It’s mid-October… time to break out the snow shovel? A blizzard is expected to blanket communities in the Plains while a nor’easter threatens dangerous flooding on the other side of the country.
A government official in Arizona is accused of running a multimillion-dollar illegal adoption scheme that allegedly involved bribery and trafficking.
And move over, BBC Dad! A video of an NBC reporter’s young child interrupting on live television has gone viral.
Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup.
TOP STORY: Blizzards & Nor’Easters Are Roaring In This Week
A major Rockies snowstorm may set October records in parts of the northern Plains. #Denver is now under a #winter weather advisory and will see its first flakes of the season Thursday: t.co/NCGtN1ZGW1
The start of winter is still more than two months away. But millions of people are breaking out the heavy coats and scarves as a snowstorm slams the Rockies and the Plains and has the potential to set records for October. The Weather Channel says that communities across the Plains can expect dangerous blizzard conditions into the weekend. Temperature also dropped more than 50 degrees in some areas over a 24-hour period.
The Denver metropolitan area and Minneapolis are expecting their first snowfall of the season. Snow is already falling in parts of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. Meteorologists say the early snowstorm may cause treacherous conditions on the roads and that some areas may see more than a foot of fresh powder. Families should also be prepared for power outages.
Meanwhile, on the east coast, strong winds and coastal flooding is the name of the game over the next few days. A nor’easter is expected to pound the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states with heavy rain and high surf conditions through Friday. Travelers should also anticipate delays.
WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: The News Was Interrupted By the Reporter’s Child & the Internet Loves It
Sometimes unexpected breaking news happens while you’re reporting breaking news. #MSNBCMoms #workingmoms
The internet has fallen in love with the young son of NBC News correspondent Courtney Kube! The boy interrupted her live report by walking onto the set and demanding her attention. Kube laughed it off and managed to get through the rest of the segment.
MSNBC shared the clip on social media and it quickly went viral. Online commenters buzzed about the moment as “adorable” and praised Kube for being able to multitask on national television. Others remarked that it was a “moment of humanity” in the middle of a news cycle that can be upsetting. Some also commented that it was nice that employees’ children were welcome in the workplace. Kube later explained that “breaking news… didn’t line up with preschool drop-off” so she had to bring her twins into work with her.
The hilarious moment reminded viewers of the now-infamous BBC interview in 2017 that was interrupted by two small children. Professor Robert Kelly, otherwise known as “BBC Dad,” was live on the air via skype from his home office when his young daughter, Marion, entered the study and danced up to the desk. Little brother James followed in a rolling chair. Kelly’s wife, Jung-a Kim, is then seen running into the room to gather the children. Kelly said he was initially fearful that the interruption would damage his career but was pleasantly shocked as it became a beloved global sensation.
OFF-BEAT: Arizona Official Accused of Operating a ‘Baby Mill’
Paul Petersen
Paul Petersen, an adoption attorney and elected official in Arizona, is charged with human smuggling after investigators said he operated an illegal adoption scheme and pocketed millions of dollars for himself in the process. Prosecutors say Petersen paid dozens of pregnant women from the Republic of the Marshall Islands to come to the United States and give their babies up for adoption.
Petersen would then essentially sell the children to American parents, according to investigators. He reportedly charged adoptive parents up to $40,000. Officials said the adoptive parents were not aware of the fraud, nor were they aware that the women had been paid to give up the babies.
Prosecutors said the women lived in close quarters, often sleeping on mattresses on the floor, in properties Petersen owned in Arizona and Utah. One couple told police that after seeing one of the homes, they thought it looked as if he was running a “baby mill.”
According to court documents, Petersen offered the Marshallese women up to $10,000 for their babies. Officials said Petersen used forged documents to make it look like the women were residents of Arizona in order to obtain medical insurance for them. Investigators said that part of the scheme cost taxpayers more than $800,000.
The Marshall Islands are located in the Pacific between Hawaii and the Philippines. It’s illegal for its citizens to enter the U.S. for the sole purpose of adoption.
DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP
Twitter/NCLHell1
- Passengers aboard a Norwegian cruise ship staged a revolt after the ship skipped multiple stops and the bathrooms stopped working.
- Track the wildfires burning in California with interactive maps here. Severe wind conditions prompted PG&E to shut off power for 800,000 customers to avoid sparking more fires.
- Henry Kyle Frese is the Pentagon counter-terrorism analyst who is accused of leaking documents related to North Korea and China to CNBC’s Amanda Macias and Courtney Kube.
- Former TODAY show anchor Matt Lauer denied rape allegations in a detailed open letter.
- Three scientists won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries.
CHECK THIS OUT
The Goodyear Blimp + @Airbnb = A once in a lifetime opportunity that you won’t want to miss. Get all the details at t.co/vtaQS0W86N
Have you ever been interested in seeing the inside of the Goodyear Blimp? The iconic airship is offering overnight stays via Airbnb! But it’s a very limited engagement– three nights only, on October 22, 23, and 24.
Fans will get the chance to request a one-night reservation beginning on October 15. The cost is $150 per night. The private room has one bed and a bathroom and is suitable for two guests only.
However, it’s important to note that the blimp is staying firmly on the ground. The Goodyear Blimp will stay parked at its hangar in Mogadore, Ohio, which is located on Wingfoot Lake. The couples who score the overnight stays will also win tickets to the football game at the University of Michigan on October 26, which is where the Goodyear Blimp will be providing aerial coverage that day.
The Airbnb listing also promotes the fact that the Goodyear Blimp is being honored in a big way later this year. It will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Blimp will become the first non-player or coach to receive that honor.
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