THE BIG STORY

A family’s gender reveal has caused a large wildfire in California

Officials said that a massive California wildfire that has scorched more 7,000 acres in two days was first sparked when a “pyrotechnic device” was used during a gender reveal.

Hundreds of people have been forced to flee their homes because of the brush fire, and firefighters on Monday were still struggling to keep the flames from reaching homes.

Capt. Bennet Milloy from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection told us that It's not immediately clear what kind of device was being used but it is believed to have either emitted colored smoke or fireworks to reveal the baby's sex.

At least one member of the family stayed behind to attempt to put out the fire, but they were unsuccessful, Milloy said.

The El Dorado fire has burned about 7,386 acres as of Monday morning and is about 7% contained, officials said. Authorities have confirmed at least one structure has been destroyed.

STAYING ON TOP OF THIS

Jacob Blake, who was shot by Kenosha police, released an emotional statement from his hospital bed

The 29-year-old Black man, who is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by a Kenosha police officer, described the pain he was in and urged people to “change your lives.”

Kenosha officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake in the back seven times last month, while Blake's three children were nearby, sparking protests over police brutality in the city.

In a video that was released by his attorney, Blake said of his injuries, “It hurts to breathe. It hurts to sleep. It hurts to move from side to side. It hurts to eat.”

Twitter: @AttorneyCrump

SNAPSHOTS

The FBI is warning scientists to watch out for “suspicious packages.” After COVID-19 researchers on the East Coast received a package containing an “unknown substance,” the University of Washington told 500 of its staff to be on alert.

11 students have been suspended from Northeastern without a tuition refund for violating COVID-19 rules. The first-year students were found in a room together, in breach of the school's coronavirus policies. The students, who paid an estimated $36,543 in tuition for the semester, were given 24 hours to leave their dorms.

147 cases of COVID-19 and 3 deaths have been connected with a Maine wedding. Cases connected to the Aug. 7 wedding reception included 72 at a county jail and 19 at a nursing home, health officials said.

A US Marine who killed a transgender woman in the Philippines has been pardoned. Joseph Scott Pemberton is set to be released after serving less than six years of a 10-year sentence for the killing of Jennifer Laude. LGBTQ organizations called the pardon a direct attack against the country's trans community.

A Colorado school suspended a 12-year-old Black boy and called the police to his home after he waved a toy gun during a virtual class. Isaiah Elliott, a seventh grader in Colorado Springs, was attending an art class via distance learning. His mother said during the lesson, her son picked up a neon green toy gun and moved it.

THE LOST YEAR

At 10, Kyle no longer knows what he wants to be when he grows up

It has now been six months since the pandemic was officially declared, though it has felt like an eternity. To mark this grim and significant milestone, we’re launching a new series called The Lost Year.

The Lost Year looks at the pandemic through the stories of six people from six different age groups. The transformations in their lives tell us about the toll the coronavirus has taken on all of ours.

We’re kicking off the series with an extraordinary profile of Kyle, a 10-year-old from the Bronx. As he wraps up his sixth month cooped up in a New York City apartment, Kyle is struggling to imagine his future.

Read about how the pandemic managed to snatch away some bits of Kyle’s childhood, and his parents’ efforts to fight that.

SO MANY ACCOUNTANTS

This actor’s TikTok about not being able to explain his job has become embraced by sex workers

Rocky Paterra went viral for a TikTok where he stares down the camera and sings lyrics that many of his peers can relate to. The actor and musician sings that when he is asked about his job, instead of explaining what he does for a living, “I’d rather smile and simply state that I have a full-time job...as an accountant.”

With more than 2 million views, “I’m an Accountant” stands as Paterra’s most popular TikTok. And to his surprise, the sound has gone viral, with many users reusing it — particularly people working across the sex industry. It has become the meme song of choice for strippers and creators on the content subscription platform OnlyFans.

Wishing you find the courage you need today,

Elamin