On Jan. 6 Anniversary, Feds Brace For Potential Copycats

ACROSS AMERICA — Good morning! It’s Thursday, Jan. 6. One year ago today, many of us watched as thousands of people stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the constitutional certification of the 2020 presidential election. Now, more than 700 have been charged, and officials are preparing for the possibility of “threat actors.”

Here are the stories we’re following today:

• At least 13 people, including several children, died in a house fire in Philadelphia.
• What the heck is "flurona"? Here’s what you should know.
• Public health officials in counties across the country are turning to your poop to determine the coronavirus's spread.
• Want to apply for the coolest job in America? The Boston Red Sox have the gig for you.

Federal law enforcement officials are warning authorities across the country that "threat actors" may exploit Thursday's one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection by Donald Trump loyalists who wanted to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Capitol Police and other police agencies told state and local officials in an intelligence assessment last week that election fraud conspiracy stories persisting among domestic violent extremists could motivate some to "promote or possibly commit violence."

Authorities warned that "lone offenders," rather than organized groups, are more likely to exploit the insurrection anniversary with actions against lawmakers or state and national capitals.

So far, 705 people have been arrested in connection to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. » Jan. 6 Insurrection Anniversary May Draw 'Threat Actors': Feds, via Across America Patch

• RELATED: Attorney General Vows Accountability For Jan. 6 Participants

Philadelphia Fire Kills 13

At least 13 people, including several children, died in a residential fire Wednesday morning in Philadelphia. Crews learned of the deaths as they battled the flames. Mayor Jim Kenney said the incident marked one of the most tragic days in the city's history. » At Least 13 Killed In Philadelphia Fire, Deadliest In 100 Years, via Philadelphia Patch

Flurona: What Is It?

As the omicron coronavirus variant pushes daily COVID-19 cases in the United States to unprecedented highs, here's yet another word you might find yourself worrying about soon: flurona.

What the heck is flurona? No, it's not another variant of the coronavirus. The term might embody something public health officials started sounding the alarm about last winter. Think of it as a math problem: Flu + coronavirus = flurona. » Flurona: What The Heck Is It? And How Worried Should You Be? via Across America Patch

• RELATED: CA’s First Known 'Flurona' Case Found At Testing Site

Proof Is In The Poop

When at-home COVID-19 tests are hard to find and lines at testing centers stretch on for hours, what you flush down the toilet could be the next best thing to determine how fast the coronavirus is spreading. That's right: Public health officials in counties across the country are turning to your poop to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 in communities. » What Your Sewage Says About COVID-19 Cases In Your County, via Across America Patch

George Floyd’s Niece Shot

A 4-year-old girl who was shot while sleeping in her Houston home early on New Year's Day has been identified as George Floyd's niece. The girl, who was shot in the torso, underwent surgery at an area hospital and is currently in stable condition, according to Houston police. » George Floyd's 4-Year-Old Niece Shot In Houston, via Houston Patch

More national headlines on Patch, other news websites:

• CDC Advisers Endorse Pfizer COVID Boosters For Younger Teens
  
• Betty White Movie Coming To 900 Theaters On Her 100th Birthday
• COVID Case Counts May Be Losing Relevance With Omicron
• Mayo Clinic Fires 700 Unvaccinated Employees
• Grammy Awards, Again, Postponed Amid Coronavirus Surge
• Notebook Found Near Laundrie's Remains In FBI Custody; His Parents Want It Back
• NASCAR Driver Denied Use Of 'Let's Go Brandon' Crypto Sponsor
• Trump Says He'll Talk About Jan. 6, 2021, On Visit To Arizona
• Democrats Scramble To Lock Down Manchin On Filibuster, via The Hill

Around ‘The Patch’

Stuck on Interstate 95 for 16 hours, a Maryland couple asked a Baltimore bakery if they could give out the food on the company's nearby truck to hungry drivers. What happened next helped hundreds of stranded travelers, via Ellicott City Patch

After bipartisan backlash to its "J6 Patriots" event and candlelight vigil to support those arrested in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, a Georgia county’s Republican Party has canceled the event — but not without speaking out, via Marietta Patch

Do you have the ability to lift upward of 25 pounds and climb a small ladder? Then you might be a great candidate for one of the coolest job openings in America, via Boston Patch

More local news:

• Hunter Shoots Deer Near Wildlife Rescue Center: 'It Was Horrible' via Westhampton-Hampton Bays, New York, Patch
• Fort Lauderdale Hospital Shuts Down Maternity Unit As COVID-19 Surge Impacts Staffing, via Miami Patch
• 2 Dead, Dozens Hurt As Hundreds Crash On NJ's Icy Roads, via Morristown, New Jersey, Patch
• Court Docs Claim Father Of Missing Girl Admitted To Assault, via Concord, New Hampshire, Patch
• Triple-Vaxxed Cranbury Resident Dies Of COVID Complications, via South Brunswick, New Jersey, Patch

House Hunting

When it comes to real estate window shopping, here’s one for the record books. A 120-acre section of land in California previously owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen just sold for $65 million. The massive plot, dubbed "Enchanted Hill," was originally listed for $150 million.

This Day In History

In 1759, George Washington, the future first president of the United States, married Martha Dandridge in Virginia.

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