Rosh Hashanah, Trump and Biden head to Minnesota, Nuggets-Lakers: 5 things to know Friday

Editors, USA TODAY
·4 min read

Rosh Hashanah begins

This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset Friday and ends at sunset on Sunday. It’s the start of the Jewish month of Tishrei, or Tishri, which falls in September or October, according to the Gregorian calendar. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and is filled with shared meals and prayer among loved ones. Celebrations include special treats such as apples or challah bread dipped in honey; prayer services and Torah readings on both mornings; and the lighting of candles in the evenings with appropriate blessings.

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Biden and Trump campaigns both head to Minnesota

Competing for the appeals of middle-class voters will throw the spotlight on Minnesota as President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will each campaign there on Friday. The visits coincide with the first day of Minnesota's early voting period for the election. Trump is vying to win a state Democrats have carried reliably since 1972 and therefore isn't routinely mentioned among crucial swing states like neighboring Wisconsin, Michigan or Florida. Recent polling shows Biden leads Trump in Minnesota by an average of 8.8 percentage points. Both candidates have been targeting the state's northern Iron Range, known for mining and manufacturing. "It’s nice that Minnesota is getting attention," said Vin Weber, a Republican political strategist. “I do appreciate that the candidates are not just visiting the Twin Cities."

Thousands remain without power across Deep South wrought by Sally

Nearly 400,000 homes and businesses remained without power across the Deep South early Friday as residents picked through sodden destruction wrought by Hurricane Sally, A day after leaving a swath of coastal Alabama and Florida in ruin, Sally pounded Georgia and the Carolinas with torrential rain. By late Thursday, Sally was moving over Virginia, where it was expected to dump up to 8 inches of rain, prompting flash flood warnings and moderate river flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center. In Pensacola, Florida, a barge-mounted construction crane smashed into the recently completed Three Mile Bridge, causing a section of the span over Pensacola Bay to collapse, authorities said. Repairs could take more than a month.

New presidential memorial opens in the nation's capital

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is finally opening to the public Friday in Washington, D.C., after a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. The memorial, meant to honor Eisenhower's legacy as the supreme allied commander in World War II and the 34th U.S president, has actually been more than 20 years in the making since Congress commissioned it in 1999. The memorial is a four-acre park, featuring several columns, statues and a large stainless steel woven tapestry all meant to honor Eisenhower, designed by architect Frank Gehry. During the day, it's best viewed from the back. But visitors can head there at night for a dazzling lit-up display from the front.

NBA Western Finals: Lakers, Nuggets look for fast start in Game 1

The basketball universe will turn its attention to the Western Conference Finals as the Los Angeles Lakers face the Denver Nuggets in Game 1. The Lakers, hoping to acquire its 17th NBA championship, have benefitted from LeBron James and Anthony Davis' workman-like attitude during these playoffs. Denver, meanwhile, became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 playoff series deficit twice in the same postseason after stunning the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this week. The Western Conference Finals begin Friday at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rosh Hashanah, Nuggets-Lakers, Sally: 5 things to know Friday

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