15 days until Election Day

Ashley Shaffer, USA TODAY
·5 min read

Just like that, we've got only 15 days until Election Day. Plus: Russian hackers allegedly meddled with the Olympics. And millions of Americans are avoiding the dentist right now.

It's Ashley with something to chew on: Have you been flossing? Now let's talk news.

But first, a little close? A "refrigerator-sized" asteroid may "buzz cut" Earth just before Election Day, but astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says it's nothing to worry about. ☄️

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Election Day countdown: 15 days

With just over two weeks left until Election Day and as millions of Americans continue to cast their ballots in early voting, let’s check in on the polls: They’ve found former Vice President Joe Biden still holding a commanding lead nationally (though down slightly from last week) and leading in 10 of 12 swing states. But President Donald Trump’s on the upswing in a few states. The president has regained a slight polling average lead in Ohio and nabbed a big chunk out of Biden's leads in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Trump also erased much of Biden's gains in Florida from last week, which some Democrats had hoped signaled their nominee was pulling away in the crucial Sunshine State. The final debate could be Trump's last chance to turn the race around, but he doesn’t seem pleased with the moderator.

Today in Election 2020:

  • Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho and North Dakota start early voting

  • There are voter registration deadlines in: Alabama, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania and South Dakota

The week in polls: Trump roars back in Florida, Biden gains in Georgia.
The week in polls: Trump roars back in Florida, Biden gains in Georgia.

Six Russian officers charged in hacking operations

The U.S. has charged six Russian intelligence operatives in a global hacking operation that targeted at least three countries and (*gasp*) the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. According to a seven-count indictment unsealed Monday, the Russian operatives were associated with the same group, known as the "Sandworm" team of military unit 74455, that was linked to Russia's campaign to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election. "No country has weaponized its cyber capabilities as maliciously and irresponsibly as Russia," Assistant Attorney General John Demers, chief of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said Monday.

What everyone’s talking about

'Smoke coming from everywhere'

Colorado crews scrambled Monday to battle the largest wildfire in the state’s history and a second that has forced thousands to evacuate. The Cameron Peak Fire, which has torched more than 203,000 acres through the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests near Cameron Pass and Chambers Lake in Larimer County, was 62% contained as of Monday morning. Gusty winds and dry conditions have fueled the growth of the fire, which ignited in August, officials say. Another blaze, the CalWood Fire raging in the north-central part of the state, forced nearly 3,000 people to flee over the weekend. The fire, which ignited Saturday about 17 miles from downtown Boulder, has singed more than 8,700 acres and is 15% contained. At least 26 homes have been lost to the blaze.

Flames from the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history, burn trees along a ridge outside Estes Park, Colo., on Oct. 16, 2020.
Flames from the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history, burn trees along a ridge outside Estes Park, Colo., on Oct. 16, 2020.

Will a COVID-19 stimulus deal be struck by Tuesday?

The clock is ticking for Democrats and Republicans to reach a COVID-19 stimulus deal after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi set a Tuesday deadline for both sides to come together to restore urgently needed benefits before Election Day. Both sides are struggling to cut a deal just weeks before the election, with Democrats and Republicans hundreds of billions of dollars apart in their proposals and unable to resolve major policy differences on COVID-19 testing, child tax credit provisions, and funding for state and local governments. Congress last passed a comprehensive package in March, and many of the package’s provisions have since lapsed.

In other COVID-19 news: The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the globe passed 40 million on Monday, according to Johns Hopkins data, and the U.S. has reported more than 8.1 million cases and almost 220,000 deaths.

Real quick

Avoiding the dentist? You’re not alone

Coronavirus + no mask + open mouths + dental tools? Millions of Americans are delaying dental appointments over COVID-19 concerns, and the hesitation to go back could hurt your wallet. While 99% of dentists have reopened since the pandemic began, the number of patients remains about 20% below usual levels, says the American Dental Association. All those skipped appointments are likely to trigger increased fees for patients, job cuts for workers and fewer family practices. The ADA estimated that the average dentist is spending an extra $15 to $20 per patient due to measures related to COVID-19 prevention. Some are passing those costs along to patients in the form of fee hikes.

A break from the news

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Election Day, Trump, Russian hackers, Colorado fires: Monday's news

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