The Full Belmonte, 12/26/2022
US storm: Dozens dead as big freeze grips North America
“At least 38 deaths have now been linked to a severe Arctic freeze that continues to pummel the US and Canada.
Officials say 34 people died across the US, with the worst-hit area being the city of Buffalo, in New York state.
Four fatalities occurred in Canada when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia.
The scope of the winter storm has been unprecedented, stretching from Canada as far south as the Rio Grande.
Forecasters say the storm will ease off in the next few days but the advice remains to avoid travelling unless essential.
The storm has wreaked havoc for days but power has been steadily restored after earlier blackouts.
Fewer than 200,000 customers were without power as of Sunday afternoon EDT, down from a peak of 1.7 million, the Associated Press reports.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled, preventing many people from reaching their families at Christmas.
More than 55 million Americans remained under wind chill alerts on Sunday.
The "bomb cyclone" winter storm - which occurs when atmospheric pressure plummets, causing heavy snow and winds - has disrupted travel across the US.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul - a native of Buffalo - said : ‘This will go down in history as Buffalo's most devastating storm.’
‘It is [like] going to a war zone and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking,’ she told reporters on Sunday evening.
Residents still faced a ‘very dangerous life-threatening situation’ and anyone in the area should remain indoors, she said.
Twelve deaths were confirmed in Erie County, with some victims found dead in cars or snow banks.
Storm-related deaths were also reported in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado. South Florida's temperatures dropped so low, that iguanas froze and fell from trees.
The western US state of Montana is the worst hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -50F (-45C).
In Canada, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are bearing the brunt of the storm.
In Quebec almost 120,000 customers were without electricity on Sunday. Officials say it could take some days for some households to be reconnected.” Read more at BBC
More than a dozen people in Buffalo died during a blizzard.
What happened: Several feet of snow, frigid temperatures and wind gusts of nearly 80 mph hit the city in Upstate New York over the holiday weekend. It could be the worst blizzard in Buffalo history.
What’s next? A ban on driving remains in place, and more snow could arrive today. Officials said the number of deaths will rise.
Around the U.S.: Storms disrupted holiday travel, with more than 5,400 flights canceled. Read more at Washington Post
Democrats, Feeling New Strength, Plan to Go on Offense on Voting Rights
After retaining most of the governor’s offices they hold and capturing the legislatures in Michigan and Minnesota, Democrats are putting forward a long list of proposals to expand voting access.
“NEW ORLEANS — For the last two years, Democrats in battleground states have played defense against Republican efforts to curtail voting access and amplify doubts about the legitimacy of the nation’s elections.
Now it is Democrats, who retained all but one of the governor’s offices they hold and won control of state legislatures in Michigan and Minnesota, who are ready to go on offense in 2023. They are putting forward a long list of proposals that include creating automatic voter registration systems, preregistering teenagers to vote before they turn 18, returning the franchise to felons released from prison and criminalizing election misinformation.
Since 2020, Republicans inspired by former President Donald J. Trump’s election lies sought to make voting more difficult for anyone not casting a ballot in person on Election Day. But in the midterm elections, voters across the country rejected the most prominent Republican candidates who embraced false claims about American elections and promised to bend the rules to their party’s advantage.
Democrats who won re-election or will soon take office have interpreted their victories as a mandate to make voting easier and more accessible….” Read more at New York Times
Buses of Migrants Arrive at Kamala Harris’s Home on Christmas Eve
About 130 migrants from Texas were bused to the vice president’s home on one of the coldest Christmas Eves on record in the nation’s capital.
“WASHINGTON — Over a hundred migrants arrived near Vice President Kamala Harris’s home on Saturday evening, one of the chilliest Christmas Eves on record in the capital, according to a mutual aid group.
Volunteers anticipated three buses with about 130 immigrants to arrive in New York on Christmas Day, but the buses were rerouted to the Washington area because of road closures and frigid conditions, said Madhvi Bahl, an organizer with the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network.
Migrants arrived in Washington after a 36-hour journey, some with little more than a T-shirt or a light blanket, Ms. Bahl added. The mutual aid group helped coordinate travel and housing for the migrants and provided food, coats, shoes and other warm articles of clothing to combat temperatures that plunged below 20 degrees.
The mutual aid group said the buses were sent by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, which follows the directive of Gov. Greg Abbott’s office. Mr. Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment….” Read more at New York Times
Arizona Agrees to Dismantle Border Wall Made From Cargo Containers
Gov. Doug Ducey agreed to remove the barrier after the Biden administration sued, accusing the state of trespassing on federal land and damaging the environment.
“PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona agreed on Wednesday to tear down a makeshift border wall built out of old shipping containers, ending a divisive border security effort that sparked protests and legal challenges.
The agreement came as part of a lawsuit filed last week by the Biden administration against Mr. Ducey, a Republican. The federal suit sought to force the governor to remove hundreds of steel shipping containers he had ordered stacked up for miles along Arizona’s southern border in response to what he called Washington’s failure to resolve a migrant crisis.
The Biden administration argued that Mr. Ducey’s wall was constructed illegally on federal land.
The agreement to remove the containers comes as border town officials and thousands of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico are waiting anxiously to see whether the United States will soon end a pandemic-era policy known as Title 42 that has allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants.
Since August, construction crews have hauled old shipping containers to plug gaps in the border fence along a busy migrant corridor in the farm town of Yuma, but have also hauled them to a remote stretch of the Coronado National Forest in southeast Arizona that sees scant migrant crossings compared with other parts of the border. The project, funded by the Republican-controlled State Legislature, has cost at least $82 million, Mr. Ducey’s office said.
In addition to trespassing on federal land, the government accused Arizona of damaging vegetation and seasonal streams in a national forest. It sued Arizona last week to dismantle the wall….” Read more at New York Times
Vaccine hesitancy is fueling a measles resurgence.
“Where? Columbus, Ohio. Most of the 81 infected children are old enough to get vaccinated, but their parents chose not to, officials said.
What are measles? A highly contagious virus that undermines the immune system, making those infected more susceptible to other diseases. The World Health Organization and CDC called it an ‘imminent’ global threat.” Read more at Washington Post
Iowa Police Chief Sold Department’s Machine Guns for Profit, Officials Say
Justice Department officials said the police chief in Adair, Iowa, had requested 90 machine guns to either demonstrate or purchase for his small department but had profited from their sale instead.
“Adair, Iowa, is known locally as ‘the happiest town on Earth’ for its smiley-face water tower, which welcomes visitors along Interstate 80. The former railroad town of about 800 people has several churches, small businesses, a volunteer fire department and a police department of two officers.
So as Bradley Wendt, the town’s police chief, repeatedly purchased machine guns over the course of four years, purportedly for official use, federal investigators took note.
Between 2018 and 2022, Mr. Wendt requested 90 machine guns, either to demonstrate their use or to buy them for the Adair Police Department, according to the Justice Department. But prosecutors concluded that he had other purposes in mind.
On Dec. 14, a grand jury in Des Moines indicted Mr. Wendt and a friend, Robert Williams, on charges of conspiracy to make false statements and defraud the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Mr. Wendt was also charged with illegal possession of a machine gun….” Read more at New York Times
U.N. Fears 180 Rohingya Refugees in Stranded Boat Are Dead
Families lost contact weeks ago with their relatives on the boat, the U.N. refugee agency says, while at least some of those on another boat adrift for weeks appear to have been rescued.
“The United Nations said it feared that 180 Rohingya refugees stranded for weeks in the Andaman Sea may have died, while hope emerged that some of those adrift on a second crowded boat had been rescued in Indonesia.
In a statement on Saturday, the U.N. refugee agency said it had received unconfirmed reports that the vessel with 180 onboard, which had left Bangladesh several weeks ago, had started cracking early in December before its likely sinking. About one million Rohingya refugees, who fled state persecution and massacre in Myanmar, live in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
‘Relatives have lost contact. Those last in touch presume all are dead,’ the agency said. ‘We hope against hope this is not the case.’
If the boat’s loss is confirmed, it would make 2022 one of the deadliest in recent years for Rohingya refugees in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, bringing the year’s toll to about 400. At least 2,500 Rohingya refugees have lost their lives in the dangerous waters of Southeast Asia since 2013, according to U.N. estimates….” Read more at New York Times
Conservatives in Western Canada Pass Law Rejecting Federal Sovereignty
A new law in the province of Alberta radically circumscribes federal authority, advancing the agenda of the province’s far-right secessionist movement.
“OTTAWA — In the heavily conservative western prairie province of Alberta, Canada, many residents, especially those on the far right, chafed at the Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Liberal federal government in Ottawa, the country’s capital.
The widespread resentment helped fuel the enormous truck blockade this year that disrupted trade with the United States and paralyzed Ottawa for a month.
Now, oil-rich Alberta has ratcheted up the long-running schism between western and eastern Canada by approving a bill allowing the province to ignore any federal laws and regulations it opposes, a move some critics described as an unconstitutional threat to the basic fabric of the country’s government.
The leader of Alberta’s provincial government, Danielle Smith, justified her support for the bill by saying, ‘It’s not like Ottawa is a national government,’ a conclusion that is widely disputed by constitutional experts. Ms. Smith, who is the leader of Alberta’s United Conservative Party and the premier of the province, added, ‘The way our country works is that we are a federation of sovereign, independent jurisdictions.’
The new law is the latest development reflecting an informal, far-right effort in western Canadian provinces, mainly Alberta, to secede from Canada, underscoring just how difficult it can be for Ottawa to govern the regionally divided country.
Though Ms. Smith is not a member of any group participating in the secessionist movement, sometimes called Wexit, she has long espoused its driving view that the federal government is taking advantage of Alberta.
Holding views considered extreme even among Canadian conservatives, Ms. Smith has opposed all pandemic measures, including vaccines and masks. Her government has suggested that Alberta’s law could be used to reject federal authority and laws in several areas, including public health, the environment and firearms.
Critics, however, say that the law is a constitutional overreach by the province that is unlikely to survive a court challenge. They also say the legislation will create uncertainty that may cause investors to shy away from Alberta and could jeopardize Indigenous peoples’ rights and treaty obligations.
The law reflects the province’s deep-seated grievances toward the federal government.
Many Albertans have long argued that Ottawa has exploited the wealth generated by the province’s lucrative energy industry for the benefit of other provinces while dismissing pressing needs in Alberta, including increased funds for health care. The overwhelming majority of Alberta’s energy is exported and the province is the largest source of imported oil for the United States.
They view Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ambitious program to move away from fossil fuels to combat climate change as a threat to their vital industry and his progressive government as out of touch with Albertans on many issues, particularly gun control….” Read more at New York Times
In memoriam
Pool/Getty Images
“The world saw the loss of some great figures in history in 2022.
Queen Elizabeth died in September after a seven-decade reign that spanned a remarkable arc in British history and was defined by duty to country — and considerable family pain.
The U.S. lost its first female secretary of state in March. Madeleine Albright was a refugee brought to U.S. shores after fleeing the Nazis. She continued to be a trailblazer long after her term ended.
Japan was stunned when former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in July. His death elicited shock, horror and contrasting views from a public that was deeply divided about the longest-serving prime minister's policies.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev died in August at 91. He was the Soviet Union's last leader and played a central role in ending the Cold War.
Kane Tanaka, who was the oldest person alive for the last three years of her life, died in April. She was just shy of her goal of living to 120, and she attributed her health to family, sleep, hope and faith.
Lawrence Brooks wasn't much younger than Tanaka when he died, at 112, at the beginning of the year. He was the oldest living WWII veteran at the time. While the Army was still segregated when he joined, his deployment to Australia offered a reprieve from the racism of Jim Crow laws in the U.S.
Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather died in October. In 1973, she provided one of the most dramatic moments in Oscar history: Offering Marlin Brando's regrets for refusing his award because of Hollywood's treatment and portrayal of Native Americans.
Former NASA astronaut Jim McDivitt died in October at 93. He played a key role in making America's first spacewalk and moon landing possible.
Entertainment icons
CBS via Getty Images
Nichelle Nichols, best known as Star Trek's communications officer Lieutenant Uhura, died in July. Some of her remains were later launched into deep space.
Comedian and actor Leslie Jordan died in October after a car crash. The Will and Grace actor was a social media rising star as he put smiles on faces with warm-hearted jokes and updates over the course of the pandemic.
Beloved children's show Sesame Street saw several losses this year. Bob McGrath, who died this month, was one of the show's first human cast members, playing friendly neighbor Bob Johnson. The work of composer Steven Lawrence was behind hundreds of songs on the show; he died in January. And generations of viewers mourned Emilio Delgado in March. He played fix-it shop owner Luis Rodriguez and was the driving force behind the Sesame Workshop's Bilingual Talk Force.
The comic book world was rocked by the passing of Kevin Conroy in November. For many, he simply was Batman, as he voiced the Caped Crusader on Batman: The Animated Series from 1992 to 1996, as well as in 15 films, 15 animated series and two dozen video games.
Angela Lansbury was beloved on screen and stage. Her career extended over a stunning seven decades — just like Queen Elizabeth's — as she sought out nontraditional roles.
Actor, comedian and director Bob Saget died in his sleep after hitting his head in January. Saget was a prominent presence on American television screens throughout the 1990s as the father, Danny Tanner, on Full House and the host of America's Funniest Home Videos.
Sidney Poitier was an icon for generations of moviegoers. He the first Black actor to win a best actor Oscar, for 1963's Lilies of the Field, and died in January at 94.
Jean-Luc Godard, the "enfant terrible" of the French New Wave who revolutionized popular cinema in 1960 with his debut feature Breathless, stood for years as one of the most vital and provocative directors.
Robbie Coltrane's career began long before the first Harry Potter movie premiered in 2001, but for the generation that grew up with the films and the books, it's hard to separate him from his larger-than-life portrayal of Hagrid.
Music legends
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1980s pop goddess Olivia Newton-John died in August at 73. She was never just the prim prude from the start of Grease, nor the strutting vamp from its finale. Her superpower, for over 50 years, was embodying both at once.
Rock 'n' roll's first great wild man, Jerry Lee Lewis, died in October. He was the last living member of the "Million-Dollar Quartet," and his meteoric rise collapsed almost as quickly as it ascended, thanks to scandal.
Country music icon Loretta Lynn also died in October. She brought unparalleled candor about the domestic realities of working-class women to country songwriting over the course of her 60-year career.
Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, was best known for the 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell, one of the best-selling albums of all time. He won a 1994 Grammy Award for the song "I'd Do Anything For Love."
Keyboardist, sometimes lead vocalist and frequent principal songwriter for Fleetwood Mac Christine McVie died in November at 79. For a band famous for its interpersonal drama, McVie extolled the virtues of true love.
Irene Cara, the singer-actress best known for starring in and belting the title tracks from the 1980s movies Fame and Flashdance, was 63 when she died in November.
One-third of Atlanta rap group Migos was taken too soon. Takeoff was shot after an altercation at a bowling alley in Houston in November. He was only 28.
Aaron Carter was only 34 when he died this fall. The singer had his first hit when he was just 9 years old, and his first album sold 3 million copies and produced hit singles including "I Want Candy."” Read more at NPR