What we’re reading: Final presidential debate, cold front coming to Fort Worth

By Matthew Sgroi

Published Oct 23, 2020

President Donald Trump, left, and former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Final presidential debate more organized than before

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were much more ‘presidential’ in their final debate, according to CNBC.

The candidates were seemingly aware of the negative reaction they received from the country after the first debate and changed their tones accordingly. After the first debate was strained with insults and interruptions, last night’s debate was fairly cordial.

NBC’s Kristen Welker was the moderator Thursday night.

During the hour and a half, Welker asked the candidates questions about the coronavirus, the economy, foreign interference in the election and the candidates’ finances.

Cold front heads toward Fort Worth this weekend

A strong cold front arrived this morning, hitting Fort Worth and the rest of North Texas with lower temperatures than normal for late October.

The weather will continue through Monday, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The front, which arrived mid-morning Friday, should cause temperatures to drop throughout the day. Early Friday morning, temperatures in Fort Worth were in the low 70s. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature could fall to 49 degrees by 10 p.m. tonight.

While “rain will probably be on the light side Friday,” according to meteorologist Monique Sellers, it should still be expected. There’s an 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms in Tarrant County on Friday.

Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination moved to final vote

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett moved through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, according to ABC News.

She will now face a full Senate confirmation vote, in which she needs a majority vote to be confirmed as the next Supreme Court Justice.

This committee vote, which Barrett needed to continue her path down the nomination, was boycotted by Democratic members of the committee. In the Democrat’s seats were posters of those who they say would be hurt by Barrett’s nomination, those with pre-existing conditions, as Barrett is primed to cast a tie-breaking vote striking down the Affordable Care Act.

Barrett passed through the committee with no Democratic support. Each Republican on the committee voted Barrett through. The Senate confirmation vote, which is Barrett’s final obstacle, is yet to be scheduled.

Minnesota judge drops third-degree murder charge against George Floyd’s killer

FILE – This combination of June 3, 2020, file photos, provided by the Hennepin County, Minn.m, Sheriff’s Office, shows, from left, Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. A Minnesota judge on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, has dismissed a third-degree murder charge filed against Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee against George Floyd’s neck, but the more serious second-degree murder charge remains. The judge also denied defense requests to dismiss the aiding and abetting counts against the three other former officers, Lane, Kueng and Thao. (Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

A Minnesota judge has dismissed a third-degree murder charge filed against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who placed his knee across George Floyd’s neck, killing him from asphyxiation.

The judge said there was not enough probable cause for this charge to proceed in the trial. Chauvin is still charged with more serious second-degree murder.

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill found probable cause for Chauvin to be tried on one count of unintentional second-degree murder and one count of second-degree manslaughter, according to AP News.

A tentative trial date has been scheduled for March 2021.