promoearn: Biden and Trump host dueling town halls tonight

Thursday, October 15

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are pictured during the presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Biden and Trump host dueling town halls tonight

It's a tale of two town halls tonight. Plus: It's the final day of hearings in Amy Coney Barrett's nomination and the first day of open enrollment season for Medicare.

Good morning. Election Day is in 19 days. Do you know how you'll cast your ballot?

Today's biggest news reflects the issues front-and-center for American voters, from health care to climate events to the coronavirus. And while this evening's scheduled debate which may have dived into the issues was canceled, two separate town halls – one with President Donald Trump and one with former Vice President Joe Biden – will air at the same time, 8 p.m. ET.

So ready your remote for some channel-flipping. Democracy depends on it.

It's Lindsay with today's Daily Briefing newsletter. If you're reading this online or on USA TODAY's app, you can subscribe to get it in your inbox here. Let's dig in:

NBC and ABC to host dueling town halls with Trump and Biden

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will participate in competing town halls Thursday, in lieu of a face-to-face debate . NBC announced Wednesday it will host a Trump town hall at 8 p.m. ET Thursday in Miami – the same time that ABC will be hosting a Biden town hall in Philadelphia. The two candidates were originally intended to debate face-to-face, but the Commission on Presidential Debates announced it would be virtual after Trump's bout with COVID-19. Trump rejected the idea, and the parties were unable to agree on an alternate format. The two candidates are still scheduled to hold a final debate Oct. 22 – a week from Thursday – in Nashville.

•	Previous development: Second presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump canceled
•	Election officials' warning: Trump 'army' of poll watchers could frighten voters, incite violence
•	'Would you please like me?' Trump appeals to suburban women during Pennsylvania rally
•	'You're a big state to me': Trump pitches rural voters at Iowa campaign rally

Today's biggest coronavirus news

•	Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a 'ridiculous' way to stop COVID, say scientists — it will just kill people
•	Mnuchin says passing COVID-19 relief before the election would be 'difficult' as negotiations continue
•	Coronavirus live updates: Spain is first EU nation at 900K cases; 216,000 have died in the US
•	Melania Trump says son Barron tested positive for COVID-19, had no symptoms
•	Americans torn between taking a vacation and avoiding the coronavirus, surveys find
•	Sharks are killed to make effective vaccines. More may die as scientists develop one for COVID-19, conservationists warn

Final day of Senate hearings in Barrett nomination

After three days of confirmation hearings, Thursday marks Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's final day with the Senate Judiciary committee . The hearing will feature two panels of witnesses. The first panel will include two members of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which evaluates the qualifications of every judicial nominee. The second panel will include Democratic and Republican witnesses who will likely speak to Barrett's character or in opposition to her confirmation. After the hearings, the committee can recommend that the Senate either confirm or reject Barrett by a majority vote before moving to the chamber for a full vote.

•	'It seems that the fix is in': Democrats concede Barrett likely to be confirmed but warn of 'conservative judicial activism'
•	She's not alone: Amy Coney Barrett 'needed' glass of wine after high court hearings
•	Arguments outlined: Barrett's law review articles show how Supreme Court rulings like Roe v. Wade could be challenged

It's open enrollment season for Medicare: Check your health plan

Medicare's annual open enrollment period begins Thursday, and financial planners are urging beneficiaries to review and choose the plan that best suits their health care needs – especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicare health and drug plans can make changes to costs, coverage, and providers and pharmacies in their networks each year, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. Participants should revisit their Medicare enrollment options annually to make sure they are still adequately covered. Experts say most people also should consider buying Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) to help fill "gaps" in Original Medicare coverage. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 7.

•	Social Security in 2021: Cost-of-living increase to nudge up benefits 1.3%
•	Took Social Security early during the pandemic and regretting it? You could get a do-over
•	Stretch your savings: 5 ways to cut costs in retirement

More big news to know

•	California Republican Party plans to defy cease-and-desist order, won't remove unofficial ballot boxes
•	White woman in Central Park called 911 a second time on Black bird-watcher, prosecutors say
•	25 years ago, Black men united in their pain – and power. This is what the Million Man March meant to participants
•	Bruce Ohr leaves DOJ after being rebuked for contact with Steele during Russia investigation
•	John Legend dedicates emotional performance to Chrissy Teigen at Billboard Music Awards, after pregnancy loss
•	Demi Lovato debuts politically charged 'Commander in Chief' at Billboard Music Awards
•	On the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, Jessica Flores and Claire Thornton examine the term "Latinx" and talk about what it means for members of Gen Z on this episode of the 5 Things podcast.

California braces for another fire threat

Californians are on alert Thursday as dry, windy conditions renewed the threat of fire in a season already marked by deadly, devastating blazes . As of Wednesday, Pacific Gas & Electric began turning off power to more than 50,000 Northern California customers, affecting portions of nearly two dozen counties, mostly in the Sierras and San Francisco Bay Area, that could last 48 hours. The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning for extreme fire danger through Friday morning in many areas, with bone-dry humidity and winds possibly hitting 55 mph with gusts to 70 mph possible in the Bay Area. More than 8,500 wildfires have burned more than 6,400 square miles in California since the start of the year, most since mid-August. Thirty-one people have died, and more than 9,200 buildings have been destroyed.

•	Triple-digit temperatures, strong winds forecast this week 'elevate fire risk' in California — again

Tony Awards nominations to go virtual

Nominations for the 2020 Tony Awards will be held digitally on Thursday, months after the Broadway season was shut down due to COVID-19. Nominations will be hosted by Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart and will be announced at noon ET on the Tony Awards YouTube channel, Youtube.com/tonyawards. Broadway shut down on March 12. Later that month it was announced that the 74th annual awards ceremony, which was scheduled for June 7, was postponed. There's still no date for the Tony Awards ceremony. Eighteen productions that opened prior to Feb. 19, 2020, will be eligible for awards.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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