promoearn: Police can't keep up with illegal sex spas

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Police can't keep up with illegal sex spas

Tuesday, July 30

Police can't keep up with illegal sex spas

The real "Old Town Road," seesaws at the border and the Dem debates: Tuesday's news

A former employee killed two in Walmart. The massive Capital One data breach could get worse. And Trump looks forward to the Democratic debates. Here's the news you need to know Tuesday.

But first, no missile launchers: A Texas man was stopped at an airport for having a missile launcher in his checked luggage. He told agents he wanted to keep it "as a souvenir." Maybe buy a coffee mug next time?

Sex at massage parlors is big business. Can police stop it?

Police have touted sex spa stings for years as proof that they're cracking down on human trafficking nationwide. Buzz around the operations hit a new high in February when a Florida raid led to charges against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who police say was caught on video paying for sex acts. But a USA TODAY review of three recent, high-profile raids in Florida found law enforcement's tough-on-trafficking rhetoric fizzled after initial headlines. Charges were dropped or pleaded down. Spas often popped up in the same or new locations. And any notion of going after higher-ups who profit from trafficking never materialized. Hints of a broader organization untouched by stings hover just beneath the surface.

Two killed when shooter opens fire in Walmart

Two men were killed in a shooting Tuesday at a Mississippi Walmart , and a suspect described as a disgruntled former employee was in custody, according to police. Both victims worked at the Walmart in Southaven: Brandon Gales, 38, and Anthony Brown, 40. Gales worked at Walmart for about 16 years and was recently promoted to department manager. His brother said Gales was a father of four. Brown, a father of two, worked as a store manager. The Walmart shooting comes two days after a 19-year-old opened fire at a food festival in California. Three people died in that shooting: a 6-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man.

Two people have died and an officer was injured after a shooting at a Mississippi Walmart.

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A pink seesaw crosses the border

In a fluorescent show of unity, a set of bright pink seesaws appeared over the weekend on the border between the USA and Mexico, where children bopped up and down along the divide. Photos and videos showed children and adults on both sides of the border playing together on the seesaws, which were designed by University of California-Berkeley architecture professor Ronald Rael and San Jose State design professor Virginia San Fratello.

Children in Juarez, Mexico, play on a seesaw installed at the border fence that divides Mexico from the USA on July 28.

Christian Chavez, AP

What everyone's talking about

•	"Fittest Man on Earth" Mat Fraser is going for a fourth consecutive CrossFit Games title.
•	Millennials say they can't afford love since dating is way too expensive.
•	Bruce Lee's daughter slammed her dad's "caricature" portrayal in "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood."
•	A police officer thought he was rescuing a kitten. Turns out, it was a bobcat.
•	More than 200 reindeer were found dead in the Arctic, the result of starvation Norwegian scientists blamed on climate change.

It's showtime, Dems

Twenty Democrats fighting for the 2020 presidential nomination will take to their lecterns for their second primary debates Tuesday and Wednesday in Detroit. The debates are crucial for many Democrats – especially lesser-known candidates (Google Steve Bullock) and those who've seen their poll numbers dipping steadily (hi, Beto O'Rourke). The debates are going down at 8 p.m. EDT on CNN and online at CNN.com. Before the show, be sure to check out this interactive rundown of each candidate.

Oh, and President Donald Trump plans to watch, too. His tweets on Baltimore and minority members of Congress will probably be a topic.

2nd Democratic debate lineup

USA TODAY

The real 'Old Town Road'

Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" became the longest-running No. 1 hit in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart Monday. Long before the country-trap single became an absolute bop this summer, African American cowboys and cowgirls thrived in the USA for decades. Meet the black cowboys of the real "Old Town Road."

Lil Nas X's viral "Old Town Road" has broken the Billboard record set by Mariah Carey's "One Sweet Day" for most weeks at No. 1.

Scott Roth/Invision/AP

Real quick

•	A man who took part in an Arkansas school shooting that killed five people in 1998 when he was 11, died Saturday in a head-on car crash.
•	After winning her second World Cup title, U.S. women's soccer coach Jill Ellis is stepping down.
•	Hurricanes Erick and Flossie could affect Hawaii over the next few days.
•	Another twist after U.S. teens were arrested in the slaying of an Italian police officer: The officer didn't have a gun.

Protect yourself online – if it's not too late

Capital One announced a massive breach Monday that affected more than 100 million customers – one of the largest data breaches of all time. And it could get worse. A Seattle woman charged with taking the data is reportedly a former Amazon Web Services engineer who may have accessed data from more companies. Paige A. Thompson, 33, was charged with computer fraud and abuse in a criminal case filed Monday. In the filing, the FBI says Capital One was told some of the acquired data was stored on Github, an online platform with more than 36 million users. Also in that Github account: Thompson's résumé. If you're worried your data was swiped in the breach, here are ways you can protect yourself.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this snappy news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for "The Short List" newsletter here.

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