Biden, Dems get a win, Texas tragedy, daylight saving time: 5 things to know this weekend
Biden to speak about the House passage of the infrastructure bill
President Joe Biden will deliver remarks on the House's passage of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and the rule that will allow the passage of the Build Back Better Act Saturday morning, the White House said in a statement. Biden's comments will come after the House late Friday night passed the bill that will modernize highways, rebuild water lines and provide for electric vehicle charging stations. A win for Democrats and Biden, the bill contains the largest transportation spending package in U.S. history. The 228-206 vote followed bitter differences between Democratic progressives and moderates who clashed over Biden's $1.85 trillion Build Back Better budget bill that would expand social safety net programs and address climate change. The deal Democrats struck allowed passage of the infrastructure bill Friday and a promise the larger bill would get a vote later this month. Thirteen Republicans voted for the infrastructure bill while six progressives voted against due to lack of movement on the larger package.
- Updates: House passes historic legislation; analysis says Biden's spending plan is unlikely to add to deficit
- Biden's spending bill would increase student aid for low-income students: But is it enough to keep up with the cost of college?
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Rest of Astroworld Festival canceled as probe into crowd surge goes on
Officials in Texas say at least eight people are dead and several others were injured in a crowd surge during a concert Friday night at the Astroworld Festival. The surge broke out just after 9 p.m. while rapper Travis Scott was performing, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said at a news conference. Officials transported 17 people to the hospital, including 11 who were in cardiac arrest, Peña also said. The cause of death for the eight people was not immediately clear, the fire chief said. Peña called for calm while the investigation is ongoing. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner called for calm, saying, in part, "I think it's very important that none of us speculate" as to what caused the surge. He added that an investigation is coming. Astroworld is a music festival that was scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday in Houston. Saturday's performances have been canceled.
Green Bay Packers to play without Aaron Rodgers as NFL investigates
The Green Bay Packers will face the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who's in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 Wednesday. It was later confirmed he had not been vaccinated, which came after he told the news media in August that he was "immunized." The NFL began an investigation Thursday to determine whether Rodgers and his team had violated COVID-19 protocols, a person with knowledge of the situation told Paste BN Sports. The star quarterback broke his silence Friday, declaring on "The Pat McAfee Show" that "I am somebody who's a critical thinker. I believe strongly in bodily autonomy and the ability to make choices for your body." Rodgers said he opted for a homeopathic treatment that he apparently believed "immunized" him from the effects of COVID-19. While all the attention is on Rodgers, the Packers must play on this week. Backup Jordan Love, who was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, will make his first career regular-season start in Rodgers' place.
- Fact check: 6 of Rodgers' false and misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccine
- Opinion: Rodgers destroyed his public image in 3 days with crackpot theories
- Column: Rodgers isn't a victim of 'woke mob.' He's dangerously, and willfully, misinformed.
- NFL picks: Minus Rodgers, can the Packers still overcome the Chiefs?
Get ready to fall back: Daylight saving time ends this weekend
To the relief of many Americans, daylight saving time comes to a close Sunday. People living in states that follow this practice will set their clocks back, gaining the hour of sleep they lost in the spring. For most of the U.S., daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends on the same time on the first Sunday of November. The Department of Transportation, which is in charge of daylight saving time, says the practice saves energy, prevents traffic accidents and reduces crime. On the other hand, sleep experts say the health consequences of losing sleep from daylight saving outweigh its value, as getting enough sleep is essential for a healthy lifestyle.
- Daylight saving time 2021 ends this weekend: Here are 10 things to help you cope
- How to stay positive amid colder days, longer nights
- Video from 2020: How to prepare your bodies for the time change
New York City Marathon returns after a pandemic-related absence
After being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the 50th New York City Marathon will take place Sunday. The race will have about 33,000 runners, down from the usual 55,000. There will be a new champion on the women's side as Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei, the 2019 title holder, will not participate (she’s instead focusing on the London Marathon). Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya won the men's event with a time of 2:08:13. The 26.2-mile race covers all five of the city's boroughs, beginning in Staten Island, before working its way through Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx and finishing back in Manhattan at Central Park. Sunday's event will be broadcast live on ESPN2 starting at 8:30 a.m. ET. It can also be livestreamed on the ESPN app.
- American-born Black runner has history in mind at NYC Marathon
- Olympic bronze medalist leads field of women in NYC Marathon
Contributing: The Associated Press