Fabian Nelson, a 38-year-old realtor from Byram, Mississippi, has won the Democratic primary election runoff, making him the first openly gay state legislator in Mississippi. He will face Republican candidate Robert Foster in the November general election, and if elected, he will be the first openly gay black man to serve in any state legislature in the United States. Nelson has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights and has said he has wanted to be a state legislator since he visited the state capitol as a high school student.
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Tropical Storm Idalia made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane and is now bringing flooding to the coast of South Carolina. The National Hurricane Center has issued a storm surge warning for the area, and North Myrtle Beach, Garden City, and Edisto Island have already reported ocean water spilling onto beachfront streets. Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay informed and take all necessary safety precautions.
On Wednesday night, the University of Nebraska set the world record for the largest attendance at a women's sporting event, with 92,003 people filling Memorial Stadium in Lincoln to watch the Cornhuskers' volleyball match against Omaha. The event was part of a daylong celebration of the sport, which is immensely popular in the state, and included an exhibition between in-state Division II powers Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State, followed by the Huskers' regular-season match. This historic moment for the university and milestone for women's sports around the world is a testament to the immense popularity of women's sports in the state.
Over 100 former clerks of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas have signed a letter defending his "integrity" and "independence" in response to reports of unethical gift-giving. The signatories argue that the reports are part of a "larger attack on the Court" and its "legitimacy", and include high profile circuit court judges and John C. Eastman, who is now criminally indicted in Georgia. The letter focuses on defending Justice Thomas' "integrity, character and ethics" without addressing Eastman's involvement.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, allowing for more research and potential medical use. This recommendation comes 11 months after President Joe Biden ordered the top health agency to conduct a review of the drug. Currently, the DEA has not yet made a decision on the recommendation, but if accepted, it would be a major step forward in the effort to legalize marijuana at the federal level.
New York Attorney General Letitia James' office has alleged that former President Donald Trump routinely overstated his personal net worth to financial institutions by up to $2.2 billion each year between 2011 and 2021. The lawsuit, filed in October 2020, seeks $250 million in damages from Trump, his three eldest children, and the Trump Organization, and the filing seeks to have the court declare that Trump and his company violated New York's civil and business laws. The case is scheduled for trial in October, with the outcome potentially having major implications for the former president and his family.
Fox News Media and Univision have announced that Emmy Award-winning Univision anchor Ilia Calderón will join Fox Business anchor Stuart Varney and Fox News anchor Dana Perino as a moderator for the second Republican presidential debate on September 27th. Fox News Media president Jay Wallace expressed his pride in the selection of Varney and Perino to co-moderate the debate, hoping to ensure that all voices are heard. The debate will be broadcast live on Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel, as well as streamed on Fox News Digital and Fox Business Digital platforms.
Christopher Begley, a 28-year veteran of UPS, died on Sunday after falling ill while making deliveries in the scorching heat of McKinney, Texas. The exact cause of death has yet to be determined, and authorities are investigating. UPS recently struck an agreement with the Teamsters Union to install air conditioning in its delivery trucks in response to the increasing heat waves. Begley's fellow workers mourned his death and praised his commitment to delivering packages safely and on time.