BC-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-US-BORDERS

US to reopen land borders in November for fully vaccinated

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says the United States will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All international visitors will need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Vehicle, rail and ferry travel between the U.S. and Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to essential travel, such as trade, since the earliest days of the pandemic. The new rules to be announced Wednesday will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals entry to the U.S. regardless of the reason for travel. That starts in early November, when a similar easing of restrictions is set to kick in for air travel. 

AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BOEING-VACCINES

Boeing tells workers they must get COVID-19 vaccine

SEATTLE (AP) — The Boeing Co. has told employees they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or possibly be fired. The Seattle Times reports the deadline for workers at the aerospace giant is Dec. 8. Employees can request exemptions “due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief.” The policy will apply to roughly 125,000 US-based employees company-wide, with about 57,000 of those in Washington state. Boeing may face more resistance to the new policy in some Republican-controlled states. On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order barring private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines. Boeing has more than 5,000 employees in Texas. It has about 32,000 more at facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Major highway still closed by wind-whipped wildfire

SOLVANG, Calif. (AP) — A major Southern California highway remained closed by a growing blaze driven by intense winds.  At least 200 firefighters battled the Alisal Fire. By Tuesday, the blaze had scorched 21 square miles along coastal Santa Barbara County and remained completely uncontained. In Northern California, fire crews increased containment of a blaze that destroyed 25 mobile homes, 16 RVs and a park building at the Rancho Marina RV Park in Sacramento County. More winds later this week could force a utility to again cut power to thousands of customers in the northern and central regions of the state in an effort to prevent wildfires.

BC-US-SOUTHERN-CALIFORNIA-PLANE-CRASH

Pilot in deadly California crash repeatedly warned to climb

A recording shows that the pilot of a twin-engine plane was repeatedly warned to fly straight and to climb before he crashed into a San Diego suburb, killing himself and someone on the ground. An air traffic controller repeated warnings more than a dozen times to Dr. Sugata Das before the plane plowed into a neighborhood in Santee on Monday, burning and damaging several homes. The crash also killed 61-year-old Steve Krueger, a UPS driver who was nearing retirement. The crash is under federal investigation. But some experts say the pilot may have been distracted by something or may have become disoriented in cloudy weather.

TROPICAL WEATHER-PACIFIC

Pamela could be hurricane again as it makes Mexico landfall

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Pamela is picking up forward momentum in the Pacific off Mexico and forecasters say it should be back to hurricane strength again before striking the coast north of the port of Mazatlan on Wednesday morning. Pamela weakened to a tropical storm Tuesday afternoon. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm was centered about 170 miles (275 kilometers) west-southwest of Mazatlan late Tuesday and was moving north-northeast at about 12 mph (19 kph). The storm had maximum winds of about 70 mph (110 kph). The hurricane center warns of possible life-threatening storm surges, flash floods and dangerous winds around the impact area. Weakened remnants of the storm may reach Texas by Thursday.

CONGRESS-DEBT

House sends debt limit hike to Biden, staving off default

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of the House have approved a short-term hike to the nation’s debt limit. The vote Tuesday evening ensures the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December. The legislation next goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. A default would have had immense fallout on global financial markets, and routine government payments to Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans and others would have been called into question. But the relief provided will only be temporary, forcing Congress to revisit the issue in December, with Republicans promising that Democrats will have to lift the cap without their assistance. 

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR-OBAMA

Obama to campaign with McAuliffe in Virginia governor’s race

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Former President Barack Obama is coming to Richmond this month to campaign with fellow Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the final stretch of the competitive race for Virginia governor. McAuliffe is running against GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin as he seeks a second, nonconsecutive term in office. Youngkin is a former private equity executive and first-time political candidate. McAuliffe’s campaign said in a news release that the two would appear together in Richmond on Oct. 23. Details about the event are forthcoming. Obama also visited Richmond for a rally with Democrat Ralph Northam during the 2017 gubernatorial race.

AP-US-SOUTHWEST-AIRLINES-CANCELED-FLIGHTS-

Southwest limits canceled flights after 3 tumultuous days

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines appears to be fixing problems that caused the cancellation of nearly 2,400 flights over the previous three days. By midday Tuesday, Southwest had canceled fewer than 100 flights, although more than 400 others were running late. That’s according to tracking service FlightAware. Southwest says bad weather and air traffic control issues in Florida on Friday trapped planes and pilots out of position, causing cascading problems for flights across the country. 

AP-US-GIULIANI-ASSOCIATES-INDICTMENT

Openings set for Wednesday in trial of Giuliani associate

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury has been selected for the trial of Lev Parnas, a onetime associate of Rudy Giuliani who is accused along with a co-defendant of making illegal campaign contributions. Opening statements were set for Wednesday morning. U.S. prosecutors say Parnas ingratiated himself with influential Republicans through improper contributions. Those included a $325,000 donation in 2018 to a committee supporting then-President Donald Trump. Parnas initially came to public attention for his involvement in Giuliani’s effort to get the government of Ukraine to investigate the son of President Joe Biden. That work isn’t part of the case and Giuliani has not been charged.

AP-US-EPA-MIDWEST-CHIEF

Biden appoints Debra Shore to lead EPA Midwestern office

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — President Joe Biden has appointed Chicago wastewater official Debra Shore to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Midwestern office. Shore will oversee EPA’s Region 5, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin — along with 35 indigenous tribes. The office oversees efforts to clean up the Great Lakes and deals with matters including industrial and agricultural pollution and tainted drinking water. Shore is an elected member of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. That agency handles wastewater treatment and stormwater management.

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