National News - Page 151

Chicago Schools Reopen After COVID Testing Agreement

By Chris Boyette, Raja Razek, Amir Vera and Holly Yan, Chicago teachers are set to return to work Tuesday and students to get back to in-person instruction Wednesday following a breakthrough in union negotiations with the city over Covid-19 mitigation measures. The standoff, which will have kept 340,000 students in the third-largest US school system out of classrooms for a week, has become perhaps the nation’s most contentious as the Omicron variant has caused a spike in coronavirus cases, again raising questions about pros and cons of in-person versus virtual school. The Chicago agreement, which includes enhanced Covid-19 testing in schools, will extend through the rest

Omicron Surge Sparks Widespread U.S. Staff Shortages

By Theresa Waldrop and Julia Jones, As the Omicron variant sweeps the nation, it’s disrupting everything from garbage collection and emergency services, schools and travel as employees are out sick or in quarantine. In New York, trash is going uncollected and three subway lines are closed because so many workers are out sick. Schools and hospitals are reporting staff shortages, too, and airlines continue to cancel flights. More than 700,000 new Covid-19 cases a day are reported on average across the nation as the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire, and it’s not going to get better soon, health experts and economists said.

New Orleans Renames Lee Blvd to Honor Allen Toussaint

By Chris Boyette and Keith Allen, The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously Thursday to change the name of Robert E. Lee Boulevard to Allen Toussaint Boulevard, councilmember Jared C. Brossett confirmed to CNN Saturday. Toussaint, a New Orleans music legend, died in 2015 of a heart attack while he was touring in Madrid. Brossett introduced the ordinance last month to rename the boulevard after Toussaint instead of the Confederate general, saying in a news release “it’s well beyond time to make this change.” “The City of New Orleans should prioritize celebrating our culture bearers, our diversity, and everything that makes our City special, not those who

DA Alvin Bragg Unveils Reform Plan for Manhattan Justice

By Sonia Moghe, Just days after taking office, Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg released a memo detailing new charging, bail, plea and sentencing policies that he said he believes will make the city safer and the criminal justice system more fair, yet the plan faces criticism from police union leaders. Among the crimes Bragg said his office would not prosecute: marijuana misdemeanors, including selling more than three ounces; not paying public transportation fare; trespassing except a fourth degree stalking charge, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration in certain cases, and prostitution. Misdemeanor offenses that are legally required to be given a “desk appearance ticket”

CDC Faces Scrutiny Over COVID Guidance and Messaging

By Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond and Kevin Liptak, Dr. Rochelle Walensky assumed her new role as the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last January with a vow to restore trust in the agency. But last fall, several months into the job and after a series of messaging missteps, Walensky sought out media training. For months, Walensky has met privately with prominent Democratic media consultant Mandy Grunwald to improve her communication skills and continues to do so, according to a person familiar with the previously unreported sessions. On Friday, Walensky will hold the CDC’s first independent media briefing since

Chicago Schools Closed Amid COVID Dispute With Teachers Union

By Amir Vera and Brad Parks, Negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and city officials stretched into another week Monday as students will miss their fourth consecutive school day amid a disagreement over how schools should handle the city’s Covid-19 surge. The union wants a period of remote learning, while the city wants kids in classrooms. As of Friday, Chicago was averaging more than 5,200 new cases a day, a 16% increase over the prior week, according to the city health department’s Covid tracker. The city’s Covid-19 test positivity rate had a daily average of 21.1%. “Out of fairness and consideration for parents who

Congress Tightens COVID Rules as Omicron Cases Surge on Hill

By Melanie Zanona and Lauren Fox, Congress is stepping up its health protocols amid renewed fears over the coronavirus, with the Capitol Hill community bracing for a spike in cases in the coming weeks as both chambers return to Washington during the nationwide surge in infections. The Senate gaveled back into session last week, while the House is set to return Monday, marking the first time both chambers will be in session since the Omicron variant has fueled a fresh wave in cases around the country. Even before the break, there had been an uptick in infections among lawmakers, staffers and

Key Harris Staffers Exit Amid Ongoing Office Turnover Reports

By Donald Judd, Two staffers announced Wednesday that they are leaving Vice President Kamala Harris’ office. Peter Velz, Harris’ director of press operations, shared news of his departure from the White House, which was first reported by Politico, in a series of tweets. “Today is my last day at the White House, and it truly has been an honor. I will be forever grateful to Vice President Harris, the incredible Team @VP, and I’m so proud of our work this past year supporting this historic Administration,” Velz wrote. “The White House is an amazing place to work — you’re surrounded by the most

Sidney Poitier: A Trailblazer Who Changed Hollywood Forever

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By Brandon Griggs, Sidney Poitier, whose elegant bearing and principled onscreen characters made him Hollywood’s first Black movie star and the first Black man to win the best actor Oscar, has died. He was 94. Clint Watson, press secretary for the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, confirmed to CNN that Poitier died Thursday evening. Poitier overcame an impoverished background in the Bahamas and softened his thick island accent to rise to the top of his profession at a time when prominent roles for Black actors were rare. He won the Oscar for 1963’s “Lilies of the Field,” in which he

Chicago Schools Face Chaos Amid Covid Safety Dispute

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By Dakin Andone and Omar Jimenez, As school district officials and the teachers union continue to negotiate a return to classrooms, Chicago Public Schools announced Thursday that while most schools will be closed again Friday, a few will have in-person learning and activities. The announcement appeared to catch principals off-guard. The district tweeted Thursday evening that in-person learning and activities may be available “at a small number of schools” on Friday. “Please do not plan on sending your child to school unless you hear from your child’s principal,” the district said. The Chicago Principals & Administrators Association said it was “blindsided” by

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