Compiled by Hallie G. Turner
Michael Doti opened Thursday afternoon’s show with a breaking news segment where Moderna announced it will break ground on a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing facility in Africa.
The facility is estimated to produce approximately 500 million COVID-19 vaccines a year in hopes it will help the continent’s access to the drugs. According to the company, they would invest up to $500 million in the facility and the vaccines would be manufactured with fill-and-finish capacity doses, along with packaging facilities.
Thomas Ehlers continued the news with a report on a drive by shooting that occurred on Highway 18. Georgia resident Akelia Ware crashed her car after being shot repeatedly by an oncoming vehicle. The mother of five was bearing an unborn child at the time of the shooting. According to Fox News, both were pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Kenzie Harms gave a local news report on the death of former NASCAR driver, John Wes Townley. Townley was shot dead at his residence in Five Points after attacking his ex-wife, Laura Townley, and Zachary Anderson. The two were occupying the residence when Townley appeared with an axe. Ms. Townley was seriously injured after a being accidentally shot in the abdomen, but is expected to survive.
Townley had a record of violence and was charged with three misdemeanor counts in 2019 involving family violence battery and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation after pleading guilty. Lt. Shaun Barnett, an Athens Police Department spokesperson, said that Anderson has not been arrested or charged with any crimes as of Monday afternoon.
Yara Manasrah reported that Facebook was under heavy fire from both sides of the aisle as whistleblower Frances Haguen, testified before a Senate subcommittee earlier this week.
National Public Radio reported that the former data scientist provided a detailed look into just how much Facebook knew of its impact on various aspects of life, including the devastating impact of social media on teenage girls, the consistent prioritization of growth and profit over democracy and the decision not to enable safeguards to protect children from Facebook products, including Instagram.
In the testimony, Haugen told Congress how she realized “a devastating truth: Almost no one outside of Facebook knows what happens inside Facebook. The company intentionally hides vital information from the public, from the U.S. government, and from governments around the world.”
Haugen’s lawyers filed eight separate complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission on several topics, including Facebook’s knowledge of how organizers of the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol used the platform, its inaction on hate speech expressed in its apps and its refusal to implement safeguards for children on the app.
Sydney Hood continued with state news concerning the recent finding of high E. coli levels in the Chattahoochee River as a result of the recent weather. WSB-TV in Atlanta reported that the waters of the Chattahoochee River have E. coli levels are “five times greater” than what is considered to be high risk. Chief Meteorologist for WSB-TV Glenn Burns said, “the rainwater is picking up contaminants and flowing into the river.”
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth told CBS-46 that overflowing sewer systems and septic fields can also contribute to a potential rise in E. Coli levels. He urged people to avoid the water, saying, “it can cause rashes, eye infections, ear infections, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.”
After the break, Thomas picked back up again with a financial update on the drop of unemployment benefit claims. His reported stated that 326,000 claims were filed last week, which was a decline by 38,000 from the previous week’s numbers.
Michael continued with his report over the simple question of, “are psychics real?” According to his report, Los Angeles’s Mauro Restrepo may not be a believer anymore. He is suing self-claimed “psychic love coach” Sophia Adams for $25,000 because she did not successfully remove a witch’s curse that was allegedly put on him by his ex-girlfriend.
Fox News reports, Restrepo discovered Adams through her website where it claimed she was indeed a “psychic love coach.” The Torrance Superior Court lawsuit filed last week stated the fact that seeing that gave him more confidence he was seeing a professional. When Restrepo visited her office, Adams gave him a tarot reading, when she discovered his ex-girlfriend hired a curse-casting witch to give him “mala suerte,” which is Spanish for bad luck.
Restrepo told Fox News this has given him increased anxiety and sleepless nights and he is suing Adams for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress along with negligence and civil conspiracy.
Yara updated listeners on the tensions between China and Taiwan as they reach their worst in 40 years. The BBC reports that the comments from the defense minister come after China sent a large number of military jets into Taiwan’s air defense zone over the progression of four days. While Taiwan views itself as a sovereign state, China sees them as a breakaway province.
Taiwan declared independence from mainland China following the Communist Party’s takeover in 1949. The BBC reported that, “While Chinese jets have not been flown all the way to the island, Mr. Chiu warned that there was a risk of a ‘misfire.”
Kenzie followed with a national story on the country’s declining belief in Joe Biden. Quinnipiac University released their latest survey results which showed President Joe Biden’s poll numbers drastically low at 38% approval compared to 55% disapproval.
39% of people approve of Biden’s handling of the Economy while 55% disapprove. When asked if Joe Biden is an honest president, 44% said yes and 50% said no. And one of the most interesting results asking if the Biden administration is competent in running the government, 55% of Americans said no.
Jake Tapper with CNN, called these new poll numbers “brutal” for Joe Biden. For the first six months the president’s approval rating stayed around the low 50s, but since the handling of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, the coronavirus and the surge of migrants illegally crossing the southern border his numbers have begun to decline.
Sydney updated listeners on two local teenagers who had been missing for nearly three weeks. Olivia Warren of Oconee County and James Ethan Dutton of Barrow County have been located in upstate New York, according to Oconee County Sheriff James Hale.
It is unknown why the juveniles, who are described as runaways, decided to leave. The Athens Banner-Herald reports that Warren’s parents have flown to New York and are with their daughter now. Details of how the pair was found have yet to be released by authorities.
After a brief break Thomas opened back up with the latest in entertainment. Ehlers’ report stated that Tina Turner’s music is changing hands as her record label, BMG, announced in a statement that they acquired her albums, complications, soundtracks, name/likeness and more.
Finally Michael closed out the show with the sports power minute. Doti reported that it was the 126th edition of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, Georgia and Auburn. It was the first time in the history of the rivalry that the game will take place in Auburn outside the month of November. It was also the sixth straight meeting where both teams are ranked in the top 25.
Georgia has won four straight over the Tigers since losing as the number one team in the country in Jordan-Hare four years ago. The Dogs jumped out to a 21-0 lead over Auburn the last time they played there, but Bo Nix and the Tigers battled back, only to lose on a game sealing sack by then freshman Travon Walker. In two games against Georgia, Bo Nix has thrown for 422 yards, one touchdown, one interception and has been sacked five times.