Daily Briefing: When a drowned city needs water

Officials in Asheville, North Carolina, warn the city's water system may take weeks to recover after flooding caused by Helene. A dockworkers strike is the first at East and Gulf coast ports since 1977 and has the potential to cost the economy up to $5 billion a day. Former President Jimmy Carter turns 100 today.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert , Daily Briefing author. Get your National Taco Day freebies .

Repair to Asheville's water system could take weeks

People in Asheville, North Carolina, are desperate for clean water after Helene swept through, devastating the city's water system.

But officials said restoring service to the full system — which feeds not only the city of Asheville, but also Buncombe County and the northern portion of Henderson County — could take weeks.

• Asheville is one of many North Carolina communities desperate for emergency relief . Rescue teams are using helicopters after power outages and severely damaged roads have virtually isolated cities.
• Asheville spent "hundreds of thousands" of dollars to purchase water through a private provider, officials said. But that's only a short-term solution for a city that suffered "biblical" devastation.
• No power, no water, no Wi-Fi. Limited to no cell reception . Asheville residents are clamoring for gas, cash and other emergency supplies as their neighborhoods are "crushed" by the water levels. The death toll in Buncombe County reached 40 confirmed fatalities Monday afternoon.

Keep reading: Here's how social media is helping locate the missing after Helene.

Everything to know about the VP debate

When Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz collide in their first — and likely only — debate hosted by CBS News on Tuesday, both will try to boost their visibility with the American public. Vance and Walz, both from the Midwest, will draw on their roots to prepare for the debate. The two men will try to convince voters that they understand the desires of Americans in the heartland, but are sharply divided on policy and social issues.

🎲 Play USA TODAY's free bingo game during the Walz-Vance showdown .

More news to know now

• A chemical fire at a pool cleaner plant forced evacuations in an Atlanta suburb .
• Israel launched a ground invasion in Lebanon with "limited" raids on Hezbollah .
• Haunted by migrant deaths, Border Patrol agents face a mental health toll .
• Sean "Diddy" Combs appealed a judge's denial of his release from jail on a $50 million bond .

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here .

East and Gulf coast dockworkers strike

Dockworkers at ports from Maine to Texas are officially on strike after the clock struck midnight with no new labor deal in hand. Thirty-six East and Gulf coast ports shut down as 45,000 union workers walked off the job after labor negotiations stalled between the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). With about half of U.S. ocean imports passing through the East and Gulf coast ports, a wide range of products are affected, including produce, cars, auto and machinery parts, clothing, pharmaceuticals, wine and spirits, holiday goods like toys, and seafood, experts said. Read more

Judge rules Georgia's six week abortion ban unconstitutional

A restrictive abortion ban was struck down by a Fulton Superior Court judge Monday, making Georgia one of only two southern states to allow abortion access after six weeks. The 26-page decision from Judge Robert McBurney repealed Georgia’s Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act, a 2020 law that restricted access to abortion after six weeks, before many people become aware that they are pregnant. A recent ProPublica article ( read here ) argued that the law forced healthcare providers to delay medical care to pregnant patients, and linked at least two deaths to the ban. Read more

Keep scrolling

• Did "SNL" mock Chappell Roan for harassment concerns ?
• New Book "Defectors" explores the effects of Trumpism on the Latino vote .
• Did Sabrina Carpenter get NYC's mayor indicted?
• Pete Rose, MLB's all-time hits leader who earned lifetime ban, has died at 83 .

From peanut farmer to president

As accolades and tributes pour in for James Earl Carter Jr., who turns 100 on Tuesday, you'll probably hear the description, "he was a better former president than president” as the most common appraisal of his life and career. Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States, serving from Jan. 20, 1977, to Jan. 20, 1981. This was his path to the White House and beyond.

Photo of the day: Was this the last episode of 'The Simpsons'?

Is it the end of the road for "The Simpsons"? The hit animated series aired its "final episode" on Sunday night, titled "Bart's Birthday," prompting worry among fans that America's longest-running animated series, sitcom and scripted primetime television series was ending.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: When a drowned city needs water