Snowstorm, Black History Month, Oregon drugs decriminalized: 5 things to know Monday
Powerful snowstorm pounds Midwest, East; NYC could see a foot of snow
A powerful winter storm that roared through the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic over the weekend before merging with another system is expected to pummel parts of the East Coast on Monday. Blizzard conditions with up to 2 feet of snow were possible for some areas, and almost 80 million people were under winter storm warnings, watches and advisories. Major Eastern cities including Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City were bracing for the biggest snowfall of the season, Accuweather warned. As the storm fully emerges across the Ohio Valley, forecasters expect it to erupt into a full-blown nor’easter.
- 'That's more snow than we've seen in a decade': Winter storm drops 10+ inches on southeast Wisconsin
- Stranded health workers brave Oregon snowstorm to keep COVID-19 doses from going to waste
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Black History Month begins. This year's theme: 'The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity'
Monday marks the start of Black History Month, a federally recognized celebration of the contributions African Americans have made to the U.S. and a time to reflect on the continued struggle for racial justice. The theme for 2021 is "The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity," chosen by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Black History Month got its start in 1926, when Carter G. Woodson proposed a national “Negro History Week," which was intended to be a time to showcase everything students learned about Black history throughout the school year. But it wasn't until 1976, during the height of the civil rights movement, that President Gerald R. Ford expanded the week into Black History Month.
- Black History Month:Stories of compassion and kindness
- Here's how NOT to celebrate Black History Month, and what you can do instead
Oregon law decriminalizing possession of illegal drugs goes into effect
A first-of-its-kind legislation that decriminalizes the possession of all illegal drugs in Oregon goes into effect Monday. Instead of a criminal justice-based approach, Measure 110 is a pivot to a health care-based approach for the state, offering treatment instead of prison time for those with addictions. Those in possession will be fined $100, a citation that will be dropped if they agree to treatment. The law will be implemented over the next decade by the state officials at the Oregon Health Authority. Nationally, others are hopeful this could be the first in a wave of progressive measures that undo years of damage caused by drug criminalization, which disproportionately imprisoned people of color across the United States.
- Addiction amid COVID-19: Coronavirus can be deadly for people recovering from addiction
- 'I will love you unconditionally always': Naomi Campbell pens moving tribute to godson Harry Brant after accidental overdose
Chicago schools reopening remains in limbo amid union negotiations
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called on teachers to return to classrooms Monday, despite the city not having reached an agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union on how and when to reopen schools in the nation's third-largest district. Approximately 70,000 students were originally expected to return to classes Monday, but Lightfoot said she was directing parents not to bring their students to school until Tuesday. She called on all pre-K through 8 teachers, except those with preapproved accommodations, to return to schools Monday. Lightfoot and union officials said they have reached an agreement on four key issues: health and safety protocols, ventilation, contact tracing and safety committees. But outstanding issues include telework accommodations for teachers with immunocompromised household members, a public health metric that would guide school reopening, vaccinations for educators and more.
- COVID-19 vaccines for teachers, a key to reopening schools, comes down to location – and luck
Myanmar military says it is seizing country; Aung San Suu Kyi detained, reports say
Myanmar military television said Monday that the military was taking control of the country for one year, while reports said many of the country’s senior politicians including Aung San Suu Kyi had been detained. A presenter on military-owned Myawaddy TV announced the takeover and cited a section of the military-drafted constitution that allows the military to take control in times of national emergency. He said the reason for takeover was in part due to the government’s failure to act on the military’s claims of voter fraud in last November’s election and its failure to postpone the election because of the coronavirus crisis. The takeover is a sharp reversal of the partial yet significant progress toward democracy Myanmar made in recent years following five decades of military rule and international isolation that began in 1962. It would also be shocking fall from power for Suu Kyi, who led the democracy struggle despite years under house arrest and and won a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts.