SWC’s Fast Five

Coronavirus death toll drops but a surge of cases is still bad news while police reform stalls in Congress, media change the way they refer to Blacks, a gene-editing breakthrough can mean hope for incurable diseases and Paul Blart will have to start walking again.

So, here’s this week’s Fast Five:

1 AP-NORC poll: Nearly all in the U.S. back criminal justice reform.

A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs and Research, at the University of Chicago, reports that Americans are largely united behind the idea that action is required with a majority saying the criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul or major change.

2 Black with a capital B

The Associated Press determines the writing style news organizations across the United States follow. It announced last Friday that it would change its style to capitalize Black when referring to it in a racial, ethnic or cultural way, saying the change came after two years of in-depth research and discussion.

3 Coronavirus cases surge to near all-time high; death toll drops.

COVID-19 related deaths per day in the U.S. number around 600 after peaking at about 2,200 in mid-April. Failure to wear masks and observe other social-distancing practices is cited as the cause for the spiking increase in coronavirus cases as they reach an all-time high and communities contemplate making face coverings a routine part of daily life in order to stay safe, open.

4 First U.S. patient with genetic disorder to receive revolutionary CRISPR treatment is thriving a year later.

The gene-editing technique appears to alleviate virtually all the complications of the patient’s disorder, the often crippling sickle cell disease, encouraging doctors and researchers who hope CRISPR will lead to effective treatments for many diseases.

5 A segue for Segway

The two-wheeled device once hailed as the future of personal transportation, popular with tourists and some law enforcement, ends production.