WEATHER
It may be December, but it’s not looking a lot like Christmas. This month is continuing the trend of an already record-breaking warm year, as temperatures will remain unseasonably warm for the first half of the week. Instead of being buried under snow like most years. parts of the Midwest will see temperatures reach into the 60s on Monday and Tuesday.
However, continued rain in the Pacific Northwest signals wet days ahead for most of the country. It could be another cloudy and wet weekend for much of the United States.
POLITICS
Another week, another tragic mass shooting. President Obama will speak to the nation Sunday night, urging Americans to remain strong in the face of potential attacks from religious extremists.
The shootings in San Bernardino have sparked a wide range of reactions from the field of presidential candidates.
I refuse to accept this as normal. We must take action to stop gun violence now. -H https://t.co/SkKglwQycb
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 2, 2015
“Look at what happened again, another hate crime in San Bernardino less than a week ago we had a shooting in Colorado.”
"...It’s hard to imagine that you’d shoot a bunch of people that you didn’t hate. You don’t do that to people you love.”
— Ben Carson
Mass shootings are becoming an almost-everyday occurrence in this country. This sickening and senseless gun violence must stop.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) December 2, 2015
The horrible shooting that took place in San Bernardino was an absolute act of terror that many people knew about. Why didn’t they report?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2015
HEALTHCARE: intense negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, a sweeping healthcare reform bill will move to the House for consideration. The measure, passed 52-47, makes notable cutbacks to the Affordable Care Act, including language that would defund Planned Parenthood. Despite what happens in the House, President Obama is expected to veto the bill.
SPORTS
Not many picked the Carolina Panthers to make the playoffs in 2015, much less lead the league in wins. But with just four games remaining in the regular season, the Panthers are dancing on the cusp of history.
At 12-0 the Panthers are the only undefeated team remaining in the league. And with their remaining opponents holding just a 23-27 combined record, Carolina has a legitimate shot at finishing the regular season undefeated. On Sunday, they’ll host an Atlanta Falcons team trending downward, coming off its sixth loss in seven games. However, with Matt Ryan throwing to receiver Julio Jones, the Falcons are capable of scoring quickly and making things interesting.
ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIES: Sorry Star Wars fans. You’ve still got another week to wait before the release of “The Force Awakens.” In the mean time, you can check out “In the Heart of the Sea,” a movie inspired by the story that spawned Moby Dick.
In Razzie watch, Adam Sandler’s western comedy “Ridiculous 6” will be released on Netflix on Saturday. Sandler’s recent films have received less than stellar reviews; reports indicate that “about a dozen” actors walked off the set of “Ridiculous 6” because of the offensive way the film portrayed Native Americans.
MUSIC: Two hip-hop legends from different eras are scheduled to release new albums on Friday. R&B crooner R. Kelly will release his 13th studio album, “The Buffet” — an album that features appearances from rap stars Jhene Aiko, Lil Wayne, Juicy J and Ty Dolla $ign.
T-Pain continues his comeback tour on Friday with the release of his fifth studio album “Stoicville: The Phoenix.” The rapper, who rose to prominence during the late ‘00s by pioneering the use of auto-tune in rap, calls the album “a new era…I’m rising from the ashes.”