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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine pushes back on fake migrant story amplified by Trump: “The internet can be quite crazy”
Washington — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, distanced himself from former President Donald Trump’s false claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating people’s pets.
“This is something that came up on the internet, and the internet can be quite crazy sometimes,” DeWine told CBS News’ chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett on Wednesday.
DeWine said he trusts city officials, who have said they have not received any credible reports of such conduct.
“Mayor [Rob] Rue of Springfield says, ‘No, there’s no truth in that.’ They have no evidence of that at all. So, I think we go with what the mayor says. He knows his city, ” DeWine said.
The baseless rumors have been amplified in recent days by Trump and his allies. Trump repeated the claim during Tuesday’s debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs — the people that came in — they’re eating the cats,” he said. “They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”
Earlier in the week, Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, shared the claim on social media, saying, “Reports now show that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”
DeWine defended the thousands of Haitian migrants who are living in Springfield, but noted there are challenges that come with 15,000 migrants settling in city with a population of less than 60,000 in the last couple of years.
“These Haitians came in here to work because there were jobs, and they filled a lot of jobs. And if you talk to employers, they’ve done a very, very good job and they work very, very hard,” he said.
But a lack of health care in Haiti means the local primary health care system needs to be expanded to be able to handle the increase in care, DeWine said. One example he cited was their need for vaccinations.
The other challenge, he said, is teaching the new arrivals how to drive according to U.S. laws. He said Ohio has a loophole that allows drivers over 18 to pass a test to obtain a license without needing training.
“The laws in Haiti are very, very different than they are in the United States,” he said. “So the challenge is to get drivers’ training for these individuals so that when they do go on the road, they will be safe.”
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With Christmas only a few days away, many Americans may be dreaming of a white Christmas, but few will end up walking in a winter wonderland. The warm and above-average temperatures in the weather forecast across the continental U.S. for Christmas week of 2024 are expected to keep any precipitation that falls as rain, not snow, for many parts of the country.
Where is most likely to get snow on Christmas?
If you’re looking for fluffy white flakes, some spots have a better chance than others.
This year, the only parts of the U.S. likely to see a white Christmas will be in the Rocky Mountains and along the U.S. border with Canada. That includes some northern areas of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Weather forecast for holiday travel
For those who are trying to travel on Monday, the more difficult regions will be in the Upper Midwest and in the northern Rockies. Falling snowflakes can be found in states like Idaho, western Montana, northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Michigan. Interstate travel will be hazardous through parts of I-15, I-90, I-84, I-94 and I-75.
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The wintry weather conditions shift from the Great Lakes region into the Northeast on Tuesday. Cold air pushes through to bring upwards of a half a foot of snow to the interior Northeast.
Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will bring rain showers to the Mississippi Valley. In the West, the next atmospheric river will deliver rain to the lower elevations, with snow falling in the Cascade Mountains. Hazardous interstate travel conditions will be found along I-5, I-90, I-94, I-80, I-81 and even parts of I-95 up the East Coast.
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Map of snow forecast for Christmas Day 2024
On Wednesday, Christmas Day, not many locations will see the fresh snowfall of picture-book holidays.
The definition of a “white Christmas” by the National Weather Service is having at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. The only areas likely to meet that qualification on Christmas Day this year will be in the Rockies and along the U.S.-Canada border.
The moisture from the atmospheric river in the West will move into the Rockies to bring light snow to the higher elevations.
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Elsewhere, rain showers stick around in the Mississippi Valley, making for a soggy Christmas Day. Temperatures are forecast to be well above the freezing mark most places, which means precipitation will mainly be rain. Messy travel on Christmas could be found along Interstate 40, I-55, I-40, I-70, I-80 and I-90.
On Thursday, the next round of weather moves into the Northwest. Lower elevation rain can be expected along I-5, while in the interior Northwest.heavier snowfall is forecast in the Cascades and down into the Sierra Nevada mountains. Lingering rain showers continue in the Mississippi Valley and into parts of the Midwest.
Are white Christmases getting rarer?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has tracked snowfall data across the U.S. for years, and says there have been some notable changes over the past four decades, “consistent with the reality of long-term warming.”
When comparing the average probability of Christmas snowfall from 1981-2010 to the period from 1991-2020, NOAA says, “More areas experienced decreases in their chances of a white Christmas than experienced increases.”
The NOAA map below shows areas with the highest historic probability of seeing a white Christmas. Areas shaded in light blue have a higher than average chance, while the northern and mountain locations marked in white have historically had snow on Christmas at least 90% of the time.
NOAA/Climate.gov
You can explore an interactive version of the map on NOAA’s website here.
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Tyler Perry and Kerry Washington on bringing the untold story of “Six Triple Eight” to the big screen
Hollywood powerhouses Tyler Perry and Kerry Washington have joined forces to tell the remarkable story of the 6888th Postal Battalion, which was the only women’s Army Corps unit of color to be stationed in Europe during World War II. Perry — who wrote, directed and produced the film — describes “Six Triple Eight” as an important chapter in U.S. history.
The film centers on the women of the 6888th who were sent to Europe with the daunting task of delivering a backlog of nearly 17 million pieces of mail to U.S. soldiers and their families. The women not only completed the mission, but did so in just 90 days, defying expectations. Kerry Washington stars as Major Charity Adams, the real-life commanding officer of the unit and the highest-ranking Black female officer during the war.
At Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall near Washington, D.C., Perry and Washington discussed the significance of sharing this story.
Washington’s portrayal of Adams was a key part of the project. Perry explained his choice of Washington for the role, saying, “I thought, ‘Let’s show the world that there’s something so different here from you. I know they know Olivia Pope. But when we’re done, they’re going to see no one but Charity Adams.'”
The film also brought intense moments of historical reflection. Perry recounted a personal encounter with Lena King, one of the last surviving members of the 6888th, who was 99 years old at the time and home on hospice.
“I actually wanted all of the surviving members to see it,” he said. “Lena was the only one who got a chance to. I rushed a cut together and bought it to her.”
King’s reaction to the film was unforgettable for Perry.
“We watched it and she was in tears. And at the end of it, she’s saluting and she’s crying. And she says, ‘Tyler, thank you for letting the world know that black women contributed into war effort,'” Perry recalled.
Both Perry and Washington recognized the story’s importance, emphasizing that the women of the 6888th had been overlooked historically.
“There were 855 Black women and women of color who served in World War II, and no one knew it,” Perry said. Washington added, “And went overseas to represent this country.”
The film also explores the strength of these women who faced immense odds.
“It really is about exceeding expectations and being able to achieve against all odds and being able to stand up to people who don’t believe in you to say, ‘I believe in me. And I believe in we,'” Washington said.
You can stream “Six Triple Eight” on Netflix.
