Category: ESTA News

New Jersey has at least three confirmed cases of West Nile virus this year, earlier than usual. Two residents were diagnosed with West Nile virus in early July. One of the patients was over 70 years old, and the other was under 18, the health department said. Both were hospitalized and later released. The third case is a Somerset County resident who was asymptomatic but tested positive for the virus after trying to donate blood.

West Nile virus infection cases usually start to appear around mid-August, but this year it is unusually early. West Nile virus, which is mainly transmitted by Asian tiger mosquitoes, is a type of encephalitis that causes fatal damage to the brain. In children and the elderly, it can develop into encephalitis and meningitis, and in severe cases, it can lead to death. The health department said, “West Nile virus activity is appearing in New Jersey earlier than expected this year. Please take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”

The Republican mayor of a city with a population of about 500,000 in Arizona, a battleground state that will determine the outcome of the November presidential election, has made an unusual announcement in support of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mayor John Giles of Mesa, the largest suburban city around Phoenix, argued in an op-ed in the Arizona Republic on the 29th that the state should support Vice President Harris over former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, in this presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that “the Republican Party has stood for the belief that all Arizonans, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have the freedom and opportunity to live the ‘American Dream.’ “He criticized, “However, Donald Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, and the Republican Party still has a long way to go,” and “The Republican Party with Trump is flowing toward political extremism, which is moving away from the focus on our essential freedoms.”

He also emphasized that, unlike former President Trump who ignored immigration reform, President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris brought investment and job creation to Arizona through infrastructure laws and claimed that Vice President Harris represents the return of ‘decency’ to politics.

Mayor Giles also summoned the late former Senator John McCain, a moderate politician representing the Republican Party and the Republican candidate in the 2008 presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that former Senator McCain, a politician representing Arizona, pursued bipartisan politics, and said, “That is the same level of character and leadership that I see in Vice President Harris.” He also mentioned that Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, is being mentioned as one of the leading candidates for the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, adding, “That’s why I support her.

Kamala Harris is the fair leader that our country needs.” He added, “There is too much at stake to vote for a Republican candidate this year.” Former President Trump had maintained a clear lead in most battleground states, including Arizona, until President Biden abruptly withdrew from the Democratic presidential nomination. However, there are signs that the race will be a close one after Vice President Harris emerged as the new Democratic presidential nominee.

It has been revealed that the number of young people who are not independent and living with their parents after graduating from college has been increasing rapidly in California. This is because it is difficult to afford the soaring housing costs.

Recently, the number of young Koreans who graduated from college in Southern California who are not independent and living with their parents has been increasing rapidly, and this trend has been confirmed to be a phenomenon that applies to the entire state.

It was revealed that one in four adults in the state lives with their family. In the 1960s, only 5 percent of adults between the ages of 24 and 35 lived with their parents, but as of 2022, more than 40 percent of adults between the ages of 24 and 35 in the state live with their parents. The reason why they are not able to become independent even though they are at the age of graduating from college and entering society is because it is difficult to afford the soaring housing costs.

According to the website ‘Apartment List’, the housing prices in the state are much more burdensome than in other states, which is why the MZ generation young people are becoming independent later. In 1960, 60 percent of young people could afford the median housing cost, but in 2022, only 18 percent of young people can afford the median housing cost.

In addition, as the burden of tuition increases among college students, the delay in graduation was cited as a reason why it is difficult to become independent from their families in a timely manner. The phenomenon of young people’s delayed independence is occurring throughout the country. This phenomenon is occurring from Cupertino in Northern California to Riverside in Southern California.

In Riverside, it is known that one in three adults live with their parents. Since many jobs are concentrated in large cities like LA, it is pointed out that young people in the inland region, where it is difficult to find jobs, are having a hard time becoming independent. In the case of young people from low-income families, there are cases where they stay with their families for the purpose of supporting their families, and there are cases where several generations of Hispanic, black, and some Asian communities live together, delaying the independence of young people.

Former President Donald Trump was nominated at the Republican National Convention. Former President Trump was confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate at the delegate roll call vote, the first day of the convention held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. He received most votes needed to be elected as the presidential candidate in the Florida state election among the 2,400 delegates.

Accordingly, former President Trump officially declared his presidential bid for the third time, following 2016 and 2020. The roll call vote was conducted in turns by state, with state representatives announcing who the delegates assigned to the state would vote for.

During the Florida vote, Trump’s second son Eric appeared as a state representative and expressed his support for his father, receiving a warm welcome at the event. On the other hand, when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had a long-standing feud with former President Trump, appeared as a state representative during the Kentucky vote, boos continued throughout the venue.

As a result, McConnell’s remarks were barely audible. Former President Trump is scheduled to make his acceptance speech for the presidential nomination on the 18th, the last day of the convention, and announce his vision for the next administration.

Two former employees of the JFK Airport post office have been arrested on charges of stealing mail containing COVID-19 stimulus checks and tax refund checks and depositing them into their own accounts.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Kivon Wellington (31) and Kai-Mani Straker (24) stole 125 COVID-19 stimulus checks and tax refund checks while working at the JFK Airport mail sorting facility between June 2021 and August 2023, making at least $4 million in financial gain.

Straker is also accused of stealing numerous checks made out to overseas recipients between August 29 and September 1, 2022. Prosecutors charged Wellington and Straker with theft of federal funds and mail theft, and set bail for them at $75,000 and $50,000, respectively.

Where in the United States are the most highly educated people? Ann Arbor, a state in the United States, was chosen as the most educated and highly educated city among the 150 metropolitan areas in the country.

According to the latest survey results from the financial expert website WalletHub, the ranking of cities in the United States by education level and educational attainment was ranked 1st, followed by Ann Arbor, and 2nd was San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara in Northern California, the Silicon Valley region.

Trenton-Princeton in New Jersey ranked 19th, and Albany-Sc nectarine-Troy in New York ranked 21st.

The analysis of the financial website WalletHub shows that areas with more highly educated people have more high-paying jobs, better living conditions, and higher growth potential.

To rank the metropolitan areas with the highest educational attainment, WalletHub surveyed 150 areas nationwide and examined 11 categories: ▲college graduation rate for residents aged 25 and older, ▲quality of public education system, ▲educational gap between men and women and by race, and ▲proportion of graduates.

On the streets or on public transportation, you can smell a distinctive smell different from cigarettes. People who no longer must hide and smoke because of the legalization of marijuana are now emitting the smell here and there. Maryland, which legalized the sale of recreational marijuana in July of last year, has created a new market, which has led to an increase in jobs and additional tax revenue.

Governor Wes More announced on the 3rd, “Marijuana sales exceeded $1.1 billion in the first year since recreational marijuana sales were legalized in Maryland.” According to Maryland authorities, retail sales last month exceeded $95 million, of which $67 million were for recreational use.

In a statement, Governor More said, “The new marijuana market is not only creating incredible economic activity, but also providing jobs and opportunities for many people to make money,” and “Making Maryland more competitive means ensuring that all residents benefit from the economic benefits.” He celebrated the first anniversary of the legalization of recreational marijuana.

A suspect who committed a voice phishing scam targeting an 80-year-old woman in Manhattan is wanted. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), the suspect called an 87-year-old woman at around noon on the 29th of last month and told her that her grandson had been arrested by the police on suspicion of DUI and that he would be released if she paid a bail of $16,900.

The suspect then arranged to meet the victim that day near 5th Avenue and East 11th Street in Manhattan. The victim gave the suspect the cash he demanded, and the suspect took it and fled south on 5th Avenue. After the incident, the victim found out that her grandson was not involved in the charges and reported it to the police as a voice phishing case.

Police said the suspect is 6 feet tall, weighs about 230 pounds, and was wearing a green baseball cap, white short-sleeved T-shirt, and black pants when last seen. Tip: 800-577-8477 Meanwhile, according to the police, to prevent damage from voice phishing scams, you should never provide personal information or respond to requests for money over the phone.

Even if they claim to be the police, banks, IRS, or social security authorities, you should not believe them. Governments and banks prohibit asking for personal information or requesting money over the phone. Police advise that if in doubt, hang up the phone and immediately notify your children and other family members to prevent or minimize damage.

Conflicts over the economy, abortion, illegal immigration, etc.

Biden’s aging controversy reignites President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, who are rematching for the first time in four years for the position of owner of the White House, faced each other in their first TV debate on the night of the 27th.

The controversy over old age is emerging again as President Biden fails to meet expectations in a debate that has been attracting attention as a variable that will overturn the current ultra-thin battle situation. The two candidates clashed on topics including the economy, abortion, illegal immigration, democracy, climate change, the war in Ukraine and Gaza, welfare, and drugs in a 90-minute TV debate held at the CNN studio in Atlanta, Georgia.

Starting with the first topic, the economic issue, they engaged in a sharp battle, with President Biden claiming that his predecessor, former President Trump, had handed over a “falling economy,” and former President Trump counterattacking by saying, “Inflation is really killing us.”

Throughout the debate, former President Trump either talked about something completely different in response to questions he did not want to answer or used the time to criticize President Biden. When asked whether he would accept the conditions for ending the war in Ukraine presented by Russian President Vladimir Putin, he initially placed responsibility for the war on President Biden, but when the host asked again, he said, “No.” “I can’t accept it,” he replied.

President Biden strongly argued that “Putin is a war criminal” and that only by continuing to support Ukraine can other European allies and the United States be safe, creating a clear contrast with Trump’s “America First” policy. Abortion is an issue on which President Biden can take the offensive, as many women are protesting the abolition of abortion rights by the Supreme Court, which was reorganized to be conservative during the Trump administration, but he has not been able to take full advantage of it. On the other hand, former President Trump clearly explained his position that abortion is a matter for each state to decide, and that exceptional abortions for cases of rape, adultery, or to protect pregnant women should be allowed.

The host also asked about voters’ concerns surrounding the ages of President Biden (81) and former President Trump (78). President Biden tried to turn the spotlight on former President Trump, saying, “This man is three years younger than me and much more incompetent,” but it was assessed that President Biden’s performance on this day heightened voters’ anxiety about his age. President Biden sounded hoarse, and former President Trump attacked him by saying, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of the sentence, and he doesn’t seem to know what he said either.”

President Biden’s team explained that the president had a cold. In this debate, it was decided to turn off the candidate’s microphone, not in the order of speaking, so it was conducted in a calm manner compared to the first TV debate four years ago, which was filled with interruptions and mutual slander during the debate, but it was not without emotional clashes. When former President Trump took issue with the Biden administration’s treatment of veterans, President Biden mentioned that former President Trump called fallen U.S. soldiers a “sucker” and a “loser” during his term in office, and said, “My son is a loser.” I wasn’t a pushover. He raised his voice, saying, “You are a brat, and you are a loser.” President Biden’s eldest son, Beau, served in Iraq and died in 2015 from brain cancer.

President Biden questioned former President Trump’s recent guilty verdict on charges of ‘silencing a sexual scandal’ and attacked him as “the only convicted felon on this stage” and “having the morals of a stolen cat.” In response, former President Trump said, “Biden could also become a convicted felon for something he did while he was in office. “Joe could be indicted for everything he did while in office,” he said, adding that he would be the worst president in history.

The British daily Guardian reported on the 22nd (local time) that an American family whose house was damaged by space debris that fell from the sky filed a lawsuit against the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for $80,000 in damages.

U.S. law firm Cranfill Sumner announced that it had filed this lawsuit on behalf of Alejandre Otero and his family, who lives in Naples, Florida. A metal cylinder slab from a cargo pallet that fell off the International Space Station (ISS) in 2021 drifted through space and crashed into Otero’s house on March 8 of this year, three years later. No one was injured, but there were holes in the roof and floor of the house.

Otero told local media that her son, who was home at the time, was almost hit by a falling object. After collecting and analyzing this object at the Kennedy Space Center, NASA confirmed that it had fallen from the ISS’s flight support equipment.

The size of this metal cylinder was 10 cm wide and 4 cm long, and its weight was 726 g. Otero demanded that NASA pay compensation for damage to uninsured property, work disruption, and mental suffering caused by the space debris crash. Otero’s lawyer, Mika Nguyen Worthy, said, “We are grateful that no one was hurt, but this near miss could have been a disaster.

If the debris had fallen a few meters in the other direction, there could have been serious injuries or deaths.”. He said that he is trying to set a precedent for compensation for damages caused by space debris through this lawsuit.