Candidates square off on debate stage

Midterm elections are around the corner, and you know what that means: It's time for debates. It's Tuesday's news. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

The Short List   Tuesday, October 18 Candidates square off on debate stage Midterm elections are around the corner, and you know what that means: It's time for debates. It's Tuesday's news. Midterm elections are coming and the debates are in full swing. A massive parking lot fire destroys dozens of cars. And the NBA season begins. 👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. It's time for Tuesday's news.  But first, why didn't the skeleton dance at the party? He had no body to dance with. 👻 Halloween is a time for tricks and treats, which means a hearty helping of giggles. So whether you need a laugh right now or a caption for your next Instagram post, these jokes put the "ha" in Halloween. The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here. Candidates face off in debates ahead of midterms Georgia debates: Republican Gov. Brian Kemp faced off Monday against Democrat Stacey Abrams ahead of their Nov. 8 rematch for Georgia governor. It was a wide-ranging debate that covered questions on abortion, education, marijuana legalization and even U.S. Senate appointments. Catch up with the takeaways. 👉 Ohio recap: Senate candidates J.D. Vance, Tim Ryan square off. Debates in Florida Tuesday night: As thousands of Floridians cast their ballots, Florida Senate candidates Marco Rubio and Val Demings are set to face off in their first and only debate before the Nov. 8 election. The candidates will take the stage Tuesday at 7 p.m. E.T. in Lake Worth. How to tune in + what you need to know. Man found guilty of murdering Kristin Smart A jury found Paul Flores guilty of murdering Cal Poly student Kristin Smart who went missing from her dorm 26 years ago. Prosecutors accused Flores, one of Smart's fellow students, of killing her during a rape or attempted rape in his dorm room in 1996. Flores' father was found not guilty of accusations he helped dispose of Smart's body, which has never been found. Kristin Smart disappeared in 1996. Courtesy Schools caught between federal, state laws on student rights Public schools that receive federal funding are finding themselves caught between new state laws banning abortion and stripping of rights for transgender and nonbinary students, and a federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools. Student protestors and other groups have come out in droves to protest state laws in Virginia, Idaho and Florida that could violate Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination.  Keep reading. • Trial begins over Arkansas' ban on health care for trans youths. The stakes are high. Members of the UConn women's rowing team rally about being cut by the university after the season, in Storrs, Conn., April 19, 2021. Brad Horrigan, AP What everyone's talking about • Move aside, BA.5: New COVID variants gaining ground in the U.S. • California wildfires wiped out years of progress against greenhouse gases in just one year. • Mila Kunis movie divides fans with a graphic rape scene. Was it necessary? • Blind to problems: VA record system shuts out visually impaired patients. • 'False and scurrilous': Olivia Wilde, Jason Sudeikis respond to ex-nanny's claims about their relationship. The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today. 73 cars destroyed in pumpkin patch parking lot inferno Vehicles burnt to the metal shell were seen on video after a monstrous blaze engulfed a parking lot at a pumpkin patch in Temple, Texas. At least 73 cars were destroyed, according to the Robinson Family Farm, after a large grass fire broke out. Video showed thick black smoke consuming the area. It took firefighters a few hours to control the blaze, which may have been started by a discarded cigarette, Bell County Fire Marshall Chris Mahlstedt said. No one was seriously hurt, but officials said four firefighters and two visitors were treated for minor injuries. A fire broke out at the Robinson Family Farm, a pumpkin patch in Temple, Texas. Over 70 cars were completely destroyed. Storyful 🏀 NBA season tips off It's time to hit the hardwood. The NBA regular season gets underway Tuesday night when the Philadelphia 76ers face the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Will there be a different champion for the sixth consecutive season? Can anyone stop Golden State? Can the Clippers make the finals at last? The USA TODAY Sports staff made some predictions for the new season — from conference finalists to NBA champion to individual awards. Real quick • 4 dismembered bodies found in Oklahoma river; arrest made in Florida. • 'Superfly' actor Kaalan Walker gets 50-year prison sentence for rapes. • This super-rare nickel just sold for $4.2 million. • A strong majority of Ukrainians want to keep fighting – and want Crimea back. • Biden vows codifying abortion rights will be Democrats' first action. • Week 7 NFL power rankings: Will three New York teams crack the Top 10? • Two dead after plane crash at Marietta, Ohio, car dealership. 🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here. Hottest Halloween costumes of the year Still looking for a Halloween costume? Whether you need some inspiration for a trendy DIY or want to stand out from the crowd at a party, Google might be able to help. Google Trends released its 2022 FrightGeist, which lists the top-searched costumes in the U.S., as well as the most popular ones in cities across the country. The most popular of them all topped the list last year, too: a witch. How about the hottest costume in Chicago? "Stranger Things." Some cities have interesting picks that didn't make the list. Want to go as a roller coaster? If you live in Cheyenne, Wyoming, just know you might not be the only one at the party dressed that way. Check out more from the list here! 🎃 What do you call a witch that lives at the beach? A sand-witch. IBRAHIM CHALHOUB, AFP via Getty Images A break from the news • 💞 Watch: Surprise reunion between long-lost siblings after 24 years. • 🥛 Is milk still considered healthy? Do we need it? What to know. • 📨 Ask HR: 'How do I deal with a consistently late or absent employee?' • 🍎 Going apple picking? How to make your orchard trip more fruitful. Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here. This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here. MORE ARTICLES Various school moves come under fire for potential Title IX violations People of color more likely to be hospitalized with the flu, CDC finds Red panda cub ventures outside nest box Death toll rises amid Nigeria floods   Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback © 2022 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102