Happy Thursday, CivMixers. I expected a more gradual drop in temperatures, but that’s cool (literally). Also, as always at this time of the year, I am considering moving to California. No relation to the weather, I am sure.
Oh, seasons, how you play with me.
Now, let’s see what our five things are for the day.
- Welcome to the election news cycle that won’t end. Yes, it goes ON and ON. In Michigan, there is a new election drama. Initially, the two Republicans on the board of canvassers in the state’s biggest county, Wayne County, said that they were not certifying results that showed President-elect Joe Biden had won.
Then they reversed course and voted with the two other members on the board – both Democrats – and DID certify the results of the election.
Yesterday, however, both Monica Palmer and William Hartman, the aforementioned Republican canvassers, filed affidavits asking to rescind their certifications. It is now past the deadline to certify in MI. Today it was revealed that both Palmer and Harman spoke to President Trump yesterday – before filing their respective affidavits.
According to Palmer, chair of the canvassing board, the president merely wanted to check to ensure she and Hartman were safe due to numerous threats they had received after their initial refusal to certify. Nether of the canvassers would comment on whether the president had asked them to change their certification votes.
Keep in mind the votes in question are too small to change the outcome of the election in MI.
2) Tomorrow is November 20, known to the LGBTQ community and its allies as Transgender Day of Remembrance. This is when we remember those who have fallen victim to prevalent and often fatal violence associated with the anti-trans movement.
According to data collected by Everytown for Gun Safety, 2020 is shaping up to be the single deadliest year in recent history for those who belong to the transgender and non-conforming communities. As of today, there have been 29 killing deaths in the community, four more than the total in 2019, up from 16 in 2018. It is currently tied with the 2017 total.
Since 2017, three-quarter of those trans and non-binary victims have been killed with guns. According to the report by Everytown for Gun Safety, gun violence and anti-trans violence are directly correlated. The majority of the killings both since 2017 and just this year took place in southern states, the three biggest ones being Florida, Louisiana and Texas.
Though the trans community only has about a 16% total of POCs, the victims of the violence against them consist of 76% being against Black trans women. No matter that this is a grim year with the national and global COVID pandemic and the election drama, we will be stopping tomorrow to remember those lives lost to senseless hate and violence.
3) There has been a lot of pushback against NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to close the nation’s largest public school system. Even as COVID cases rise, the announcement that in-person learning was suspended as of today was abrupt and most unwelcome.
Many parents and guardians heard the news shortly after a much-delayed late afternoon press conference yesterday. The initial announcement was made on Twitter. This didn’t give folks much time to plan – especially for those who need to find child care and/or instructional assistance because they have to go to work.
Schools are closed today through Wednesday of next week, and then Thursday and Friday – as planned – for Thanksgiving. Most troubling is the fact that there’s no indication of when in-person learning will resume.
The situation was exacerbated by ongoing tensions between de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Enough said about that.
4) The Schenectady County Public Health Services confirmed today that there is a possible COVID exposure at the popular Glenville Queen Family Restaurant located on route 50 in Glenville.
The customer in question dined inside the restaurant on Saturday, November 14 between 9 and 10 a.m. SCPHS says they have completed tracing and any close contacts of the customer have been identified and asked to quarantine.
Though the risk of exposure is expected to be low, if you were there at that time, SCPHS recommends that you self-monitor for 14 days and consider getting tested. If you do develop systems, please call them at (518) 386-2824 and select option two.
The SCPHS wants to acknowledge that the Glenville Queen was in complete compliance and has cooperated fully.
5) Today, the CDTA launched its Bus Rapid Transit system expansion. The new blue line is sixteen miles and runs Waterford-Cohoes-Lansinburgh-Troy-Watervliet-Menands-Albany.
Any customers who may be interested in further details should check them out either by calling (518) 482-8822 or going online here.
Stay steady, stay healthy, stay safe.
Stay woke.
