Biden ‘panders to Hispanics,’ Trump adviser Steve Cortes says

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Marco Rubio slams Biden on Hispanic voter outreach in Miami

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fl., reacts to Joe Biden’s Hispanic outreach in Miami on ‘Fox & Friends.’

Trump 2020 campaign adviser Steve Cortes accused Democratic nominee Joe Biden of pandering to Hispanics and touted low unemployment rates for Hispanic Americans under the Trump administration prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Biden panders to Hispanics. He did play Despacito on his phone in a truly cringe-inducing moment. But who delivers real, tangible results?” Cortes wrote Tuesday in a Twitter post including a video breaking down the Hispanic unemployment rate under the last three presidents.

TRUMP AND BIDEN SUPPORTERS OUT IN FORCE ACROSS THE SWING STATE OF FLORIDA WITH ELECTION ONE MONTH AWAY

“Under George W. Bush, one, uno month under 5%,” Cortes said. “How many under Obama and Biden? Zero. Big goose egg. How many under President Trump? Twenty-six. 26 months under 5% jobless rate for Hispanic Americans. That’s real prosperity.”

The Latino unemployment rate has been above 10% since April, although it’s been high for all Americans due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cortes said Biden’s recent visit to Florida was to “shore up his flailing support among Hispanic Americans” in the crucial swing state.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at Jose Marti Gym, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Trump visited Florida three times in the past month alone: He hosted a Latinos for Trump event in Doral on Sept. 25, held a rally in Jacksonville on Sept. 24, and stopped in Jupiter on Sept. 8.

Florida awards 29 Electoral College votes — 270 are needed to win the presidency. A historically pivotal wing state, Trump won the popular vote there in 2016 by just 1.2 percentage points.

Biden visited the Little Haiti Cultural Center on Monday before speaking in Little Havana later in the afternoon about “building back the economy better for the Hispanic community and working families,” his campaign told WTVJ.

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Fox News’ inquiry to the Biden campaign was not immediately returned.

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

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Veteran’s Day 2020: Dining deals for military personnel

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Modern Warriors: A Veterans Day Special

Pete Hegseth moderates a captivating conversation with former Special Forces operators Eddie Gallagher, Rob O’Neill, Mat Best and Scott Mann.

Our nation’s veterans deserve our respect and admiration for the sacrifices they’ve made for this country.

But of course, a free meal doesn’t hurt, either.

As a thank-you for those who served in our armed forces — and who probably slogged through a couple of sub-par meals in the mess hall —  veterans and active-duty military personnel across America can enjoy some free (or discounted) eats and treats at dozens of chains.

Keep reading to learn about some of this year’s Veteran’s Day promotions, and be sure to check with your favorite chains or local eateries for any additional deals near you. As always, don’t forget to thank the brave military men and women who fought for our country, or are currently serving in the armed forces.

MISSOURI DEPUTY SURPRISES SON AFTER AFGHANISTAN DEPLOYMENT IN EMOTIONAL REUNION

Dozens of chains are offering meal deals and steals to thank those who serve on Veteran’s Day. (iStock)

Applebee’s

Participating Applebee’s restaurants are offering free meals to veterans and active-duty military members with proof of service on Nov. 11. The offers and menu choices vary by location, so Applebee’s recommends confirming with your local restaurant.

Available on November 11, 2020 at participating Applebee’s® only. Beverages and gratuity not included. U.S. veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Limit 1 meal per person. Dine-in only. Not valid with other coupons or discounts. Menu may vary.

Bob Evans

On Nov. 11, Bob Evans is offering veterans and active military members their choice of a free entrée from a special menu of seven favorites. The offer is good for dine-in only, and only to those who provide proof of military service.

Bonefish Grill

Bonefish Grill offers a standing “Heroes Discount” of 10% to all military, veterans or first responders, during a visit on any date. Valid ID or proof of service is required.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse

Dine-in customers at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse can enjoy a free meal — up to $ 14.95 in value — and a complimentary Dr. Pepper by presenting military ID.

AMERICA TOGETHER: UPLIFTING IMAGES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Buffalo Wild Wings

Veterans or military members can get 10 free boneless wings and free fries on Nov. 11 with proof of service. The offer is good for both dine-in and takeout orders.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill 

Carrabba’s offers a standing “Heroes Discount” of 10% to all military, veterans or first responders, during a visit on any date. Valid ID or proof of service is required.

Chili’s

Dine-in customers at Chili’s can present proof of military service for a free entree — from a special menu — on Nov. 11. The restaurant chain advises calling your local Chili’s to confirm participation.

Cici’s Pizza

Veterans and active-duty military members can redeem this coupon for a free adult buffet meal (excluding drink) on Nov. 11. Proof of service is required.

VETERANS, GOLD STAR FAMILIES AND FIFTH GRADERS GIVEN FREE ACCESS TO NATIONAL PARKS

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel is offering all veterans a complimentary slice of its Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake on Nov. 11 when dining in at any location in the U.S.

Denny’s

The chain is offering free Build Your Own Grand Slam breakfasts to all active and inactive military members with ID or proof of service. The deal is valid for dine-in customers at participating locations, and only from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Dunkin’

Dunkin’ is offering a free doughnut of choice to all active military member or veterans. The company is also encouraging its fans to send gift cards to our nation’s veterans via its Dunkin Coffee Break program, to share a “sweet thank you with the brave men and women who help keep America running.”

Famous Dave’s

Military personnel can redeem a free pulled pork sandwich, plus a side (up to a $ 7.49 value) on Nov. 11, whether dining in, ordering takeout or ordering online (with the code VETERAN). Valid proof of service is required.

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Fogo de Chão

Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão is offering 50% off the entire meal (excluding beverages or dessert) for all veterans and active-duty personnel on Nov. 11. Guests who dine with the service members (up to three) can also get 10% off their own meals when dining together. Offer is good at all U.S. and Puerto Rico locations. Valid military ID or proof of service is required.

Hooters

Any veterans or active-duty military members who order 10 wings at Hooters will get 10 more wings, absolutely free, at all participating locations on Nov. 11. Military ID or proof of service is required.

Hy-Vee

Midwest supermarket chain Hy-Vee is offering veterans and military members free breakfast, via curbside pickup, on Nov. 11 between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse is offering a free Bloomin’ Onion, along with choice of Coke beverage, to all veterans and active military on Nov. 11. 

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Red Lobster

Veterans or active military members can redeem a free appetizer or dessert, from a special Veterans Day menu, with proof of service during dine-in visits on Nov. 11.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill

All U.S. locations of Romano’s Macaroni Grill are offering a free order of Mom’s Ricotta Meatballs and Spaghetti to any active-military personell or veterans who present valid military ID or proof of service on Nov. 11. Offer is good for both dine-in and carryout, though not on delivery.

Wendy’s

Veterans or active military personnel who present a valid military ID at participating restaurants will be provided with a free small breakfast combo, absolutely free, between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. “Check your local Wendy’s as breakfast hours may vary by location,” the chain advises.

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Fox News’ Janine Puhak and Michael Bartiromo contributed to this report.

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beashear is quarantining with his family after a member of his security detail tested positive for Covid-19

The governor of Kentucky and his family are quarantining after being in close quarters with someone who later tested positive for Covid-19.

Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, announced in a video on Twitter Sunday that a member of his security detail who drove him and his family home late Saturday afternoon tested positive for Covid-19 that night.

The governor said he received a call from contact tracers about his potential exposure.

Most people try to avoid Covid-19. But thousands are signing up to be deliberately exposed

“We’re doing what those tracers ask us and others to do,” he said, appearing alongside his son, who was wearing a mask. “We’re going to be quarantining until the department for public health says that we’ve completed what we need to.”

Beshear said he and his family, as well as the state police trooper who drove them, were all wearing facial coverings, according to a news release from his office. But because they were within six feet of someone who tested positive for more than 15 minutes, they will be quarantining, per federal and state health recommendations.

Beshear said he and his family were not in contact with anyone after that drive, and that no one in his family has tested positive for the virus so far. He added that they were feeling well and aren’t displaying symptoms.

“But we want to make sure that we’re setting the example, and that we’re also keeping other people around us safe,” he said. “That we’re walking the walk, not just talking the talk.”

Beshear, who has urged Kentuckians to follow the guidance of health experts, said he would continue to hold his daily news conferences from an empty part of the governor’s mansion.

“I told you I was going to be here every day until we got through this,” he said. “And we will get through this. And we’ll get through this together.”

Kentucky reported 7,675 Covid-19 cases this past week, setting another record for the highest weekly total of new cases. That’s 1,549 more cases than the week before, though the numbers include a backlog of cases from Fayette County reported on October 7, the governor’s office said.

As of Sunday, the state has seen a total of 80,292 reported virus cases and 1,252 deaths.

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Chicago violence: 5 dead, 32 shot amid bloody weekend

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Chicago authorities on Sunday said that five people have been killed and 32 people were shot amid another violent weekend in the city, according to reports. 

Gunfire this weekend in Chicago also left at least three teenagers shot. Two boys, both 15, were shot and injured early Sunday. A 16-year-old boy was struck by gunfire on Friday night, reports said.

The most recent shooting occurred at 6:15 p.m. in the southside community of Auburn Gresham. A man, 24, was found unresponsive after being shot in the back. He was taken to a local area hospital and pronounced dead, according to Chicago’s WBBM-TV.

CHICAGO POLICE OUT THROUGHOUT CITY ENSURING SAFETY ON ELECTION NIGH

A 24-year-old woman was also shot in a vehicle at the scene. She self-transported to a hospital in good condition after being struck in the right shoulder, the station reported.

This weekend’s violence occurred about a week after four people were fatally shot and 26 people were injured across the city, authorities said.

CHICAGO VIOLENCE: 4 DEAD, 22 SHOT IN BLOODY WEEKEND

Murders in the city are up 50% compared with 2019 and more police are being shot at, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The paper reported how 67 city police officers were shot at this year, while other crimes have dropped by 7%.

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 The city was bracing for possible civil unrest ahead of the Nov. 3 election. 

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Utah officer charged after allegedly ordering K9 to attack Black man who was surrendering

A Salt Lake City police officer was charged Wednesday in connection with allegedly ordering a police dog to attack a Black man who was surrendering to police, on his knees with his hands in the air.

Nickolas Pearce has been placed on administrative leave since video of the incident became public last month. He is now facing an aggravated assault charge, a second-degree felony.

CNN could not reach Pearce for comment.

The local police union defended Pearce Wednesday. “We firmly stand behind Officer Pearce,” Salt Lake Police Association President Steven Winters told CNN after the charge was announced. “We believe he was justified in what he did, and look forward to the criminal justice process working its way out.” Pearce has not yet appeared in court.

Pearce and other officers were responding to a domestic violence call April 24 when they encountered Jeffery Ryans, who was subject to a protective order that prohibited him from being at the residence.

According to the probable cause statement, “Ryans did not express any intentions or engage in actions reflecting he was going to resist the officers” and kept his hands in the air throughout the encounter.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told The New York Times that Utah law allows officers to use force but that but “when you cross that threshold, you need to be held accountable, just like anybody else.”

CNN could not reach Gill for comment.

The Salt Lake City Police Department said the Civilian Review Board also completed an independent investigation, but the department is still analyzing it.

“If Internal Affairs finds that Officer Pearce committed a policy violation, the Chief’s Office will follow the disciplinary process required under state and federal law,” the department said Wednesday in a press release.

What happened

Police approached Ryans at the residence around 3:30 a.m. saying they were responding to an incident of domestic violence, according to Ryans’ lawyers. Ryans’ daughter made the 911 call to police, according to a recording of the call released by police.

“My dad is doing very bad things to our family,” the daughter says.

“He’s yelling and screaming,” she says, as raised voices are heard in the background.

“Did he strike your mom?” the operator asks.

The daughter answers: “Yes.”

Salt Lake City police officer ordered his K9 to bite a Black man’s leg repeatedly, lawyers say, and now it may need to be amputated

Asked by the operator if her father lives at the house, the daughter replies, “No, he has a restraining order.”

One of Ryans’ lawyers, Daniel Gardner, confirmed to CNN that there was a protective order in place but said the couple “were under the impression that it had been lifted because that was the wishes of Mrs. Ryans.”

According to body-worn camera footage from the incident provided to CNN by the man’s attorneys and Salt Lake City Police, an officer mentions the protective order to Ryans who then tells that officer that his wife “said she lifted it off.”

“(Ryans and his wife) did not understand that a judge is the only one that can lift a protective order,” Gardner explained.

Police asked Ryans to leave the house, according to the video. They also spoke to his wife, who confirmed that she has a protective order and told officers that Jeffery was in the house when she got home.

When the officers found him in the backyard, one of the six officers tells him “you’re not supposed to be here Jeffery.”

“Alright, well she let me in,” he claims. Several officers can be heard ordering Ryans to “get on the ground.” One officer says that Ryans tried to jump the fence.

Pearce demanded that Ryans get on the ground. Three seconds later Pearce kicked Ryans and then ordered a K9 named Tuco to bite the suspect, according to the probable cause statement.

Video shows Ryans lying on the ground protesting and exclaiming in pain as a dog bites and tugs at his left leg. One officer is seen handcuffing him while another officer repeatedly says “good boy” to the dog.

“Why are you biting me?” Ryans screams on the video at one point.

As Ryans is on the ground being handcuffed, an officer can be heard saying “we need medical for a dog bite” over the radio.

Ryans, a locomotive engineer, says several times throughout the incident that he was trying to get his work clothes from the house.

Ryans was hospitalized for leg lacerations that were four to five inches long. His attorneys told CNN last month that Ryans needed several surgeries.

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Mike Richardson, Super Bowl champion and former Bears star, arrested on murder charge

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Mike Richardson, the former Chicago Bears star cornerback who was a part of the Super Bowl XX team, was arrested Wednesday on murder charges in Arizona.

Richardson, 59, was arrested in connection with the death of 47-year-old Ronald Like, according to KNXV-TV. Maricopa County inmate records show Richardson faces charges of second-degree murder and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, as well as charges of drug possession with intent to sale.

He is due in court on Jan. 6 and is being held on $ 1 million bond.

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Investigators said Like was discovered with a gunshot wound at an intersection in Phoenix and was rushed to the hospital where he later died, according to the Arizona Republic.

Richardson was a star defensive back at Arizona State before turning pro. The Bears selected Richardson in the second round of the 1983 draft. He started 14 out of 16 games his rookie season. In the team’s championship-winning 1985 season, Richardson had four interceptions and one touchdown. He was also featured in the iconic “Super Bowl Shuffle” music video.

He played with the Bears for six seasons – 1983 to 1988 – and played three games with the San Francisco 49ers in 1989.

MASON RUDOLPH-MYLES GARRETT INCIDENT ‘SO FAR IN OUR REARVIEW MIRROR,’ STEELERS COACH MIKE TOMLIN SAYS

However, Richardson’s latest arrest isn’t the first on his rap sheet.

Phoenix police had arrested Richardson twice in 2020 and he was jailed in Maricopa County, accused of theft and drug possession, according to KNVX-TV.

ESPN and the Chicago Tribune had detailed that Richardson had been convicted of more than 20 crimes between 1992 and 2008.

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ESPN reported in 2010 that Richardson was released from custody and had 10 years of a 13-year prison sentence cut after an appellate judge in California determined he did not violate his probation in 2008.

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Barbie confronts racism in viral video and shows how to be a White ally

Barbie sat down for a real talk about racism with her good friend Nikki in the Dreamhouse — and nothing was off limits.

The pair unpacked White privilege, the struggles of racial bias and what it means to be a true ally in the latest episode of YouTube’s “Barbie Vlogs.”

A one-minute clip quickly went viral this week on Twitter, garnering 3.4 million views. Viewers were struck with how well the characters called out racism by name — and demonstrated the importance of validating others’ experiences.

In the latest episode of “Barbie Vlogs” on YouTube, Barbie’s friend Nikki shares her experiences with racial bias.

A pensive Barbie opens the clip with a message about why “it’s important to have ongoing conversations about standing up to racism,” but she quickly turns her attention to Nikki and just listens.

Nikki tells Barbie about different instances when she was judged based on the color of her skin.

“Barbie and I had a sticker-selling contest on the beach last month. We split up and went our separate directions to see who could sell the most. While I was on the boardwalk, beach security stopped me three times,” Nikki shares. “The security officer thought I was doing something bad, even though I was doing exactly the same thing that you were doing.”

On another occasion, Nikki says she was underestimated by a teacher who assumed she only aced a French honor club admissions quiz because she “got lucky.”

When a concerned Barbie asks her friend why she didn’t stay in the French honor club “to prove him wrong,” Nikki responds with a statement on how experiencing bias can be exhausting.

“I don’t want to constantly prove and re-prove myself,” Nikki says. “He supported you right from the beginning and didn’t support me.”

“Usually when I talk about these things, people make excuses…People did these things to me because I was Black and they made the wrong assumptions about me.”

Equally compelling to Nikki’s reflections are Barbie’s actions during the video. Throughout Nikki’s stories, Barbie is an attentive listener. And when she does speak, Barbie uses the opportunity to educate her viewers about how her friend’s experiences are indicative of a broader problem.

Barbie is no stranger to championing gender equality and racial justice

The Barbie YouTube vlog is one component of a larger commitment by the Mattel company to girls’ empowerment.

The original video content allows Barbie to engage with its young consumers while nurturing interpersonal skills and self confidence. In other Barbie vlogs, she has taught young viewers about gaslighting, the tendency to over-apologize and mental health.

“Barbie is championing gender equality to help close the racial injustice barrier girls face through the Dream Gap and this is one way the brand is addressing it,” Mattel said in a statement to CNN.

“The goal of the episode is to help girls to understand that there is a huge movement going on in the fight against racism, why people are marching together and the importance of reading and learning more about Black history,” Mattel said.

Barbie’s push for impactful video content is also apt for today’s quarantine landscape. With many students still attending school virtually and the dynamics of socialization changing, the Barbie YouTube channel and dolls offer an engaging way to stimulate social awareness through play.

And, it seems to be working.

This week, Barbie® and neuroscientists from Cardiff University, announced the findings of a new study exploring the positive impact doll play has on children.

Doll play activates brain regions that allow children to develop empathy and social information, according to the study.

With more than 9.6 million subscribers, the official Barbie page is currently the most watched channel directed at girls on YouTube. With the continued success of their educational content, Mattel and Barbie® are cultivating a new generation on how to engage with social issues with consideration and kindness.

“We hope that families watch this together and leverage the brand to discuss a really tough topic with a young child and hope it spurs many more conversations on how girls can support one another, especially leading up to International Day of the Girl this weekend,” the company said.

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Hurricane Sally leaves behind thousands of starfish washed up on Florida beach

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Cleanup efforts are underway in Pensacola, Fla., after Hurricane Sally slams Gulf Coast

Hurricane Sally leaves severe flooding in the Gulf Coast; Charles Watson reports.

The devastating storm surge from Hurricane Sally that swamped the Gulf Coast last week has left thousands of starfish washed up on a beach in Florida.

The Navarre Beach Fire Rescue posted a video to Facebook showing the starfish spread across the beach. Fire Chief Danny Fureigh told the Pensacola News Journal they were discovered Saturday morning.

“There are thousands and thousands of them,” he told the paper.

THOUSANDS OF STARFISH WASH UP ON SOUTH CAROLINA BEACHES DURING LOW TIDE

Video from the fire department shows them as far as the eye can see.

The Navarre Beach Marine Science Station said the starfish are known as “royal starfish.”

Thousands of starfish had ended up on the beach in Navarre Beach, Fla. after Hurricane Sally impacted the area last week. (Navarre Beach Fire Rescue)

“The species of starfish Astropecten articulatus, commonly known as the Royal Starfish is characterized by its bold colors,” the group said on Facebook. “It has a purple granulated disk, which is the central region of the sea star, and the purple color continues to extend to its five flat rays, which are its arms.”

SALLY LEAVES DEADLY MARK ON GULF COAST, HUNDREDS OF RESCUES IN FLORIDA, ALABAMA

According to WKRG-TV, currents and wave action after the storm have left a lot of animals living in the inner tidal zone washing up.

Drone video shows destruction in wake of Hurricane Sally on Alabama coast

Other animals like clams and worms have been scattered on beaches among the starfish.

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Parts of the Alabama coast and Florida Panhandle are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Sally, which roared ashore on Wednesday.

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A total of two deaths were blamed on the system.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jimmy Orr, who played for Colts and Steelers, dies at 85

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Jimmy Orr, a Super Bowl champion wide receiver who played 13 years in the NFL between the Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers, died Tuesday. He was 85.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay confirmed the news on social media Wednesday. Edo Smith and Sons Funeral Home in Brunswick, Ga., also confirmed Orr’s death, according to the Associated Press.

“Rest in peace to another NFL legend, JIMMY ORR. Jimmy led the NFL in yards per reception three times during his 13 years in the league, and ‘Orr’s Corner’ in the south endzone at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium was sacred ground.  Our condolences to Jimmy’s family,” Irsay wrote.

The Los Angeles Rams selected Orr in the 25th round of the 1957 draft out of Georgia, but he would make his debut with the Steelers in 1958.

MATT BLAIR, FORMER ALL-PRO LINEBACKER FOR THE VIKINGS, DIES AT 70

He joined the Colts in 1961 and became a top target for quarterback Johnny Unitas. He recorded 303 catches for 5,859 yards and 50 touchdowns in 10 years with the Colts. He had 97 catches for 2,055 yards and 16 touchdowns with the Steelers.

BILL MATHIS, AFL PIONEER AND ORIGINAL JETS TEAM MEMBER, DIES AT 81

One of the most notable highlights in Orr’s career came in Super Bowl III against the New York Jets. Orr was wide open on a flea-flicker but quarterback Earl Morrall never saw him and threw an interception. The Colts would famously lose to the Jets.

Orr would get his Super Bowl ring during the 1970 season.

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Bill Curry, Orr’s former teammate at Georgia, tweeted: “My wonderful friend/teammate Jimmy Orr died last night. He was one of those few men who could find the good when the rest of us could not. As a WR no one could cover him-He quietly put up incredible numbers, and didn’t know it! Thanks Jimmy, Love you Man.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

>>>details

Why Democrats are favored to take back the Senate

Whoever wins the presidential race can use the full power of the presidency only if he has a Senate backing him up. Currently, Republicans hold 53 of 100 seats. Democrats need a net gain of three seats to take back Congress’ upper body, assuming former Vice President Joe Biden wins and Kamala Harris, as vice president, would cast a tie-breaking vote.

Right now, it looks like Democrats are going to get a majority, but the battle for control remains close and will likely be determined by two related factors:

• First, Democrats are far more likely to win Senate control if Biden wins the presidency.

• Second, climbing coronavirus cases could make an impact in the closing days of the campaign.

Take a look at the five Republican-held seats that are most likely to flip at this point to the Democrats: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Maine and North Carolina. As of this writing, Democratic Senate candidates hold polling advantages of 5 points in Arizona, 9 points in Colorado, 1 point in Iowa, 5 points in Maine and 3 points in North Carolina.

Visit CNN’s Election Center for full coverage of the 2020 race

The races in Iowa and North Carolina remain particularly close at this point, and Democrats will probably need to win at least one of those to take the Senate.

Their chance of doing this will be increased significantly if Biden defeats President Donald Trump in these states. At this point, that looks quite possible.

Biden leads Trump in all five of the states where Democrats have their best Senate pickup opportunities. Those advantages tend to be fairly close to the lead Democratic Senate candidates have in those same states: 3 points in Arizona, 13 points in Colorado, 1 point in Iowa, 15 points in Maine and 2 points in North Carolina. The average difference across these states is just 3 points, with Maine being a notable exception to the overall trend.

Likewise, the one seat Republicans are favored to pick up (Alabama) shows the same premise: the party winning in the presidential race is leading in the Senate race as well.

Indeed, the Democrats’ best chance of expanding the Senate map is in a state where Biden has been making clear gains against Trump: Georgia.

Biden now holds an average 2-point edge over Trump in the Peach State, where there are two competitive Senate races. In the race for a full six-year term, the battle between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Sen. David Perdue has grown quite tight in recent weeks. In fact, the two are tied in an average of polls.

The complication is that it isn’t enough just to get the most votes in Georgia. You need to win a majority to avoid a January runoff. With a Libertarian candidate polling at 2% to 3%, it’s possible that no candidate reaches a majority.

The better Biden does in Georgia, the better shot Ossoff has of avoiding a runoff.

(Georgia’s other special Senate election is very likely to head to a runoff, with multiple Democrats and Republicans running in what is known as a jungle primary.)

Beyond these aforementioned states, Democrats are down 4 and 3 points in Kansas and Montana, respectively. Those are small enough Republican leads that the Democrats could win in these states, but with Trump ahead in both, it’ll be tough.

One thing that could make a difference in all these Senate races is the rising number of coronavirus cases nationwide. In every single one of the states with the best chance of a party picking up a seat, cases are climbing upward.

Cases are rising particularly quickly in Iowa, where Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has refused to institute a mask mandate. This is a state where Biden’s advantage seems to have been widening somewhat in the last few weeks, along with Wisconsin (where cases are also rising). Although Wisconsin doesn’t have a Senate race this year, Iowa does.

As I pointed out Thursday, Trump seems to be doing worse in communities where Covid-19 deaths are higher.

That could make the difference in a state like Iowa in the presidential race, which could in turn shift the Senate race — one that ultimately could determine control of the US Senate.

>>>details

‘Shoot your shot’: Obama nails three-pointer while campaigning with Biden in Michigan

Barack Obama called game.

The former President showed he can still get buckets, swishing a corner three-pointer at a Flint, Michigan, gym on Saturday while on the campaign trail for Joe Biden, his former vice president.

“That’s what I do,” Obama yells after nailing the three, before lowering his “VOTE” mask and yelling again, “That’s what I do!”

The video was tweeted by Olivia Raisner, the Biden campaign’s traveling digital director.

so this was absolutely insane pic.twitter.com/W4JL6LQZxq

— Olivia Raisner (@OliviaRaisner) October 31, 2020

Obama also plugged his basketball skills, tweeting the video of the casual three-pointer from his own account with the words “Shoot your shot.”

In the video, aides in the gym seem stunned that Obama nailed the three, with one yelling, “Walk off!”

“Whoa,” a masked Biden says as the duo leaves the gym.

Visit CNN’s Election Center for full coverage of the 2020 race

It wasn’t long before NBA star LeBron James took notice Saturday night, tweeting, “Now you just showing out now my friend!! That’s what you do huh?? Ok ok I see. All cash!”

Obama, who played JV and varsity basketball at Hawaii’s Punahou School, regularly played basketball during his rise to political prominence, including as a United States senator, where he hit a three in front of troops in Kuwait.

Obama continued to play basketball during his time in the White House, including a game in 2010 where the President caught an “errant elbow” that forced him to get stitches. Obama has recently joked that his basketball game was getting worse as he got older.

Raisner’s post of the video of Obama’s shot in Michigan has garnered over 7.4 million views as of 10 p.m. Saturday night.

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Netflix partners with Norfolk State University in Virginia for its first-ever Virtual HBCU Boot Camp

Streaming giant Netflix is looking to expand access to Black students in the tech industry.

Netflix announced Thursday it would be partnering with Norfolk State University, a historically black college in Virginia, for its first ever Netflix Virtual HBCU Boot Camp, the company said in a statement. They’re doing it in partnership with education technology company 2U, the statement read.

“At Netflix, we see the power of technology to introduce us to other communities and cultures every day,” the statement read. “Creating space in the industry for all voices will only make it stronger.”

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The program for students and class of 2019 and 2020 alumni will launch at NSU in January 2021, the company said. It will be a 16-week program that will take in 130 students. Participants in the program can choose from three program tracks that include Java engineering, UX/UI design and data science.

“Students who are accepted receive a Netflix scholarship to cover the cost of attendance, and they’ll get course credit for completing the boot camp,” the company’s statement read. “The goal is for participants to come away better equipped with industry-relevant skills to enter today’s workforce, and with valuable, long-lasting relationships.”

NSU said in a statement the partnership will “tee up even more opportunities for students and alumni to build successful careers and valuable mentorship opportunities.”

Netflix is not the only company looking to partner with HBCUs. In August, streaming giant Twitch announced it was partnering with an Atlanta-based non-profit to offer the first-ever esports leagues geared specifically for HBCUs.

In June, video conferencing company Zoom announced a five-year strategic partnership with Claflin University in South Carolina for educational and financial investments.

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