.
AFTER FLORIDA, THEN WHAT? The National Weather Service tracks Idalia as taking a slow right turn through southeastern Georgia, along the South and North Carolina coasts, before exiting to the Atlantic Ocean. Everyone who lives northeast of the eye of the hurricane will feel effects from feeder bands, what’s called by some “the dirty side” of the storm.
BREAKING NEWS: A District Attorney in Tennessee is threatening a Pride event next month with the state’s anti-drag law. Details on the prosecutor’s plans appear in Chris Geidner’s excellent Substack, Law Dork.
DRAG QUEENS TELL FEDERAL JUDGE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS THEIR WERK: A Texas law goes into effect Friday, unless Judge David Hittner stops it. Although Senate Bill 12 doesn’t specifically mention drag, the legislation prohibits any performers from dancing suggestively or wearing certain prosthetics in front of children. But Republican leaders have made it clear that drag shows are the target of this legislation. —Los Angeles Blade
PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCES MEDICARE WILL NEGOTIATE LOWER PRICES ON TEN POPULAR DRUGS: Washington Post
GOP’S RESPONSE: Republicans are working to persuade Americans that the Biden plan will stifle innovation and lead to price controls. —Politico
UNC GRAD STUDENT CHARGED IN MURDER OF PROFESSOR: CNN
DAD OF JACKSONVILLE KILLER TOLD POLICE HIS SON WAS OFF MEDS: The Independent
JAX URBAN LEAGUE SAYS RACIST MASS MURDER IS RESULT OF POLITICAL DIVIDE: FloridaPolitics.com
FOX NEWS HOST: IT’S BIDEN’S FAULT! —The Daily Beast
SMUGGLER WITH TIES TO ISIS HELPED MIGRANTS ENTER U.S. THROUGH MEXICO: CNN Exclusive
MAN ACCUSED IN 9/11 PLOT FOUND UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL: The New York Times
Politicukoos
CHAOS IN TENNESSEE CAPITOL AS POLITICAL IN-FIGHTING ERUPTS: WKRN-TV
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER REVEALS BLOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS: CNN and Washington Post
GAY GADFLY DEMANDS TEXAS UN-BAN CONSERVATIVE LGBT GROUP: Washington Blade
CONSERVATIVE WISCONSIN CHIEF JUSTICE ACCUSES LIBERAL MAJORITY OF “COUP”: The Associated Press
POPE FRANCIS CALLS CHURCH’S CONSERVATIVE U.S. LEADERS “BACKWARDS": A.P.
COLORADO’S DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR DEFENDS GADSDEN FLAG: CPR.org and The Gazette
HealthWatch
STUDY: “PRESCRIBING” FRUITS AND VEGETABLES GETS MORE PEOPLE TO EAT THEM, AND THAT’S A GOOD THING! —CBS News
CAN’T SLEEP? TRY THIS PROVEN ALTERNATIVE TO MEDICATION: NYT
3M SETTLES DEFECTIVE EARPLUG LAWSUIT, BUT MORE LEGAL HURDLES REMAIN: The company announced Tuesday it settled with roughly 250,000 plaintiffs in a $6.01 billion deal. Military veterans and service members alleged 3M manufactured defective earplugs that resulted in hearing loss. —CNBC
3M is also awaiting approval for its $10.3 billion settlement over so-called forever chemicals.
To fund its settlements, 3M has cut costs, including through eliminating 8,500 jobs, or 10% of its workforce.
OMGnews
FORMER BACHELORETTE CONTESTANT SAYS HE IS NOT DEAD: NBC News
DISNEY, THE NYT AND CNN TAKE ACTION VS. A.I.: CNN
THE “REAL COST” OF THE SAG/AFTRA AND WGA STRIKES: “PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS!” —Urban Hollywood
LATE NIGHT HOSTS TEAM-UP FOR PODCAST TO SUPPORT STRIKERS: Rolling Stone
THESE COLLEGES GIVE STUDENTS THE BEST BANG FOR THEIR BIG BUCKS: Forbes
LGBTQ Revue
ORLANDO LGBT+ CENTER PAINTS OVER HOMOPHOBIC AND NAZI GRAFFITI: Los Angeles Blade
CANADA WARNS LGBTQ TRAVELERS ABOUT VISITING U.S.: Los Angeles Blade
TransWorld
RILEY GAINES WANTS YOUR MONEY FOR HER “INSTITUTE:” Click here to visit and then read Karleigh Webb’s excellent Substack, The Karleigh WebbSite
HOW EX-SWIMMER HAS BUILT A CAREER AS A SHILL: Media Matters
CALIFORNIA SUES SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER PARENTAL NOTIFICATION POLICY FOR GENDER TRANSITIONING STUDENTS: The Hill
JUDGE TOSSES SUIT BY SORORITY SISTERS WHO BANNED TRANS WOMAN: NBC News
CAMPUS PRIDE DUMPS 4 FLORIDA AND TEXAS UNIVERSITIES FOR BIGOTRY: The four universities were excluded from the organization’s 2023 Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges & Universities due to new state kaws that “endanger and harm LGBTQ+ people.” — CampusPride
MAEVE RISING: Check out my story about trans trailblazer Maeve DuVally and her new memoir! —GLAAD
Star Trek Corner
FANS INVITED TO JOIN TREK STARS AND WRITERS ON PICKET LINE OUTSIDE PARAMOUNT IN HOLLYWOOD AND TIMES SQUARE: “On September 8th, 2023 Paramount once again will celebrate "Star Trek Day”, a day intended to pay homage to Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a future, a future where everyone is treated with respect and corporate greed is a thing of the past,” wrote actor Jonathan Del Arco, who played “Hugh” in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard, in an email.
“Sadly, though, the studios and the AMPTP are failing to live up to Gene’s vision. We ask that the creatives behind Star Trek — the writers, the actors, the crafts-people and the crew — members gather together outside the gates of Paramount on the 8th to remind the executives who claim to 'own' this franchise that Star Trek’s values are anti-exploitative, and rooted in a deep belief that everybody has a role to play in the protection of our shared ecosystem.”
“We ask that anyone who has ever worked on a Trek production, in any capacity, in front of or behind the camera, come out and picket with us.
“Additionally, we welcome any fans that wish to join us in solidarity!” —Daily Star Trek News
RISEUP EXCLUSIVE: WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST, WILL ALSO PICKET PARAMOUNT IN TIMES SQUARE!
FINALLY! HARRY KIM PROMOTED! (IN A VIDEO GAME): TrekMovie
HOW TO VIEW EVERY SEASON OF EVERY STAR TREK SERIES: Click here to subscribe to Paramount+
That’s all for today! I’ll be back tomorrow with more stories to help you rise up and start your day. Until then… Good night and good luck, especially all y’all in Florida! STAY SAFE!
© 2023 EnniBuddy Productions - All Rights Reserved