Good Sunday afternoon. The nation is a little bleaker with the passing of Senator John McCain. This bona fide American hero will be truly missed. I’m Caroline Beck and here is the news you need to know for August 26, 2018. 

1. John McCain, 1936-2018

• The country mourns the passing of a reputable man who ran for president twice and served his country honourably even through the face of torture.
• He was 81 when he passed away on Saturday after his long battle with brain cancer.
• Read the full story about his passing here.
• Also read his Washington Post obituary written by Karen Tumulty.
• Alabama officials and politicos are reacting to the news as well.
• McCain made some memorable swings through Alabama during his runs for president.
• I’ve pasted a few reactions below and the full rundown is available here.

2. Doug Jones: “Discord is dangerous”

• Sen. Doug Jones took advantage of a short break from Senate work to hold a series of meetings and stops in Alabama.
• I caught up with him at the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce’s “Eggs and Issues” breakfast, where the Senator gave the keynote speech.
• He spoke on a lot of the expected topics but threw in some unexpected curve balls as well.
• The Judge Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination, problems facing rural hospitals, access broadband internet and even the Russia election interference issue.
• Jones is clearly attempting to strike a bi-partisan chord – he made sure to sing the praises of his senior colleague Sen. Richard Shelby. But he also didn’t mind being openly critical of President Donald Trump, including on the Russia issue.
• Read my piece for more details about what Jones said.

3. New poll shows Ford finding traction as Independent in State Senate race.

• One of the more intriguing legislative races this year is the Senate District 10 race between newcomer Republican Andrew Jones and former Democratic House Leader Craig Ford, who is now running as an Independent.
• A new poll from the Ford camp – an Anzalone survey – shows him winning the race by several points if the election was held today.
• But, not so fast, another poll from the Jones camp – A Cygnal survey – shows the Republican with a slight lead.
• Having an Independent run is rare and having them win is even rarer, but Ford seems confident in his abilities given his 18-year career in Alabama politics.
• Jones poll shows that even though his name is less recognizable than Ford’s, that is a benefit for Jones because he is a fresh face that means new opportunities for Alabama voters.
• Whose poll is precise? That’s why we have elections! But this one looks really competitive.
• Read my full article over the two candidate’s surveys to get more details about the situation.

4. The Week in Good News

After this weeks ‘hectic’ news cycle, here is some happy and cute news that can give us a breather.

1. Marine Corps Mascot goes into retirment

• So, did anyone else know that the Marine Corps has an adorable British Bulldog as their official mascot???
• Well, they do and you should all bless your eyes and look at this
• Sgt. Chesty XIV, That’s right, the 14th. That means there’s been 14 of these cute guys carrying on the tradition of representing the marine corps, and I couldn’t agree more with their choice of mascot.
• I know bulldogs might not be as cute as, say a puppy retriever, but his rough exterior, serious brow, and his tough stance, is in mind, the perfect mascot for the marine corps.
• Pvt. Chesty XV will take over the senior Chesty’s place who will, no doubt, enjoy a nice retirement of belly scratches and treats.

2. Simone Biles is still awesome

• Not that she ever stopped being awesome but this past week, she proved yet again that she is a powerhouse of force and is unstoppable.
• This past weekend she broke yet another record when she got her fifth U.S. over-all title at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
• During her competition, she notably wore a teal leotard, which has become the color for sexual assault awareness and prevention.
• Biles was among the 250 gymnastics athletes who accused Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar of sexually abusing them.
• This is a strong statement from Biles that shows how strong and resilient these women are in the face of being abused by someone they were meant to trust.
• Watch the interview Biles did explaining her choice in wearing the leotard.

3. Dealing with dementia in a different way

• In the Netherlands, a care facility for elderly people facing dementia is using some interesting techniques to help their patients.
• Some of the techniques involve harnessing the power of relaxation, childhood memories, sensory aids, soothing music, family structure and other tools to heal, calm and nurture the residents.
• Instead of relying on the old prescription of bed rest, medication and, in some cases, physical restraints, they use positive memories to help lessen the effects of their memory loss.
• The facility uses virtual reality bus rides and has a whole room that has sand and heat lamps in it to simulate a beach.
• It’s deeply fascinating what lengths this facility will go to too take care of their elderly patients and I highly suggest reading the NYT’s article to learn more about their process.

Headlines

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – New poll shows Independent Craig Ford leading his Republican opponent. 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – War hero and presidential candidate John McCain dies at 81.

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Alabama officials, politicos react to death of Sen. John McCain. 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Jones speaks about SCOTUS nomination, Russia election interference. 

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Jones: Hit pause button on Kavanaugh confirmation hearings

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Lethal injection or gas? Alabama’s death row gets to choose

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – Democrats OK limiting party leaders’ role in picking nominee

ALABAMA DAILY NEWS – The Latest: Pope gets lukewarm reception in Ireland

MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Doug Jones: Trump’s attack on DOJ, Jeff Sessions ‘makes me sick’.

DOTHAN EAGLE – Dothan City Commission to review affordable housing plan at Tuesday work session.

YELLOWHAMMER NEWS – Shelby’s Kavanaugh confirmation push, TPUSA’s Owens and Kirk fight against racial politics, liberal academia highlight 2018 ALGOP Summer Dinner

DECATUR DAILY –  Lawrence trains students in welding, auto repair and more.

ANNISTON STAR – The Army should select Anniston’s depot for new vehicle repairs.

AL.COM – Alabama leaders remember John McCain: ‘He served with honor’.

NEW YORK TIMES – $1.7 Billion Federal Job Training Program Is ‘Failing the Students’

Front pages (Images link to newspaper websites, which you should visit and patronize)