| From a shooting at a Chicago hospital to the sentencing of Christopher Watts and the latest on Trump's judge appointments, here's what to know today. |  | | | | | | | | | | | | Alcohol causes 88,000 deaths in the United States yearly, and health officials aren't sure what to do. Also on Monday: A Colorado dad who killed his family got life in prison, while President Donald Trump's rapid placement of judges looked ready to slow. | | It's the Short List — all the big news in one email. But first: "Multiple victims' have been reported in a shooting near Chicago's Mercy Hospital. Find the latest here. | America has a drinking problem. How do we get help? | | Fixing America's drinking problem won't be easy, experts say. Why? Unlike smoking, drinking is still socially acceptable. And business-friendly lawmakers want to support local alcohol industries, making new laws a challenge. "We need to stop accepting that there isn't anything we can do about it," said David Jernigan, a Boston University public health professor who has researched alcohol for 30 years. Among ideas that have worked : raising taxes, restricting sales, upping treatment availability and teaching kids how to cope with stress and trauma without booze. | Can you cook a turkey in a microwave? Millennials are asking | | When it comes to Thanksgiving, microwaves are usually reserved for the leftovers. But many people are playing a fun prank on their parents by asking them how to cook a 25-pound turkey in the microwave, then sharing reactions. The responses so far? Priceless. Interestingly enough, you can indeed cook a whole turkey in the microwave. You just need a bird small enough to fit inside. | No parole— ever— for a 'heartless monster' | | A judge sentenced Christopher Watts, a suburban Denver dad, to three consecutive life terms in prison and 84 additional years Monday for the murders of his pregnant wife and two daughters. In Colorado, those with a life sentence are not eligible for parole. Watts, 33, strangled his wife, Shanann Watts, 34, before smothering daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, and disposing of their bodies in an oilfield. The motive, per Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke: Watts' wanted a new life with his girlfriend. Watts was arrested Aug. 15, one day after he pleaded for his family to come home in an emotional TV interview. "Prison is too good for you," Shanann Watts' dad, Frank Rzucek, said at the hearing. | More news to know: | | | Trump's flood of judges may become a trickle | | Federal circuit courts field 50,000 cases a year. The Supreme Court, by comparison, handles about 70. That's why President Trump has appointed regional judges at a record clip — 29 so far, more than one per month in office. And those moves could reshape issues such as gun control, affirmative action and religious freedom. But the appointments some call Trump's crowning achievement may slow down during his third year . Why? Liberal judges aren't retiring, leaving fewer vacancies. And with Trump as president, one conservative group says, those judges may not want to budge. | Not everyone loves that new car smell | | Ford Motor Co. filed a patent application for a process to remove the new-car smell from purchased vehicles. Blame globalization: Consumers in China say they hate the new-car smell. And since China is the largest car market in the world, automakers have noticed. They "place unpleasant smells ahead of engine performance or safety as their top reason for not buying a new car," according to Quartz. Americans seem to like it, though. | | This compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. It was brought to you by reporter Josh Hafner, Brett Molina and Mabinty Quarshie. | | | | | | MORE ARTICLES | | | | | | | |
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