1 Weather Blamed For At Least 21 Deaths
While the worst may soon come to an end, it’s not soon enough as the extremely cold temperatures across the Midwest and Northeast are now responsible for at least 21 deaths. Arctic air is passing through the region in the form of a polar vortex, sending temperatures 40 degrees below normal and into the negative double digits. The National Weather Service says the polar vortex system coming from the north is one of the coldest arctic air mass intrusions in recent memory. Even worse? As quickly as the cold tightened its grip, experts say the coming thaw could be equally unprecedented, with temperatures rising by as much as 80-degrees. And sure, a quick warm-up sounds great – but don’t forget: all that frozen water has to go somewhere. And in case you missed it? The Polar Vortex has been so intense that yes, Hell has frozen over. As in, the town of Hell, Michigan. Located about 15 miles northwest of Ann Arbor, temps dropped to minus-15 this week. Their high temp yesterday? Around three-degrees. People in the town – with a population of 76 – are using snowmobiles to get to an emergency warming center at the local saloon. And yes…it’s called the Hell Saloon.
2 Pelosi, Trump Spar Over Border Wall
Just because both sides of the aisle are talking in Washington, it doesn’t actually mean anything’s getting accomplished. After all, just as President Trump has warned lawmakers not to “waste their time” unless they’re going to authorize funds for a border wall, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is insisting that "there will be no money" for the project. Speaking with reporters at the Capitol yesterday, Pelosi also said any threat of another government shutdown should be "taken off the table" in budget talks. To review, the short-term spending extension expires on February 15th and congressional negotiators are trying to find consensus for a long term funding bill. Speaking of “relations” between President Trump and Speaker Pelosi, he says she’ll soon be “begging for a border wall because there will be so many people coming up from Tijuana.
3 Feds Make Largest Fentanyl Bust Ever At Southern Border
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol say they have made their biggest fentanyl bust EVER at the southern border. In all, border agents say more than 240-pounds of fentanyl was seized at the port of entry in Nogales, Arizona. They also snagged 395-pounds of meth. Authorities say Mexican drug traffickers attempted to smuggle the drugs in a produce truck – apparently, they were hidden in a floor compartment of a truck loaded with cucumbers. CBP has valued the fentanyl at $3.5-million and the methamphetamine at $1.1-million. What does the driver have to say? Not much. Officials haven’t released his name or nationality, but confirm he’s been charged with possessing drugs with the intent to distribute. Fentanyl is 80-100 times stronger than morphine - it's become the biggest source of fatal overdoses in America.