Nicole: Coming to you recorded from the ZoomCast, this is Nicole Via y Rada.

Nicole: Rochester’s Police Chief and Deputy Police Chief have announced their decision today to resign from their respective posts. The ZoomCast’s Lauren Patetta reports that these resignations come in response to the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died after being restrained by police back in March.
 
Lauren: Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary said in a media release today he will be resigning from his position after protests surrounding Daniel Prude’s death. Singletary, who has been on the force for 20 years, is calling the responses to Prude’s death an “attempt to destroy his character and integrity.” Deputy Police Chief Joseph Morabito also announced his resignation in the release. Pressure was put on the department to act after Prude’s family released videos earlier this month of Rochester police forcibly restraining Prude and placing a spit hood over his head. According to a report from the Monroe County Medical Examiner, Prude died from “complications of asphyxia” after being physically restrained. Seven other officers have been suspended in response to the incident, and a state grand jury is investigating the death. Lauren Patetta, WZAU, San Jose.

Nicole: Over 200 people were airlifted from the Sierra National Forest in California this morning due to the continuing wildfires. The state has already burned over 2 million acres this year, setting a new record early in the wildfire season. 

Nicole: Jesse Miller is with the California National Guard talking about the rescue missions, and he says it has been particularly difficult to keep all of the fires at bay this season. 

“It’s been quite a challenge. We’ve been on fires for quite a while up on the lightning complex up in Napa and also the Butte complex up on the upper east side of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley. This one hit us by surprise. ”

Over 14,000 firefighters are battling more than two dozen fires in California.

You’re listening to WZAU’s The Zoomcast from San Jose.

Podcast For Dig Audio

Nicole: Coming to you recorded from the ZoomCast in San Jose, this is Nicole Via y Rada. 
Breonna Taylor (WRAP)
Nicole ANCHOR LEDE -- The city of Louisville, Kentucky reached a financial settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor this afternoon. The Zoomcast’s Ava Schulte reports the family’s plea for police community involvement, in today’s press conference. 
Reporter -- Taylor’s family will receive $12 million dollars in a wrongful death lawsuit from the city of Louisville, Kentucky. The settlement doesn’t just include financial compensation, but also prompted police reform in Louisville. One of the Taylor family’s attorneys, Lonita Baker, states that they wouldn’t have reached a settlement if reform wasn’t recognized. 
Byte -- “It is imperative that we seek justice not only in the criminal system, but also in our civil system. That’s when we hold people financially responsible. But it’s important to not here that a financial settlement was non-negotiable without significant police reform and that's what we were able to do today.”
End -- This deal includes significant reforms within the department such as new drug testing rules, incentives for officers to reside in specific neighborhoods and greater scrutiny over search warrants. Taylor was killed by police in March after a no-knock warrant was issued to Louisville police in which three officers mistakenly entered her home and shot her. Ava Schulte, WZAU, Louisville. 

ICE mass hysterectomies (VOICER) 

Nicole: A whistleblower who previously worked at an ICE detention center in Georgia is coming forward to expose alleged medical neglect within the facility. The Zoomcast’s Lauren Patetta reports that the center performed a high number of hysterectomies and provided inadequate medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.  
 
Lauren: Licensed nurse Dawn Wooten says in a complaint filed by advocacy groups on Monday that she encountered many women who were coerced into having unwanted hysterectomies while working at Georgia’s Irwin County Detention Center. The complaint details cases of women receiving the procedure without understanding why it was necessary. Wooten also claims that the facility failed to test detainees showing symptoms of COVID-19 and did not follow the proper health and safety guidelines meant to stop the spread of the virus. ICE says it is taking the allegations seriously and remains “committed to the safety and welfare” of those in custody, but wants to treat the allegations with the “appropriate skepticism.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling for an immediate investigation into the allegations. Lauren Patetta, WZAU, San Jose.

Nicole: You’re listening to WZAU’s The Zoomcast from San Jose.

Pod Sept 15 Mixdown 1

ANCHOR LEDE -- The city of Louisville, Kentucky reached a financial settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor this afternoon. The Zoomcast’s Braeden Waddell reports on the family’s push for police reforms in today’s press conference.

BW: Taylor’s family will receive $12 million dollars from the city in a wrongful death lawsuit, but also came to an agreement on several reforms to be implemented by the Louisville Police Department. One of the Taylor family’s attorneys, Lonita Baker, says  this is just the first step toward justice, and that the agreement couldn’t have been made without a commitment to change.  

Bite: “It is imperative that we seek justice not only in the criminal system, but also in our civil system. That’s when we hold people financially responsible. But it’s important to not here that a financial settlement was non-negotiable without significant police reform and that's what we were able to do today.”

BW: The deal requires new drug testing rules, incentives for officers to reside in specific neighborhoods, and greater scrutiny over search warrants. Taylor was killed by police in March after a no-knock warrant was issued to Louisville police in which three officers mistakenly entered her home and shot her. 

Braeden Waddell, WZAU, Louisville.

Waddell Wrap Mixdown 1

NEW ORDER:  Intro → Wrap on Romney → Write around on Schumer → Voicer on Covid → Reader on Ginsburg → Outro

ANCHOR: Coming to you recorded from the ZoomCast in San Jose this is Nicole Via y Rada. 

Lead story AVA (WRAP): Romney, SCOTUS.

ANCHOR LEDE: Republican senators are moving forward this week with their plans to support President Trump’s Supreme Court nomination. The vacancy, WZAU’s Ava Shulte reports, has caused many Republicans to voice their support for whoever the nominee will be. 

REPORTER: Republican Senator Mitt Romney said this morning that he will support a new Supreme Court nomination before the 2020 election, all but ensuring a vote for President Trump’s future nominee. This announcement comes following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday. 

BYTE: “I’ve indicated that what I have intended to do is to proceed with the consideration process and if a nominee actually reaches the floor then I will vote based on the qualifications of that nominee.”

REPORTER: Controversy quickly erupted as President Trump and other congressional Republicans released statements supporting the nomination of Justice Ginsburg’s successor within an hour of her death. Senate Democrats have viewed this as hypocritical, as Senate Republicans refused to vote on Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, before the 2016 election. Two Senate Republicans have stated they will vote against whoever the nomination will be. Ava Schulte, WZAU. 

2nd story (write around, Lauren and I):  

ANCHOR: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer unleashed scathing remarks on the Senate floor this afternoon against Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump for their push to confirm a new Supreme Court nominee before the election. Schumer warned that the Republican party’s actions will not come without consequences, saying that GOP Senators have QUOTE “no right” to fill Justice Ginsburg’s vacancy. 

SCHUMER BITE: “Leader McConnell’s actions may now very well destroy the institution of the senate. If leader McConnell pushes forward, the republican majority will have stolen two supreme court seats, four years apart, using completely contradictory rationale.”

ANCHOR: Some democratic leaders are calling to expand the Supreme Court and remove the filibuster -- in response to Republicans’ swift plan to nominate the late Justice’s successor. According to the Associated Press, Schumer said that the Democrats path forward is unclear, but that QUOTE “Nothing is off the table.” 

3rd story Voicer, Reignon: COVID  

ANCHOR: The United States death count for Covid-19 reached a grim milestone Tuesday. 200,000 Americans have died from contracting the virus and the number is expected to rise as students return to school and cold weather sets in. 

REPORTER: The United States leads the world in confirmed cases and deaths reaching an overall death toll of 200,000 Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins CoronaVirus Resource Center. There are 770 deaths recorded on average each day for covid-19 in the US. Furthermore, Health officials at the CDC believe the numbers for deaths and cases  will only rise by the end of the year as schools begin reopening and winter falls upon us. With signs of a potential vaccine being held off until early 2021. citizens are urged to take safety precautions and practice social distancing.

You’re listening to WZAU’s The Zoomcast.

Practice Pod Sept. 22

ANCHOR: Senator Chuck Schumer unleashed a scathing condemnation of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump for their push to confirm a new Supreme Court nominee before the election. Schumer says the Republican party’s actions will not come without consequences, and that GOP Senators have QUOTE “no right” to fill Justice Ginsburg’s vacancy. 

SCHUMER BITE: “Leader McConnell’s actions may now very well destroy the institution of the senate. If leader McConnell pushes forward, the republican majority will have stolen two supreme court seats, four years apart, using completely contradictory rationale.”

ANCHOR: According to the Associated Press, Schumer said that the Democrats path forward is unclear, but that QUOTE “Nothing is off the table.”

Braeden Write Around Mixdown 1

Intro: Coming to you recorded from the ZoomCast in San Jose this is Nicole Via y Rada. 

FIRST STORY READER: The first presidential debate between democratic nominee Joe Biden and republican nominee President Trump will take place tonight live from Cleveland, Ohio. FOX News’ Chris Wallace is moderating the debate, which marks the first time the major party candidates will share the stage. 

Strict COVID-19 measures are in place for the debate, restricting the candidates from shaking hands -- though both the candidates and Wallace will not wear masks on stage. The debate will be broken down into fifteen-minute segments devoted to six pre-selected topics, including race and violence in America, COVID-19 and the Supreme Court, the Trump and Biden records, the economy, and the integrity of the election.

Second story (WRAP, Reignon): Tax returns

ANCHOR LEDE: Presidential nominee Joe Biden and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris released their tax returns today, just hours before the first presidential debate. WZAU’s Reignon Prillman reports this move comes in response to the release of President Trump’s tax returns by The New York Times.

Reignon: President Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns and his subsequent legal battles to keep them hidden has broken 40 years of White House tradition. The New York Times reported Sunday that the president only paid 750 dollars in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, and paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the past 15 years. President Trump has denied the report with claims that it is inaccurate, but has declined to specify any falsities.
 
Trump: Totally fake news no,  actually I pay tax you and will see that  as soon as my tax return. They are under audit, they have been under audit for a long time the IRS does not treat me well they treat me like the tea party, like they treated the tea party.
 
Reignon: Biden and Harris’ decisions to release their tax returns will likely come up during tonight’s debate, especially as Trump is still refusing to release his himself. Reignon Prillman, WZAU. 

Third story (Write Around,Ava): Amy Coney Barrett going to the senate 

NICOLE: Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett met today with Republican senate lawmakers in the U.S. Capitol ahead of her confirmation hearings in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The meetings are part of Senate Republican’s plan to fast-track Barrett’s nomination before the 2020 election, with hearings beginning as early as October 12. Today, Barrett is slated to meet with 9 GOP Senators after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Vice President Mike Pence introduce her to the media. Pence voiced his support of Barrett, commenting on her strengths. 

BITE: “In Judge Amy Coney Barret, we have someone of great character, of great intellect, who has a judicial philosophy that will uphold the constitution of the United States.” (12 sec)

NICOLE: Nominees traditionally meet with senators before the hearings, however some Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have stated they will not meet with Judge Barrett, as they view the nomination as illegitimate. Nicole Via y Rada, WZAU.

Graded pod!

Liveshot Nicole//Braeden

ANCHOR  President-elect Joe Biden reiterated his campaign promise today to protect and build upon the affordable care act as the conservative Supreme Court hears a case that could overturn it. WZAU's Braeden Waddell was at the press conference today, and said that while Biden remained on message about the ACA, he also discussed the beginnings of his transition into the White House.  REPORTER: President-elect Biden laid out harsh criticisms of the Trump administration's move to repeal Obamacare, but also noted that the Supreme Court has twice before upheld it in past cases He said in his speech today that it is QUOTE "inhumane" to repeal Obamacare, which assists tens of millions in gaining access to healthcare.   BIDEN: Now in the middle of a deadly pandemic, that has affected more than 10 million Americans, nearly 1 in every 32 americans, often with devastating consequences to their health, these ideologues are once again trying to strip health coverage away.   REPORTER: Although Biden spoke primarily about the pending Supreme Court case that once again puts the ACA in danger, he also downplayed concerns raised about the current administration's refusal to acknowledge his victory in the election. President Trump denied Biden's victory and has halted his access to funding and support that is typically provided to incoming presidents to smooth out their January transitions. Biden said today he is pursuing other options before preparing any legal action, but that he expects his Republican colleagues to come around.  REPORTER: Braeden Waddell, WZAU, Delaware.

Waddell Wrap Biden

Dancing, singing, and cheering erupted throughout the streets of Washington D.C. this morning after a nail-biting four days of vote counting finally ended when the Associated Press called the election for now-President Elect Joe Biden. 
Cars rolled at a snail’s pace through the tightly packed streets. Drivers honked their horns, blasted music and waved American flags as onlookers fist-pumped and danced.
Within minutes, crowds were streaming into the streets, sharing an unspoken idea about the best place to go to celebrate: Black Lives Matter Plaza.
The two-block long plaza right outside the White House was soon jammed with thousands of celebrants, most of them wearing masks but all of them there to share the historic moment. 
Huge speakers, apparently on standby, were rushed to the area, and  the crowds joined in to sing their message to the president  loud and clear. 
[insert clip;  FDT singing]
In the center of the plaza, Maya Malika, a protester with Refuse Fascism, pulled out a megaphone and addressed the growing crowds.
[Clip, Malika Trump Pence, Out Now!]
She said in an interview that she won’t rest until the President and his administration are far away from the White House. 
CLIP “[Trump’s] not going to leave peacefully. He told us that,Let’s celebrate in the streets, come back day after day, and not stop until Trump and Pence are removed from the White House, and that’s going to be on us.”
Biden received 93% of all ballots cast in the District, even more than Hillary Clinton received in 2016.
Even in cities across the U.S. where the vote was not so certain, celebrants rushed to the streets to bang pots and pans and blast music through portable speakers. .
In Miami, a city deeply divided during the 2020 election, Cuban-Americans like Miguel Rodriguez were among the first to arrive downtown, flags in hand.
Insert clip. 
And in Philadelphia, the city that turned the tide of the election by securing Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes and winning the election for Joe Biden, celebrations, and a bit of self-gratification, were in order. 
John Rogers, a Philly native, explained how the city’s past played into this historical moment.
[Clip.]
Trump supporters were not out and about in the streets today, but on Twitter many have already called the election fraudulent and said it was stolen by Democrats, despite no evidence of those claims.
The President himself was out golfing this morning when the results were called, but shows no sign of conceding and even unleashed a series of tweets in response, saying quote “I won this election by a lot”
Biden is slated to speak tonight, where he will likely focus on how to bring Americans together after an election as divisive as this one. 

Braeden Waddell, WZAU, Washington.