Day: November 19, 2020

Nashville Biotech Company Announces $64M Expansion

The Center Square

Nashville-based biotech firm August Bioservices will invest $64 million to expand its headquarters, creating 180 new jobs in Davidson County over the next five years, the company and state officials announced Wednesday morning.

August Bioservices provides drug discovery, development and manufacturing services. The expansion will add technology to its existing facility to support new drug manufacturing capabilities and also construct a state-of-the-art new facility adjacent to its existing headquarters capable of commercial scale drug manufacturing.

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Commentary: New State Lockdowns May Put 16 Million Jobs Recovered Since April in Jeopardy

Admin

16.4 million jobs have been recovered since April when labor markets bottomed amid the state-led Covid pandemic economic shutdowns, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But with Covid cases once again on the upswing as the cold and flu season kicks into higher gear — about 166,000 confirmed new cases daily, and then the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reports 255,000 probable new cases daily when projected asymptomatic cases are factored in — states appear ready to go right back into shutdown mode.

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Pennsylvania Voters Describe Irregularities in Mail-in, Absentee Ballot Process

Admin

The U.S. saw record numbers of mail-in votes cast in the 2020 election, driven largely by voter concerns that crowded polling places and long lines could act as major spreading centers for COVID-19.

Activists and public officials in the months leading up to the Nov. 3 election launched major informational campaigns and voting drives to help as many people as possible vote via mail. A reported 65 million ballots were cast by mail in the 2020 election, far outstripping earlier years.

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Six Takeaways as Facebook, Twitter CEOs Testify at Senate Hearing

Admin

The CEOs of Twitter and Facebook returned Tuesday to Capitol Hill, this time to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

While focused on Twitter’s blocking of a New York Post story about the Biden family’s business dealings overseas and the social media giants’ immunity from lawsuit under the Communications Decency Act, the hearing veered into other topics as well.

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One of Biden’s First Admin Hires Helped Push Through China Trade Bill That Caused ‘Sharp Drop’ in U.S. Jobs

Admin

One of the first officials President-elect Joe Biden picked to serve in his White House helped spearhead efforts two decades ago to normalize trade relations with China, a move which studies have found led to the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs in the U.S.

Steve Ricchetti will serve as counselor to Biden, the transition team announced on Tuesday. Ricchetti was chief of staff to then-Vice President Biden during the Obama administration, and was deputy chief of staff to President Bill Clinton.

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Commentary: Nancy Pelosi Snuck $350M for 50 Richest Zip Codes into COVID Relief Bill, Analysis Reveals

Admin

At some point, when the election chaos is finally settled, Congress will likely turn to passing another COVID-19 stimulus/relief bill. (Despite the last one being plagued by rampant fraud and dysfunction). One starting point for negotiations will be the “HEROES Act,” a $2.2 trillion bill the House passed in October on a party-line vote by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats.

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Republicans Claims Canvassers Bullied, Threatened into Certifying Wayne County Results

Jordyn Pair

Republicans are claiming that the Wayne County canvassers reversed course in certifying the election results on Tuesday nights as a result of attacks and violence launched at them.

The Board of Canvassers in Wayne County, Michigan, had originally voted 2-2 along party lines, a tie that meant election results could not be certified. Later that same night, the Republican canvassers flipped their vote, voting instead to certify the election results unanimously.

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Loudoun County Takes Next Step with Proposed Gun Control Ordinance

Eric Burk

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to send a proposed gun control ordinance to public hearing. The proposed ordinance would ban firearms in county buildings, parks, and on streets near permitted events, similarly to new gun control ordinances in other cities. Second Amendment advocates spoke against the ordinance during public portions of the Tuesday meeting.

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Voter Integrity Project to Release Absentee Ballot Investigation Results by Friday

Corinne Murdock

The Voter Integrity Project intends to release its complete investigation results in the coming days, including a report on mass amounts of dead voters.

Voter Integrity Project is the brainchild of Look Ahead America Executive Director and former Trump for President Data Chief and Strategist Matt Braynard. He started the project to discover if there was evidence that would lead to legal remedy or reforms for this election, mainly through affidavits and death certificates. 

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Now Trending in Georgia’s Runoff Race: Raphael Warnock’s Past Remarks Return with Vengeance

Corinne Murdock

A new trend emerged this week during Georgia’s runoff race, in which individuals circulated old footage of Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock.

Warnock’s opponent, incumbent Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), has largely instigated this trend. The senator’s campaign has shared controversial links to Warnock’s old sermons and interviews via press releases and social media.

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Avowed Socialist Lee Carter Mulls Run for Governor

Eric Burk

Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas) isn’t shy about his liberal ideologies. “Ask me about Socialism,” his Twitter bio states. The former Marine hinted that he’s considering a run for Governor in 2021 in a recent Twitter comment. If he does run, he will be a hard-core leftist running in a primary packed with other Democrats, likely including former Governor Terry McAuliffe, Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, and Delegate Jennifer Carrol Foy (D-Prince William).

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Georgia GOP Revolt: Beach, Senators Lead Uprising Against Gov. Kemp-Demand Special Session

Corinne Murdock

Eleven of Georgia’s state senators are petitioning Governor Brian Kemp to call a special legislative session to amend election law, according to State Senator Brandon Beach (R-GA-Cherokee County). These legislators have also asked for an immediate oversight committee to look into the general election and rectify any mistakes prior to the January 5th runoff election.

Beach explained to The Georgia Star that widespread concern over the consent decree, voting discrepancies, and residency requirements have compromised faith in the upcoming runoff election.

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Franklin County Board of Supervisors Vote to Keep Courthouse Confederate Statue

Jacob Taylor

The Confederate soldier statue outside the Franklin County courthouse in the small town of Rocky Mount will not be moved after the county’s board of supervisors unanimously voted to keep the monument in its current location during a monthly meeting Tuesday.

The motion was put forth by Boone District Supervisor Ronnie Thompson and seconded by Tommy Cundiff, Union Hall District Supervisor.

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Fairfax County Delays Return to Classroom for Latest Group of Students

Jacob Taylor

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is delaying the return to in-person instruction for thousands of younger students, Superintendent Scott Braband announced in a letter to parents and staff on Monday.

The largest school system in Virginia had planned to send 6,800 pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and special education students (Group 5) back to school on Tuesday, but decided to put the move on pause because the current community health metrics for coronavirus cases are exceeding the threshold to expand in-person education, according to Braband.

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Two Bills to Limit Ohio Governor’s Authority Appear Before Committee

The Center Square

While Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was announcing a statewide curfew to slow the spread of COVID-19, more than 97 people submitted written testimony supporting a bill that would strip authority from the governor and the Ohio Department of Health to issue orders.

Doctors, nurses and regular citizens provided written and oral testimony in support of House Bill 618, legislation that would make any special or standing order from the governor seeking to prevent the spread of contagious or infectious diseases advisory only. If HB618 passes, any such order from the governor would have no legal effect unless approved by the General Assembly.

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