thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Disney World May Be Open, But Most Kids In The U.S. Have Nowhere To Go

Couple this with the uncertainty that surrounds the reopening of the nation ’ s K-12 schools and what you get is : a lot of parents who won ’ t be able to get back to work ― particularly women who are typically saddled with primary caretaking responsibilities or who are single parents .
In a recent survey from the University of Oregon , 47 % of parents didn ’ t know if they would be able to return to work because they didn ’ t have appropriate child care .
There ’ s a vast amount of important development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of life , he noted .
And when children are exposed to chronic , toxic stress ― as when their parents are suffering from material , financial hardships ― it leads to fundamental changes in the way they develop .
The consequences are long-reaching .
Fisher said circumstances are going to get worse , as some of the policies put in place to help families through the pandemic ’ s initial stages are set to expire , including a temporary moratorium on evictions and supplemental unemployment insurance .
Both policies have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids at home .
Many people are going to have to go back to work or risk losing their homes .
And that means “ some kids are just going to be left home alone or with older siblings , ” an additional stressor for parents and children , Fisher said .
“ This is a situation that hurts everyone in this country , ” added Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner , the CEO of MomsRising , a nonprofit advocacy group .
“ The paid and unpaid work of raising children , of educating children , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people think of as our regular economic activity in America .
Now that we ’ re in a pandemic , we see that this work is at the core of our economy , our communities and our country.
” Many centers are holding on ― about three-quarters of them in the U.S. are now open , according to the survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children .
But they ’ re dealing with reduced enrollment , as parents grapple with sending their children back into a group setting or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money to pay for such care .
She tried to keep the business afloat after being forced to shut down when the pandemic first hit , but had little help .
Back then , Nageer applied for a loan through the federal government ’ s small business rescue program .
But because she wasn ’ t a regular client of local banks , she got pushed to the back of the line , she said .
And , like many other minority business owners , ultimately never got a loan .
Nageer laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the overhead on the building ―paying utilities and rent .
With no tuition fees coming in from parents , it was a struggle .
And she reached a breaking point after hearing from many parents who weren ’ t sure when they ’ d start sending their kids back .
Meanwhile , the guidance on how to safely operate kept changing , she said .
And in the end , it was all too much .
“ It ’ s a field that although we grow minds , our return takes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the benefits children gained from the care , she said .
And , she added , it doesn ’ t seem to her like that ’ s much appreciated by government officials at all levels in the way they support or make decisions about child care operators .
It didn ’ t have to be this way .
Child care providers and advocates have been forcefully pushing for help in keeping these businesses going for the entirety of this crisis .
But to little avail .
Congress put $ 3.5 billion in funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed in March .
That helped some providers , others were able to tap the small business loan program created in CARES .
New regulations for how many children can be in a classroom , combined with reduced demand , has left Rose ’ s center operating about 40 % its normal capacity .
“ That ’ s unsustainable ; we need to be at 95 % to break even .
We need the place to be full and it ’ s not , ” he said .
Little Care For The Caregivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise .
In the U.S. , policymakers have never seemed to care all that much about caregiving : Whether you are paid to look after children , or if you do it out of love , you ’ ll find little support .
The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that don ’ t require employers to provide paid time off to new parents .
Child care workers receive poverty-level wages .
Women in the U.S. often see their wages fall after becoming mothers , in part because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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Disney World opened its doors to the public last week. Good news, maybe, for moneyed parents looking to entertain their children for a little while.
But for parents who need actual, consistent and secure places to bring their children, the news is far more grim. The child care centers that provide crucial support to workers with preschool-aged children are in trouble.
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Without additional public funding, 40% of the child care centers in the U.S. say they’ll be forced to permanently shutter because of the financial pressures of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey released Monday by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The survey also found that half of the child care centers operated by minority business owners are at risk of closing permanently, yet another sign of how this crisis has been disproportionately hard on people of color.
Couple this with the uncertainty that surrounds the reopening of the nation’s K-12 schools and what you get is: a lot of parents who won’t be able to get back to work ― particularly women who are typically saddled with primary caretaking responsibilities or who are single parents. In a recent survey from the University of Oregon, 47% of parents didn’t know if they would be able to return to work because they didn’t have appropriate child care.
This is devastating news for so many parents ― especially those who are losing out on income amid an economic crisis that is causing some families to go without food. It’s terrible for working women. It’s bad for companies who want employees back to work.
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It’s also a particularly bleak situation for children, said Phillip Fisher, who is leading a research project at the University of Oregon examining the effects of the pandemic on families with young children.
There’s a vast amount of important development that happens to children during the early years of life, he noted. And when children are exposed to chronic, toxic stress ― as when their parents are suffering from material, financial hardships ― it leads to fundamental changes in the way they develop. The consequences are long-reaching.
Fisher said circumstances are going to get worse, as some of the policies put in place to help families through the pandemic’s initial stages are set to expire, including a temporary moratorium on evictions and supplemental unemployment insurance. Both policies have been a valuable backstop for working parents with kids at home.
Many people are going to have to go back to work or risk losing their homes. And that means “some kids are just going to be left home alone or with older siblings,” an additional stressor for parents and children, Fisher said.
The reality that “we’re not doing enough to buffer young children from the effects of stress right now is going to have consequences that play out over decades,” he said.
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“This is a situation that hurts everyone in this country,” added Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, the CEO of MomsRising, a nonprofit advocacy group. “The paid and unpaid work of raising children, of educating children, is often the invisible backdrop to what people think of as our regular economic activity in America. Now that we’re in a pandemic, we see that this work is at the core of our economy, our communities and our country.”
Many centers are holding on ― about three-quarters of them in the U.S. are now open, according to the survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. But they’re dealing with reduced enrollment, as parents grapple with sending their children back into a group setting or have lost jobs that provided them the money to pay for such care.
The survey was conducted in June and 5,344 people working in center-based or in-home child care facilities responded.
One Center Reaches Its Breaking Point
After 30 years of working at and eventually owning a small child-care center in Worcester, Massachusetts, Bibi Nageer closed up shop in mid-June.
She tried to keep the business afloat after being forced to shut down when the pandemic first hit, but had little help. Back then, Nageer applied for a loan through the federal government’s small business rescue program. But because she wasn’t a regular client of local banks, she got pushed to the back of the line, she said. And, like many other minority business owners, ultimately never got a loan.
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Nageer laid off her employees, but kept up with the overhead on the building ―paying utilities and rent. With no tuition fees coming in from parents, it was a struggle. And she reached a breaking point after hearing from many parents who weren’t sure when they’d start sending their kids back. Meanwhile, the guidance on how to safely operate kept changing, she said. And in the end, it was all too much.
It was a difficult decision to make, said Nageer, who started out at the center as a worker before buying the business in 2009. The work, she said, was never about the money.
“It’s a field that although we grow minds, our return takes a long time” to show itself in the benefits children gained from the care, she said. And, she added, it doesn’t seem to her like that’s much appreciated by government officials at all levels in the way they support or make decisions about child care operators.
Funding Is Running Out
It didn’t have to be this way. Child care providers and advocates have been forcefully pushing for help in keeping these businesses going for the entirety of this crisis. But to little avail. Congress put $3.5 billion in funding toward child care in the CARES Act passed in March. That helped some providers, others were able to tap the small business loan program created in CARES.
But since then proposals seeking more funding have gone nowhere. And that initial bit of funding is running out.
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Even the most well-off providers are on the edge.
Shaun Rose, the director of the Rock Spring Children's Center in Bethesda, Maryland, in April sat at the facility that had closed the previous month because of the coronavirus pandemic. The center reopened on June 1, but is struggling financially. Rod Lamkey, Jr. for HuffPost
“It’s scary,” said Shaun Rose, who runs a center in Bethesda, Maryland, an affluent Washington suburb.
Rose got a small business loan in March when the center closed during the shutdown, but that money is gone, he said. Now that it’s open again, the business is losing about $100,000 a month because of reduced enrollment.
New regulations for how many children can be in a classroom, combined with reduced demand, has left Rose’s center operating about 40% its normal capacity. “That’s unsustainable; we need to be at 95% to break even. We need the place to be full and it’s not,” he said.
Little Care For The Caregivers
None of this should come as a surprise. In the U.S., policymakers have never seemed to care all that much about caregiving: Whether you are paid to look after children, or if you do it out of love, you’ll find little support.
Advertisement
The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that don’t require employers to provide paid time off to new parents. Child care workers receive poverty-level wages. Women in the U.S. often see their wages fall after becoming mothers, in part because of long-standing discrimination against women in the workplace.
But the coronavirus pandemic has turned this long-simmering failure into what’s increasingly shaping up to be a full-blown catastrophe.
Child care advocates say it is crucial to get providers more money in the next stimulus bill; others, like Fisher, said extending supplemental unemployment benefits and keeping people from getting evicted is even more important.
“We’re finding if people lose the replacement income they had, and there’s no longer an ability to prevent landlords from evicting people, we’re going to have large numbers of homeless families,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--‘Mythbuster’ Grant Imahara Dead At 49

‘Mythbuster’ Grant Imahara Dead At 49

Grant Imahara , an engineer and roboticist who spent years busting myths and testing often explosive science on the hit TV show “ Mythbusters , ” died Monday .
He was 49 .
“ We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant , ” a representative for Discovery told THR .
“ He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man .
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
” Imahara joined “ Mythbusters ” in 2005 on an invitation from host Jamie Hyneman .
For more than 200 episodes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dove out of planes in the name of science .
Earlier in his career , Imahara worked on blockbuster films like “ The Terminator , ” “ Jurassic Park ” and rereleases of the original “ Star Wars ” trilogy .
He was one of a few official operators of the droid R2-D2 , created the robot Geoff Peterson for “ The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson ” and helped to develop technology for the iconic Energizer Bunny .
“ [ R2-D2 is ] easier to drive than the Energizer Bunny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011 , noting he occasionally got to stand-in for C3PO at live ″Star Wars″ events .
Another one of his creations , Deadblow , became a champion on the robot-fighting show “ BattleBots.
” I ’ ve retired from robot combat .
My first fighting robot Deadblow was almost 20 years ago in 1999 .
They made it into a toy and I wrote a book on the subject .
# BattleBots pic.twitter.com/4LbxlKlI0v — Grant Imahara ( @ grantimahara ) April 8 , 2018 “ When I was a kid , I never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imahara told Machine Design in 2008 .
“ I wanted to be Q , because he was the guy who made all the gadgets.
” Most recently , Imahara co-hosted Netflix ’ s “ White Rabbit Project ” with former Mythbusters Kari Byron and Tory Belleci .
The show aired for one season in 2016 .
Imahara ’ s partner , costume designer Jenny Newman , wrote on Twitter Monday she had “ lost a part of my heart and soul today.
” I have n't found the words .
I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I lost a part of my heart and soul today .
He was so generous and kind , so endlessly sweet and so loved by his incredible friends .
I feel so lucky to have known him , to have loved & been loved by him .
I love you , honey .
pic.twitter.com/d7secP1Ols — Jenny N ( @ Jennernugen ) July 14 , 2020 Several of Imahara ’ s fellow Mythbusters shared tributes to their friend on social media : I ’ m at a loss .
No words .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years .
Grant was a truly brilliant engineer , artist and performer , but also just such a generous , easygoing , and gentle PERSON .
Working with Grant was so much fun .
I ’ ll miss my friend .
— Adam Savage ( @ donttrythis ) July 14 , 2020

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Grant Imahara, an engineer and roboticist who spent years busting myths and testing often explosive science on the hit TV show “Mythbusters,” died Monday. He was 49.
The cause was a brain aneurysm, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
“We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant,” a representative for Discovery told THR. “He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
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Imahara joined “Mythbusters” in 2005 on an invitation from host Jamie Hyneman. For more than 200 episodes, he crafted robots, drove stunt cars and dove out of planes in the name of science.
Earlier in his career, Imahara worked on blockbuster films like “The Terminator,” “Jurassic Park” and rereleases of the original “Star Wars” trilogy. He was one of a few official operators of the droid R2-D2, created the robot Geoff Peterson for “The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” and helped to develop technology for the iconic Energizer Bunny.
“[R2-D2 is] easier to drive than the Energizer Bunny,” Imahara told an audience in 2011, noting he occasionally got to stand-in for C3PO at live ″Star Wars″ events.
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Another one of his creations, Deadblow, became a champion on the robot-fighting show “BattleBots.”
I’ve retired from robot combat. My first fighting robot Deadblow was almost 20 years ago in 1999. They made it into a toy and I wrote a book on the subject. #BattleBots pic.twitter.com/4LbxlKlI0v — Grant Imahara (@grantimahara) April 8, 2018
“When I was a kid, I never wanted to be James Bond,” Imahara told Machine Design in 2008. “I wanted to be Q, because he was the guy who made all the gadgets.”
Most recently, Imahara co-hosted Netflix’s “White Rabbit Project” with former Mythbusters Kari Byron and Tory Belleci. The show aired for one season in 2016.
Imahara’s partner, costume designer Jenny Newman, wrote on Twitter Monday she had “lost a part of my heart and soul today.”
I haven't found the words. I don't know if I'll be able to. I lost a part of my heart and soul today.
He was so generous and kind, so endlessly sweet and so loved by his incredible friends. I feel so lucky to have known him, to have loved & been loved by him.
I love you, honey. pic.twitter.com/d7secP1Ols — Jenny N (@Jennernugen) July 14, 2020
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Several of Imahara’s fellow Mythbusters shared tributes to their friend on social media:
I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend. — Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--U.S. Carries Out The 1st Federal Execution In Nearly 2 Decades

TERRE HAUTE , Ind .
( AP ) — The U.S. government on Tuesday carried out the first federal execution in almost two decades , putting to death a man who killed an Arkansas family in a 1990s in a plot to build a whites-only nation in the Pacific Northwest .
The execution came over the objection of the victims ’ family .
The decision to move forward with the execution ― the first by the Bureau of Prisons since 2003 ― drew scrutiny from civil rights groups and the relatives of Lee ’ s victims , who had sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The government has been trying to plow forward with these executions despite many unanswered questions about the legality of its new execution protocol , ” said Shawn Nolan , one of the attorneys for the men facing federal execution .
The execution of Lee , who was pronounced dead at 8:07 a.m. EDT , went off after a series of legal volleys that ended when the Supreme Court stepped in early Tuesday in a 5-4 ruling and allowed it to move forward .
The entrance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ind.
, is shown Monday , July 13 , 2020 .
Daniel Lewis Lee , a convicted killer , was executed there Tuesday .
He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller , his wife , Nancy , and her 8-year-old daughter , Sarah Powell .
( AP Photo/Michael Conroy ) Attorney General William Barr has said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts , including the death penalty , and to bring a sense of closure to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the killings happened .
But relatives of those killed by Lee in 1996 strongly opposed that idea and long argued that Lee deserved a sentence of life in prison .
They wanted to be present to counter any contention that the execution was being done on their behalf .
“ For us it is a matter of being there and saying , ` This is not being done in our name ; we do not want this , ’ ” relative Monica Veillette said .
Kehoe , of Colville , Washington , recruited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacist orgaization , known as the Aryan Peoples ’ Republic .
Two years later , they were arrested for the killings of gun dealer William Mueller , his wife , Nancy , and her 8-year-old daughter , Sarah Powell , in Tilly , Arkansas , about 75 miles ( 120 kilometers ) northwest of Little Rock .
Prosecutors said Lee and Kehoe incapacitated the Muellers and questioned Sarah about where they could find money and ammunition .
Then , they used stun guns on the victims , sealed trash bags with duct tape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taped rocks to their bodies and dumped them in a nearby bayou .
A U.S. District Court judge put a hold on Lee ’ s execution on Monday , over concerns from death row inmates on how executions were to be carried out , and an appeals court upheld it , but the high court overturned it .
That delay came after an appeals court on Sunday overturned a hold that had been put in place last week after the victims ’ relatives argued they would be put at high risk for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend the execution .
There have been two state executions in the U.S. since the pandemic forced shutdowns nationwide in mid-March — one in Texas and one in Missouri , according to the Death Penalty Information Center .
Alabama carried out one in early March .
Executions on the federal level have been rare , and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003 , when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping , rape and murder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed , clearing the way for executions to resume .
He approved a new procedure for lethal injections that replaces the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug , pentobarbital .
This is similar to the procedure used in several states , including Georgia , Missouri and Texas , but not all .

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The U.S. government on Tuesday carried out the first federal execution in almost two decades, putting to death a man who killed an Arkansas family in a 1990s in a plot to build a whites-only nation in the Pacific Northwest. The execution came over the objection of the victims’ family.
Daniel Lewis Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, died by lethal injection at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
“I didn’t do it,” Lee said just before he was executed. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’m not a murderer. ... You’re killing an innocent man.”
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The decision to move forward with the execution ― the first by the Bureau of Prisons since 2003 ― drew scrutiny from civil rights groups and the relatives of Lee’s victims, who had sued to try to halt it, citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Critics argued that the government was creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency for political gain.
“The government has been trying to plow forward with these executions despite many unanswered questions about the legality of its new execution protocol,” said Shawn Nolan, one of the attorneys for the men facing federal execution.
The developments are likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.
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The execution of Lee, who was pronounced dead at 8:07 a.m. EDT, went off after a series of legal volleys that ended when the Supreme Court stepped in early Tuesday in a 5-4 ruling and allowed it to move forward.
The entrance to the federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind., is shown Monday, July 13, 2020. Daniel Lewis Lee, a convicted killer, was executed there Tuesday. He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Attorney General William Barr has said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts, including the death penalty, and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened.
But relatives of those killed by Lee in 1996 strongly opposed that idea and long argued that Lee deserved a sentence of life in prison. They wanted to be present to counter any contention that the execution was being done on their behalf.
“For us it is a matter of being there and saying, `This is not being done in our name; we do not want this,’” relative Monica Veillette said.
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They noted that Lee’s co-defendant and the reputed ringleader, Chevie Kehoe, received a life sentence.
Kehoe, of Colville, Washington, recruited Lee in 1995 to join his white supremacist orgaization, known as the Aryan Peoples’ Republic. Two years later, they were arrested for the killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell, in Tilly, Arkansas, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock.
At their 1999 trial, prosecutors said Kehoe and Lee stole guns and $50,000 in cash from the Muellers as part of their plan to establish a whites-only nation.
Prosecutors said Lee and Kehoe incapacitated the Muellers and questioned Sarah about where they could find money and ammunition. Then, they used stun guns on the victims, sealed trash bags with duct tape on their heads to suffocate them, taped rocks to their bodies and dumped them in a nearby bayou.
A U.S. District Court judge put a hold on Lee’s execution on Monday, over concerns from death row inmates on how executions were to be carried out, and an appeals court upheld it, but the high court overturned it. That delay came after an appeals court on Sunday overturned a hold that had been put in place last week after the victims’ relatives argued they would be put at high risk for the coronavirus if they had to travel to attend the execution.
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Two other federal executions are scheduled for later this week, though one is on hold in a separate legal claim.
There have been two state executions in the U.S. since the pandemic forced shutdowns nationwide in mid-March — one in Texas and one in Missouri, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Alabama carried out one in early March.
Executions on the federal level have been rare, and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003, when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping, rape and murder of a young female soldier.
Though there hadn’t been a federal execution since 2003, the Justice Department has continued to approve death penalty prosecutions and federal courts have sentenced defendants to death.
In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama directed the Justice Department to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.
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The attorney general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed, clearing the way for executions to resume. He approved a new procedure for lethal injections that replaces the three-drug combination previously used in federal executions with one drug, pentobarbital. This is similar to the procedure used in several states, including Georgia, Missouri and Texas, but not all.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Jimmy Fallon Returns To The Studio With Delightfully Awkward Musical Number

“ The Tonight Show ” returned to its 30 Rock Studio on Monday after months of remote broadcasts due to @ @ @ @ @ show , which is based in New York City and was an early epicenter of @ @ @ @ @ its first 24-hour period without a death from the infection since March 13 .
But @ @ @ @ @ house band The Roots found out in one of the show ’ s trademark musical @ @ @ @ @ studio doesn ’ t quite mean back to normal : Important conversations are happening now @ @ @ @ @ Join HuffPost Today !

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“The Tonight Show” returned to its 30 Rock Studio on Monday after months of remote broadcasts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The show, which is based in New York City and was an early epicenter of the outbreak, just recorded its first 24-hour period without a death from the infection since March 13.
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But as Jimmy Fallon and his house band The Roots found out in one of the show’s trademark musical numbers, back in the studio doesn’t quite mean back to normal:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Supreme Court Rules Federal Executions May Proceed

TERRE HAUTE , Ind .
( AP ) — The Trump administration was moving ahead early Tuesday with the execution of the first federal prison inmate in 17 years after a divided Supreme Court reversed lower courts and ruled federal executions could proceed .
Daniel Lewis Lee had been scheduled to receive a lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital at 4 p.m. EDT Monday .
But a court order preventing Lee ’ s execution , issued Monday morning by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan , remained in place .
A federal appeals court in Washington refused the administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court acted by a 5-4 vote .
Still , Lee ’ s lawyers said the execution could not go forward after midnight under federal regulations .
With conservatives in the majority , the court said in an unsigned opinion that the prisoners ’ “ executions may proceed as planned.
” The four liberal justices dissented .
Two more executions are scheduled this week , Wesley Ira Purkey on Wednesday and Dustin Lee Honken on Friday .
A fourth man , Keith Dwayne Nelson , is scheduled to be executed in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with preparations for Lee ’ s execution even as lower courts paused the proceedings .
Lee , of Yukon , Oklahoma , has had access to social visitors , has visited with his spiritual adviser and has been allowed to receive mail , prison officials said .
He ’ s been under constant staff supervision .
The witnesses for Lee are expected to include three family members , his lawyers and spiritual adviser .
He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller , his wife , Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Powell .
“ The government has been trying to plow forward with these executions despite many unanswered questions about the legality of its new execution protocol , ” said Shawn Nolan , one of the attorneys for the men facing federal execution .
The federal appeals court in Chicago had separately lifted an injunction on Sunday that had been put in place last week after some members of the victims ’ family argued they would be put at high risk for the coronavirus if they had to travel to attend .
The family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which also denied the family ’ s claims .
The decision to move forward with the execution ― and two others scheduled later in the week ― during a global health pandemic that has killed more than 135,000 people in the United States and is ravaging prisons nationwide , drew scrutiny from civil rights groups as well as family of Lee ’ s victims .
Critics argue that the government is creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency for political gain .
The developments are also likely to add a new front to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the lead-up to the 2020 elections .
Anti-death penalty protesters began gathering in Terre Haute on Monday .
Organizer Abraham Bonowitz drove a van through the city with a sign emblazoned on the side of a trailer that read , “ “ Stop executions now !
” Because of coronavirus concerns , Bonowitz said his group , Death Penalty Action , wasn ’ t encouraging others to show up .
No more than a few dozen protesters were expected to join him .
“ It ’ s symbolic , ” Bonowitz said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just here to say that this is wrong.
” In an interview with The Associated Press last week , Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts , including the death penalty , and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened .
But relatives of those killed by Lee strongly oppose that idea .
They wanted to be present to counter any contention that it was being done on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a matter of being there and saying , ` This is not being done in our name ; we do not want this , ’ ” said relative Monica Veillette .
The federal prison system has struggled in recent months to contain the exploding number of coronavirus cases behind bars .
There are currently four confirmed coronavirus cases among inmates at the Terre Haute prison , according to federal statistics , and one inmate there has died .
Barr said he believes the Bureau of Prisons could “ carry out these executions without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put a number of additional measures in place , including temperature checks and requiring witnesses to wear masks .
But on Sunday , the Justice Department disclosed that a staff member involved in preparing for the execution had tested positive for the coronavirus , but said he had not been in the execution chamber and had not come into contact with anyone on the specialized team sent to handle the execution .
The three men scheduled to be executed this week had also been given execution dates when Barr announced the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain .
Executions on the federal level have been rare and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003 , when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping , rape and murder of a young female soldier .
In 2014 , following a botched state execution in Oklahoma , President Barack Obama directed the Justice Department to conduct a broad review of capital punishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The attorney general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed , clearing the way for executions to resume .
Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Mark Sherman in Washington , Michael Tarm in Chicago and Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock , Ark.
, contributed to this report .

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The Trump administration was moving ahead early Tuesday with the execution of the first federal prison inmate in 17 years after a divided Supreme Court reversed lower courts and ruled federal executions could proceed.
Daniel Lewis Lee had been scheduled to receive a lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital at 4 p.m. EDT Monday. But a court order preventing Lee’s execution, issued Monday morning by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, remained in place.
A federal appeals court in Washington refused the administration’s plea to step in, before the Supreme Court acted by a 5-4 vote. Still, Lee’s lawyers said the execution could not go forward after midnight under federal regulations.
With conservatives in the majority, the court said in an unsigned opinion that the prisoners’ “executions may proceed as planned.” The four liberal justices dissented.
Two more executions are scheduled this week, Wesley Ira Purkey on Wednesday and Dustin Lee Honken on Friday.
A fourth man, Keith Dwayne Nelson, is scheduled to be executed in August.
The Bureau of Prisons had continued with preparations for Lee’s execution even as lower courts paused the proceedings.
Lee, of Yukon, Oklahoma, has had access to social visitors, has visited with his spiritual adviser and has been allowed to receive mail, prison officials said. He’s been under constant staff supervision. The witnesses for Lee are expected to include three family members, his lawyers and spiritual adviser.
He was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell.
“The government has been trying to plow forward with these executions despite many unanswered questions about the legality of its new execution protocol,” said Shawn Nolan, one of the attorneys for the men facing federal execution.
The federal appeals court in Chicago had separately lifted an injunction on Sunday that had been put in place last week after some members of the victims’ family argued they would be put at high risk for the coronavirus if they had to travel to attend. The family on Monday appealed to the Supreme Court, which also denied the family’s claims.
The decision to move forward with the execution ― and two others scheduled later in the week ― during a global health pandemic that has killed more than 135,000 people in the United States and is ravaging prisons nationwide, drew scrutiny from civil rights groups as well as family of Lee’s victims.
Critics argue that the government is creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency for political gain. The developments are also likely to add a new front to the national conversation about criminal justice reform in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.
Anti-death penalty protesters began gathering in Terre Haute on Monday. Organizer Abraham Bonowitz drove a van through the city with a sign emblazoned on the side of a trailer that read, ““Stop executions now!”
Because of coronavirus concerns, Bonowitz said his group, Death Penalty Action, wasn’t encouraging others to show up. No more than a few dozen protesters were expected to join him.
“It’s symbolic,” Bonowitz said about the protests. “We are just here to say that this is wrong.”
In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department has a duty to carry out the sentences imposed by the courts, including the death penalty, and to bring a sense of closure to the victims and those in the communities where the killings happened.
But relatives of those killed by Lee strongly oppose that idea. They wanted to be present to counter any contention that it was being done on their behalf.
“For us it is a matter of being there and saying, `This is not being done in our name; we do not want this,’” said relative Monica Veillette.
The federal prison system has struggled in recent months to contain the exploding number of coronavirus cases behind bars. There are currently four confirmed coronavirus cases among inmates at the Terre Haute prison, according to federal statistics, and one inmate there has died.
Barr said he believes the Bureau of Prisons could “carry out these executions without being at risk.” The agency has put a number of additional measures in place, including temperature checks and requiring witnesses to wear masks.
But on Sunday, the Justice Department disclosed that a staff member involved in preparing for the execution had tested positive for the coronavirus, but said he had not been in the execution chamber and had not come into contact with anyone on the specialized team sent to handle the execution.
The three men scheduled to be executed this week had also been given execution dates when Barr announced the federal government would resume executions last year, ending an informal moratorium on federal capital punishment as the issue receded from the public domain.
Executions on the federal level have been rare and the government has put to death only three defendants since restoring the federal death penalty in 1988 — most recently in 2003, when Louis Jones was executed for the 1995 kidnapping, rape and murder of a young female soldier.
In 2014, following a botched state execution in Oklahoma, President Barack Obama directed the Justice Department to conduct a broad review of capital punishment and issues surrounding lethal injection drugs.
The attorney general said last July that the Obama-era review had been completed, clearing the way for executions to resume.
___
Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Mark Sherman in Washington, Michael Tarm in Chicago and Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Ark., contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Fired VA Staffer Admits She Murdered 7 Patients With Insulin

A former staffer at a veterans hospital in West Virginia pleaded guilty Tuesday to intentionally killing seven patients with fatal doses of insulin , capping a sweeping federal investigation into a series of mysterious deaths at the medical center .
Reta Mays , a former nursing assistant at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg was charged with seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault with the intent to commit murder of an eighth person .
She faces life sentences for each murder .
At a plea hearing , Mays , 46 , admitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with unprescribed insulin while she worked overnight shifts at the hospital in northern West Virginia between 2017 and 2018 .
Her voice cracked throughout the hearing as she answered a judge ’ s questions .
She shook and appeared to weep as details of the charges were read aloud .
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell told reporters that Mays ’ motive is still unclear , saying that authorities did not receive a “ satisfactory response ” to questions about the reasoning behind her actions .
“ Though we can ’ t bring these men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we hope the conclusion of the investigation and guilty plea helps ease the pain of the victims ’ families , ” Powell said .
Court records unsealed Tuesday , which named Mays publicly for the first time , came after multiple families initiated civil lawsuits against VA leadership alleging a widespread system of failures at the hospital , where victims were wrongfully given insulin and suddenly died .
The widow of one of the victims , 81-year-old George Nelson Shaw Sr. , filed a case against the VA alleging the retired Air Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a doctor ’ s order in March 2018 , accusing the hospital of failing to securely store insulin and prevent its access by unauthorized personnel .
As a nursing assistant , Mays did not have authorization or qualifications to administer medications .
In a statement , a spokesman for the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center said hospital officials reported the deaths to the VA inspector general and noted that they fired Mays .
Powell has described a criminal investigation of the deaths , which initially involved at least 11 fatalities , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of multiple victims .
He told reporters Tuesday that prosecutors brought charges in all instances where there was sufficient evidence against Mays .
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin , who previously expressed “ grave concerns over the pace of the investigation ” to Attorney General William Barr , said then that the VA inspector general told his office that the probe was opened in July 2018 , after at least nine patients were diagnosed with unexplained low blood sugar .
“ While overdue , today justice is finally being served , ” Manchin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope today ’ s announcement brings some semblance of peace to their hearts and to the families who are still uncertain about the fate of their Veterans.
” The VA is the government ’ s second-largest department , responsible for 9 million military veterans .
The agency ’ s former director was fired in 2018 in the wake of a bruising ethics scandal and a mounting rebellion within the agency , and the doctor who Trump nominated to replace him had to withdraw his nomination amid accusations of misconduct .
This photo released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority shows Reta Mays , a former nursing assistant at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg , W.Va. Mays , pleaded guilty Tuesday to intentionally killing seven patients with fatal doses of insulin .
She was charged with seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault with the intent to commit murder of an eighth person .
She faces life sentences for each murder .
( West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority via AP )

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A former staffer at a veterans hospital in West Virginia pleaded guilty Tuesday to intentionally killing seven patients with fatal doses of insulin, capping a sweeping federal investigation into a series of mysterious deaths at the medical center.
Reta Mays, a former nursing assistant at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg was charged with seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault with the intent to commit murder of an eighth person. She faces life sentences for each murder.
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At a plea hearing, Mays, 46, admitted to purposely killing the veterans, injecting them with unprescribed insulin while she worked overnight shifts at the hospital in northern West Virginia between 2017 and 2018. Her voice cracked throughout the hearing as she answered a judge’s questions. She shook and appeared to weep as details of the charges were read aloud.
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell told reporters that Mays’ motive is still unclear, saying that authorities did not receive a “satisfactory response” to questions about the reasoning behind her actions.
“Though we can’t bring these men back because of her evil acts, we hope the conclusion of the investigation and guilty plea helps ease the pain of the victims’ families,” Powell said.
Court records unsealed Tuesday, which named Mays publicly for the first time, came after multiple families initiated civil lawsuits against VA leadership alleging a widespread system of failures at the hospital, where victims were wrongfully given insulin and suddenly died.
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The widow of one of the victims, 81-year-old George Nelson Shaw Sr., filed a case against the VA alleging the retired Air Force member was given four insulin shots without a doctor’s order in March 2018, accusing the hospital of failing to securely store insulin and prevent its access by unauthorized personnel. As a nursing assistant, Mays did not have authorization or qualifications to administer medications.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center said hospital officials reported the deaths to the VA inspector general and noted that they fired Mays.
Powell has described a criminal investigation of the deaths, which initially involved at least 11 fatalities, as a top priority that required the exhumation of multiple victims. He told reporters Tuesday that prosecutors brought charges in all instances where there was sufficient evidence against Mays.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, who previously expressed “grave concerns over the pace of the investigation” to Attorney General William Barr, said then that the VA inspector general told his office that the probe was opened in July 2018, after at least nine patients were diagnosed with unexplained low blood sugar.
“While overdue, today justice is finally being served,” Manchin said in a statement Tuesday. “I hope today’s announcement brings some semblance of peace to their hearts and to the families who are still uncertain about the fate of their Veterans.”
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The VA is the government’s second-largest department, responsible for 9 million military veterans. The agency’s former director was fired in 2018 in the wake of a bruising ethics scandal and a mounting rebellion within the agency, and the doctor who Trump nominated to replace him had to withdraw his nomination amid accusations of misconduct.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--White House Changes Rules On Coronavirus Reporting To Bypass CDC: Report

The Trump administration is changing how hospitals are required to send COVID-19 case data to the government , bypassing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in favor of the Department of Health and Human Services , according to a report in The New York Times .
Beginning Wednesday , the numbers of available beds in intensive care units , patients on ventilators , stockpiles of personal protective equipment and many other data points will be collected daily by a department more closely aligned with the White House .
The change was detailed in a document posted this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it helps streamline the reporting process , unburdening hospitals from having to report data to multiple government agencies .
But it also reinforces fears that President Donald Trump is actively trying to undermine scientists at a critical juncture in the health crisis ― when coronavirus cases are skyrocketing across many states .
On Monday , Trump began publicly attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading expert in infectious disease , while the White House was accused of launching a whisper campaign against him .
Four former directors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post opinion piece published Tuesday , arguing that experts at the CDC were being undermined by politicians in a way that may prove devastating to public health .
The change in reporting standards came out of a “ tense ” conference call between hospital administrators and Dr. Deborah Birx , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , who then convened a separate group to find a solution .
Two unnamed officials told the Times , however , that the change that group came up with has shocked and dismayed the @ @

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The Trump administration is changing how hospitals are required to send COVID-19 case data to the government, bypassing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in favor of the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a report in The New York Times.
Beginning Wednesday, the numbers of available beds in intensive care units, patients on ventilators, stockpiles of personal protective equipment and many other data points will be collected daily by a department more closely aligned with the White House.
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The change was detailed in a document posted this week on the HHS website, which claims that it helps streamline the reporting process, unburdening hospitals from having to report data to multiple government agencies.
But it also reinforces fears that President Donald Trump is actively trying to undermine scientists at a critical juncture in the health crisis ― when coronavirus cases are skyrocketing across many states. On Monday, Trump began publicly attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert in infectious disease, while the White House was accused of launching a whisper campaign against him.
Four former directors of the CDC expressed similar concerns in a Washington Post opinion piece published Tuesday, arguing that experts at the CDC were being undermined by politicians in a way that may prove devastating to public health.
The change in reporting standards came out of a “tense” conference call between hospital administrators and Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, who then convened a separate group to find a solution.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Jump-Starts Immune System, Scientists Say

The first COVID-19 vaccine tested in the U.S. revved up people ’ s immune systems just the way scientists had hoped , researchers reported Tuesday ― as the shots are poised to begin key final testing .
The experimental vaccine , developed by Fauci ’ s colleagues at the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc. , will start its most important step around July 27 : A 30,000-person study to prove if the shots really are strong enough to protect against the coronavirus .
But Tuesday , researchers reported anxiously awaited findings from the first 45 volunteers who rolled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sure enough , the vaccine provided a hoped-for immune boost .
Those early volunteers developed what are called neutralizing antibodies in their bloodstream ― molecules key to blocking infection ― at levels comparable to those found in people who survived COVID-19 , the research team reported in the New England Journal of Medicine .
“ This is an essential building block that is needed to move forward with the trials that could actually determine whether the vaccine does protect against infection , ” said Dr. Lisa Jackson of the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study .
There were no serious side effects .
But more than half the study participants reported flu-like reactions to the shots that aren ’ t uncommon with other vaccines ― fatigue , headache , chills , fever and pain at the injection site .
For three participants given the highest dose , those reactions were more severe ; that dose isn ’ t being pursued .
He called the early results “ a good first step , ” and is optimistic that final testing could deliver answers about whether it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of next year .
And Tuesday ’ s results only included younger adults .
The first-step testing later was expanded to include dozens of older adults , the age group most at risk from COVID-19 .
Those results aren ’ t public yet but regulators are evaluating them , and Fauci said final testing will include older adults , as well as people with chronic health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus — and Black and Latino populations likewise affected .
Nearly two dozen possible COVID-19 vaccines are in various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Candidates from China and Britain ’ s Oxford University also are entering final testing stages .
The 30,000-person study will mark the world ’ s largest study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine so far .
And the NIH-developed shot isn ’ t the only one set for such massive U.S. testing , crucial to spot rare side effects .
The government plans similar large studies of the Oxford candidate and another by Johnson & Johnson ; separately , Pfizer Inc. is planning its own huge study .
People think “ this is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m cheering every one of them on , ” said Fauci , who directs NIH ’ s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
Around the world , governments are investing in stockpiles of hundreds of millions of doses of the different candidates , in hopes of speedily starting inoculations if any are proven to work .

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The first COVID-19 vaccine tested in the U.S. revved up people’s immune systems just the way scientists had hoped, researchers reported Tuesday ― as the shots are poised to begin key final testing.
“No matter how you slice this, this is good news,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told The Associated Press.
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The experimental vaccine, developed by Fauci’s colleagues at the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., will start its most important step around July 27: A 30,000-person study to prove if the shots really are strong enough to protect against the coronavirus.
But Tuesday, researchers reported anxiously awaited findings from the first 45 volunteers who rolled up their sleeves back in March. Sure enough, the vaccine provided a hoped-for immune boost.
Those early volunteers developed what are called neutralizing antibodies in their bloodstream ― molecules key to blocking infection ― at levels comparable to those found in people who survived COVID-19, the research team reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“This is an essential building block that is needed to move forward with the trials that could actually determine whether the vaccine does protect against infection,” said Dr. Lisa Jackson of the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle, who led the study.
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There’s no guarantee but the government hopes to have results around the end of the year ― record-setting speed for developing a vaccine.
The vaccine requires two doses, a month apart.
There were no serious side effects. But more than half the study participants reported flu-like reactions to the shots that aren’t uncommon with other vaccines ― fatigue, headache, chills, fever and pain at the injection site. For three participants given the highest dose, those reactions were more severe; that dose isn’t being pursued.
Some of those reactions are similar to coronavirus symptoms but they’re temporary, lasting about a day and occur right after vaccination, researchers noted.
“Small price to pay for protection against COVID,” said Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a vaccine expert who wasn’t involved with the study.
He called the early results “a good first step,” and is optimistic that final testing could deliver answers about whether it’s really safe and effective by the beginning of next year.
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“It would be wonderful. But that assumes everything’s working right on schedule,” Schaffner cautioned.
And Tuesday’s results only included younger adults. The first-step testing later was expanded to include dozens of older adults, the age group most at risk from COVID-19. Those results aren’t public yet but regulators are evaluating them, and Fauci said final testing will include older adults, as well as people with chronic health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus — and Black and Latino populations likewise affected.
Nearly two dozen possible COVID-19 vaccines are in various stages of testing around the world. Candidates from China and Britain’s Oxford University also are entering final testing stages.
The 30,000-person study will mark the world’s largest study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine so far. And the NIH-developed shot isn’t the only one set for such massive U.S. testing, crucial to spot rare side effects. The government plans similar large studies of the Oxford candidate and another by Johnson & Johnson; separately, Pfizer Inc. is planning its own huge study.
Already, people can start signing up to volunteer for the different studies.
People think “this is a race for one winner. Me, I’m cheering every one of them on,” said Fauci, who directs NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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“We need multiple vaccines. We need vaccines for the world, not only for our own country.”
Around the world, governments are investing in stockpiles of hundreds of millions of doses of the different candidates, in hopes of speedily starting inoculations if any are proven to work.
__


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--What If You Throw A Presidential Convention But Nobody Wants To Come?

“ There ’ s no chance of this convention happening , ” said one informal White House adviser on condition of anonymity .
“ By this time before a convention , people are lining up parties .
There ’ s none of that .
Zero .
...
It ’ s just losing momentum.
” Typically , by this point in the process , delegates , party activists and elected officials have long been assigned hotels and have a set schedule of events .
According to multiple GOP consultants and activists across the country , neither of those things has yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a few of my candidates who say they are not planning to go because they ’ ve got campaigns to win , and there aren ’ t any swing voters at the convention , ” said one Republican consultant based in the Midwest who also requested anonymity .
“ I think that will be a pretty common response with candidates and elected officials .
I do think activists and delegates will attend.
” A second White House adviser , who also spoke on condition of anonymity , said he expects some 15,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s nomination for a second term , while fundraising has now reached $ 20 million in commitments .
“ The goal is to try to get to $ 30 million , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not easy .
People don ’ t want to give twice.
” A fundraising solicitation for the convention obtained by HuffPost shows donation levels as high as $ 1,161,200 per couple , the “ Presidential Trust ” level , down to the “ The President ’ s Club , ” which requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised daytime activities on Amelia Island , a resort town some 40 miles northeast of Jacksonville , as well as “ hospitality ” throughout the Aug. 24-27 period .
Normally , a host city has two years to plan for a major party convention .
But Jacksonville has barely had two months after Trump angrily pulled the event from Charlotte , North Carolina , because the state ’ s Democratic governor would not guarantee Trump would be allowed to fill the basketball arena there to capacity to give him the packed house he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , particularly given the Trump-inspired ethos in the Republican Party of shunning masks , became apparent over the weekend .
Vice President Mike Pence attended a pre-convention event in Jacksonville , speaking and posing for photos in a small room with low ceilings , and few of those pictured wore face coverings .
Some of those present later attended an event for state Republicans , and a lobbyist who attended that function on Monday tested positive for the coronavirus , according to the Florida Politics website .
Trump himself appeared to acknowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida is problematic for his convention .
“ Well , we ’ re going to see .
It built up a little bit but we ’ re going to do something that will be great , ” he said .
On Tuesday , planners appeared to settle on moving the events from the minor-league hockey arena downtown to either a minor league baseball stadium or the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium .
While an outdoor venue would reduce the danger of spreading the virus , it brings a new set of problems .
If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jaguars ’ TIAA Bank Field , that will present Trump with a visual of a 70,000-seat stadium hosting a gathering of at most 15,000 – a far cry from the 80,000 who attended former President Barack Obama ’ s 2008 convention speech at Mile High Stadium in Denver .
One solution would be to cover the upper decks with tarps to hide empty seats , the consultant said .
“ Jacksonville is used to not having a full football stadium , ” he said , referring to the many years that the Jaguars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw large crowds .
But one of the White House advisers said a more likely option is to use the Jaguars ’ adjacent covered-on-top but open at the ends practice field , which is also used for concerts .
He agreed that the weather would not be ideal .
“ It ’ s going to be hotter than hell .
”

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WASHINGTON — Just six weeks away from the start of President Donald Trump’s nominating convention in Jacksonville, a coronavirus flare-up in Florida is complicating planning and scaring off potential attendees.
“There’s no chance of this convention happening,” said one informal White House adviser on condition of anonymity. “By this time before a convention, people are lining up parties. There’s none of that. Zero. ... It’s just losing momentum.”
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Typically, by this point in the process, delegates, party activists and elected officials have long been assigned hotels and have a set schedule of events. According to multiple GOP consultants and activists across the country, neither of those things has yet happened.
“I’ve talked to a few of my candidates who say they are not planning to go because they’ve got campaigns to win, and there aren’t any swing voters at the convention,” said one Republican consultant based in the Midwest who also requested anonymity. “I think that will be a pretty common response with candidates and elected officials. I do think activists and delegates will attend.”
The Florida Republican Party has not even released a slate of delegates who will be attending, apparently because they cannot get firm commitments, one Florida-based consultant said.
A second White House adviser, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said he expects some 15,000 attendees to end up coming to celebrate Trump’s nomination for a second term, while fundraising has now reached $20 million in commitments. “The goal is to try to get to $30 million,” he said. “It’s not easy. People don’t want to give twice.”
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"By this time before a convention, people are lining up parties. There’s none of that. Zero,” one informal White House adviser told HuffPost. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
A fundraising solicitation for the convention obtained by HuffPost shows donation levels as high as $1,161,200 per couple, the “Presidential Trust” level, down to the “The President’s Club,” which requires a minimum $1,000. Donors are promised daytime activities on Amelia Island, a resort town some 40 miles northeast of Jacksonville, as well as “hospitality” throughout the Aug. 24-27 period.
Normally, a host city has two years to plan for a major party convention. But Jacksonville has barely had two months after Trump angrily pulled the event from Charlotte, North Carolina, because the state’s Democratic governor would not guarantee Trump would be allowed to fill the basketball arena there to capacity to give him the packed house he wants.
Back in early June, when Jacksonville agreed to host the event, Florida was in the process of relaxing coronavirus restrictions, thanks to a Trump-friendly governor, Ron DeSantis.
But in recent weeks, the state has experienced an explosion of new coronavirus cases — as many as 15,000 per day — with hospitalizations and deaths also increasing.
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The difficulty of avoiding the disease, particularly given the Trump-inspired ethos in the Republican Party of shunning masks, became apparent over the weekend. Vice President Mike Pence attended a pre-convention event in Jacksonville, speaking and posing for photos in a small room with low ceilings, and few of those pictured wore face coverings. Some of those present later attended an event for state Republicans, and a lobbyist who attended that function on Monday tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Florida Politics website.
Pence’s office did not respond to HuffPost queries.
Trump himself appeared to acknowledge on Monday that the renewed outbreak in Florida is problematic for his convention. “Well, we’re going to see. It built up a little bit but we’re going to do something that will be great,” he said.
“Oh, my God. Jacksonville? Outdoors? In August?” - Florida-based Republican consultant
On Tuesday, planners appeared to settle on moving the events from the minor-league hockey arena downtown to either a minor league baseball stadium or the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium. While an outdoor venue would reduce the danger of spreading the virus, it brings a new set of problems.
“Oh, my God. Jacksonville? Outdoors? In August?” laughed the Florida-based Republican consultant, speaking on condition of anonymity and describing the extreme heat and near-daily thunderstorms.
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If the host committee decides to go with the Jaguars’ TIAA Bank Field, that will present Trump with a visual of a 70,000-seat stadium hosting a gathering of at most 15,000 – a far cry from the 80,000 who attended former President Barack Obama’s 2008 convention speech at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
One solution would be to cover the upper decks with tarps to hide empty seats, the consultant said. “Jacksonville is used to not having a full football stadium,” he said, referring to the many years that the Jaguars’ caliber of play has failed to draw large crowds.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Guess What Happened After Montana Care Home Refused Free COVID-19 Tests

BILLINGS , Mont .
( AP ) — It was meant to be a last line of defense to protect the most vulnerable as the coronavirus spread across the United States : Montana officials offered free testing in May for staff and residents at assisted living and long-term care facilities .
But not all of them followed through , according to state data , including a facility in Billings , Montana ’ s largest city , that cares for people with dementia and other memory problems .
The virus has infected almost every resident and killed eight , accounting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 34 confirmed deaths .
Thirty-six employees also have tested positive at the facility where 59 people lived before the deaths began .
While Montana ’ s rates of confirmed infections and deaths are much lower than other parts of the country , the outbreak at Canyon Creek Memory Care illustrates that even the most simple and common-sense preventive measures have sometimes gone unused during the pandemic , allowing the virus to sweep through elderly care facilities with devastating results .
“ I don ’ t see that there ’ s good justification for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating in the dark , ” said Chris Laxton , executive director of the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine , which represents more than 50,000 long-term care workers .
Nursing homes became the first places with fatal outbreaks in the U.S. Six of Montana ’ s earliest deaths were tied to infections acquired at another nursing home , but the state initially avoided the widespread early outbreaks seen elsewhere in the nation .
“ My impression is that the facilities believed they had all protocols in place to keep their residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there was no need ( to test ) because of so few cases in their area , ” said Rose Hughes , executive director of the Montana Health Care Association , which represents long-term care facilities .
Canyon Creek ’ s operator , Koelsch Communities of Olympia , Washington , hasn ’ t directly said why it turned down free testing .
The company says it declined to test residents after three with symptoms in April and May were put in quarantine but tested negative .
The first positive cases — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discovered in late June , just days after Gov .
Steve Bullock lifted some restrictions on care facilities .
As the outbreak escalated , the Democrat issued a statewide emergency rule that made testing of staff and residents a condition for facilities to receive visitors .
Koelsch Communities , which operates in eight states , has confirmed cases in at least 13 of its 39 facilities and had reported 11 deaths in other places prior to the Montana outbreak .
Five of the deaths happened in late June at El Rio Memory Care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and those with preexisting conditions are more vulnerable to the respiratory virus .
According to a tally by The Associated Press , more than 58,000 COVID-19 deaths have involved nursing homes and other long-term care facilities .
That is over 40 % of the nation ’ s more than 135,000 deaths .
To be effective , testing needs to occur before an outbreak , include residents and staff , and be repeated periodically because staff come and go , said Albert Munanga , an affiliate faculty member at the University of Washington ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Era Living retirement communities .
Pam Donovan , whose father is a Canyon Creek resident , said “ the jury ’ s still out ” on whether the facility should have done testing earlier and whether it would have helped .
Richard Donovan , a retired sheriff ’ s deputy and coroner , initially tested negative in early July when the outbreak began but developed symptoms days later and was taken to a hospital Thursday , Pam Donovan said .
His test came back positive Friday , she said .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think of , putting myself in their shoes , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t know if they ’ ll ever say what their reason was.
” Administrators at some Montana facilities that declined the testing in May and June said the invasive nasal procedure would frighten dementia patients or make them uncomfortable .
They noted their communities had few cases at that point , and they were disinfecting surfaces , washing hands and wearing masks .
Some weren ’ t allowing visitors .
“ I think if there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think we absolutely would have , ” she said .
The testing that began in mid-May started with nursing homes , then turned to assisted living facilities , Hughes said .
Not all of the facilities who have agreed to testing have completed it , health officials said .

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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — It was meant to be a last line of defense to protect the most vulnerable as the coronavirus spread across the United States: Montana officials offered free testing in May for staff and residents at assisted living and long-term care facilities.
But not all of them followed through, according to state data, including a facility in Billings, Montana’s largest city, that cares for people with dementia and other memory problems. The virus has infected almost every resident and killed eight, accounting for almost a quarter of Montana’s 34 confirmed deaths. Thirty-six employees also have tested positive at the facility where 59 people lived before the deaths began.
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While Montana’s rates of confirmed infections and deaths are much lower than other parts of the country, the outbreak at Canyon Creek Memory Care illustrates that even the most simple and common-sense preventive measures have sometimes gone unused during the pandemic, allowing the virus to sweep through elderly care facilities with devastating results.
“I don’t see that there’s good justification for just not testing. You’re operating in the dark,” said Chris Laxton, executive director of the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, which represents more than 50,000 long-term care workers.
Nursing homes became the first places with fatal outbreaks in the U.S. Six of Montana’s earliest deaths were tied to infections acquired at another nursing home, but the state initially avoided the widespread early outbreaks seen elsewhere in the nation.
Canyon Creek was among 45 of 289 assisted living and long-term care facilities that initially declined Montana’s call for testing.
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“My impression is that the facilities believed they had all protocols in place to keep their residents safe, were doing everything possible, and there was no need (to test) because of so few cases in their area,” said Rose Hughes, executive director of the Montana Health Care Association, which represents long-term care facilities.
Canyon Creek’s operator, Koelsch Communities of Olympia, Washington, hasn’t directly said why it turned down free testing. The company says it declined to test residents after three with symptoms in April and May were put in quarantine but tested negative.
The first positive cases — a staff member and a resident — were discovered in late June, just days after Gov. Steve Bullock lifted some restrictions on care facilities. As the outbreak escalated, the Democrat issued a statewide emergency rule that made testing of staff and residents a condition for facilities to receive visitors.
Koelsch Communities, which operates in eight states, has confirmed cases in at least 13 of its 39 facilities and had reported 11 deaths in other places prior to the Montana outbreak. Five of the deaths happened in late June at El Rio Memory Care in Modesto, California.
The elderly and those with preexisting conditions are more vulnerable to the respiratory virus. According to a tally by The Associated Press, more than 58,000 COVID-19 deaths have involved nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. That is over 40% of the nation’s more than 135,000 deaths.
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There are no federal testing requirements, and rules differ widely among states.
To be effective, testing needs to occur before an outbreak, include residents and staff, and be repeated periodically because staff come and go, said Albert Munanga, an affiliate faculty member at the University of Washington’s nursing school and regional health director for Era Living retirement communities.
Pam Donovan, whose father is a Canyon Creek resident, said “the jury’s still out” on whether the facility should have done testing earlier and whether it would have helped.
Richard Donovan, a retired sheriff’s deputy and coroner, initially tested negative in early July when the outbreak began but developed symptoms days later and was taken to a hospital Thursday, Pam Donovan said. His test came back positive Friday, she said.
Donovan said the only plausible reason to decline free testing would be the difficulty swabbing residents with dementia.
“That’s the only thing I can think of, putting myself in their shoes,” she said. “I don’t know if they’ll ever say what their reason was.”
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Administrators at some Montana facilities that declined the testing in May and June said the invasive nasal procedure would frighten dementia patients or make them uncomfortable. They noted their communities had few cases at that point, and they were disinfecting surfaces, washing hands and wearing masks. Some weren’t allowing visitors.
Ashley Samples, administrator at Bee Hive Homes in Columbia Falls, said a concern was false positives.
“I think if there was a more sure way to do it, I think we absolutely would have,” she said.
Bee Hive’s facilities are still on lockdown, staff have their temperatures taken and wear masks, and visits happen through open windows, Samples said.
Hyalite Country Care Assisted Living in Bozeman initially decided not to test residents, partly based on the state’s low infection numbers. Owner LeAnn Bunn said she’s now reconsidering.
More than a dozen other facilities have agreed to test residents and staff following the Canyon Creek outbreak and the governor’s directive, health officials said.
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The testing that began in mid-May started with nursing homes, then turned to assisted living facilities, Hughes said. Not all of the facilities who have agreed to testing have completed it, health officials said.
For Pam Donovan, it was through a window in a hospital emergency room last week that she saw her father for the first time since visits to care facilities were suspended in March.
Richard Donovan turned 88 on Monday. A nurse put on protective equipment and entered his room to hold a phone to his ear when his daughter called. Pam Donovan said it was heartbreaking and that she couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“It’s so difficult when you can’t see them yourself,” she said.
___
Hanson reported from East Helena, Montana.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--The Best Vitamin Monthly Subscription Services Of 2020

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page .
Prices and availability subject to change .
Instead , you might be wondering what is the best vitamin subscription that ’ ll supply with you with necessary nutrients or multivitamins that do it all — giving you your daily dose of the vitamins you might be missing out on .
If you ’ re hoping for more than just getting a dose of Vitamin D from a little sunlight every day ( just remember to slather on the sunscreen first ) or including a Vitamin C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found subscription services that ’ ll send over vitamins every month .
Experts that spoke with HuffPost say you should first check with your doctor to see what deficiencies your diet could have , so you know what vitamins to actually add to your cart .
And , of course , always remember to take the recommended dose .
From Care/of , which makes you take a quiz and suggests vitamins based on your answers , to Ritual , which offers bundles that you and your partner can take , these are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far .

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.
anilakkus via Getty Images These subscription services will supply your monthly dose of vitamins.
By now, you’ve probably outgrown your younger self’s favorite Flintstone vitamins.
Instead, you might be wondering what is the best vitamin subscription that’ll supply with you with necessary nutrients or multivitamins that do it all — giving you your daily dose of the vitamins you might be missing out on.
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If you’re hoping for more than just getting a dose of Vitamin D from a little sunlight every day (just remember to slather on the sunscreen first) or including a Vitamin C serum in your skincare routine, we found subscription services that’ll send over vitamins every month.
Experts that spoke with HuffPost say you should first check with your doctor to see what deficiencies your diet could have, so you know what vitamins to actually add to your cart. And, of course, always remember to take the recommended dose.
From Care/of, which makes you take a quiz and suggests vitamins based on your answers, to Ritual, which offers bundles that you and your partner can take, these are the best vitamin subscriptions we’ve found so far.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--Banksy Filmed Spreading COVID-19 Message All Over Train In London’s Underground

Banksy ’ s latest in-your-face piece is about the importance of wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic .
On Tuesday , a video posted to the anonymous and famous street artist ’ s Instagram account showed a man — believed to be the elusive artist himself — donning what appears to be a hazmat suit as he enters London ’ s Underground .
The suited man can be seen getting on the train and shooing fellow passengers away as he begins stenciling Banksy ’ s signature rats to the walls of the car .
The man also writes “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the driver ’ s door of a train .
The piece , captioned “ If you don ’ t mask - you don ’ t get , ” features one rat appearing to sneeze and spread the coronavirus , represented by pale green paint , throughout the train .
Another rat is holding hand sanitizer while multiple rats use face masks as parachutes .
At the end of the video , the words “ I get lockdown ” appear on the side of a station wall through opened train doors .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ but I get up again ” appears on the doors .
After the doors shut , Chumbawamba ’ s 1997 song “ Tubthumping ” plays .
The BBC notes that all passengers on London ’ s Underground are required to wear face masks .
Banksy ’ s art tends to offer commentary on current cultural , political and social issues .
In June , for instance , an Instagram post by the artist suggested what could be done to a statue of a slave trader that was toppled over and dumped into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be a rally .

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Banksy’s latest in-your-face piece is about the importance of wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, a video posted to the anonymous and famous street artist’s Instagram account showed a man — believed to be the elusive artist himself — donning what appears to be a hazmat suit as he enters London’s Underground.
Advertisement
The suited man can be seen getting on the train and shooing fellow passengers away as he begins stenciling Banksy’s signature rats to the walls of the car.
The man also writes “Banksy” in pale green spray paint across the driver’s door of a train.
The piece, captioned “If you don’t mask - you don’t get,” features one rat appearing to sneeze and spread the coronavirus, represented by pale green paint, throughout the train. Another rat is holding hand sanitizer while multiple rats use face masks as parachutes.
At the end of the video, the words “I get lockdown” appear on the side of a station wall through opened train doors. When those train doors close, the phrase “but I get up again” appears on the doors. After the doors shut, Chumbawamba’s 1997 song “Tubthumping” plays.
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The BBC notes that all passengers on London’s Underground are required to wear face masks.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-14--6 Of The Best Ways To Spend Your Lunch Break While Working From Home

With so many of us no longer reporting to the office every day , how can we use this new work setup to our advantage ?
One way to do that : By actually taking a break at lunchtime .
“ We only have the capacity to work deeply on tasks for around four hours of each day , so there is little value in stealing time from your lunch , as it may give you more time , but it makes you less productive , less creative and more likely to make mistakes , as well as pushing you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Lee Chambers , an environmental psychologist and well-being consultant .
You may also want to avoid “ breaks ” that keep you glued to your laptop or smartphone — like reading personal emails , catching up news or scrolling on social media , Chambers said .
You won ’ t feel refreshed after ; plus , you ’ re more likely to get sucked back into work that way .
1 .
At the bare minimum , step away from your desk .
2 .
Make a healthy lunch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ One of the potential benefits of working from home is access to all ingredients and appliances in your kitchen , ” Chambers said .
“ Cooking is a mindful activity , which helps us disconnect from work and have a lunch break , which takes you out of your working environment.
” At the office , you might have been in the habit of ordering a greasy takeout meal or eating a sad , prepackaged salad at your desk .
Now that you ’ re home , it may be easier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t spike your blood sugar , leading to the inevitable afternoon slump .
“ We should also aim to eat mindfully , making the space and time to enjoy our food , the flavors , smells and textures , engaging our senses and slowing us down , ” Chambers said .
“ Being aware of our eating and being connected helps us to feel more grounded , breathe and certainly aids digestion.
” One of the challenges of working from home , especially during a pandemic , is feeling claustrophobic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in your house and your living space is now your workspace , too .
That ’ s why it ’ s essential to get outdoors .
During lunch , take a walk around the block or just sit outside to get some fresh air .
“ By getting outside , we get the full sensory experience of the sun shining in our eyes , our feet hitting the ground , the wind blowing against our cheeks , the sounds of nature or neighborhood and the smell of new surroundings , ” Chambers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serotonin production , making us feel happier .
And by walking , we get our blood pumping , boosting our cognitive ability and getting rid of any brain fog.
” You could also use the time to do a quick physical chore — like vacuuming or sweeping the floor .
Any type of movement that gets the blood flowing “ gives you more energy , both mentally and physically , to be productive the rest of your day , ” DiVento said .
5 .
Spend time with a loved one — in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to eat lunch with your colleagues pre-pandemic , WFH life might leave you hungry for that midday burst of connection .
But it ’ s possible to recreate this at home , even if it means doing so via a more social distancing-friendly option like phone or video call .
6 .
Meditate or do some other grounding practice .

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Nearly 7 in 10 American employed adults are now working from home all or some of the time in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May Gallup survey.
With so many of us no longer reporting to the office every day, how can we use this new work setup to our advantage? One way to do that: By actually taking a break at lunchtime.
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“When you’re working from home, it’s easy to become unaware of when lunchtime is or to just power through it,” Lynn Taylor — a workplace expert and founder of the accessory company Behind The Buckle — told HuffPost. “But that habit can hurt you in the long run.”
Tempting as it might be to work through lunch to get more done, doing so may actually make you less — not more — productive.
“We only have the capacity to work deeply on tasks for around four hours of each day, so there is little value in stealing time from your lunch, as it may give you more time, but it makes you less productive, less creative and more likely to make mistakes, as well as pushing you towards burnout and an unhealthy work-life integration,” said Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist and well-being consultant.
You may also want to avoid “breaks” that keep you glued to your laptop or smartphone — like reading personal emails, catching up news or scrolling on social media, Chambers said. You won’t feel refreshed after; plus, you’re more likely to get sucked back into work that way.
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To that end, we asked workplace experts to share some of the best ways to spend your lunch break while you’re WFH.
1. At the bare minimum, step away from your desk.
LEREXIS via Getty Images At lunchtime, pry yourself away from your desk. You deserve a break.
... Or the kitchen table, couch or wherever it is you do work at home. A change of scenery can be beneficial.
“It’s easy to do everything at your desk: eat lunch, make social calls, check the news and social media and so on,” Taylor said. “But removing yourself from your regular environment helps you clear your head, hit the reset button and experience a more positive, balanced day.”
Getting some fresh air is ideal, but if you can’t go outside, just moving to another part of the house can make a difference.
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2. Make a healthy lunch. Then sit down and actually enjoy it.
“One of the potential benefits of working from home is access to all ingredients and appliances in your kitchen,” Chambers said. “Cooking is a mindful activity, which helps us disconnect from work and have a lunch break, which takes you out of your working environment.”
At the office, you might have been in the habit of ordering a greasy takeout meal or eating a sad, prepackaged salad at your desk. Now that you’re home, it may be easier to prepare something fresh and nutritious that won’t spike your blood sugar, leading to the inevitable afternoon slump.
If you’re someone who often forgets to eat lunch or feels too time-crunched to whip something up midday, consider preparing it the night before or in the morning, said clinical psychologist Jessica DiVento, mental health program manager at Google.
Practicing mindful eating — rather than scarfing down a sandwich while attempting five other tasks — can improve digestion and reduce stress.
“We should also aim to eat mindfully, making the space and time to enjoy our food, the flavors, smells and textures, engaging our senses and slowing us down,” Chambers said. “Being aware of our eating and being connected helps us to feel more grounded, breathe and certainly aids digestion.”
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3. Step outside.
One of the challenges of working from home, especially during a pandemic, is feeling claustrophobic. You’re spending a lot more time in your house and your living space is now your workspace, too. That’s why it’s essential to get outdoors. During lunch, take a walk around the block or just sit outside to get some fresh air.
“By getting outside, we get the full sensory experience of the sun shining in our eyes, our feet hitting the ground, the wind blowing against our cheeks, the sounds of nature or neighborhood and the smell of new surroundings,” Chambers said. “The natural light stimulates serotonin production, making us feel happier. And by walking, we get our blood pumping, boosting our cognitive ability and getting rid of any brain fog.”
“This clarity helps us to tackle the afternoon with vitality while boosting our health and reducing our environmental stress,” he added.
4. Move your body.
adamkaz via Getty Images Even doing some light exercise during your lunch break, like taking a walk or stretching your body, can have a positive impact.
“Working from home has many benefits, including no commute time,” Taylor said. “But one of the downsides is being too sedentary because everything is virtually within reach.”
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To counter this, use your lunch time to get moving: Walk outside or stay inside and do some stretches or put on a good song and dance around your bedroom.
“Among the countless benefits: You‘ll be able to think more sharply and creatively,” Taylor added. “And it will improve your mood, too.”
You could also use the time to do a quick physical chore — like vacuuming or sweeping the floor. Any type of movement that gets the blood flowing “gives you more energy, both mentally and physically, to be productive the rest of your day,” DiVento said.
5. Spend time with a loved one — in person or virtually.
If you used to eat lunch with your colleagues pre-pandemic, WFH life might leave you hungry for that midday burst of connection. But it’s possible to recreate this at home, even if it means doing so via a more social distancing-friendly option like phone or video call.
“Whether it be the family, a pet, or even a telephone call, it is essential to find ways to socially connect that disconnect us from work,” Chambers said.
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Parents who are now working from home can also spend this time with their kids.
“Involving them in the routine to eat and move during your lunch can help you not only get a break, but also give you time to connect and be present with them,” DiVento said.
6. Meditate or do some other grounding practice.
Use part of your lunch break to slow down, breathe deeply and check in with yourself. You can meditate in silence or follow a guided mediation on your phone (just make sure to set it to “do not disturb” mode first).
“Get yourself in a relaxed position and find a peaceful place get away from notifications and distraction,” Taylor said. “Even 10 minutes of this daily will help you to breathe deeply and help give you a broader, healthier perspective on your day’s work — if not your life in general!”
If meditation isn’t your thing, there are countless other ways to take a restorative break.