Friday the 13th, college admissions scandal, iPhone 11 preorder: 5 things you need to know Friday
Felicity Huffman to be sentenced in college admissions scandal
"Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman is scheduled Friday to be the first parent sentenced in the "Varsity Blues" college admissions cheating scandal. Huffman pleaded guilty in May to mail fraud charges for participating in the scheme orchestrated by consultant Rick Singer. Huffman has admitted to paying $15,000 to have her oldest daughter's SAT exam answers corrected to artificially boost the score. Her attorneys have asked a judge to sentence the actress to probation — not prison — and community service. Federal prosecutors are recommending she serve a month in prison, 12 months of supervised release and pay a fine of $20,000.
- Felicity Huffman's sentencing date has arrived
- In letters to a judge, Huffman explains why she cheated to help daughter
- 'The View' hosts weren't buying William H. Macy's defense of his wife
Chicago gang members to stand trial in murder of 9-year-old
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Friday in the trial of two of three men charged with carrying out the November 2015 attack on 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee. Prosecutors say the fourth-grader was killed in revenge by gang members to send a message to his father, an alleged member of a rival gang. Dwright Boone-Doty and Corey Morgan are expected to go on trial beginning Tuesday. The two men allegedly lured Tyshawn from a park into a nearby alley by promising to buy him a snack, then shot him several times at close range, prosecutors say. Hundreds from Chicago and beyond attended the boy's funeral service.
- Gun violence in Chicago: Why police can't get more residents to identify suspects
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It's Friday the 13th. Also, there's a full harvest micromoon
For the superstitious among us, beware: It's Friday the 13th, a day traditionally associated with bad luck. If that weren't enough, there also will be a full moon, which throughout history has been associated with strange or insane behavior, according to AccuWeather. Tonight's moon is a "harvest moon" — the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which this year is Sept. 23. There's more: On Friday, the moon will reach "apogee," the farthest point in its orbit around Earth, which will result in an unusually small full moon or "micromoon." So if you are home tonight due to fear of Friday the 13th (which is called "paraskevidekatriaphobia," by the way), you can at least look out your window and enjoy the view.
Preorder begins for Apple's iPhone 11 series
Apple's latest lineup of iPhones, unveiled earlier this week, will be available for preorder starting Friday. If you missed the big tech news, Apple will roll out three new models: a lower-priced iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11 starts at $699, the iPhone 11 Pro at $999 and the Pro Max at $1,099. Online and in-store availability is slated for Sept. 20. At Tuesday's event, Apple also unveiled new versions of its iPad and Apple Watch.
- As soon as Apple announced iPhone 11, people say their older iPhones stopped working
- $21 says you don’t have to buy a new iPhone from your carrier
Tropical Storm Humberto could form in the Bahamas
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for several islands in the Bahamas due to a "potential tropical cyclone" that's formed nearby, the National Hurricane Center said. Tropical storm winds of at least 39 mph are expected in the northwest Bahamas by late Friday, and the system is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 4 inches through Sunday over the Bahamas. This includes Grand Bahama Island and the Abacos, the islands most devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
- Meteorological monsters: Are Category 5 hurricanes such as Dorian the 'new normal'?
Bonus: San Francisco's cable cars will be out of commission
September is the warmest month of the year in San Francisco, but there's some bad news for visitors heading to the City by the Bay: The city's iconic cable cars will be shut down starting Friday. The cars are set to undergo 10 days of repairs as part of a three-year restoration project. An estimated 7.5 million yearly passengers board the cable cars, which were registered as a National Historic Landmark in 1964. There's more bad news for travelers: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has shut down one of its runways for a reconstruction that will extend through Sept. 26. Well, at least the Golden Gate Bridge is still open.