Stay In Mass. Or Wait In Mexico? A Fight For Asylum-Seekers

Also: Trump says "Maybe I'm immune" in video from White House; what to know about visiting Salem this month ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( October 6, 2020 Good Morning Boston, 🍂 Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. This week has two important debates, the first of which was held locally last night. Sen. Ed Markey and his Republican challenger Kevin O'Connor held what was their first and only debate. A main topic of discussion was President Trump's handling of the pandemic – but they clashed on pretty much everything else, as well. It's super clear where each candidate stands on the issues because they have such distinct political visions (which wasn't the case at all in the Democratic primary debates). Catch the debate recap below. And here are the other headlines you should know this morning: - The Boston City Council today will hold public hearings on a plan to let some small businesses operate out of their homes if they can't afford retail space. This could potentially include businesses like barbers, nail salons and caterers. - The CDC has [officially acknowledged]( the coronavirus can be spread through airborne particles that can linger in the air "for minutes or even hours" — even among people who are more than six feet apart. What does that mean for transmission? The virus is still thought to be most frequently spread through respiratory droplets among people not properly distanced from each other, but the agency says some people have become infected by smaller particles when in enclosed spaces that are poorly ventilated. - Secretary of State William Galvin is urging Mass. residents to make a voting plan. For those opting to vote by mail, ballots are[due to arrive]( all cities and towns by Monday. That means, ideally, all of those ballots will be mailed and received by voters who have requested them by the end of the week. (Want more information on voting, the ballot questions and where the candidates stand on issues of importance to Massachusetts? [Sign up for our Mass. Election Prep emails.]( - Essex County Sheriff officials confirmed 137 prisoners at the Middleton Jail and House and Correction have [tested positive]( for the coronavirus. - A new study out of Northeastern suggests that crowded cities like Boston don't just have more cases of coronavirus, but also epidemics that last longer. What could help? Researchers say having uniform rules across the state to deter people from traveling from one area to another – think families going to dinner in other towns with indoor dining and higher party caps, for example – will be key to ending the pandemic faster. P.S.– I know this story isn't from Massachusetts, but it sure made me smile. 102-year-old Beatrice Lumpkin [made her voting plan]( did you? — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[Asylum-Seekers Argue To Stay In Mass.; Trump Administration Wants Them To Wait In Mexico]( The Trump administration is appealing a decision that allowed three women and two children, all asylum-seekers, to stay with family in Massachusetts while their asylum applications are processed. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Markey And O'Connor Spar In Senate Debate, Offering Two Distinct Political Visions]( The debate left no doubt as to where the two stand on the issues. Markey is a progressive, determined to see Democrats prevail in November, and O'Connor is a Republican who supports President Trump. [Read more.]( 3. [Pence And Harris Debate Wednesday. Here's What You Need To Know]( Wednesday's event follows Trump and Biden's chaotic and off-the-rails presidential debate last week, and it is the sole matchup between the vice presidential candidates. Plexiglass will separate the two as a precaution against the cluster of coronavirus cases at the White House. [Read more.]( 4. ['Maybe I'm Immune': Trump Returns To White House, Removes Mask Despite Infection]( In a video recorded at the White House which he tweeted later, the president seemed somewhat more circumspect about a virus that he has often downplayed, along with measures to halt its spread, such as wearing masks. [Read more.]( 5. [Justices Thomas, Alito Blast Supreme Court Decision On Same-Sex Marriage Rights]( The two justices agreed with the decision not to hear the case but used the occasion to take a legal baseball bat to the court's 2015 decision Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the 14th Amendment guarantee to equal protection of the law. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - The MBTA has to make up for a[huge budget gap]( next year. It's looking at cutting lower-ridership bus routes, most commuter rail lines and some ferries. But even the core subway system may need to run trains less frequently. - Miscarriage is incredibly common – but rarely talked about. We should applaud Chrissy Teigen for opening up about her loss, writes Jennifer Handt [in this commentary]( not scold her for oversharing. - Hip hop has always been lauded for its outspoken and progressive nature toward sexuality since its birth in the 1970s. But as Black women become more visible in the genre with their explicit and brazen lyricism, so does the controversy it inevitably causes. Boston rappers [shared their thoughts.]( [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [N.H. Voters Try To Make Sense Of A COVID-Positive President Who Threw Caution To The Wind]( [Listen]( WBUR's Mass. Tiny Desk Favorites [Meet Kweeng Doll, Boston's Genderbending Rapper And Our Favorite Local Tiny Desk Contest Entrant]( Two Songs That Capture Our Solitary Days. [Listen.]( Two Songs With Distinct Artistry. [Listen.]( Two Songs With Impressive Lyricism. [Listen.]( The ARTery compiled a playlist of songs from the most memorable Massachusetts musicians who entered their videos into NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest. [Listen to the full playlist here.]( *And for more content like this, sign up for the ARTery's weekly newsletter [here](. What We're Reading - Isolated college first-years look to Instagram to make friends ([The Boston Globe]( - The Short Tenure and Abrupt Ouster of Banking’s Sole Black C.E.O. ([The New York Times]( Tell Me Something Good [Thinking Of Visiting Salem This Month? Here's What The Witch City Needs You To Know]( The city is making several changes in an effort to reduce crowd density this most unusual Halloween, from eliminating haunted houses and costume parades to enforcing social distancing. But the good news is you can still visit, in person or virtually. Before you go: I wish I got [this kind of treatment]( on 93. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. [Unsubscribe from all editorial newsletters.]( Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2020 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. 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