The Freakin’ Weekend

The Plot To Kidnap Gov. Whitmer

Federal and state law enforcement arrested 13 men yesterday in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The men, seven of whom are linked to an anti-government militia group known as the ‘Wolverine Watchmen,’ were captured as part of an FBI-led probe focused on militia groups discussing the “violent overthrow” of certain government and law-enforcement officials.

DOJ Files Suit Against Yale

The Justice Department is suing Yale University for allegedly violating federal civil-rights law by discriminating against Asian-Americans and white applicants in undergraduate admissions. The lawsuit, filed Thursday, comes two months after the DOJ issued the findings of a two-year review into Yale’s admissions process. At the time, the university refused the DOJ’s request to alter their practices, citing four decades of Supreme Court precedents in their favor.

More: In October 2019, a federal judge ruled in a similar lawsuit that Harvard’s admissions policies do not discriminate against Asian American applicants. The case is still under appeal. Dig deeper.

Presidential Debate Update

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced plans on Thursday to shift the town-hall style debate to a virtual format for the two candidates at the second presidential debate (scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 15) following President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis.

• President Trump, in a FOX Business interview, said the new debate format is “not acceptable to us” and that he would instead hold a rally. (Full video)
• Joe Biden, who had agreed to the format changes, will now participate in a town hall forum in Philadelphia that night hosted by ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos.

More: Late Thursday, White House physician Sean Conley in a memo said, “I fully anticipate the president’s safe return to public engagements” this Saturday.

📝 Worth Noting: Hurricane Delta strengthened to a Category 3 over the Gulf of Mexico Thursday afternoon ahead of a projected landfall on the LA & TX Gulf Coast later tonight. (Track the storm)

🏆 Poetry In Motion… the Nobel Prize in Literature 2020 was awarded to poet Louise Glück “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal.” The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced today. (Live updates)

This Is The Way(mo)

Waymo One, a driverless ride-hailing service created by Alphabet subsidiary Waymo, officially opened to the public on a limited basis in Phoenix, AZ, yesterday. The company, which has between 300 and 400 vehicles in the Phoenix area, said 100% of its rides will be fully driverless, which it calls “rider only” mode.

West VA Thrown For A Loop

Virgin Hyperloop announced plans to create a $500M certification center and test track near Morgantown, West Virginia. The compound will allow the transportation company to further test and develop its virtually silent high-speed magnetic rail system that can purportedly transport passengers from NYC to Washington, D.C., in just 30 minutes -- twice as fast as a commercial airline flight.

Throw It In The Cart

Instacart raised $200M in a new round of funding valuing the company at $17.7B, after previously raising $225M in June (at a $13.7B valuation) and $100M in July ($13.8B). The grocery delivery service plans to put the most recent capital towards introducing new features and tools to improve customer experience, and further support its enterprise and ads business.

🏦 Breaking The Bank… JPMorgan Chase announced a $30B investment over the next five years to address the racial wealth gap, adding on to the $3.33B already committed by Fortune 100 companies since the death of George Floyd.

Getting Carried Away

When Marios Giannakou, a long-distance runner from Greece, met undergraduate biology student Eleftheria Tosiou in September, the accomplished athlete had already climbed to the peak of Mount Olympus 50 times. However, after the 22-year-old Eleftheria, who is disabled, told Marios that she wanted to reach the summit of Olympus herself, Marios saw an opportunity to complete his most meaningful trek yet.

Last Monday, Marios ascended Olympus – Greece’s tallest peak, known as the “Mountain of the Gods” – while carrying Eleftheria on his back in a custom-made backpack. The pair, who reached the 9,573-foot summit in 10 hours, were congratulated by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over an online chat as they made their way back down the mountain.

How To Save A Life

On September 17th, freshman wrestler Diego Aguilera of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA, worked his first shift at the local Walmart when his skills as an athlete were put to the test. That day, Diego had been trained as an associate in the produce department. He was resting in the breakroom with a colleague in his 60s when the older man suddenly clutched his chest and slumped over – he was having a heart attack.

Acting on emergency response skills he had learned while training as a wrestler, Diego checked the man’s pulse and began administering chest compressions. The heroic young man continued to administer life-saving techniques on his colleague until an ambulance arrived to take the older man to a Sioux City hospital, where he is currently recovering.

V For Vanessa

Chef Vanessa "V" Edwards is an award-winning cook who works in the cafeteria at Legacy Early College in South Carolina. Each day, she helps prepare breakfast and lunch for 1,400 students. As if this was not already a tall enough order, the pandemic has put Chef V in charge of overseeing each meal's packaging for contactless delivery to students.

Despite the taxing nature of Chef V's culinary responsibilities, she still makes time to practice her other passion – making music. Prior to COVID-19, the multitalented Vanessa, who can play the B flat, contrabass, and E flat alto clarinets, hosted special music events for students to sing on Fridays. Now, Chef V keeps students engaged and entertained by creating clever raps about food and nutrition, such as the "Cafeteria Shuffle."

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