Compiled by Conner Hendricks
Michael Doti opened up the show with breaking news with the Biden campaign. Biden has reversed course and said he would implement a mask mandate if he was elected.
On a campaign stop yesterday, Biden said he would sign an executive order and “call all the governors to the White House” to formulate the order. If some governors refused the order, Biden said “The question is whether I have the legal authority as president to sign an executive order. We think we do, but we can’t guarantee that yet.”
Biden insisted that if he had the authority to implement a mask order, he would. Biden believes his mask mandate would save nearly 40,000 lives in the first three months after it is implemented.
With estimates of another big COVID-19 wave to strike this winter, Biden said he believes he can slow the projections of 215,000 additional COVID-19 related deaths by Jan. 1.
On Wednesday, Sept. 16, CDC Director Robert Redfield made a statement that wearing a mask might end up being more effective than a COVID-19 vaccine. President Trump claims that the statement is false and hopes that a vaccine is far more effective and beneficial than a mask mandate.
Cole reported some promising news on COVID-19 cases on the University of Georgia’s campus.
Many universities have seen a dramatic spike in cases since opening for classes, leading them to suspend in-person instruction.
According to UGA Today, cases declined 70% last week on UGA’s campus in Athens.
Dr. Garth Russo, executive director of the University Health Center, told UGA Today, “This data gives us cautious optimism that cases might have plateaued on our campus.”
Additionally, Cole reported on a win for voters registered in Athens-Clarke County. The University of Georgia received criticism for their plan to not hold in-person early voting in Tate Student Center.
The AJC reported that university spokesman Greg Tover said the university would be “more than willing to” consider using Stegman Coliseum for early voting.
Stacey Abrams criticized the original move by the UGA, telling the AJC “COVID-19 must never be used as an excuse to limit voting access including on college campuses.”
Doti also reported that pizza chain Papa Johns has announced a plan to move their global headquarters to metro Atlanta.
With other large portions of the business in Louisville and London, this location will be home to most of the important business aspects going forward. These aspects include menu innovation, marketing, customer experience, human resources, diversity, equity, inclusion, and communications, according to CBS46.com
Rob Lynch, the CEO of Papa Johns said, “We are thrilled to open a headquarters office in such an energetic and diverse region. Metro Atlanta’s deep talent pool and its world class airport connecting us to the domestic and international markets that are key to our brand’s future will accelerate our long-term growth. Atlanta is also our largest corporate-owned restaurant market and the location of our newest and most sophisticated QCC. The Louisville headquarters – Papa John’s home for 36 years – remains essential to the company’s success and we look forward to continuing to be a great corporate partner in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
The exact location of the new headquarters will be announced by the end of the year.
“Wherever it may be, it will be joining a list of 30 companies within the Fortune 1000 headquartered in metro Atlanta,” Doti said. “With sales on the decline for the 5th straight quarter, a change in scenery might be just what the pizza company needs.”
Thomas Ehlers reported on promising new jobless numbers.
Federal initial jobless claims fell from Sept. 6-12 to 860,000 claims, which is down 33,000 claims from last week.
California, Texas and New Jersey all saw the greatest number of initial claims, while Kentucky, Florida and Pennsylvania saw the largest decreases
CNN reported that continued claims, which tally workers who have filed for consecutive weeks, stand at nearly 12.6 million, down from last week’s sum.
Economist Chris Rupkey warned that while “The labor market may not be sinking… it sure isn’t getting better either.”
Ehlers said, “While it is encouraging to see numbers decreasing, there is still much work to be done to get the labor market and economy back to pre-coronavirus status.”
Ansleigh Edwards reported to the Athens Journal on international news.
President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to form an agreement between Israel and the two Gulf Arab nations, on September 15.
The agreement is expected to set a foundation for peace across the entire region, a major foreign policy achievement for all of the countries involved.
President Trump said the agreement would “change the course of history” by creating a “New Middle East.”
The meeting was also significant because a peace agreement like this hasn’t occurred in years. According to CNN, a peace deal between Gulf Arab nations and the U.S. hasn’t taken place in Washington since 1994 when Bill Clinton was president.
The US has a significant military presence in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain bringing both nations closer to the United States and Israel. As a result, the Gulf Arab nations have expressed a desire for a stronger alliance.
According to The Wall Street Journal, “Israel suspended its plans to annex large areas of the West Bank,” which was a major source of friction between Israel and the Palestinians’ supporters among the Gulf Arab nations.”
All the countries involved have agreed to a full diplomatic relationship, which could pave the way to better relations between the nations in the future.
Cole Aycock reported on the remaining effects of Hurricane Sally.
“Sally made first landfall in Alabama on Wednesday. Now as Sally moves into Georgia, the state is feeling the effects,” Aycock said.
According to the AJC, Fulton, Dekalb and Gwinnett County have already received around four inches of rain. Recent weather reports show that these counties could have eight inches by the time the day is over. The AJC also reported that 23,000 people remain without power.
According to reports done by WSB-TV, many North Georgia counties such as Forsyth and Hall county are under a new flash flood warning. The AJC quoted the weather service in their article saying, “Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should [a] flash flood warning be issued.” This flash flood warning is in effect until Friday at 8 a.m.
Ehlers next reported on financial news.
“Snowflake Inc made its public trading debut on Wednesday with a boom,” Ehlers said.
The company’s initial public offering stood at $120 on Tuesday night prior to its Wednesday opening. This IPO was larger than last month’s $75-$85 predicted IPO.
During the trading day on Wednesday, shares reached over $300 before ending the day at just under $254 a share. Expert King Lip thinks this company’s shares “could double from here” based on their setup.
The company allows data to be stored and transferred in third party-vendors, which is secured by encryption. This storage, known as “off premise” storage allows companies to be flexible. By not needing on-campus storage devices, this method allows easier access to servers from home as companies transition from more traditional office settings.
Berkshire Hathaway head Warren Buffett bought into the hype and made nearly $800 million off of day one in his first IPO investment since Ford’s IPO in 1956, according to CNN. Snowflake started in 2012, gathering $1.4 billion in venture capital to date.
Michael Doti delivered the entertainment report.
Kristen Bell said on Carla Bell’s “Say Yes” podcast, that she allows her five and seven year old daughters to drink beer. “Before the police break down her door and arrest her, the beer is O’Douls, and it is non-alcoholic,” Doti said.
Doti said, “It started at a younger age when Bell’s Husband Dax Shepard used to drink it during their walks around their neighborhood, while baby Lincoln would attempt to get a drink for herself. The drink helps the kids get closer to their dad according to Bell. The two have even ordered O’Douls at restaurants before, and now with millions of kids starting school online this year, they have come up with creative ways to get through the day.
On Tuesday morning, when Bell went to check on her daughters during one of their 15 minute breaks from class, they both decided to grab an O’Douls to drink.
“What must these other parents and teachers think of me?” asked Bell during her interview. Her question does seem mute (moot) though, as she also religiously says that she doesn’t care what other people think.
Netflix might just have the solution many Americans are facing right now: they don’t have any new shows to watch. Netflix has released a trailer for their new murder documentary “American Murder: The Family Next Door”. The show portrays the Watts family in 2018. Chris Watts married Shannon, who murdered his pregnant wife and two children. Watts received five life sentences for his crimes.
“High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale announced that her and her husband Christopher French are expecting a child. Tisdale made the announcement on Instagram.
The couple recently celebrated their six year wedding anniversary.
Tisdale wrote, “Wow, I can’t believe we’ve been married 6 years?!! Time flies!! I just remember having so much fear the minute we got together because I couldn’t believe how good you treated me. I had never been treated that way. But I let go and trusted my heart and 8 months later we are just a couple of crazy kids engaged. Chris you have truly made me a better version of myself because you keep inspiring me everyday. Your heart is pure, you would do anything to make me happy, through the ups and downs you are my solid rock.”
There’s just one week to go until UGA football returns, and head coach Kirby Smart still doesn’t have a definitive answer on who his starting quarterback will be.
Smart said in a Zoom interview, “As far as I can tell, it’s probably going to be a game-time decision.”
The two quarterbacks up for the job are former five star USC transfer JT Daniels, who still hasn’t been medically cleared for contact, and redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis who missed all of last year to get a cyst removed from his brain.
Smart said he trusts both quarterbacks to take the reins going into Arkansas next week, but it could come down to who wants the job more.
“As for this Saturday, the week is highlighted by the night matchup between number 17 Miami and number 18 Louisville. It’ll be a battle between 2 exciting veteran dual threat quarterbacks D’Eriq King and Malik Cunningham,” Doti said.
Viewers can watch the game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
There were many elated statements coming out of the Big 10 country when they found out that they can salvage a fall football season. No statement was better than Michigan’s head coach Jim Harbaugh, who stated, “Stay positive, test negative, let’s play some football,” Doti reported.
Tonight there’s an exciting game featuring two recent Heisman winning quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield and the Browns are hosting Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
If you combine their numbers during their Heisman campaign you would get 10,298 passing yards and 103 touchdown passes. The Atlanta Falcons head to Dallas this weekend to take on the Cowboys at 1:00 eastern.
Both of these teams lost their openers to NFC west teams. On Monday night, the Las Vegas Raiders play their first game in the new Black Hole, Allegiant Stadium against the New Orleans Saints, as Fantasy owners of Michael Thomas will hold their breath and hope he suits up for that game.
Game 2 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals tips off tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN. “Miami’s game 1 victory can be summed up into one word, BAM!,” Doti said.
“The block that was heard around the bubble from Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo on the slam dunk attempt by Celtic’s Jayson Tatum,” Doti reported.
One NBA Hall of Famer who goes by the name Magic Johnson saw that play and instantly called it the greatest defensive play in NBA playoff history. The win also improved Miami’s postseason record this year to 9-1.
The Braves have an off day today before they head to Queens to take on the Mets for tomorrow’s game. They are expected to get their top pitcher Max Fried back for that game tomorrow, as they nurse a 2.5 game lead for first over the Miami Marlins.