Three Things for September 20
1. Cleveland residents geek out over the weekend
This year’s Cleveland Geekster attracted more than 1,000 attendees on Saturday, making it the highest attended event in its nine years of existence.
Cleveland Geekster was started by three friends — Ryan Faricelli, Ashley Raburn and Lee alumnus Rob Alderman — who wanted a local event to gather with fans of comics, movies, games and collectibles.
“There were two major milestones this year,” Alderman told the Cleveland Daily Banner. “We had the most attendees in our history, and we raised the most for charity.”
The proceeds from each event are donated to a local charity; this year the event supported City Fields.
More than 40 vendors participated in the event this year, and many were repeats.
The event founders are currently preparing for a 10th anniversary celebration in 2023.
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2. Hurricane Fiona continues to wreak havoc in Puerto Rico
Hurricane Fiona caused catastrophic damage in Puerto Rico early Monday, Sept. 19, leaving at least two people dead, the entire island without power and 837,000 customers without water service.
The storm has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane, causing major flooding, as up to 30 inches of rain fell in some places.
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi of Puerto Rico urged residents to stay home, and said more than 2,000 people were being housed in shelters across the island.
Rain was expected to fall on the island through late Monday.
“It’s important people understand that this is not over,” said Ernesto Morales, a weather service meteorologist in San Juan. He said the flooding reached “historic levels,” with authorities and the National Guard rescuing or evacuating hundreds of people across Puerto Rico.
Since the beginning of the storm, National Guard troops have rescued more than 900 people stranded across the island, Gen. José Reyes told a news conference.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Fiona is expected to pass near the Turks and Caicos islands on Tuesday, and grow into a major hurricane of Category 3, or higher, by Wednesday, Sept. 21. The storm is not expected to threaten the U.S. mainland and power has been partially restored.
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3. Queen Elizabeth II mourned by world leaders at funeral
Britain and the world bade farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, Sept. 19 with a state funeral, drawing presidents, kings, prime ministers and crowds to honor the monarch’s 70-year reign.
Pallbearers carried her coffin into Westminister Abbey, where 2,000 people were gathered to mourn.
“Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember her long life of selfless service, and in sure confidence to commit her to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer,” said David Hoyle, the dean of the medieval abbey.
The service ended with two minutes of silence, observed across the United Kingdom, concluded by the national anthem, now titled “God Save the King.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said “few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen” during his sermon at Westminster Abbey.
Monday was declared a public holiday to honor the life and legacy of the queen, who died Sept. 8.
The coffin was then taken to St. George’s chapel where a service of committal was held, then lowered into the royal vault. The queen was laid to rest alongside her husband.
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