Texas — Severe winter storms continue to bombard Texas statewide as the vaccine distribution and supply chain comes to a halt.

According to CNN’s Miguel Marquez, Texas is dealing with burst water pipes, lack of boiling water, and low water pressure as of Feb. 24.

As stated by Texas Hospital Association’s Carrie Williams, this condemnation has arrived on top of the intense COVID-19 situation.

Hospitals in Texas are running low on supplies of food, linen, and water. The shelter-in-place progressed from a suggestion to stay inside to a compulsory safety warning for Texans.

“This was a sprawling natural disaster that has hit us statewide and arrived on top of the pandemic,” Williams said.

According to Williams, power outages and food shortages are just the shallow elements of the Texas situation. Dialysis patients are contemplating shortages of dialysis equipment and a crucial treatment shortage in Texas.

According to Dr. Ben Saldana, Houston Methodist’s emergency department’s medical director, water was back on for a while. Still, hospitals were in a dilemma with low water pressure.

According to CNN’s Marquez, around 13 million Texans, nearly half the state’s population, were under a boil-water advisory. Almost 25 million people were “under a hard freeze warning” for Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

However, Saldana did state, “COVID-19 vaccine administration is full speed ahead at all Houston Methodist sites.”

According to the CNN, this Texas weather situation shows that a major global warming solution such as the Green New Deal, a spirited solution for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, would not effectively draw up by Democratic dynamos, would be ineffective.

CNN’s Zachary Wolfe articulated that the Green New Deal is a strict proposal to convert America’s energy sources into more effective and safer alternatives. It would involve tackling the United State’s energy policy and evolving it into a more futuristic, cleaner approach.

This would involve creating millions of American jobs and would attempt to solve the greenhouse gas issues.

According to Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbot, “This shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States of America. Our wind and our solar got shut down, and they were collectively more than 10% of our power grid, and that thrust Texas into a situation where it was lacking power on a statewide basis.”

CNN’s Theresa Waldrop reported FEMA is sending help to Texas as relief for the harsh winter meteorological conditions.

CNN’s Waldrop also stated that the distribution of the vaccine throughout the South has evolved, and while power outages continue in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, states such as Florida are being affected by the inability of vaccines coming from the Midwest and Southwest.

Even places like Illinois, Kentucky, and South Carolina are being indirectly affected by the dismaying state of Texas.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the legitimate distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine won’t be available to the ‘general public’ until early June.

A statement released by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, the weather and situation throughout the states affected in America “makes driving dangerous and threatens the health and safety of anyone exposed to the cold.”

According to CNN’s Waldrop, Dallas officials said specific vaccine centers closed due to severe weather conditions.

“We understand the urgency to administer second doses of the vaccine, but we must also balance people’s safety. As soon as we can safely open again, we will.”

February 14, 2021, marked the third anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that killed 14 students and three staff members. Memorials and tributes were raised in Parkland,FL, in honor of those who passed from the tragic event. 

The 2018 high school shooting was deemed one of the most deadly and horrific school shootings to date since the Sandy Hook Elementary school (located in Newtown,CT) mass shooting back in 2012. The perpetrator killed 20 students and six teachers.

Many survivors and affected families from both shootings still have PTSD and yet, are continuing their activism against gun control and violence till this day. 

An interview from NBC news on Feb 2021, featured a student survivor, Sam Grady, sharing her thoughts and ordeals from the horrific event.

She expresses, “There’s still trauma there, everyday honestly I do have to say it’s really hard to wrap my mind around for years like it seems so long ago, but at the same time it seems like it was [just] yesterday.” 

In the wake of the anniversary, President Joe Biden called for a renewal of gun reforms and bills to be enacted through Congress stating,“ This Administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call. We will take action to end our epidemic of gun violence and make our schools and communities safer … 

We owe it to all those we’ve lost and to all those left behind to grieve to make a change. The time to act is now.”

A Sandy Hook student survivor that goes by the name ‘Ashley’, stated her thoughts in an interview with Now This News on Biden’s efforts toward gun control. She expressed, “He understands what losing a child is like and he understands the amount of trauma and pain that comes behind losing a child … I think for him to be able to connect to that is so powerful because he can make a difference.” 

Gun control and reforms began their journey on the coattails of the Sandy Hook shooting, however, was continuously rebuffed and blocked by Republican representatives due to the belief of unfair restrictions and limitations placed on gun purchases. 

On March 11, 2021, Two bills passed through the House of Representatives, which consist of stricter vetting on gun purchases online and in-person and allow an extension of 7-10 more days for the FBI to complete comprehensive background checks. These bills concentrate on eliminating gaps in current gun laws, such as the Charleston loophole- which exposes the weakness of the 3 day background check on gun buyers to be unreliable and inaccurate. The loophole is termed after the deaths of the 9 people killed in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015 due to the shooter being able to purchase a gun and dismissing the 3 day background check. 

Gun reform has been called for action since the tragic events of the Columbine shooting in Apr 1999, but only now we are seeing legislation and action from our government. 

Gun violence and deaths have not stopped but increased. There are still many questions unanswered as to why our nation is still on the path of gun ownership and weak regulations. Only time will tell, when the people of the United States will finally stand together in the fight against gun violence.  

On February 13, 2021, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook Fukushima, Japan and its residents awake and alert. It lasted for no more than 30 seconds but many feared a tsunami warning, which thankfully never happened. There were no deaths reported but more than 100 citizens were injured

Millions of homes across the region lost power and water, creating a small panic in the middle of the night. Landslides occurred but no injuries were discovered. The effects were also felt strongly in the Miyagi prefecture.

The event eerily reminded residents of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, also known as the “Great earthquake disaster of East Japan “, that had a magnitude of 9.1, making it the most powerful earthquake to be recorded in Japan.The region was devastated with a death toll of nearly 20,000 people, with many missing residents still not found. 

News coverage by AJ+ (Al Jazeera Media Network) regarding grieving services such as discontinued toll booths are being used by tsunami survivors by “calling” and sending messages to their missing loved ones. “I feel better when I talk and think he’s listening to me, so I come here a lot,” 76-year old Sachiko Okawa says, who lost her late-husband who was swept away by the tsunami. 

Unfortunately, since the 7.3 earthquake, Japan has been experiencing waves of aftershocks ranging from 4.2-5.3 magnitude earthquakes. Scientists speculate that they are still receiving the shocks from the 2011 earthquake.  

The most recent major earthquake reported was on March 20, 2021, located in the Miyagi prefecture with a scale of 6.9 magnitude. This earthquake also caused multiple structures to shut down, lose power and increase fear among Japan residents. 

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the Miyagi earthquake was a confirmed aftershock from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Nevertheless, in the midst of concurrent earthquakes and the still ongoing pandemic lockdowns, it is safe to say that the Japanese government and its citizens are well prepared and will survive any outcome regarding any national crises that come their way.  

Atlanta —- On Jan. 26, NBA writer Sekou Smith died of COVID-19 complications at the age of 48. 

Based in his hometown of Atlanta, Smith was a rising journalist and voice for the entire NBA. 

The Atlanta Hawks, the NBA TV Atlanta studios, and Turner Network Television (TNT) studios will honor Smith by renaming the broadcasting workroom in State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks, after him. 

In addition, the Atlanta Hawks yearly summer league team, which coincidentally was deactivated for the past summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be named after Smith.

Also, according to NBA.com, one journalism student will be selected from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) will be chosen to be a beat writer for the Atlanta Hawks NBA Summer League team.

Turner sports released a statement via CNN detailing, “We are all heartbroken over Sekou’s tragic passing.” 

According to the same source, Smith covered NBA action for more than two decades, including 11 years with Turner Sports.

According to CNN and Smith’s LinkedIn profile, Smith “started his career as a sports reporter at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1994.” 

He also worked as a journalist in Indianapolis and Atlanta before representing Turner Sports.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement specifying Smith’s role and place in the NBA family.

“The NBA mourns the passing of Sekou Smith, a beloved member of the NBA family. Sekou was one of the most affable and dedicated reporters in the NBA and a terrific friend to so many across the league.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Heather, and their children, Gabriel, Rielly, and Cameron.

Although Smith was never a player at the highest level, the NBA, or a player at any professional stage, his passion for the game was illustrious and renowned. 

Silver continued a statement entailing Smith’s eternal connection to the game, “Sekou’s love of basketball was clear to everyone who knew him, and it always shined through in his work.”

The Hawks also released a statement via CNN, “The Hawks organization is heartbroken by the passing of Sekou Smith. 

The Hawks’ beat writer for the AJC from 05-09, Sekou provided our fans with honest & fair coverage, sharing incredible insight on the team while establishing himself as one of the NBA’s top personalities.” 

While COVID-19 protocols have been thoroughly established in the NBA, professional sports, intercollegiate sports, and sports worldwide, necessary precautions and testing tend to obstruct sports, and sports, in general, tend to interrupt the intention of medical advice.

“I think for all of us, this COVID thing has been painful, to say the least. But when you lose somebody that you know, and that you admire and respect and who is young,” said current New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Stan Van Gundy in a statement released by ESPN, “This thing is so scary and has brought so much grief to so many people. Today is one of those days. There’s a lot of people in Atlanta today grieving a great man in Sekou.”

Inauguration Day was on Wednesday, Jan. 20. President Biden and Vice President Harris were sworn into office on a day full of unforgettable moments. 

One of the most noteworthy aspects of the day was that former President Donald Trump did not attend the ceremony. Early that morning, Trump left the White House, where he gave a final speech at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and then boarded Air Force One for the last time bound for Florida. 

Trump is the fourth outgoing president not to attend the incoming president’s inauguration. John Adams did not attend Thomas Jefferson’s swearing-in. (1801) John Q. Adams (Son of John Adams) did not attend Andrew Jackson’s inauguration (1829) Andrew Johnson missed on Ulysses S. Grant’s swearing-in. (1869) 

Our White House: An Inaugural Celebration for Young Americans was a livestreamed event hosted by actress/activist Keke Palmer. Palmer spoke with several American historians and authors before the inauguration began. 

Historian David Kennedy described the tension that has been created due to former President Donald Trump’s absence at the ceremony, “A sign of just how divided the country was at those times and is now.” Kennedy refers to the mobs that invaded the US Capitol, where one group tried to disrupt the democratic process. 

An inspirational moment was when Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor (nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2009), the first Latina on the supreme justice, swore in Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman, African American of South Asian descent. 

In President Biden’s inauguration address, he emphasizes the matter of change, “Today we mark the swearing-in of the first women in American history elected to the office, Vice President Kamala Harris.” Biden recalls 108 years ago, the day before Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration, when the Women’s Suffrage Parade took place. 

While the women fought for their right to vote and equality, many harassed and beat the women. Police made little to no effort to intervene, and over 100 women ended up in the hospital. 

A much more lighthearted moment that took over social media was the first bump exchange between President Biden and former President Barack Obama as President Biden and the first lady walked out to the ceremony. President Biden and Obama have many fun photos from the Obama administration (2008-2016), such as waving pride flags around the white house, wearing matching suits, or playing golf. 

Olivia Rodrigo, a 17-year-old Asian American singer, and actress spoke briefly during the Our White House’s livestream. Rodrigo was the first-ever Asian American to reach number one on the Apple Music Top 100 Global chart and became an inspiration for many teens across the nation. Rodrigo encouraged teens to get involved in their government and be aware of the politics even if they’re not yet eligible to vote. 

Celebrity performances were made by Lady Gaga, who sang the national anthem before Vice President Harris was sworn in. Jennifer Lopez then came out to stage to sing “This Land is Your Land” and “America The Beautiful.” Lopez did include a line from her song, “Let’s Get Loud,” which surprised many and was quickly popularized on Twitter. 

A single picture of Sen. Bernie Sanders sitting in a chair before the ceremony wearing a pair of mittens has become a meme. Edits of Bernie include him sitting in the middle of a subway, the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, or at a Marvel Avengers meeting. 

The last performer was a Black poet and social justice activist, Amanda Gorman. Gorman was named the first national youth poet laureate while studying sociology at Harvard University. 

Gorman’s poem that she recited at the inauguration, “The Hill We Climb,” left a message for the country to try to do better than we were for the last four years. Gorman is the youngest person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.

In her poem, one of her last words is, “So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left with,” which has resonated across America. Gorman’s poem emphasizes the power the country has to always try to better itself.

After a long and eventful year, the 2020 presidential election has finally come to an end. Former Vice President Joe Biden has been declared the projected winner of the election and will become the 46th president of the United States.

As with anything in the year 2020, the road to this election has not been simple. Current President Donald Trump, who argues that he is, in fact, the winner of the 2020 election, is currently filing lawsuits to challenge the validity of the election results. These actions by our President should not come as a surprise as these questions of voting credibility have lingered all year by the white house staff.

Many things this year have led to a split in the country regarding our democracy and how our elections are being run. This election has sparked debates on issues such as voter fraud, mail-in voting validity, misinformation via news outlets, and alleged claims of election rigging, among other things.

Voter fraud has not been an issue in any elections in recent history. With today’s laws and technology in place preventing nearly all cases of voter fraud. In the 2000 and 2004 elections, the Brennan Center for Justice New York University School of Law found that rates of voter fraud committed were somewhere between .0003 and .0025 percent.

Despite the statistics against the likelihood of mass voter fraud occurring in this election, President Trump remains adamant that this election has been rampant with fraudulent votes.

As the pandemic raged on, voters remained wary of in-person voting. A risk-free option to voting is to simply mail in your vote.

According to MIT political scientist, after analyzing numbers from the Heritage foundation’s election fraud database, they concluded that only 0.00006 percent of the 250 million votes by mail in the 2016 election were fraudulent.

President Donald Trump has argued that the post office can not handle the amount of mail-in votes in time to receive and count them all during this election.

Although the number of mail-in ballots could increase greatly this year due to the pandemic, the post office has shown no concern about not being able to handle the extra workload.

News stations during the election have had facts and information vary depending on which station you’re watching. This can be said for most elections as some news stations tend to lean one way or another politically.

What has gotten out of hand this election is the fact that President Trump and his team have argued and disregarded facts concerning election results to a point where Twitter has started censoring the president’s tweets.

As President Trump tweets about voter fraud and how he has in fact won this election, Twitter has had to label these with a warning.

“Some or all of this content shared in this tweet is disputed and might be misleading about an election or other civic process.” messages can now be found throughout President Donald Trump’s Twitter feed to warn followers of potential misinformation.

Both sides of this election have somewhat been accused of attempting to rig the election in their favor. A very serious allegation.

President Donald Trump has been accused of attempting to dismantle the post office as many of his supporters will be voting in person and many of Joe Biden’s supporters will be voting by mail.

Pictures of mailboxes being removed have gone viral and accusations of voter suppression have risen.

While the Trump administration has tried to argue that mail-in ballots should not be counted after election day so a winner may be announced immediately.

“It would be very, very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on Nov. 3, instead of counting ballots for two weeks, which is totally inappropriate.” stated the President.

The President also raised concerns about the validity of the vote counting, expressing concerns for mail-in ballot dumps being counted for almost exclusively Biden at times.

“Last night I was leading, often solidly, in many key states, in almost all instances Democrat run & controlled… Then, one by one, they started to magically disappear as surprise ballot dumps were counted, very strange, and the pollsters got it completely and historically wrong.” expressed President Trump.

There is no evidence to support President Donald Trump’s claims on the counting of ballots. 

Officials have been speculating for months that the surge of mail-in votes would be immense and large floods of ballots were expected to occur at times during the counting process and a  result of the post office slowly delivering large amounts of ballots to counting locations after election day.

As we approach the conclusion of a strange year, we can only hope that we have reached the conclusion of a strange election as well. Only time will tell how our democracy will handle things if President Donald Trump refuses the election results.