Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, August 10, 2021:
DELTA LATEST
Gov. Greg Abbott is appealing to out-of-state medical help to deal with Texas' surge in COVID cases fueled by the Delta variant. One hospital in Houston has put up tents to accommodate an anticipated overflow of patients, while the Houston and Dallas school districts have imposed mask mandates for students and staff, defying Abbott’s orders. The Pentagon plans to make COVID vaccines mandatory for all active-duty troops by the middle of next month, or even earlier if cases continue to rise or if final FDA approval comes sooner. Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin said vaccines are necessary to maintain military readiness. AP
INFRA VOTE
The Senate is scheduled to hold a final vote this morning on the $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which has maintained its bipartisan momentum and appears more than likely to get the 60+ votes needed to overcome the filibuster. Senate Dems also released a $3.5 trillion budget proposal that they hope to pass without Republican support as a complimentary bill that focuses on “soft” or “human” infrastructure spending on social programs and climate efforts. Should the two pass, President Biden’s entire economic agenda would be essentially secured. CNN
STAR GOVS IN PERIL
CUOMO: The legislative committee in charge of deciding whether to impeach N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo expects to finish reviewing evidence of the sexual harassment allegations against him within weeks, as Cuomo shows no signs of stepping down on his own. Meanwhile, one of his accusers, Brittany Commisso, spoke publicly for the first time detailing her interactions with the governor: WATCH
NEWSOM: California Gov. Gavin Newsom may be in greater danger of getting recalled than previously thought, as counties prepare to send out ballots to registered voters ahead of the Sept. 14 special election. Polls show a majority of California voters oppose the recall effort, but those who support it are much more enthusiastic about replacing Newsom. That suggests his fate could come down to how many Democrats show up. POLITICO
DESANTIS: On the other side of the aisle, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has seen his approval rating slump as the Delta wave pummels his state. DeSantis, who has been viewed by some as the heir-apparent to former President Trump, is now underwater among Florida voters. A separate poll this month had him trailing Democrat Charlie Crist in a hypothetical 2022 matchup. DeSantis’ opposition to masks at schools -- he’s now threatening to withhold salaries of school officials who mandate masks -- is among the reasons his numbers have slipped over the summer. FL POL
TROPICS WATCH
Heads up, Floridians: The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Fred soon. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic, and Florida has been placed in the extended “cone of uncertainty.” The latest models have the system tracking over the Keys and south Florida this weekend. ACCUWEATHER
OIL SLUMP
Gas prices continue their upward climb, with the national average now a buck higher than it was this time last year, at $3.19 per gallon. The peak could be coming, though. Crude oil prices have been on the decline as the accelerating Delta wave and new virus restrictions in China have set back the outlook for fuel demand. The fact that a growing number of companies are pushing back their return-to-office plans is putting downward pressure on energy prices and related stocks, which were among the market’s worst performers on Monday. REUTERS
SPACE BILLBOARD
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is teaming up with a Canadian tech startup to launch a satellite into space that would display ads, logos and artwork on a giant digital screen as it orbits the Earth. You wouldn’t be able to see the screen from down here, but a selfie-stick attached to the satellite would broadcast the display to a YouTube livestream. Anyone could advertise on the “CubeSat” with crypto payments. The plan is to have the space billboard in orbit next year. INSIDER
NBA FREE AGENCY
NBA superstar Luka Dončić has agreed to a five-year, $207 million supermax rookie extension that will keep him playing for the Dallas Mavericks. Dončić is only 22 and is already considered one of the most accomplished players in the league. He also just led the Slovenian national team to a fourth-place finish in Tokyo during its first Olympics run. ESPN
JEOPARDY! BACKLASH
Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards has confirmed he’s in the running to succeed Alex Trebek, while also pushing back against claims that he mistreated past colleagues when he ran The Price Is Right. Several workplace discrimination suits were filed by models on that game show who said they were wrongfully terminated when they became pregnant during Richards’ tenure as EP. Richards says those suits were against the show, not him, and do not reflect “who I am.” LA TIMES
SPOTTED...
...Jennifer Hudson, channeling Aretha Franklin at the premiere of Respect, in which Hudson plays the Queen of Soul: SEE PICS
...Matt Damon, joining Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez for a walk along the beach in Malibu: SEE PICS
...Simone Biles, revealing her washboard abs as she relaxes at home after the Olympics: SEE PICS
LEFTOVERS: SPEED DEMONS
If it seems like everyone has been driving like a bat out of hell lately, there’s now data to confirm it. The number of highway deaths in 2020 was the highest since 2007, according to NHTSA, even though overall miles driven were down significantly during the pandemic. The traffic data suggests that the higher death toll was related to higher average speeds combined with an uptick in DUIs and scaled-back police enforcement. Officers around the country say the speeding has only gotten worse this summer -- already the most dangerous time of the year on the roads to begin with. AP
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