Spruce up your Saturday with a Welcome Week mystery!

Happening in the World: After the death of Queen Elizabeth, Charles III will be formally proclaimed king at a historic ceremony at St James’s Palace on Saturday morning. Charles became king the moment his mother died, but the Accession Council is held as soon as possible after the death of a sovereign to make a formal proclamation of the successor. Flags lowered in mourning for the late Queen will fly full-mast after the Accession Council, which will be televised for the first time. (BBC)

Happening in the US: The inclusion of an abortion-rights referendum on Michigan’s November ballot has given Democrats hope for a wave of enthusiastic voter turnout on Election Day. Democrats in Michigan say the referendum will supercharge activism among a broad swath of voters determined to keep abortion legal in the state, just as another referendum did in August, when 59 percent of voters in reliably Republican Kansas voted to maintain abortion access in the state. (NY Times)

Happening in NYC: On Friday morning, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared polio a state disaster after wastewater surveillance located the virus in Nassau County. “On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice,” state Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said in an emailed statement to the press about an hour after the state disaster was declared. “If you or your child are unvaccinated or not up to date with vaccinations, the risk of paralytic disease is real. I urge New Yorkers to not accept any risk at all.” (Gothamist)

Happening in our Community: As part of the University’s Welcome Week for students, Columbia Undergraduate Student Life is hosting a “surprise event” this evening at 7 pm in Roone Arledge Auditorium. The mystery event follows a week of movies, performances, and free pretzels and s’mores as Columbia welcomes back its undergrads for the new academic year.

lovely surprises! via Pixabay