A historically Black church in Mississippi was set on fire and defaced on Tuesday. According to reports, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, which has been in the community for 111 years, was set ablaze and vandalized with the words “Vote Trump.” The FBI launched a civil rights probe in relation to the incident. During a press conference on Wednesday, Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons denounced the incident and said it was “an attack on the black church and the black community.” “We consider it a hate crime,” said Simmons. “Because of the political message which we believe was intended to interfere with worship and intimidate voters.” No one was harmed in the fire, but members of the congregation are still surprised something like this would happen. A GoFundMe page has been created to raise funds to restore the church. Read more.
Percentage of Uninsured Americans Hits Record Low
The number of Americans without health care has hit a record low thanks to President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of people in our country who are uninsured dropped to less than 8.9 percent during the first six months of 2016. There is a total of 24.8 million people who don’t have healthcare coverage. Since 2013, one year prior to when the Affordable Care Act was expanded, the number of Americans who are uninsured has decreased by 5 percent. Prior to the implementation of Obamacare, the uninsured rate remained at around 15 percent nationwide. Nearly 20 million Americans got coverage when the Affordable Care Act was implemented in 2010. According to the CDC, young adults, those living in poverty, and Latinos had the highest enrollment numbers. “Never in American history has the uninsured rate been lower than it is today,” said President Obama. “I have always said that for all the good that the Affordable Care Act is doing right now, for as big a step forward as it was, it’s still just a first step. It’s like … buying a starter home. It’s a lot better than not having a home, but you hope that over time you make some improvements.” Read more.
Texas Voters Turned Away from Polls Due to Voter ID Law Confusion
According to reports, scores of voters were turned away from the polls in Texas due to confusion related to a new voter ID law. Many voters were prevented from casting their ballot because they didn’t have a photo ID, but the new law states a photo ID isn’t needed to vote. Under the new regulation, you can use a non-photo ID and fill out a statement as to why you don’t have a regular one and still be eligible to cast your vote. The confusion resulted in over 600 phone calls to the Texas Civil Rights Project. The organization has issued a letter to the Secretary of State, demanding the confusion surrounding the new regulations be cleared up. Read more.
African-American Museum to Offer Same-Day Passes
Ever since the National Museum of African-American History and Culture opened its doors in Washington, D.C., people have been flocking to the institution. It was reported that the museum sold out through March 2017. The institution offered free timed passes through March to ensure entry, but they all quickly sold out. According to spokeswoman Linda St. Thomas, the museum will be making more walk-up, same-day passes available by November 14. There is an average of 6,000 visitors on weekdays and upwards of 8,000 visitors on the weekends. Since the museum opened five weeks ago, nearly 260,000 people have visited. Read more.
The Chicago Cubs Win First World Series Title in 108 Years
The Chicago Cubs had a historic World Series victory on Wednesday night, topping the Cleveland Indians 8-7. It was the team’s first World Series win in 108 years. “The burden has been lifted. It should have never been there in the first place, I don’t think, but now we can move forward,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. “I love tradition. I think tradition is worth time mentally, and tradition is worth being upheld, but curses and superstitions are not. So it’s really great for our entire team to get beyond that moment and continue to move forward, because now based on the young players we have in this organization, we have an opportunity to be good for a long time, and without any constraints, without any of the negative dialogue.” The Cubs’ victory also marked the first time a team bounced back from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series since 1985. Read more.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
SEE ALSO:
Healthcare.gov Unveils Higher Obamacare Rates
