By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Logan Schiciano, CNN

(CNN) — For Barry Lee Williams, a visitor to Washington, DC, the last day of President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair coincided with a literal religious experience.

At 81, Williams was among at least 190 people to be baptized over the past 16 days on the National Mall, as the fair, one of the centerpieces of the Trump administration’s events to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, has been taking place.

On Friday, the fair was winding to a close after weeks of scattered crowds, logistical setbacks and controversy over its offerings. But a surprising beneficiary of the event was a religious prayer ministry which was not a part of the official programming at all.

David’s Tent, a 24/7 musical prayer ministry, had operated on the grounds of the capital’s landmark since before the president held a modestly attended June 25 rally to kick off what was meant to be a modern-day World’s Fair.

Speaking after her husband’s baptism beneath the tent, Sue Williams told CNN: “Oh, this is wonderful. The setting is wonderful, and people keep on worshiping.”

“I am so thankful,” she added.

The reviews for the fair happening around them have been more mixed.

First conceived of on the campaign trail by Trump in 2023, the fair was meant to showcase exhibits from every US state and territory and was organized by Freedom 250 — a Trump-backed nonprofit tasked with putting on a series of semiquincentennial events that cater to the president’s cultural agenda.

The state pavilions have varied, with some less decorated than others. Officials from Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina and Connecticut told CNN they declined to organize booths for their state, citing limited finances.

While some states presented meek offerings, other states were able to generate buzz throughout the event. Popular booths on Thursday ranged from Florida — which features an immersive display highlighting its citrus industry — to Colorado, which hosts a kayak simulator and a ski-lift photo set up.

With little shade on the fairgrounds, groups of people have regularly crowded under the scaled-down replica of the president’s proposed Triumphal Arch to escape the sun and temperatures that soared into the triple digits for multiple days. Outside food, water bottles and coolers are prohibited on the fairgrounds for security purposes, but free water stations to prevent visitors from overheating had been made available throughout the event.

The two most popular attractions, outside of the state booths, have been the daily rodeo performance and the 110-foot Ferris wheel, which has had a steady line of visitors.

Meanwhile, Freedom 250’s FIFA Fan Fest, a large watch party for the World Cup on the National Mall, has consistently drawn large crowds. Earlier this week, dozens of young people packed in to watch the United States take on Belgium.

Scorching temperatures and weather delays have prompted modest attendance on the grounds, with many onstage events featuring small crowds. According to Freedom 250, the fair has been forced to close or temporarily close its doors due to weather at least four times. As the fair closed for several hours on the afternoon of July 3, CNN’s Derek Van Dam, who had been covering the event, reported the mall offered little shade with few trees or other protection, with some attendees relying on umbrellas for relief.

Freedom 250 spokesperson Julia Friedland said last week that some 150,000 people showed up in the first thre

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Por Iuri Pitta

A menos de 100 días de la primera vuelta de las elecciones en Brasil, el estado tradicionalmente más decisivo de las disputas presidenciales en el país vive un escenario incierto.

Ni el presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) ni la principal figura de la oposición, Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) —hijo del expresidente Jair Bolsonaro—, han decidido quién será su candidato aliado en Minas Gerais, considerado el principal “swing state”, o estado de tendencia electoral incierta, brasileño. Esa indefinición muestra hasta qué punto el escenario nacional todavía reserva sorpresas y exigirá definiciones hasta el 4 de octubre.

No se trata de folclore, sino de estadística e historia. Desde 1989, cuando los brasileños volvieron a elegir directamente al presidente de la República tras 29 años sin elecciones directas, todos los mandatarios electos salieron vencedores de las urnas de Minas Gerais. Solo el estado de Amazonas iguala esa marca, pero el peso electoral de Minas Gerais es mayor: con más de 16 millones de electores, poco más del 10 % del total de Brasil, el estado solo es superado por São Paulo en número de votantes.

Clasificar a Minas Gerais como un “swing state” brasileño es más que importar ese término de la ciencia política estadounidense. Aunque los sistemas electorales de ambos países son distintos —en Brasil gana la Presidencia quien obtiene más votos en todo el país, a diferencia del colegio electoral que define la Casa Blanca—, piense en un estado como Pensilvania en Estados Unidos: tanto por funcionar como una especie de predictor del resultado nacional como por su tradición y relevancia histórica.

En la primera vuelta de 2022, Lula obtuvo el 48,29 % de los votos válidos en Minas Gerais, frente al 43,60 % de Jair Bolsonaro (PL); en todo Brasil el marcador fue casi idéntico: 48,43 % a 43,20 %. En la votación decisiva, los mineiros volvieron a anticipar el resultado: el petista ganó con el margen más ajustado de todos los estados, 50,20 % a 49,80 % —es decir, cerca de 50.000 votos de ventaja—, mientras que en el resultado nacional venció a Bolsonaro por 50,90 % a 49,10 %.

Todos estos factores vuelven aún más llamativa la demora de Lula da Silva y Flávio Bolsonaro en definir a sus aliados en la disputa local. Pero cada uno tiene motivos propios, y muy distintos, para no haber tomado todavía esa decisión.

Lula no logra encontrar un candidato a gobernador que le ayude a sostener la estrecha ventaja obtenida hace cuatro años. Aunque es conocido por su olfato político, el presidente falló en sus dos primeras apuestas.

La primera fue el senador Rodrigo Pacheco (PSB), un político de centro y perfil discreto que fue clave, como presidente del Senado, en momentos de inestabilidad política, como los ataques a las sedes de los Tres Poderes el 8 de enero de 2023.

Lula insistió y esperó todo lo que pudo, hasta que en mayo Pacheco anunció que no volvería a disputar elecciones, pese a ser un político de menos de 50 años.

Sin éxito con el senador de un partido aliado, Lula buscó una solución dentro del Partido de los Trabajadores (PT) al que pertenece. Presionó a la exalcaldesa de Contagem, Marília Campos, que resistió la presión porque prefiere postularse a un escaño en el Senado, una disputa con más posibilidades de éxito.

Aunque afiliada al partido del presidente, Campos es considerada más moderada que sus colegas de izquierda, hasta el punto de defender el apoyo del PT a otro candidato de centro, Gabriel Azevedo (del Movimiento Democrático Brasileño o MDB); el partido se resiste porque él respaldó, en 2016, el juicio político de Dilma Rousseff. Lula da Silva tiene hasta fin de mes, cuando comienzan las convenciones partidarias, para encontrar una salida a este laberinto.

En el bando de Flávio Bolsonaro, el problema no es la falta de nombres, sino la falta de consenso en medio del exceso de opciones. El líder en las e

* WHAT…For the Heat Advisory, temperatures of 85 to 98. For the
Extreme Heat Watch, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures
up to 105 possible.

* WHERE…Cuyama Valley, Eastern San Gabriel Mountains, Interstate 5
Corridor, San Luis Obispo County Interior Valleys, San Luis Obispo
County Mountains, Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains,
Southern Salinas Valley, Southern Ventura County Mountains, and
Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor.

* WHEN…For the Heat Advisory, until 10 AM PDT Tuesday. For the
Extreme Heat Watch, from Tuesday morning through Thursday evening.

* IMPACTS…There is a high risk for dangerous heat illness for
anyone, especially for the very young, the very old, those without
air conditioning, and those active outdoors. There is a high risk
for heat illness for sensitive populations including the very
young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those
active outdoors.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of
the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car
interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.

Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.

Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose
fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning
or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and
heat stroke.

The post Heat Advisory issued July 10 at 12:30PM PDT until July 14 at 10:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

* WHAT…For the Heat Advisories, temperatures of 85 to 95. For the
Extreme Heat Watch, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures
of 92 to 105 possible.

* WHERE…Eastern San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County Inland
Coast including Downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles County San
Gabriel Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Susana Mountains, and
Western San Fernando Valley.

* WHEN…For the first Heat Advisory, until 8 PM PDT this evening.
For the second Heat Advisory, from 10 AM Sunday to 10 AM PDT
Tuesday. For the Extreme Heat Watch, from Tuesday morning through
Thursday evening.

* IMPACTS…There is a high risk for dangerous heat illness for
anyone, especially for the very young, the very old, those without
air conditioning, and those active outdoors. There is a high risk
for heat illness for sensitive populations including the very
young, the very old, those without air conditioning, and those
active outdoors.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of
the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car
interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.

Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.

The post Heat Advisory issued July 10 at 12:30PM PDT until July 10 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA appeared first on News Channel 3-12.