Good morning. It's Thursday, Aug. 12, and we're covering Alex Trebek's successors, stifling heat in the Pacific Northwest, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

'Jeopardy!' Hosts Announced

The job of replacing legendary "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek will be taken on by a pair of newcomers—the show's executive producer Mike Richards and actress Mayim Bialik. Richards will become the regular host, while Bialik will host prime-time specials and spin-off series, including the upcoming "Jeopardy! National College Championship." 

The pair take over for Trebek, who led the show for almost four decades before passing away in November from pancreatic cancer. During his tenure, the show won 30 Daytime Emmys—the most-ever for a game show—with Trebek nabbing eight for best host, along with a lifetime achievement award. The show also garnered a prestigious Peabody Award in 2011. 

For her part, Bialik (pronounced "bee-AH-lick"), who has a PhD in neuroscience, played the main character in the '90s show "Blossom" and was nominated for four Primetime Emmys for her role as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on "The Big Bang Theory." See her announcement here.

Northwest Heat Returns

The Pacific Northwest is bracing for another round of heat, with yesterday kicking off at least three days of triple-digit temperatures in many areas of the region. Both Seattle and Portland, Oregon, are expected to see temperatures today nearly 20 to 25 degrees above average highs.

The hot spell follows a June-July heat wave that broke records in many areas of the region, including Canada (121 degrees), Salem, Oregon (117 degrees), and Spokane, Washington (109 degrees).

Amid the heat, the region has grappled with two large-scale wildfires. Oregon's Bootleg Fire, now 98% contained, burned more than 410,000 acres in the state's Fremont-Winema National Forest, while California's Dixie Fire has consumed more than 500,000 acres (30% containment). New satellite images revealed the destruction of Greenville, California, which was overrun by the fire last week.

Separately, hundreds were evacuated in southeastern Montana as the Richard Springs Fire, which has burned 150,000 acres, threatened a number of towns.

Across the Atlantic, Europe is preparing for its own heat wave—Italy is believed to have set an all-time high for the continent, with parts of Sicily reaching almost 120 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday.

Masks and Mandates

California yesterday became the first state to require all school teachers and staff in the state to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) framed the mandate as part of the effort to ensure schools fully reopen in the fall. He declined to say whether the state, which educates more than 6 million K-12 pupils in public schools, would require vaccines for students. 

In Texas, a Dallas County judge overruled an order by Gov. Greg Abbott (R), stating that face masks will be required in schools and businesses within the county.

The US is averaging roughly 117,000 new cases per day (see data). Average deaths have passed 550 per day, roughly double from three weeks ago. The majority of recent cases, hospitalizations, and deaths as a function of population have been recorded in Deep South states, though California still ranks third in terms of absolute totals. See a breakdown by county (paywall, NYT).    

Take a look inside a Louisiana hospital dealing with a surge in cases here.

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FOOD52, FABLETICS, THRIVE MARKET

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A strong email strategy is more important now than ever, and Sailthru can help you implement some of the highest-impact optimizations available. Explore the research and best email practices from the Retail Personalization Index in Sailthru's Email Guide.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Los Angeles to require proof of vaccination for indoor spaces including restaurants, movie theaters, and concert venues (More)

> Dolly Parton to release her first novel, “Run, Rose, Run,” in March 2022; book will be cowritten by James Patterson (More)

> Baylor University avoids heavy punishment in sexual assault scandal, receives four-year probation and fines (More) | Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes ties all-time MLB record by striking out 10 consecutive batters (More)

Science & Technology

> Aubrey de Grey, renowned aging and longevity scientist and founder of the SENS Research Foundation, placed on leave after two prominent female colleagues accuse him of sexual harassment (More)

> Tentacle-covered molecules are capable of moving through the body while evading the immune system; known as dendrimers, the lab-made particles may allow delivery of sensitive drugs without causing an inflammatory reaction (More)

> Cooling oxygen-deprived newborns—a common method to attempt to prevent brain damage—linked to higher mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries, according to new study (More)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> US stock markets mixed (S&P 500 +0.3%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq -0.2%); Dow closes at fresh record high as inflation increases, but not as much as feared by investors (More)

> Cybersecurity giant NortonLifeLock to acquire British rival Avast via merger in $8.1B deal (More)

> Weight Watchers shares fall 25%; company sees lower subscriber count as customer base takes a break from health goals in favor of enjoying the summer (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> Release of census data expected today; detailed numbers will kick off redrawing of House districts at the state level (More)

> Russia brings new charges against opposition leader Alexei Navalny, alleging he incited violence and led unauthorized protests; Navalny has been in jail since January, serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence (More)

> British embassy worker arrested on charges of spying for Russia; known as David S., the suspect was arrested in Germany after allegedly selling sensitive documents to Russian intelligence (More)

IN-DEPTH

Saving History

NYT | Annalisa Quinn. In the days before the fall of the Berlin Wall, East German police worked furiously to shred records detailing surveillance of its own citizens. Researchers have spent years painstakingly recreating the documents in an effort to preserve the history of Stasi operations. (Read, paywall)

'I Found Your Mom'

ESPN | Adam Rittenberg, Kyle Bonagura. Four decades after her murder, college football coach Paul Wulff was finally able to piece together the details of his mother's fate. (Read)

THE BIGGEST TRENDS IN EMAIL

In partnership with Sailthru

We know data are important to you when making decisions, so here are some highlights from this year's Retail Personalization Index, powered by Sailthru:
> 45% of brands include people’s names in emails
> 65% embrace life cycle optimization
> 35% include personalized product recommendations post-purchase

For more email best practices like this and more to help your business better define email strategy and grow revenue, sign up to read Sailthru's 6 Best Practices for Standing Out in the Inbox today.

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ETCETERA

After 800-mile trip, China's wandering elephants are headed home.

Stressed? Release your thoughts with this public meditative diary.

News media's Great Paywall Shift.

NASA's Mars copter spots the Perseverance rover from above.

Bitcoin baron "buys" a Danish octopus.

Italy's Mount Etna is growing.

Man hooks a great white from the beach.

Strong winds force a Hawaii waterfall to flow upward.

Clickbait: Handcuffed man flees from police on an ATV.

Historybook: Egyptian queen Cleopatra dies by suicide (30 BCE, estimated); RIP James Bond creator Ian Fleming (1964); IBM personal computer is released (1981); Largest ever Tyrannosaurus rex discovered (1990); RIP Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall (2014)

"Imagination is the highest kite one can fly."

- Lauren Bacall

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