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9 COVID-19 Cases Reported at the Georgia High School Under Fire for Crowded Halls

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  • One week after a photo of a crowded hallway at North Paulding High School in Georgia went viral, six students and three staff members there have tested positive for the coronavirus. 
  • The school is closed through at least Tuesday for a deep cleaning. More results are expected to come back from other students and faculty. 
  • This comes as the school lifted the suspensions of two students who shared the now-viral images of the crowded hall.
  • The issue of school re-openings has become a subject of national debate, as has the risk children pose when it comes to getting and spreading the virus. A recent report said that 97,000 children tested positive in the last two weeks of July, which is a 40% increase in child cases. 

Cases Confirmed at North Paulding

Six students and three staff members at North Paulding High School have tested positive for the coronavirus one week after viral photos showed students crowding in the hallways, many without face masks. 

Superintendent Brian Otott wrote a letter to parents at the school confirming that there would be no in-person learning on Monday or Tuesday as the school waits for more test results to come back and for the building to undergo a deep clean. Families will learn whether or not there are plans to resume in-person instruction on Tuesday night. 

“Please know that according to guidelines established by the school district, any students and staff who are confirmed cases of COVID-19, along with any identified close contacts, must quarantine for at least 14 days and cannot return to school until they have completed all the requirements of the DPH’s guidance for persons infected with COVID-19,” Otott continued in the letter. Right now, it is unclear exactly how many people will be required to do the 14-day quarantine. 

Angie Franks, the aunt of two students who tested positive at the school, told the Atlanta Constitution-Journal her nephews did not grasp the gravity of the virus and were not encouraged to wear masks. Paulding County leaders have previously stated they did not believe in enforcing a mask mandate. 

“They sat in class all day long with no masks and not social distancing,” Franks said. “And I have no idea how many kids they came into contact with.”

Student Suspensions Lifted

The viral photo that showed students jammed in a hallway spread across the internet like wildfire. It resulted in the school announcing that anyone who shared photos or criticisms of the school could face disciplinary action. On Thursday, two students who initially shared the photos ended up being suspended, though those suspensions were eventually lifted.

“I took [the picture] out of mostly concern and nervousness after seeing the first days of school,” Hannah Watters, one of the suspended students, told CNN

“I’d like to say this is some good and necessary trouble, so I don’t regret posting this because it needed to be said,” she added. 

Her suspension, which was set for five days, ended Friday when the school called to tell her it was reversed and that her record would not reflect it. 

The Paulding County Board of Education tweeted a statement confirming that the other student’s suspension had been lifted as well. 

U.S. COVID-19 Cases in Children

This comes as the issue of reopening schools has sparked national debate. While many initially believed that kids are less likely to contract and spread the virus, recent reports indicate this may not be universally true. A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association says that cases in children in the United States could be on the rise. 

As of the end of July, 338,982 kids in the country had tested positive, totaling 8.8% of all COVID-19 cases. The report then noted that in the last two weeks of July, over 97,000 children tested positive for the virus, which is a 40% increase in child cases. 

This figure could be even higher, because the report relied on data reported by states, and Texas only reported age distribution in 8% of cases, while New York did not report it outside of New York City. Different states also used different definitions of children. 

While most states set the cutoff between 17 and 19-years-old, some states set it as young as 14. Florida, which is one of the country’s case leaders, was among those states. Other outliers included Alabama, which set their cutoff at 24, and was excluded from some figures in the report. 

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this also has a much larger impact on non-white children. An August report noted that Latino and Black children were hospitalized at much higher rates than white children. 

See what others are saying: (Washington Post) (CNN) (CBS 46 Atlanta)

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Survey and Census Data Shows Record Number of Americans are Struggling Financially

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Americans are choosing not to pursue medical treatment more and more frequently as they encounter money troubles.


A recent federal survey shows that a record number of Americans were worse off financially in 2022 than a year prior.

Coupled with recent census data showing pervasive poverty across much of the country, Americans are forced to make difficult decisions, like foregoing expensive healthcare. 

According to a recent Federal Reserve Bureau survey, 35% of adults say they were worse off in 2022 than 2021, which is the highest share ever recorded since the question was raised in 2014. 

Additionally, half of adults reported their budget was majorly affected by rising prices across the country, and that number is even higher among minority communities and parents living with their children.

According to recent census data, more than 10% of the counties in the U.S. are experiencing persistent poverty, meaning the area has had a poverty rate of 20% or higher between 1989 and 2019. 

16 states report at least 10% of their population living in persistent poverty. But most of the suffering counties were found in the South — which accounts for over half the people living in persistent poverty, despite making up less than 40% of the population. 

These financial realities have placed many Americans in the unfortunate situation of choosing between medical treatment and survival. The Federal Reserve study found that the share of Americans who skipped medical treatment because of the cost has drastically increased since 2020. 

The reflection of this can be found in the overall health of households in different income brackets. 75% of households with an income of $25,000 or less report being in good health – compared to the 91% of households with $100,000 or more income. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (Federal Reserve)

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Montana Governor Signs TikTok Ban

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The ban will likely face legal challenges before it is officially enacted next year. 


First Statewide Ban of TikTok

Montana became the first state to ban TikTok on Wednesday after Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed legislation aimed at protecting “Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.”

The ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, though the law will likely face a handful of legal challenges before that date. 

Under the law, citizens of the state will not be held liable for using the app, but companies that offer the app on their platforms, like Apple and Google, will face a $10,000 fine per day of violations. TikTok would also be subject to the hefty daily fine. 

Questions remain about how tech companies will practically enforce this law. During a hearing earlier this year, a representative from TechNet said that these platforms don’t have the ability to “geofence” apps by state.

Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics, told the Associated Press that app stores could have the capability to enforce the restriction, but it would be difficult to carry out and there would be a variety of loopholes by tools like VPNs.

Montana’s law comes as U.S. politicians have taken aim at TikTok over its alleged ties to the CCP. Earlier this year, the White House directed federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices. Conservatives, in particular, have been increasingly working to restrict the app.

“The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented,” Gov. Gianforte said in a Wednesday statement. 

Criticism of Montana Law

TikTok, however, has repeatedly denied that it gives user data to the government. The company released a statement claiming Montana’s law “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people” in the state. 

“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” the company said. 

The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Montana’s law for similar reasons. 

“This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet,” the ACLU tweeted. “Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.”

Per the AP, there are 200,000 TikTok users in Montana, and another 6,000 businesses use the platform as well. Lawsuits are expected to be filed against the law in the near future.

See what others are saying: (Associated Press) (Fast Company) (CBS News)

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How a Disney-Loving Former Youth Pastor Landed on The FBI’s “Most Wanted” List

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 “Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Chris Burns’ 19-year-old son pleaded to his father via The Daily Beast. 


Multi-Million Dollar Scheme 

Former youth pastor turned financial advisor Chris Burns remains at large since going on the run in September of 2020 to avoid a Securities Exchange Commission investigation into his businesses.

Despite his fugitive status, the Justice Department recently indicted Burns with several more charges on top of the $12 million default judgment he received from the SEC. 

Burns allegedly sold false promissory notes to investors across Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. The SEC claims he told the investors they were participating in a “peer to peer” lending program where businesses that needed capital would borrow money and then repay it with interest as high as 20%. Burns allegedly also reassured investors that the businesses had collateral so the investment was low-risk. 

The SEC says that Burns instead took that money for personal use. 

Burns’ History 

Burns began his adult life as a youth pastor back in 2007 before transitioning into financial planning a few years later.  By 2017, he launched his own radio show, The Chris Burns Show, which was funded by one of his companies, Dynamic Money – where every week Burns would “unpack how this week’s headlines practically impact your life, wallet, and future,” according to the description. He also frequently appeared on television and online, talking about finances and politics. 

The SEC alleges that he used his public appearances to elevate his status as a financial advisor and maximize his reach to investors.

His family told The Daily Beast that he became obsessed with success and he reportedly bought hand-made clothes, a million-dollar lakehouse, a boat, several cars, and took his family on several trips to Disney World. His eldest son and wife said that Burns was paying thousands of dollars a day for VIP tours and once paid for the neighbors to come along. 

Then in September 2020, he reportedly told his wife that he was being investigated by the Securities Exchange Commission but he told her not to worry. 

The day that he was supposed to turn over his business documents to the SEC, he disappeared, telling his wife he was just going to take a trip to North Carolina to tell his parents about the investigation. Then, the car was found abandoned in a parking lot with several cashier’s checks totaling $78,000

FBI’s Most Wanted

The default judgment in the SEC complaint orders Burns, if he’s ever found, to pay $12 million to his victims, as well as over $650,000 in a civil penalty. Additionally, a federal criminal complaint charged him with mail fraud. Burns is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. 

Last week, the Justice Department indicted him on several other charges including 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud. 

“Burns is charged for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients in an illegal investment fraud scheme,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Financial crimes of this nature can cause significant disruptions to the lives of those who are victimized, and the FBI is dedicated to holding these criminals accountable.”

His family maintains that they knew nothing of Burns’ schemes. His wife reportedly returned over $300,000 that he had given to her. 

She and their eldest son, who is now 19, told The Daily Beast they just want Burns to turn himself in, take responsibility for his actions, and try to help the people he hurt. 

“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Burns’ son said in a message to his father via The Daily Beast. 

See what others are saying: (The Daily Beast) (Fox 5) (Wealth Management)

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