Spanberger privately says she's prepared to run in new Northern Virginia 7th District if map holds

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, is telling state legislators privately that she will run in the newly configured 7th Congressional District in Northern Virginia if the state Supreme Court’s proposed map becomes final, despite public concerns about the map’s effect on representation of the Richmond suburbs.

In a recording left with a state legislator on Friday, Spanberger said “nothing is finalized” about the proposed map, which would move the 7th District from the Richmond suburbs to a base in Prince William County, more than 50 miles from her current home in western Henrico County.

“But if the proposed map is finalized, I will continue running in the new 7th District, which will incorporate a whole lot of new counties,” she said in the message, which was provided to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Spanberger has not commented publicly since court experts Bernard Grofman — nominated by Democratic legislators — and Sean Trende — nominated by GOP lawmakers — released a proposed new congressional map to accommodate population shifts based on the U.S. Census.




https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/spanberger-privately-says-shes-prepared-to-run-in-new-northern-virginia-7th-district-if-map/article_4d8a6921-d13b-5b46-9d64-947d4d957637.html

New Jersey enacts Democratic-friendly map for Congress, but GOP eyes one swing seat

New Jersey’s redistricting committee enacted a new map of Congressional districts Wednesday that will likely result in a 9-3 Democratic edge, with a tough fight looming over one north Jersey swing seat.

Tom Kean Jr., the son of the popular former GOP governor, looks to be the big winner as Democrats agreed to make the district where he plans to challenge Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) The redrawn district includes areas with more Republican voters.

The map could sacrifice Malinowski in order to solidify Democrats’ hold on three other swing districts held by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Mikey Sherill (D-N.J.).

All four Democratic House lawmakers were elected in districts that previously favored the GOP. A suburban revolt Republicans under the leadership of former President Donald Trump carried them to victory.



https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/us-elections-government/ny-jersey-redistricting-congress-democratic-republican-20211222-pim66plkczabvpb25jrsntnofa-story.html

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Official Teaser

Florida Man caught with drugs around penis, denies they were his

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Florida authorities said they found cocaine and methamphetamine wrapped around a man’s penis during a traffic stop, but the man denied the drugs were his.

Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies said they stopped a vehicle driving without its lights on at 4 a.m. last Saturday. WFLA-TV reports the driver was arrested on charges of DUI and marijuana possession.

Authorities said they found a gun under the passenger’s seat while searching the car and discovered the drugs while searching the passenger.

The man said the drugs were not his, but didn’t say who the drugs belonged to, according to the arrest report.



https://apnews.com/article/oddities-florida-10e4d1f9a3ac418578b7cd38341c70e4?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP_Oddities

California's new congressional map boosts Democrats

Despite California’s overwhelmingly Democratic electorate, the state will be a hub of midterm activity because it includes several seats that have flipped back and forth in recent cycles. In 2020, Republicans reclaimed four of the seven House seats that Democrats shifted to their column in 2018.

Multiple Republican incumbents could have tougher paths to defending those seats as their districts shift to the left, including Reps. Mike Garcia, David Valadao and Michelle Steel. The changes could be particularly challenging for Garcia, who won by just over 300 votes in one of 2020’s closest contests, and Valadao, a moderate Republican who has long defied the registration odds in his majority-Democratic Central Valley seat.

Democratic Rep. Katie Porter’s Orange County seat gets slightly friendlier in a boost to the rising progressive star and prolific fundraiser. Second-term Democratic Rep. Mike Levin was boosted by last-minute changes to his San Diego area district that prevented it from shifting markedly to the right.

Republican Rep. Devin Nunes’ seat is set to become much more Democratic — an outcome predicted in draft maps that dropped shortly before Nunes announced he would resign to run former President Donald Trump’s media operation. While Democratic Rep. Josh Harder’s current post would become more challenging, political observers anticipate Harder shifting to a newly created and friendlier seat.

Two long-serving House Republicans, Reps. Ken Calvert and Tom McClintock, could see their seats become more challenging, although not necessarily enough to push them into battleground territory.





https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/21/california-redistricting-midterms-525815

Israel could become the first country to give four vaccine doses

srael's pandemic experts have recommended a fourth booster for the over-60s and health workers.

PM Naftali Bennett welcomed the plan and told officials to start preparing.

It comes as Israel confirmed the first known death of a patient with the Omicron strain on Tuesday.

The health ministry said there were at least 340 known cases of the variant in Israel.

The decision to roll out a fourth booster is still pending approval by senior health officials, however Mr Bennett's office told the BBC that it was hoping to administer the dose to people at least four months after their third dose.




https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-59749967?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_medium=custom7&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom3=%40BBCWorld&at_custom4=ED3ADF08-62C7-11EC-AA19-E6C44744363C&at_campaign=64

Intel tells unvaccinated workers they will go on unpaid leave in April

Intel has announced that unvaccinated employees who fail to meet the company's Jan. 4 vaccination deadline and do not receive a religious or medical exemption will soon be put on unpaid leave.

Unvaccinated employees' unpaid leave will begin in April, three months after the deadline, which was announced in November, according to The Associated Press.

The California-based tech company will consider employees’ exemption requests until March 15. Then employees who do not receive an exemption will begin unpaid leave for a minimum of three months starting April 4.

Intel has announced that unvaccinated employees who fail to meet the company's Jan. 4 vaccination deadline and do not receive a religious or medical exemption will soon be put on unpaid leave.

Unvaccinated employees' unpaid leave will begin in April, three months after the deadline, which was announced in November, according to The Associated Press.

The California-based tech company will consider employees’ exemption requests until March 15. Then employees who do not receive an exemption will begin unpaid leave for a minimum of three months starting April 4.


https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/586827-intel-tells-unvaccinated-workers-they-will-go-on-unpaid-leave-in-april

Barbara Lee tests positive for COVID-19 in latest breakthrough case

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) announced that she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in a breakthrough case.

In a statement on Tuesday, Lee shared that she has tested positive for COVID-19, saying she is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms.”

“This week, I received a breakthrough positive case COVID-19 result. Fortunately, I have only mild cold-like symptoms, but I know it could been much worse had I not been vaccinated and boosted,” Lee said in a statement.

Lee also said that she has entered isolation and will follow guidelines and health protocols “to keep my loved ones, my staff, and my community safe.”







https://thehill.com/homenews/house/586857-barbara-lee-tests-positive-for-covid-19-in-latest-breakthrough-case

2 men arrested after brawl with police at Miami International Airport

MIAMI – Two men are facing charges after a fracas with police officers that was captured on camera Monday evening at Miami International Airport.

Police say an unruly passenger commandeered an airport transport cart from an employee and then got into a physical confrontation with officers who were called to respond as a large group of people gathered around Gate H8.

Mayfrer Serranopaca, 30, of Kissimmee, faces a number of charges, including battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence and incite to riot. He appeared before a judge on Tuesday and is being held on $29,500 bond. In court, he told the judge he was flying to the Dominican Republic to see his mother, who he says is sick.

Alberto Yanez-Suarez, 32, from Odessa, Texas, is accused of grabbing and pulling officers who were in the process of arresting Serranopaca. He faces charges of battery of a police officer and resisting an officer with violence. He did not appear before a judge and has since posted bond.




https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/12/21/officer-appears-to-pull-his-gun-while-trying-to-detain-unruly-traveler-at-miami-international-airport/

California to require COVID booster shot for health care workers

CALIFORNIA, USA — California will require COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for healthcare workers, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday.

In a statement posted to Twitter, he cited the rise of the omicron variant in the state. Omicron is now the dominant version of the coronavirus in the country, according to federal health officials.

"With Omicron on the rise, we’re taking immediate actions to protect Californians and ensure our hospitals are prepared," Newsom said in a tweet.

More information is expected in an announcement on Wednesday.


https://www.abc10.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/california-healthcare-workers-booster/103-739efb64-d698-4568-b14b-635059174f71