The worst is not over in South Carolina. Assisted suicide is the law in California. And a search for survivors revs up in the Caribbean.
It’s Tuesday, and here are five things to know for your new day.
SOUTH CAROLINA FLOODS
Submerged: The rains may have stopped, but for South Carolina, recovery is not just around the corner. At least 11 people are dead in the historic flooding. Miles of roadway are either destroyed or closed. And owners of homes and business have only just begun to assess the damage. Yesterday, the main culprit was dam breaches. At least 18 have failed so far. Parts of Columbia had to be evacuated after a breach yesterday. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin summed up the severity of the situation in his city: “Some peoples’ lives as they know them will never be the same.”
ASSISTED SUICIDE
Signed: In California, you now have a right to die. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law yesterday a bill allowing assisted suicide in the Golden State. The law is controversial, with opponents saying poor people with limited health care options would be pushed into “cheaper lethal options” more quickly than wealthy folks. Brown said personally he would like to have the option to end his own life if he were facing a prolonged, painful death due to terminal illness and didn’t want to “deny that right to others.”
SUNKEN SHIP
Searching: Were there any survivors when the cargo ship El Faro sank in the Caribbean Sea last week? The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for them, but so far has found only a 225-square-mile debris field from the ship. Survival suits, life boats and life rafts have reportedly been checked for signs of life. The El Faro, with a crew of 28 Americans and five Polish nationals — went down near the Bahamas as Hurricane Joaquin passed nearby.
FOOD RECALL
Whoops: A “gluten-free” box of cereal that contains wheat is bad news for some folks. That’s the situation General Mills is dealing with, as it recalls 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios. The boxes are labeled gluten free, but may contain wheat. General Mills said yesterday that issues offloading flour at a California plant may have caused the contamination. If you have wheat allergies and bought one of the contaminated boxes of cereal, call General Mills at 1-800-775-8370.
‘BEING 13’
Teens: Last night, Anderson Cooper gave us a peek into the teenage years last night with the CNN special report “#Being13: Inside the Secret World of Teens.” The show looked at how social media affects the lives of teens — both positively and negatively — on a daily basis. Before and during the show, CNN anchors, contributors and celebrities shared pictures of themselves at 13.
