Beyond the Bricks: Week of 03/02

Nashville Tornado

On March 3, 2020, severe storms and at least one tornado hit central Tennessee destroying buildings and injuring several people, reported CNN.

Governor Bill Lee told reporters, “It’s a tragic day in our state. It’s heartbreaking.”

Damage from the storm is indicated to reach as far as 20 miles east of Nashville, according to the National Weather Service. Tornadoes were reported many times along a 145-mile stretch over the course of the morning, destroying several subdivisions and displacing hundreds of people in counties across the state.

Nashville’s mayor, John Cooper, is quoted as saying, “It is a massive act of nature; there was no stopping that.”

In the hours after the storm, local officials were searching through piles of debris for survivors; there are as many as 77 people unaccounted for in Putnam County, reported CNN.

As of March 4, 2020, at least 25 people are deceased from storm related events, reported The New York Times.

President Trump said that he would visit the Nashville area on Friday, and added that he is working with state officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the ground in Tennessee.

Democrats Dropout

On March 5, 2020 Senator Elizabeth Warren announced the end of her presidential campaign, reported CNN.

Warren is quoted in saying, “I want all of you to hear it first and I want you to hear it straight from me: today, I’m suspending my campaign for president.”

The Guardian reported that the presidential candidate field for the 2020 election was the most diverse in history and Warren was the last major female Democratic candidate in the race.

The Massachusetts senator made the announcement in her home town of Cambridge. Warren also said that she would not make an announcement endorsing another candidate.

Warren is quoted in saying, “I need some space around this and I want to take a little time to think a little more.”

The New York Times reported that her impact on the race was far larger than the outcome of her campaign. Her policy plans and ability to fundraise for her campaign shows that other candidates can run in the future. The New York Times also stated that the end of her campaign was a steady decline rather than a fast explosion.

The day prior, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, Michael Bloomberg also dropped out of the race and in doing so gave his endorsement to Joseph Biden Jr., reported The New York Times.

Bloomberg is quoted by The Washington Post in saying, “I’ve always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with the uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it. After yesterday’s vote, it is clear that candidate is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden.”

Panic Buying

On March 6, 2020, CNN reported that panic buying is forcing certain stores to limit purchases of toilet paper, masks and other related products.

The global alarm of the coronavirus has resulted in mass bulk buying around the world. Consumers are stockpiling goods over the fear of the coronavirus outbreak and retailers are taking drastic action to limit what each person can buy.

In the U.S., Kroger says that it is capping individuals purchases of sanitization-, cold- and flu-related products.

Stores in the United Kingdom and Australia have also implemented similar policies.