thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Joel Schumacher, Versatile Director Of Batman Films And 'St Elmo's Fire,' Dies At 80

Director Joel Schumacher , known for 1980s and 1990s hits like “ Flatliners , ” “ St .
Elmo ’ s Fire , ” “ The Lost Boys , ” and a pair of notorious Batman movies starring Val Kilmer and George Clooney as the caped crusader , died Monday morning at the age of 80 .
Schumacher , who grew up in New York City , began his Hollywood career as a costume designer after studying at the Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology and working in fashion .
He moved to Los Angeles to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joan Didion ’ s novel “ Play It As It Lays , ” and designed costumes for several notable filmmakers , including working with Woody Allen on “ Sleeper ” and “ Interiors.
” Directing films in a wide range of genres , Schumacher had an eye for casting up-and-coming stars who became famous , like Demi Moore , Rob Lowe , Emilio Estevez , Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy in the 1985 coming-of-age drama “ St .
Elmo ’ s Fire , ” Kiefer Sutherland in 1987 ’ s “ The Lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1990 ’ s “ Flatliners ” ( also starring Sutherland ) and 1991 ’ s “ Dying Young.
” “ Joel gave me opportunities and lifelong lessons , ” Sutherland said in a statement Monday , calling Schumacher “ one of my dearest friends and partners in filmmaking.
” “ His mark on modern culture and film will live on forever .
I will miss you , my friend.
” He is perhaps best known — or maybe notorious — for two installments of the Batman franchise , “ Batman Forever ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Val Kilmer and George Clooney , respectively , as the caped crusader .
The latter was universally panned by critics .
The director later said he faced immense pressure from the studio to make the film marketable and family-friendly , and apologized to fans .
“ If there ’ s anybody watching this , that let ’ s say , loved ‘ Batman Forever , ’ and went into ‘ Batman & Robin ’ with great anticipation , if I disappointed them in any way , then I really want to apologize , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commentary of the film .
“ Because it wasn ’ t my intention .
My intention was just to entertain them.
” “ At the time , the idea of taking a male superhero and having fun with it and someone using the c-word [ campy ] on it caused people to be very nasty .
And that kind of nastiness was acceptable on those terms .
And I think that ’ s the reason some people were particularly annoyed .
They didn ’ t like seeing that tone applied to their heterosexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robin ” star Uma Thurman told HuffPost ’ s Matt Jacobs in 2014 .
“ So what Joel did was actually very threatening at the time.
” “ When he came in , it ’ s like the whole room was filled just with his presence .
There was something about him , ” he said of Farrell in a 2019 interview with Vulture .
“ It was like when I first saw Demi [ Moore ] at a distance .
Kiefer [ Sutherland ] had like one shot in ‘ At Close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a larger part that was cut out , and I remember I said , ‘ Bring that kid in for “ The Lost Boys.
” ’ I didn ’ t know he was Donald ’ s son .
It ’ s kind of like falling in love .
You know there ’ s someone out there , but you haven ’ t met them yet .
And then Julia Roberts comes in at [ age ] 19 or 20 , and you say , ‘ Thank you , God .
’ ”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Director Joel Schumacher, known for 1980s and 1990s hits like “Flatliners,” “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “The Lost Boys,” and a pair of notorious Batman movies starring Val Kilmer and George Clooney as the caped crusader, died Monday morning at the age of 80.
The cause of death was a yearlong battle with cancer, his publicist said in a statement.
Director Joel Schumacher, who died Monday, speaking at a press conference for his final film "Trespass," in 2011 at the Toronto International Film Festival. ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Agostini
Advertisement
Schumacher, who grew up in New York City, began his Hollywood career as a costume designer after studying at the Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology and working in fashion. He moved to Los Angeles to work on the 1972 film adaptation of Joan Didion’s novel “Play It As It Lays,” and designed costumes for several notable filmmakers, including working with Woody Allen on “Sleeper” and “Interiors.”
Concurrently, Schumacher started moving into screenwriting and television directing, and in 1981, directed his first feature film, “The Incredible Shrinking Woman,” starring Lily Tomlin.
Directing films in a wide range of genres, Schumacher had an eye for casting up-and-coming stars who became famous, like Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy in the 1985 coming-of-age drama “St. Elmo’s Fire,” Kiefer Sutherland in 1987’s “The Lost Boys,” and Julia Roberts in 1990’s “Flatliners” (also starring Sutherland) and 1991’s “Dying Young.”
“Joel gave me opportunities and lifelong lessons,” Sutherland said in a statement Monday, calling Schumacher “one of my dearest friends and partners in filmmaking.” “His mark on modern culture and film will live on forever. I will miss you, my friend.”
Advertisement
In the ’90s, Schumacher directed two commercially successful John Grisham adaptations: “The Client” and “A Time to Kill.”
He is perhaps best known — or maybe notorious — for two installments of the Batman franchise, “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin,” starring Val Kilmer and George Clooney, respectively, as the caped crusader. The latter was universally panned by critics.
The director later said he faced immense pressure from the studio to make the film marketable and family-friendly, and apologized to fans.
“If there’s anybody watching this, that let’s say, loved ‘Batman Forever,’ and went into ‘Batman & Robin’ with great anticipation, if I disappointed them in any way, then I really want to apologize,” Schumacher said on the 2005 DVD commentary of the film. “Because it wasn’t my intention. My intention was just to entertain them.”
Advertisement
But over time, fans have also celebrated Schumacher for bringing a queer sensibility to the superhero genre.
“At the time, the idea of taking a male superhero and having fun with it and someone using the c-word [campy] on it caused people to be very nasty. And that kind of nastiness was acceptable on those terms. And I think that’s the reason some people were particularly annoyed. They didn’t like seeing that tone applied to their heterosexual male icon,” “Batman & Robin” star Uma Thurman told HuffPost’s Matt Jacobs in 2014. “So what Joel did was actually very threatening at the time.”
After his ’90s blockbusters, Schumacher moved into smaller films by the 2000s, including casting a then-unknown Colin Farrell in 2000’s “Tigerland.”
“When he came in, it’s like the whole room was filled just with his presence. There was something about him,” he said of Farrell in a 2019 interview with Vulture. “It was like when I first saw Demi [Moore] at a distance. Kiefer [Sutherland] had like one shot in ‘At Close Range,’ just one. He had a larger part that was cut out, and I remember I said, ‘Bring that kid in for “The Lost Boys.”’ I didn’t know he was Donald’s son. It’s kind of like falling in love. You know there’s someone out there, but you haven’t met them yet. And then Julia Roberts comes in at [age] 19 or 20, and you say, ‘Thank you, God.’”
He also directed the 2003 crime biopic “Veronica Guerin,” starring Cate Blanchett, and the 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Theodore Roosevelt Statue Gets Removed

Theodore Roosevelt Statue Gets Removed

A statue depicting former President Theodore Roosevelt on horseback alongside Indigenous people on foot has been evicted from outside the @ @ @ @ @ .

Theodore Roosevelt Statue Gets Removed
A statue depicting former President Theodore Roosevelt on horseback alongside Indigenous people on foot has been evicted from outside the American Museum of Natural History.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--NYPD Officer Suspended After Video Catches Him Using Illegal Chokehold On Black Man

The NYPD on Sunday quickly suspended an officer caught on cellphone video using a chokehold on a Black man suspected of harassing beachgoers .
“ Accountability in policing is essential , ” Commissioner Dermot Shea tweeted .
“ After a swift investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau , a police officer involved in a disturbing apparent chokehold incident in Queens has been suspended without pay .
...
While a full investigation is still underway , there is no question in my mind that this immediate action is necessary.
” The man seen in the video , Ricky Bellevue , lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treated at a hospital for a bloody scalp and swollen wrists , his lawyer Lori Zeno told The New York Times .
The bystander video shows officers attempting to restrain Bellevue on the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach in Queens on Sunday morning .
One cop , identified by Zeno as David Afanador , appears to coil his arm around Bellevue ’ s neck as he lay face-first on the ground .
Observers yell for the cop to let go .
A fellow officer taps the cop and pulls on his shirt , prompting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man can be heard saying of Bellevue , “ He ’ s out.
” NYPD officer used an illegal chokehold on a black man this morning in Far Rockaway , NY — and only stopped because another cop realized they were being filme .
They choked him out ... pic.twitter.com/SXZNnSbwDM — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 ( @ RexChapman ) June 21 , 2020 “ The officer who intervened to stop his colleague did exactly the right thing , ” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted Sunday night .
“ I commend him .
That is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers.
” The video comes amid national outrage sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd .
Dozens of protesters gathered Sunday afternoon outside of the 100th Precinct to protest the alleged Queens brutality , NBC New York reported .
Just days earlier , the New York City Council passed a law making police chokeholds a crime , NY1 noted .
In 2014 , Eric Garner died after an NYPD officer placed him in a chokehold for selling loose cigarettes .
Afanador and other officers on Sunday were dispatched to investigate reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throwing objects at them , NBC New York reported .
Police bodycam footage shows three men taunting the officers and filming them .
Bellevue , who relatives say has a history of mental illness ( which appears known to the cops in the video ) , approaches the officers with what appeared to be something behind his back .
Officers then tried to subdue Bellevue .
The cellphone video shows one officer press his forearm into Bellevue ’ s neck for about 10 seconds as bystanders shout .
Bellevue was charged with suspicion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and resisting arrest , according to The New York Times .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The NYPD on Sunday quickly suspended an officer caught on cellphone video using a chokehold on a Black man suspected of harassing beachgoers.
“Accountability in policing is essential,” Commissioner Dermot Shea tweeted. “After a swift investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau, a police officer involved in a disturbing apparent chokehold incident in Queens has been suspended without pay. ... While a full investigation is still underway, there is no question in my mind that this immediate action is necessary.”
Advertisement
The man seen in the video, Ricky Bellevue, lost consciousness in the chokehold, and was treated at a hospital for a bloody scalp and swollen wrists, his lawyer Lori Zeno told The New York Times.
The bystander video shows officers attempting to restrain Bellevue on the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach in Queens on Sunday morning. One cop, identified by Zeno as David Afanador, appears to coil his arm around Bellevue’s neck as he lay face-first on the ground. Observers yell for the cop to let go. A fellow officer taps the cop and pulls on his shirt, prompting him to release his grip. A man can be heard saying of Bellevue, “He’s out.”
NYPD officer used an illegal chokehold on a black man this morning in Far Rockaway, NY — and only stopped because another cop realized they were being filme.
They choked him out... pic.twitter.com/SXZNnSbwDM — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) June 21, 2020
“The officer who intervened to stop his colleague did exactly the right thing,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted Sunday night. “I commend him. That is what we need to see from all our officers.”
Advertisement
The video comes amid national outrage sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Dozens of protesters gathered Sunday afternoon outside of the 100th Precinct to protest the alleged Queens brutality, NBC New York reported.
Just days earlier, the New York City Council passed a law making police chokeholds a crime, NY1 noted. In 2014, Eric Garner died after an NYPD officer placed him in a chokehold for selling loose cigarettes.
Afanador and other officers on Sunday were dispatched to investigate reports that three men were harassing beachgoers and throwing objects at them, NBC New York reported.
Police bodycam footage shows three men taunting the officers and filming them. Bellevue, who relatives say has a history of mental illness (which appears known to the cops in the video), approaches the officers with what appeared to be something behind his back.
Advertisement
Officers then tried to subdue Bellevue. The cellphone video shows one officer press his forearm into Bellevue’s neck for about 10 seconds as bystanders shout.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--From Shops To Dining Out, New York City Gears Up For Next Reopening Phase

For the first time in three months , New Yorkers will be able to dine out , though only at outdoor tables .
Shoppers can once again browse in the city ’ s destination stores .
Shaggy heads can get haircuts .
Cooped-up kids can finally climb playground monkey bars instead of apartment walls .
Office workers can return to their desks , though many won ’ t yet .
The 89-year-old World Trade Center developer is going to work at his office there Monday , along with up to a third of Silverstein Properties ’ staff .
The firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their distance and they ’ ll have to wear masks in the 7 World Trade Center lobby .
Footprints mark where to stand in elevators now limited to about a quarter their usual capacity .
To Silverstein , returning to office life and in-person teamwork brings “ a joy , a fulfillment , such a sense of being able to function.
” He doesn ’ t buy into arguments that the pandemic doesn ’ t bode well for office work or New York City .
“ I went through 9/11 .
I remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to get people to come back to lower Manhattan , ” said Silverstein , who leased the twin towers six weeks before the 2001 terror attacks destroyed them .
“ Never bet against New York , because New York always comes back , bigger and better than ever before.
” Alex Michaels may return soon to a retail job .
He agrees it ’ s important to revive the economy , but he worries about potential coronavirus exposure from working with the public , even with new safety measures .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22,000 New York City deaths .
The death toll has been in single digits in recent days .
Infections are down , but between 200 and 400 people have still been testing positive for the virus each day over the past two weeks , according to city data .
Monday marks just the second of four reopening phases , but Mayor Bill de Blasio sees it as “ the single biggest piece of our economy , ” particularly for a restaurant industry he called “ quintessential to New York City.
” “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatly needed .
...
It ’ s been very grim , ” and not just financially , said Wilson , president of the NYC Hospitality Alliance , an industry group .
“ We talk about being physically distant , which is important , but being socially active is important , as well.
” “ We want both customers and colleagues to be comfortable and to feel that their safety and health is our top priority , ” said division Vice President Kathy Hilt .
Shuttered offices also can reopen Monday , with various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s biggest corporate employers are sticking with largely remote work for now .
Only about 5 % of Citi ’ s 13,300 New York City employees are expected back at the bank ’ s offices on July 1 .
JPMorgan Chase hasn ’ t set a date yet for returning to its New York offices ; Wells Fargo ’ s time frame is July 31 or later .
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer is extending remote working at least until the as-yet-undetermined date for city ’ s next reopening phase .
With work-from-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices , public-transit commutes and child care , many white-collar companies are “ moving with caution and safety , ” says Bhushan Sethi , a PwC partner specializing in workplace strategies .
The consulting and accounting firm plans to reopen its own New York offices in September .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City ventured into a crucial stage of reopening as stores let people in Monday, offices brought workers back, restaurants seated customers outdoors and residents both welcomed and worried about rebounding from the nation’s deadliest coronavirus outbreak.
From Macy’s “Miracle on 34th Street” store to the World Trade Center’s office towers, the city was getting back to business, though with new virus-safety measures after a three-month shutdown.
Advertisement
Larry Silverstein, for one, couldn’t wait.
The 89-year-old World Trade Center developer was eager to return to his office there as Silverstein Properties staffers started coming back on staggered schedules Monday. Employees have to wear masks in the 7 World Trade Center lobby, and footprints mark where to stand in elevators now limited to about a quarter of their usual capacity.
To Silverstein, returning to office life and in-person teamwork brings “a joy, a fulfillment, such a sense of being able to function.” He doesn’t buy into arguments that the pandemic bodes poorly for office work or New York City.
“I went through 9/11. I remember people telling me we were never going to be able to get people to come back to lower Manhattan,” said Silverstein, who leased the twin towers six weeks before the 2001 terrorist attacks destroyed them. “Never bet against New York, because New York always comes back, bigger and better than ever before.”
At Macy’s famous flagship store, Tammi Marilus was in line when doors opened at 11 a.m.
Shoppers have to wear masks. Workers must undergo temperature checks. Makeup testing is temporarily banned.
Advertisement
Still, with the store reopening, “it feels like it’s coming back to normal, even though we all know it isn’t over yet,” said Marilus, 42, who brought hand sanitizer with her and was pleased to see workers disinfecting counters.
“We have to live our lives. We have to take risks,” she said.
But some New Yorkers were apprehensive.
Alex Michaels may return soon to a retail job. He agreed it’s important to revive the economy, but he worries about potential coronavirus exposure from working with the public, even with new safety measures.
“Something’s got to give. I get that,” said Michaels, 30, but there could be “a high price to pay.”
Eve Gonzalez, who’s not yet back at her food-industry job, feels it’s too soon to relax restrictions.
“I’m dying to go out, but people’s health is more important,” said Gonzalez, 27.
The virus has been blamed for over 22,000 New York City deaths, with the toll down to single and low double digits in recent days. Infections have plummeted from an early-April peak, but the last two weeks have still averaged about 250 positive tests a day, city data shows.
Reopening began June 8 with construction, curbside-pickup retail, wholesaling and manufacturing. The city estimated 150,000 to 300,000 additional workers would return to their jobs Monday.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, cooped-up kids finally could climb playground monkey bars instead of apartment walls. And shaggy heads could get salon haircuts.
Victor Suarez had a socially distanced full house for much of the afternoon at his barbershop in Queens’ East Elmhurst neighborhood.
“It’s a lot of changes, a lot of rules we have to follow,” Suarez said. “But it’s the new normal. We’re excited to be back.”
Monday marked just the second of four reopening phases, but Mayor Bill de Blasio called it “the biggest step,” particularly for a restaurant industry he described as “so much the identity of New York City.”
At Melba’s in Harlem, customers filled the 62 new outdoor seats faster than expected Monday afternoon.
Advertisement
“It’s like a dream come true,” said owner Melba Wilson, president of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. She said outdoor dining was “the infusion that we so greatly needed” after three months of struggling to get by on takeout and delivery.
Hours later, de Blasio and wife Chirlane McCray came for dinner on a patio set up in a former parking spot outside Melba’s.
Meanwhile, some shuttered offices reopened in business districts that became virtual ghost towns this spring.
Lawyer Greg Nespole went in to work near Wall Street feeling it was “about time to return to normalcy.”
“You don’t really feel like a lawyer practicing in your kid’s bedroom,” Nespole said.
Some of the city’s biggest corporate employers are sticking with largely remote work for now.
Only about 5% of Citi’s 13,300 New York City employees are expected back at the bank’s offices on July 1. JPMorgan Chase hasn’t set a date yet for returning to its New York offices; Wells Fargo’s time frame is July 31 or later. Pharmaceutical company Pfizer is extending remote working at least until the as-yet-undetermined date for city’s next reopening phase.
Advertisement
With work-from-home arrangements now established and employees concerned about offices, public-transit commutes and child care, many white-collar companies are “moving with caution and safety,” says Bhushan Sethi, a PwC partner specializing in workplace strategies. The consulting and accounting firm is not yet reopening its own New York office.
As the city reopens, retail worker William Rodgers is figuring out his next steps.
The last three months have not been easy, but “a lot of us have gotten time to reflect on our own lives,” said Rodgers, 29. “That’s one blessing.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Second Shooting In 48 Hours At Seattle Protest Zone Leaves 1 Wounded

SEATTLE ( AP ) — One person was wounded in what was the second shooting in Seattle ’ s protest zone in less than 48 hours , police said .
The shooting happened late Sunday night in the area near Seattle ’ s downtown that is known as CHOP , for “ Capitol Hill Occupied Protest , ” police tweeted , adding that one person was at a hospital with a gunshot wound .
The person arrived in a private vehicle and was in serious condition , Harborview Medical Center spokesperson Susan Gregg said in a statement .
The zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city over police brutality and racism , sparked by the police killing of George Floyd , a Black man , in Minneapolis .
The Sunday shooting followed a pre-dawn shooting on Saturday in a park within the zone that left a 19-year-old man dead and a 33-year-old man critically injured .
The suspect or suspects in that first shooting fled the scene , and no arrests had been made as of Sunday , Detective Mark Jamieson had said .
It wasn ’ t immediately clear where within the zone Sunday night ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department arrived at the scene at 10:46 p.m. and went to a staging area near the zone ’ s perimeter , fire department spokesperson David Cuerpo told the Seattle Times .
The fire department was soon notified that the injured person has already been taken away .
Both victims in Saturday ’ s shooting — whose identities hadn ’ t yet been released — were also transported to the same hospital via private car .
Seattle police tweeted that they had heard of a second shooting that they were unable to verify , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what transpired Sunday night weren ’ t immediately available .
It wasn ’ t clear whether anyone was in custody .
The CHOP zone is a several-block area cordoned off by protesters near a police station in the city ’ s Capitol Hill neighborhood .
President Donald Trump , a Republican , has criticized Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Gov .
Jay Inslee , both Democrats , for allowing the zone .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
SEATTLE (AP) — One person was wounded in what was the second shooting in Seattle’s protest zone in less than 48 hours, police said.
The shooting happened late Sunday night in the area near Seattle’s downtown that is known as CHOP, for “Capitol Hill Occupied Protest,” police tweeted, adding that one person was at a hospital with a gunshot wound.
Advertisement
The person arrived in a private vehicle and was in serious condition, Harborview Medical Center spokesperson Susan Gregg said in a statement.
The zone evolved after weeks of protests in the city over police brutality and racism, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in Minneapolis.
The Sunday shooting followed a pre-dawn shooting on Saturday in a park within the zone that left a 19-year-old man dead and a 33-year-old man critically injured. The suspect or suspects in that first shooting fled the scene, and no arrests had been made as of Sunday, Detective Mark Jamieson had said.
It wasn’t immediately clear where within the zone Sunday night’s shooting took place. The Seattle Fire Department arrived at the scene at 10:46 p.m. and went to a staging area near the zone’s perimeter, fire department spokesperson David Cuerpo told the Seattle Times.
Advertisement
The fire department was soon notified that the injured person has already been taken away. Both victims in Saturday’s shooting — whose identities hadn’t yet been released — were also transported to the same hospital via private car.
Seattle police tweeted that they had heard of a second shooting that they were unable to verify, given “conflicting reports.”
Further details about what transpired Sunday night weren’t immediately available. It wasn’t clear whether anyone was in custody.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--2 Dead, 7 Wounded In Shooting In Charlotte, North Carolina, Police Say

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) — Two people were killed and seven others were wounded in a shooting in North Carolina ’ s largest city , police said , while five others were hit by vehicles afterward .
The shooting happened around midnight at an “ impromptu block party ” that was a continuation of Juneteenth celebrations , Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Deputy Chief Johnny Jennings told reporters early Monday .
Police responding to a call about a pedestrian hit found hundreds of people in the streets , Jennings said .
As emergency services arrived , several shots were fired , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was evidence of multiple shooters , but no one was in custody as of Monday morning .
The five people were hit by vehicles while running away , Jennings said .
The conditions of the 12 people hospitalized with injuries weren ’ t immediately clear .
The shooting took place on Beatties Ford Road in northern Charlotte , police said .
Further details weren ’ t immediately available .
Calls , a direct message and an email from The Associated Press to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police weren ’ t immediately returned .
Juneteenth , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free 155 years ago .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Two people were killed and seven others were wounded in a shooting in North Carolina’s largest city, police said, while five others were hit by vehicles afterward.
The shooting happened around midnight at an “impromptu block party” that was a continuation of Juneteenth celebrations, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Deputy Chief Johnny Jennings told reporters early Monday.
Police responding to a call about a pedestrian hit found hundreds of people in the streets, Jennings said. As emergency services arrived, several shots were fired, scattering the crowd. Jennings said there was evidence of multiple shooters, but no one was in custody as of Monday morning.
Advertisement
The five people were hit by vehicles while running away, Jennings said.
The conditions of the 12 people hospitalized with injuries weren’t immediately clear.
The shooting took place on Beatties Ford Road in northern Charlotte, police said.
Further details weren’t immediately available. Calls, a direct message and an email from The Associated Press to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police weren’t immediately returned.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Teddy Roosevelt Statue Gets Evicted From Outside Museum Of Natural History

A statue of former President Theodore Roosevelt outside the American Museum of Natural History in New York is being moved .
The statue at the Central Park West entrance depicts Roosevelt on a horse flanked by racist caricatures of Indigenous people on foot walking alongside him .
“ The statue has long been controversial because of the hierarchical composition that places one figure on horseback and the others walking alongside , ” the museum said in a statement .
“ Many of us find its depictions of the Native American and African figures and their placement in the monument racist.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the former president and museum trustee , told The New York Times he was fine with the removal .
“ The composition of the Equestrian Statue does not reflect Theodore Roosevelt ’ s legacy , ” he said in a statement to the newspaper .
“ It is time to move the statue and move forward.
” The Roosevelt family has a long history of ties to the museum , and the museum has named a rotunda and hall for the former president , among other things .
“ Roosevelt ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s founders , and the museum is proud of its historic association with the Roosevelt family , ” the museum said .
The statue is owned by the city of New York , which the Times said has agreed to remove it .
Stiller and Williams starred in the “ Night at the Museum ” films , where museum objects come to life at night ― including a figure of Roosevelt memorably portrayed by the late comic icon .
Williams died by suicide after filming on the third and final installment of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was released .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A statue of former President Theodore Roosevelt outside the American Museum of Natural History in New York is being moved.
The statue at the Central Park West entrance depicts Roosevelt on a horse flanked by racist caricatures of Indigenous people on foot walking alongside him.
Advertisement
“The statue has long been controversial because of the hierarchical composition that places one figure on horseback and the others walking alongside,” the museum said in a statement. “Many of us find its depictions of the Native American and African figures and their placement in the monument racist.”
Even many of Roosevelt’s supporters agreed.
Theodore Roosevelt IV, a great-grandson of the former president and museum trustee, told The New York Times he was fine with the removal.
“The composition of the Equestrian Statue does not reflect Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy,” he said in a statement to the newspaper. “It is time to move the statue and move forward.”
The Roosevelt family has a long history of ties to the museum, and the museum has named a rotunda and hall for the former president, among other things.
Advertisement
“Roosevelt’s father was one of the museum’s founders, and the museum is proud of its historic association with the Roosevelt family,” the museum said.
The statue is owned by the city of New York, which the Times said has agreed to remove it.
Actor Ben Stiller, perhaps at least half-joking, offered an idea for a replacement:
How about replacing it with a statue of Robin Williams. He deserves one. — Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) June 21, 2020
Stiller and Williams starred in the “Night at the Museum” films, where museum objects come to life at night ― including a figure of Roosevelt memorably portrayed by the late comic icon.
Williams died by suicide after filming on the third and final installment of the franchise was completed, but before it was released.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--John Bolton Won’t Vote For Trump, Hopes He Will Be A ‘One-Term’ President

Former national security adviser John Bolton said he will not vote for President Donald Trump in the upcoming election , just days before the release of what ’ s expected to be a scathing tell-all about his tenure in the White House .
“ I don ’ t think he ’ s a conservative Republican .
I ’ m not going to vote for him in November — certainly not going to vote for Joe Biden either , ” Bolton told ABC News ’ Martha Raddatz in an interview that aired Sunday .
“ I ’ m going to figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He continued : “ I think the concern I have speaking as a conservative Republican is that once the election is over , if the president wins , the political constraint is gone .
And because he has no philosophical grounding , there ’ s no telling what will happen in a second term.
” The appraisal is an extraordinary rebuke of a sitting president by a high-ranking former aide .
Bolton cast Trump as a “ danger for the Republic ” and said he was “ erratic and impulsive.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported the former aide had no plans to see Trump return to the White House , saying the man “ does not represent the Republican cause that I want to back.
” ( The outlet initially reported Bolton would cast a ballot for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden , but a spokesman later said that was false . )
“ The president does not have a philosophical grounding or strategy , ” Bolton told the British outlet .
“ He does not know the difference between the national interest of the U.S. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is confusion over the national interest and his personal interest , which is very dangerous for the country.
” The declarations come just days before Bolton ’ s book , “ The Room Where It Happened , ” will be published .
The memoir reportedly includes bombshells that Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win reelection in 2020 and also urged Xi to build facilities akin to concentration camps to hold Uighur Muslims .
Trump has raged against his former aide , calling him a “ liar , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick puppy , ” and his administration has moved to block the book ’ s publication .
A judge rejected the White House ’ s request to do so last week , noting hundreds of thousands of copies had already been shipped .
Bolton resigned last September , although Trump has maintained that he was fired .
The pair reportedly clashed over foreign policy decisions in Iran and North Korea .

Former national security adviser John Bolton said he will not vote for President Donald Trump in the upcoming election, just days before the release of what’s expected to be a scathing tell-all about his tenure in the White House.
“I don’t think he’s a conservative Republican. I’m not going to vote for him in November — certainly not going to vote for Joe Biden either,” Bolton told ABC News’ Martha Raddatz in an interview that aired Sunday. “I’m going to figure out a conservative Republican to vote in.”
Advertisement
He continued: “I think the concern I have speaking as a conservative Republican is that once the election is over, if the president wins, the political constraint is gone. And because he has no philosophical grounding, there’s no telling what will happen in a second term.”
The appraisal is an extraordinary rebuke of a sitting president by a high-ranking former aide. Bolton cast Trump as a “danger for the Republic” and said he was “erratic and impulsive.”
The comments came shortly after the Daily Telegraph reported the former aide had no plans to see Trump return to the White House, saying the man “does not represent the Republican cause that I want to back.” (The outlet initially reported Bolton would cast a ballot for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, but a spokesman later said that was false.)
“The president does not have a philosophical grounding or strategy,” Bolton told the British outlet. “He does not know the difference between the national interest of the U.S., and the interests of Donald Trump. There is confusion over the national interest and his personal interest, which is very dangerous for the country.”
Advertisement
The declarations come just days before Bolton’s book, “The Room Where It Happened,” will be published. The memoir reportedly includes bombshells that Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win reelection in 2020 and also urged Xi to build facilities akin to concentration camps to hold Uighur Muslims.
Trump has raged against his former aide, calling him a “liar,” a “dope” and a “sick puppy,” and his administration has moved to block the book’s publication. A judge rejected the White House’s request to do so last week, noting hundreds of thousands of copies had already been shipped.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-21--Police: Cellphone Pings Helped Locate Missing Idaho Children's Remains

The remains of Tylee Ryan , 17 , and her brother , Joshua “ JJ ” Vallow , 7 , were exhumed on June 9 after search warrants suggested that their uncle , Alex Cox , had mysteriously visited the rural property at least four times in September , which is when the children were last seen alive .
An FBI special agent who was tasked with analyzing the frequency of Cox ’ s visits to Chad Daybell ’ s property that month highlighted one of his visits on Sept. 9 ― the day after Tylee was last seen alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” a probable cause affidavit made public Friday showed .
On that day , from 2:42 a.m. to 3:37 a.m , Cox appeared to visit the Rexburg , Idaho , apartment that the siblings shared with their mother , Lori Vallow .
He then returned to his nearby apartment before traveling to Daybell ’ s property , where he remained for about an hour .
“ This is significant , not only because he is there in the middle of the night , but also because this is the only time in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s between midnight and 6 a.m. , ” the affidavit said .
An eventual search of the locations that Cox visited , based on his cell phone data , would turn up the children ’ s bodies in two separate locations .
JJ was described as having been bound with duct tape before being wrapped in a plastic bag .
His sister ’ s remains had been dismembered and burned , authorities said .
“ He was observed watching officers while sitting in his vehicle in his front driveway and while sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his daughter ’ s residence , ” the affidavit said .
Daybell took off in his car just as human remains were found on the property .
He was arrested during a traffic stop immediately afterward .
At the time of the children ’ s disappearance in September , Daybell lived at the rural property with his then wife , Tammy Daybell .
She would be found dead in her bed on the morning of Oct. 19 .
The results of Tammy Daybell ’ s autopsy have not been publicly released .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property on Sept. 9 , text messages recovered through a search warrant showed that Daybell texted Tammy to inform her that he burned some debris in their backyard fire pit that morning and also buried a raccoon in their pet cemetery after shooting it along a fence .
The last verifiable sighting of JJ was nearly two weeks later , around the same time that Cox paid two more visits to Daybell ’ s property , authorities said .
Cox died of natural causes in December , according to an autopsy .
Vallow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she saw JJ on the night of Sept. 22 while visiting her at her apartment .
Gibb said she never saw Tylee and was told by Vallow that Tylee was away taking classes at Brigham Young University , Idaho .
Authorities said records show that Tylee never enrolled in the Rexburg-based school or any of its affiliates .
Being a zombie meant that one ’ s spirit had left one ’ s body and was trapped in limbo while one ’ s body was taken over by a dark spirit , Gibb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to be killed in order for the person ’ s spirit to escape , according to the affidavit .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Authorities found the buried remains of two missing children by tracking their now-deceased uncle’s cellphone data to an Idaho property belonging to the children’s stepfather, according to newly released court documents.
The stepfather, Chad Daybell, is now behind bars on charges related to the children’s disappearance. The children’s mother, Lori Vallow, is also jailed on related charges.
Advertisement
The remains of Tylee Ryan, 17, and her brother, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, were exhumed on June 9 after search warrants suggested that their uncle, Alex Cox, had mysteriously visited the rural property at least four times in September, which is when the children were last seen alive.
An FBI special agent who was tasked with analyzing the frequency of Cox’s visits to Chad Daybell’s property that month highlighted one of his visits on Sept. 9 ― the day after Tylee was last seen alive ― as being particularly “significant,” a probable cause affidavit made public Friday showed.
Tylee Ryan, 17, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, hadn’t been seen since September. It wasn’t until November that they were reported missing by their extended family. REXBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT
On that day, from 2:42 a.m. to 3:37 a.m, Cox appeared to visit the Rexburg, Idaho, apartment that the siblings shared with their mother, Lori Vallow. He then returned to his nearby apartment before traveling to Daybell’s property, where he remained for about an hour.
Advertisement
“This is significant, not only because he is there in the middle of the night, but also because this is the only time in September he appears to go over to Lori’s between midnight and 6 a.m.,” the affidavit said.
An eventual search of the locations that Cox visited, based on his cell phone data, would turn up the children’s bodies in two separate locations. JJ was described as having been bound with duct tape before being wrapped in a plastic bag. His sister’s remains had been dismembered and burned, authorities said.
Daybell married Vallow and traveled to Hawaii with her immediately after the two children were reported missing in November.
Authorities said Daybell later watched them search his property on the day the bodies were discovered.
The missing children's uncle visited Chad Daybell's property four times in September, authorities said. Fremont County Sheriff's Office
Advertisement
“He was observed watching officers while sitting in his vehicle in his front driveway and while sitting in his vehicle across the street at his daughter’s residence,” the affidavit said. Daybell took off in his car just as human remains were found on the property. He was arrested during a traffic stop immediately afterward.
At the time of the children’s disappearance in September, Daybell lived at the rural property with his then wife, Tammy Daybell. She would be found dead in her bed on the morning of Oct. 19. The results of Tammy Daybell’s autopsy have not been publicly released.
Just minutes after Cox left Daybell’s property on Sept. 9, text messages recovered through a search warrant showed that Daybell texted Tammy to inform her that he burned some debris in their backyard fire pit that morning and also buried a raccoon in their pet cemetery after shooting it along a fence.
“Well, I’ve had an interesting morning!” Daybell’s text to her began, according to the affidavit.
Lori Vallow, also known as Lori Daybell, allegedly believed that her two children had turned into "zombies," a friend of hers told authorities. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The last verifiable sighting of JJ was nearly two weeks later, around the same time that Cox paid two more visits to Daybell’s property, authorities said. Cox died of natural causes in December, according to an autopsy.
Advertisement
Vallow’s friend Melani Gibb told police that she saw JJ on the night of Sept. 22 while visiting her at her apartment. Gibb said she never saw Tylee and was told by Vallow that Tylee was away taking classes at Brigham Young University, Idaho. Authorities said records show that Tylee never enrolled in the Rexburg-based school or any of its affiliates.
On Sept. 23, Cox’s phone placed him back at Daybell’s home. He then returned again on Sept. 25, records showed.
It wasn’t until early November that the children’s extended family reported them missing to police. Authorities said Vallow and Daybell, now widowed, fled to Hawaii and got married immediately after being questioned by police.
Authorities have not discussed a possible motive for the children’s deaths. In an interview with police, Gibb said that Vallow repeatedly shared a belief that her children had become “zombies.”
Being a zombie meant that one’s spirit had left one’s body and was trapped in limbo while one’s body was taken over by a dark spirit, Gibb said. She added that a person would have to be killed in order for the person’s spirit to escape, according to the affidavit.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-21--Non-White Jail Officers Claim They Weren't Allowed To Monitor Derek Chauvin

Eight non-white corrections officers at a county jail that initially housed Derek Chauvin , the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd , an unarmed Black man , say they were barred from guarding Chauvin because of their race , according to the Star Tribune .
The corrections officers , all of whom work at Ramsey County Jail in St. Paul , have alleged that they were ordered to a separate floor while their white colleagues monitored Chauvin , because jail authorities considered them a “ liability ” around the former officer .
In a discrimination claim filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human rights on Friday , the officers also alleged that surveillance footage shows a white lieutenant at the jail sitting on Chauvin ’ s bunk and letting him use her cellphone .
On May 25 , Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes , as Floyd gasped that he couldn ’ t breathe .
Floyd was declared dead at a hospital shortly thereafter .
Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyd ’ s death currently face a slew of charges , with Chauvin facing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Chauvin was first arrested and booked into Ramsey County Jail on May 29 , a Black acting sergeant usually tasked with overseeing the transport of high-profile inmates was allegedly ordered to stop conducting a pat-down on Chauvin and replaced with a white colleague .
All non-white officers were also reportedly moved to another floor , away from Chauvin , when he arrived as an inmate .
In the discrimination filing to the state ’ s human rights office on Friday , one corrections officer who was moved to a different floor said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us had been made because we could not be trusted to carry out our work responsibilities professionally around the high-profile inmate — solely because of the color of our skin.
” When the nonwhite corrections officers raised concerns about their reassignment to higher-ups , jail superintendent Steve Lydon reportedly told his superiors he ’ d reassigned the officers out of “ care and concern ” for them .
Lydon has since been demoted .
A lawyer for the officers who filed the complaint said they “ struggle walking into a building ” still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was first held at Ramsey County Jail but has been transferred to two other facilities : first , to a jail in Hennepin County , and most recently to the Oak Park Heights maximum security prison near the Minnesota state capitol .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Eight non-white corrections officers at a county jail that initially housed Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, say they were barred from guarding Chauvin because of their race, according to the Star Tribune.
The corrections officers, all of whom work at Ramsey County Jail in St. Paul, have alleged that they were ordered to a separate floor while their white colleagues monitored Chauvin, because jail authorities considered them a “liability” around the former officer. In a discrimination claim filed to the state’s Department of Human rights on Friday, the officers also alleged that surveillance footage shows a white lieutenant at the jail sitting on Chauvin’s bunk and letting him use her cellphone.
Advertisement
On May 25, Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, as Floyd gasped that he couldn’t breathe. Floyd was declared dead at a hospital shortly thereafter. Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s death currently face a slew of charges, with Chauvin facing the most stringent charge of second-degree murder.
When Chauvin was first arrested and booked into Ramsey County Jail on May 29, a Black acting sergeant usually tasked with overseeing the transport of high-profile inmates was allegedly ordered to stop conducting a pat-down on Chauvin and replaced with a white colleague. All non-white officers were also reportedly moved to another floor, away from Chauvin, when he arrived as an inmate.
In the discrimination filing to the state’s human rights office on Friday, one corrections officer who was moved to a different floor said he believed “the decision to segregate us had been made because we could not be trusted to carry out our work responsibilities professionally around the high-profile inmate — solely because of the color of our skin.”
When the nonwhite corrections officers raised concerns about their reassignment to higher-ups, jail superintendent Steve Lydon reportedly told his superiors he’d reassigned the officers out of “care and concern” for them.
Advertisement
Lydon has since been demoted. A lawyer for the officers who filed the complaint said they “struggle walking into a building” still under Lydon’s guidance.
The discrimination charges will automatically initiate a state investigation into the matter, the Star Tribune reports.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-21--Tennessee Newspaper Blasted For Printing Ad Claiming 'Islam' Is Going To Nuke Nashville

The Tennessean ― the state ’ s most widely circulated daily newspaper ― is facing intense scrutiny after publishing an anti-Muslim ad in its Sunday print edition that claimed “ Islam ” planned to detonate a nuclear bomb in Nashville .
The full-page ad , paid for by what appears to be a Christian doomsday cult , featured a banner at the top that included images of President Donald Trump , Pope Francis and American flags engulfed in flames .
The Tennessean said it ’ s launching an investigation into how the ad , which the paper said clearly violates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Michael A. Anastasi , vice president and editor of The Tennessean , told the newspaper that what happened was a “ breakdown in the normal processes , ” adding that the news and sales departments operate independently .
“ The ad is horrific and is utterly indefensible in all circumstances .
It is wrong , period , and should have never been published , ” Anastasi said .
“ It has hurt members of our community and our own employees and that saddens me beyond belief .
It is inconsistent with everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stood for.
” Ads that do not meet the paper ’ s standards are routinely rejected for publication , The Tennessean reported .
The newspaper ’ s sales team on Sunday ordered the ad to be pulled from future editions .
Ryan Kedzierski , one of the newspaper ’ s sales executives , apologized in a statement Sunday , adding that his team is reviewing why and how it was published .
He said immediate action would be taken to correct the issue .
“ No words or actions can describe how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the advertisements that were published , ” Kedzierski said in his statement .
“ We will be utilizing the advertising dollars that went toward the full-page ad placements and donating those funds to the American Muslim Advisory Council.
” “ We ’ re appalled that [ The Tennessean ] allowed a full-page ad stoking fear and hate against Muslim communities to run in today ’ s paper , ” the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition tweeted .
“ This rhetoric is dangerous and an affront to the paper ’ s stated commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really bad for the [ The Tennessean ] reporters working their asses off through a pandemic and furloughs only to see their work printed next to this garbage , ” a reporter for News 4 Nashville said .
“ They deserve better.
” Some of the newspaper ’ s customers said they were canceling their subscriptions in response to the ad .

The Tennessean ― the state’s most widely circulated daily newspaper ― is facing intense scrutiny after publishing an anti-Muslim ad in its Sunday print edition that claimed “Islam” planned to detonate a nuclear bomb in Nashville.
The full-page ad, paid for by what appears to be a Christian doomsday cult, featured a banner at the top that included images of President Donald Trump, Pope Francis and American flags engulfed in flames.
The ministry of Future for America falsely asserted in its ad that the religion of Islam is going to blow up Nashville on July 18. The group claimed to know this based on “Bible prophecy” and called Trump the “final president of the USA.”
This morning, the Nashville @Tennessean — the largest newspaper in the state — published a full-page ad from a far-right client warning “Islam is going to detonate a nuclear device in Nashville, Tennessee.” It’s accompanied by photos of Donald Trump and Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/9vvUbteSIh — Alex Martin Smith (@asmiff) June 21, 2020
The Tennessean said it’s launching an investigation into how the ad, which the paper said clearly violates its standards, came to be published.
Michael A. Anastasi, vice president and editor of The Tennessean, told the newspaper that what happened was a “breakdown in the normal processes,” adding that the news and sales departments operate independently.
“The ad is horrific and is utterly indefensible in all circumstances. It is wrong, period, and should have never been published,” Anastasi said. “It has hurt members of our community and our own employees and that saddens me beyond belief. It is inconsistent with everything The Tennessean as an institution stands and has stood for.”
Advertisement
Ads that do not meet the paper’s standards are routinely rejected for publication, The Tennessean reported. The newspaper’s sales team on Sunday ordered the ad to be pulled from future editions.
Ryan Kedzierski, one of the newspaper’s sales executives, apologized in a statement Sunday, adding that his team is reviewing why and how it was published. He said immediate action would be taken to correct the issue.
“No words or actions can describe how sorry we are to the community for the advertisements that were published,” Kedzierski said in his statement. “We will be utilizing the advertising dollars that went toward the full-page ad placements and donating those funds to the American Muslim Advisory Council.”
Twitters users slammed The Tennessean for printing the Islamophobic ad.
“We’re appalled that [The Tennessean] allowed a full-page ad stoking fear and hate against Muslim communities to run in today’s paper,” the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition tweeted. “This rhetoric is dangerous and an affront to the paper’s stated commitment to civil discourse.”
“I feel really bad for the [Tennessean] reporters working their asses off through a pandemic and furloughs only to see their work printed next to this garbage,” a reporter for News 4 Nashville said. “They deserve better.”
Advertisement
Some of the newspaper’s customers said they were canceling their subscriptions in response to the ad.
“Been a subscriber since 2010,” one Twitter user wrote. “I’m not going to support a news organization that will run an advertisement like this one.”
Hi, @Tennessean. Been a subscriber since 2010. I'm not going to support a news organization that will run an advertisement like this one. pic.twitter.com/ivOrR077yF — Tyler Hall (@tylerhall) June 21, 2020
UPDATE: June 23 ― The Tennessean and its parent company, Gannett, fired the paper’s advertising manager on Monday after an internal investigation into how the anti-Muslim ad came to be published.
Three Tennessean advertising staff members “had the opportunity to review the ad in its entirety” before it was published, Kathy Jack-Romero, the president of local sales for Gannett, told The Tennessean.
Advertisement
A sales executive flagged the ad for review, but the advertising manager, who has not been publicly identified, “agreed to proceed with the ad without fully reviewing the content,” according to Jack-Romero.
Gannett said the sales division will receive additional training after the incident. In addition to donating the $14,000 value of the ad sale to the American Muslim Advisory Council, the company will also give a $50,000 advertising credit to the Nashville-based advocacy group.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-21--Washington NFL Team Retires Jersey Of Its First Black Player, Leaves Racist Name In Place

He continued : “ Bobby was one of the most influential players not only in our team ’ s history , but in the National Football League .
He excelled on the field , in the front office and most importantly in his community where he had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many through his charitable efforts .
He was one of the greatest men I have ever known.
” Mitchell played for the Washington football team for seven seasons .
He was selected for the Pro Bowl four times during his career and was inducted into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1983 .
He retired from the field in 1968 , but remained with the team , working his way up from a pro scout to the team ’ s assistant general manager .
He retired from the organization in 2002 .
“ Bobby was our Jackie Robinson , ” former player Brig Owens said in a statement .
“ He was more than an exceptional football player and athlete , he was an exceptional human being .
He was like a brother to me.
” The Washington football team has retired the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he is pictured doing a spin move in a game against the Cleveland Browns in September 1963 .
He retired from playing in 1968 but stayed with the Washington team until his retirement in 2002 .
The lower level of FedExField , where the team has played since 1997 , will be renamed to honor Mitchell .
It was previously named for founder George Preston Marshall , who opposed desegregation and was the last team owner to integrate his team ’ s roster .
The announcement comes amid a nationwide reckoning on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd in Minneapolis last month .
On Friday , in the morning hours of Juneteenth , a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. , a statue of Marshall was removed from RFK Stadium in Washington , D.C. , where the football team played from 1961 to 1996 .
Marshall ’ s name remains part of the team ’ s Ring of Fame inside FedEx stadium ’ s inside facade .
The organization is revisiting whether to remove the founder ’ s name from that display , The Washington Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , made Juneteenth this year a paid company holiday .
But many activists say the organization has a long way to go in adequately addressing racism .
The team ’ s official name , the Redskins , is a racist slur against Native Americans , and has long been a source of controversy .
Indigenous advocacy groups and a coalition of civil rights organizations , including the NAACP , have called on the team to change its name and logo .
But the team hasn ’ t budged .
Twitter users praised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also called it out for failing to take more action .
“ A great and overdue gesture that the # Redskins are finally retiring Bobby Mitchell ’ s No .
49 , ” one Twitter user wrote , “ but they should really retire that entirely racist name too at the same time .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Washington’s NFL team on Saturday announced that it is retiring jersey number 49, which was worn by Bobby Mitchell, the team’s first Black player. The football team also said a part of its stadium originally named for the team’s racist founder would be renamed in honor of Mitchell. “There is no one more deserving of these honors than the late Bobby Mitchell,” Washington football team owner Dan Snyder said in a statement.
He continued: “Bobby was one of the most influential players not only in our team’s history, but in the National Football League. He excelled on the field, in the front office and most importantly in his community where he had a tremendous impact on the lives of so many through his charitable efforts. He was one of the greatest men I have ever known.”
Advertisement
Mitchell played for the Washington football team for seven seasons. He was selected for the Pro Bowl four times during his career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
He retired from the field in 1968, but remained with the team, working his way up from a pro scout to the team’s assistant general manager. He retired from the organization in 2002.
Mitchell died in April at the age of 84.
“Bobby was our Jackie Robinson,” former player Brig Owens said in a statement. “He was more than an exceptional football player and athlete, he was an exceptional human being. He was like a brother to me.”
The Washington football team has retired the late Bobby Mitchell's jersey number. Here, he is pictured doing a spin move in a game against the Cleveland Browns in September 1963. He retired from playing in 1968 but stayed with the Washington team until his retirement in 2002. Nate Fine via Getty Images
Advertisement
The lower level of FedExField, where the team has played since 1997, will be renamed to honor Mitchell. It was previously named for founder George Preston Marshall, who opposed desegregation and was the last team owner to integrate his team’s roster.
The announcement comes amid a nationwide reckoning on racism sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. On Friday, in the morning hours of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., a statue of Marshall was removed from RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., where the football team played from 1961 to 1996.
Marshall’s name remains part of the team’s Ring of Fame inside FedEx stadium’s inside facade. The organization is revisiting whether to remove the founder’s name from that display, The Washington Post reported.
The team did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Several NFL teams, including Washington, made Juneteenth this year a paid company holiday. But many activists say the organization has a long way to go in adequately addressing racism.
The team’s official name, the Redskins, is a racist slur against Native Americans, and has long been a source of controversy. Indigenous advocacy groups and a coalition of civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, have called on the team to change its name and logo. But the team hasn’t budged.
Advertisement
Twitter users praised the team for honoring Mitchell, but also called it out for failing to take more action.
“A great and overdue gesture that the #Redskins are finally retiring Bobby Mitchell’s No. 49,” one Twitter user wrote, “but they should really retire that entirely racist name too at the same time.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-21--Minneapolis Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, 11 Injured

Police first said 10 people had been shot with “ various severity levels of injuries , ” but revised their total upward in a tweet posted just after 3 a.m .
The man died at the hospital , not at the scene , they said .
None of the other injuries were considered life-threatening .
Police said they believe there was more than one shooter , described only as “ individuals on foot.
” No one was in custody , and police have not said what may have prompted the shooting .
All of the injured were adults .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate aftermath , screams could be heard as small crowds of people gathered , with some crouched over people lying on the pavement before police officers on bicycles showed up to attend to them .
Fred Hwang , a manager at Hoban Korean BBQ , said he was working the front door when he heard shots from the sidewalk a couple of storefronts down .
Hwang described hearing “ a lot of shots ” and said it appeared to be groups of people shooting at each other .
“ People were trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ It was a very scary experience .
... We have bullet holes inside our restaurant like on the walls and stuff .
All of our front glass was broken and shattered .
Then , just like people being in here panicking and running around , breaking this or that , it was very chaotic.
” Across the street from where the shooting began , in a storefront shared by the Uptown Theater and a shoe store , a police officer later Sunday surveyed a shattered window and door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the storefront .
The Uptown area is about 3 miles west of the Minneapolis commercial area and neighborhood hit by rioting in the wake of George Floyd ’ s May 25 death after being arrested by Minneapolis police .
Some of the violence from that period reached as far as Uptown , and many storefronts are still protected by plywood .
Floyd ’ s death has sparked a move to overhaul the Minneapolis Police Department , with a majority of City Council members pledging support for dismantling a department that many community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s prompted pushback from opponents who question how residents will be protected from violent crime .
Even the most aggressive proponents for change have acknowledged it ’ s many months away and they ’ re not sure what it will look like .
“ Something needs to be done to protect us , ” Hwang said .
“ Normally the bars on Saturday night , we all have off-duty police officers as extra security parked in front of our businesses .
But no one has that right now because police are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to at least two other shootings in south Minneapolis in the hour before the Uptown violence erupted .
The Star Tribune reported that one was a man who may have shot himself near the site where Floyd died .
Another was a nonfatal double shooting .
Police spokesman John Elder told the newspaper that angry crowds at both scenes impeded officers .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A shooting in a popular Minneapolis nightlife area early Sunday left one man dead and 11 people wounded in a chaotic scene that sent people ducking into restaurants and other businesses for cover.
The shooting broke out shortly after midnight in the city’s trendy Uptown neighborhood, a nightlife hub with bars, restaurants and retail including Apple and Fjallraven stores.
Advertisement
Police first said 10 people had been shot with “various severity levels of injuries,” but revised their total upward in a tweet posted just after 3 a.m. The man died at the hospital, not at the scene, they said. None of the other injuries were considered life-threatening.
Police said they believe there was more than one shooter, described only as “individuals on foot.” No one was in custody, and police have not said what may have prompted the shooting. All of the injured were adults.
The spokesman said that the shooting started in the middle of the 2900 block of Hennepin and continued through the end of the block; windows at a shoe store and the Uptown Theatre were apparently shot out. pic.twitter.com/A5AIw2zgLi — Libor Jany (@StribJany) June 21, 2020
In video posted to Facebook that showed the immediate aftermath, screams could be heard as small crowds of people gathered, with some crouched over people lying on the pavement before police officers on bicycles showed up to attend to them.
Advertisement
Fred Hwang, a manager at Hoban Korean BBQ, said he was working the front door when he heard shots from the sidewalk a couple of storefronts down. Hwang described hearing “a lot of shots” and said it appeared to be groups of people shooting at each other.
“People were trying to rush inside the restaurant for safety,” he said. “It was a very scary experience. ... We have bullet holes inside our restaurant like on the walls and stuff. All of our front glass was broken and shattered. Then, just like people being in here panicking and running around, breaking this or that, it was very chaotic.”
Across the street from where the shooting began, in a storefront shared by the Uptown Theater and a shoe store, a police officer later Sunday surveyed a shattered window and door and a bullet hole could be seen in the storefront.
A police vehicle is parked outside the Uptown Theatre Sunday, June 21, 2020, following a shooting in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Uptown area is about 3 miles west of the Minneapolis commercial area and neighborhood hit by rioting in the wake of George Floyd’s May 25 death after being arrested by Minneapolis police. Some of the violence from that period reached as far as Uptown, and many storefronts are still protected by plywood.
Advertisement
Floyd’s death has sparked a move to overhaul the Minneapolis Police Department, with a majority of City Council members pledging support for dismantling a department that many community activists have called brutal and racist. That’s prompted pushback from opponents who question how residents will be protected from violent crime. Even the most aggressive proponents for change have acknowledged it’s many months away and they’re not sure what it will look like.
Hwang was critical of the police response time, estimating it took officers more than 30 minutes to arrive.
“Something needs to be done to protect us,” Hwang said. “Normally the bars on Saturday night, we all have off-duty police officers as extra security parked in front of our businesses. But no one has that right now because police are a liability for us.”
A police spokesman didn’t immediately respond to questions about the department’s response.
Police responded to at least two other shootings in south Minneapolis in the hour before the Uptown violence erupted. The Star Tribune reported that one was a man who may have shot himself near the site where Floyd died. Another was a nonfatal double shooting. Police spokesman John Elder told the newspaper that angry crowds at both scenes impeded officers.
―


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-23--How To Assess Your Coronavirus Risk Before Doing An Activity

Think about other people ’ s risk in addition to your own “ It ’ s important to think about not only your personal risk , but the risk of your community , and the prevalence of the disease , ” Redlener said .
“ I ’ ve heard people argue that others must judge for themselves the degree of risk they are willing to take , but that ’ s not appropriate in this situation.
” Opt for outside first if you can This means if you have to go out ( or just really , really want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air ― even if restaurants in your area are starting to take indoor diners .
And if you do end up indoors , make sure to wear a mask , Lobelo said .
Know that your risk increases the more places you go or people you ’ re around “ There is a cumulative risk the more time you spend in an indoor environment , and the risk increases if a majority of people ( or yourself ) aren ’ t wearing masks , ” Lobelo said .
“ Even if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the more people you or your kids interact with is an opportunity for the virus to jump between hosts.
” When in doubt , put social distancing and mask-wearing above all else In an attempt to offset risk , many people are abiding by a two-week grace period after each phase of reopening to see how their community handles it or is affected .
And while this may help calm any personal anxiety , doing this will unfortunately have little effect if you ’ re more susceptible to the virus .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
States have started lifting stay-at-home orders imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic ― but with these reopenings have come mixed results. Areas like Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Florida have all seen significant increases in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, while places like New York and Massachusetts have seen a decline.
And while it may be tempting to venture out, particularly after months of isolating yourself from friends and family, is it really safe? Here, experts share how you can assess your personal risk of contracting the coronavirus in certain situations so you can navigate your state’s reopening plans safely.
Advertisement
Check coronavirus stats in your state
“There’s a wide misinterpretation of what it means it to be reopening businesses, even in phases,” said Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and professor of public health at Columbia University in New York. “People equate the word ‘reopening’ to getting back to normal, and that’s a very big and dangerous mistake.”
It’s important to listen to the caveats of each reopening phase so that you know what is expected of you as a customer, worker or business owner to help your community prevent the virus from spreading rapidly, Redlener said.
“Reopening has a very localized meaning,” said Felipe Lobelo, an epidemiologist and senior physician consultant in population health research for Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. “People need to be aware of how much virus transmission is in their ZIP codes or counties. The more local information you’re able to get, the better.”
This means that while it’s important to know what’s going on in your state, dig a little deeper and look into that stats in your town, along with the recommendations of area health officials.
Advertisement
LeoPatrizi via Getty Images
Think about other people’s risk in addition to your own
Determining your individual risk is fairly easy, Redlener said. But in a pandemic, community risk is a larger concern.
“It’s important to think about not only your personal risk, but the risk of your community, and the prevalence of the disease,” Redlener said. “I’ve heard people argue that others must judge for themselves the degree of risk they are willing to take, but that’s not appropriate in this situation.”
Older adults (typically 55 to 65 years and up), especially those with preexisting health conditions, and individuals who are immunocompromised are often the most at risk for contracting and having complications from the coronavirus.
“You have to adopt these reopenings not only to your own personal health status, but the health status of your family, in addition to what the virus transmission is like in your community,” Lobelo said.
Advertisement
When you’re deciding to do an activity, take your family and community members into consideration if you know you’ll be near them after you go out.
“If you’re a single person living alone in an apartment, how you act will be very different to someone living in a multigenerational family home or in close quarters with older relatives who may have chronic illnesses,” Redlener said.
Opt for outside first if you can
“I personally try to avoid closed environments as much as possible,” Lobelo said. “We know that whether it’s an office or a restaurant, these types of indoor settings are much better for transmission of the virus.”
This means if you have to go out (or just really, really want to) try to do it in open air ― even if restaurants in your area are starting to take indoor diners. And if you do end up indoors, make sure to wear a mask, Lobelo said.
Other steps you should be taking are to make sure you continue to social-distance outside and inside, and don’t go out at all if you feel ill.
Advertisement
“These are the best stopgap measures we have until a vaccine is approved and ready,” Redlener said.
Dmitry Travnikov / 500px via Getty Images
Know that your risk increases the more places you go or people you’re around
Don’t go wild the second you’re able to start going to reopened stores, salons, restaurants, camps or day cares.
“There is a cumulative risk the more time you spend in an indoor environment, and the risk increases if a majority of people (or yourself) aren’t wearing masks,” Lobelo said. “Even if you’re trying to keep your distance, the more people you or your kids interact with is an opportunity for the virus to jump between hosts.”
Be strategic about where you choose to go, and limit the number of places and visits. Also consider the collective risk of your family when you put yourself and others in these types of settings.
When in doubt, put social distancing and mask-wearing above all else
In an attempt to offset risk, many people are abiding by a two-week grace period after each phase of reopening to see how their community handles it or is affected. And while this may help calm any personal anxiety, doing this will unfortunately have little effect if you’re more susceptible to the virus.
Advertisement
“No matter what date you decide to start going out, we won’t know how virus transmission was for about 10 days after,” Lobelo said. “Instead, the best thing you can do is to limit your time in indoor places and wear a mask.”
However, both Lobelo and Redlener say that if you find your mental health is suffering due to isolation and you’re a low-risk individual, you should go out as long as you do so safely.
“If there’s someone you want to meet up with and you’re able to have a picnic at the park and stay 6 to 8 feet away, that’s OK,” Redlener said. “Inviting all of your friends over to your apartment and not wearing a mask is not. It’s all about how you apply the principles set by health experts.”
And, once again, remember that this isn’t just about you. These measures are for your friends, your family, your city and the country.
“Every time you take a risk [like not wearing a mask] you’re taking a risk on someone else’s behalf. It’s not just about personal health, it’s about public health,” Redlener said.
Advertisement
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but it’s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-23--Dr. Fauci Testifies Next Couple Of Weeks Critical In Managing Coronavirus Surge

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - Four top U.S. public health officials and members of Donald Trump ’ s coronavirus task force said on Tuesday that he has not asked them to slow down testing for the virus after the president suggested at a rally that it was a “ double-edged sword.
” Testifying before the House Energy & Commerce Committee , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci , FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield , and the Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Brett Giroir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked them to slow down the testing .
Trump has repeatedly said that better U.S. testing has led to a higher number of identified coronavirus cases across the country , and at a political rally on Saturday he said he had asked for a slowdown in testing .
The White House made clear on Monday that no such request was made .
Fauci also said on Tuesday the U.S. was currently seeing a disturbing surge of infections in a number of states like Texas , Florida and Arizona .
He said one reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an increase in community spread .
“ Right now the next couple of weeks are going to be critical in our ability to address those surges we are seeing in Florida , Texas , Arizona , and other states , ” he said .
U.S. health officials last week warned that states seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases may need to reimpose strict restrictions similar to what was implemented in March .
Giroir said the country would be able to produce 180 million N95 respirators per month by fall .
N95 masks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus and are in short supply in many places , leading the Trump administration to invoke the Defense Production Act to boost supply .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Four top U.S. public health officials and members of Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force said on Tuesday that he has not asked them to slow down testing for the virus after the president suggested at a rally that it was a “double-edged sword.”
Testifying before the House Energy & Commerce Committee, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, and the Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Brett Giroir all said that the president had not asked them to slow down the testing.
Advertisement
Trump has repeatedly said that better U.S. testing has led to a higher number of identified coronavirus cases across the country, and at a political rally on Saturday he said he had asked for a slowdown in testing. The White House made clear on Monday that no such request was made.
Fauci also said on Tuesday the U.S. was currently seeing a disturbing surge of infections in a number of states like Texas, Florida and Arizona. He said one reason infections were rising in those states was an increase in community spread.
“Right now the next couple of weeks are going to be critical in our ability to address those surges we are seeing in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other states,” he said.
U.S. health officials last week warned that states seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases may need to reimpose strict restrictions similar to what was implemented in March.
Advertisement
Giroir said the country would be able to produce 180 million N95 respirators per month by fall.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-23--Trump Says He Wasn't Joking About Slowing COVID-19 Testing: 'I Don't Kid'

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his comment over the weekend about asking staff to “ slow the testing down ” for COVID-19 wasn ’ t a joke .
“ I don ’ t kid .
Let me just tell you .
Let me make it clear , ” the president told reporters before insisting the U.S. had the greatest testing program of anywhere .
In a separate interview with religious-oriented news website CBN.com published Tuesday , Trump said the comment about cutting back on testing was “ semi tongue-in-cheek.
” “ I say it all the time , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people thought it was tongue-in-cheek.
” He also repeated his claim that testing is “ a double-edged sword.
” When CBN News pressed him on whether he had ordered a testing shutdown , the president said , “ No .
But I think we put ourselves at a disadvantage.
” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday .
At a campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on Saturday night , Trump told the crowd that he had told his “ people ” to “ slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because more tests would mean more cases of the coronavirus .
About 120,000 people in the U.S. have died due to COVID-19 , and Trump ’ s remarks came under fire from politicians and public health experts .
Trump allies , including White House trade adviser Peter Navarro , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh , subsequently attempted to do damage control , saying the president ’ s comment about testing was “ tongue-in-cheek , ” “ made in jest ” and “ ironic humor.
” On Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about whether he had ordered a testing shutdown .
But he suggested , once again , that less testing for COVID-19 would mean fewer cases .
“ If it did slow down , frankly I think we ’ re way ahead of ourselves , if you want to know the truth .
We ’ ve done too good a job , ” Trump said .
“ Because every time we go up , with 25 million tests , you ’ re gon na find more people — so then they say , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States.
’ ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country ’ s leading infectious disease expert and a member of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , reportedly told a House committee on Tuesday that he was unaware of any orders to slow down testing and said the would be more testing in the future .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his comment over the weekend about asking staff to “slow the testing down” for COVID-19 wasn’t a joke.
“I don’t kid. Let me just tell you. Let me make it clear,” the president told reporters before insisting the U.S. had the greatest testing program of anywhere.
Advertisement
In a separate interview with religious-oriented news website CBN.com published Tuesday, Trump said the comment about cutting back on testing was “semi tongue-in-cheek.”
“I say it all the time,” he said. “I know some people thought it was tongue-in-cheek.”
He also repeated his claim that testing is “a double-edged sword.” When CBN News pressed him on whether he had ordered a testing shutdown, the president said, “No. But I think we put ourselves at a disadvantage.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
At a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday night, Trump told the crowd that he had told his “people” to “slow the testing down, please,” because more tests would mean more cases of the coronavirus.
About 120,000 people in the U.S. have died due to COVID-19, and Trump’s remarks came under fire from politicians and public health experts.
Advertisement
Trump allies, including White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh, subsequently attempted to do damage control, saying the president’s comment about testing was “tongue-in-cheek,” “made in jest” and “ironic humor.”
On Monday, the president avoided answering a question about whether he had ordered a testing shutdown. But he suggested, once again, that less testing for COVID-19 would mean fewer cases.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-23--Fauci To Testify At A Fraught Time For U.S. Coronavirus Pandemic Response

The government ’ s top infectious disease expert will testify before a House committee , along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the Food and Drug Administration , and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services .
In prepared testimony submitted for all four witnesses , HHS told lawmakers that “ the rigorous clinical testing required to establish vaccine safety and efficacy means that it might take some time for a licensed ( coronavirus ) vaccine to be available to the general public.
” The statement added that , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proven public health practices of containment and mitigation.
” Translation : keeping outbreaks under control is the best tool in the public health arsenal for now .
Fauci remains optimistic that a vaccine will be found , noting that patients develop antibodies to the virus — a sign that the human immune system is able to battle back .
However , he shies away from promising results by the end of the year , as President Donald Trump has done .
Since Fauci ’ s last appearance at a high-profile hearing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns .
But it ’ s being done in an uneven way , with some states far less cautious than others .
A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona , Florida and Texas — are among those seeing worrisome increases in cases .
Then Trump said at his weekend rally in Tulsa that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing , because too many positive cases are turning up .
Many rally goers did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion .
White House officials later tried to walk back Trump ’ s comment on testing , suggesting it wasn ’ t meant to be taken literally .
Fauci has recently warned that the U.S. is still in the first wave of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing .
And , in a recent ABC News interview , he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “ risky ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Trump rallies , he said it did .
Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community .
Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing .
But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push a malaria drug touted by Trump to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence .
The FDA has since withdrawn its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine .
“ There have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic , ” said Rep. Frank Pallone , D-N.J. , who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee .
“ As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies , it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.
” There is still no vaccine for COVID-19 , and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown to help some patients , as well as a steroid called dexamethasone , and plasma from patients who have recovered .
Since Fauci last testified , hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal .
The U.S. continues to ramp up testing , with some 27.5 million Americans , or more than 8 % of the population , tested thus far .
But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing , the work of identifying people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks .
The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines , among other facets of the U.S. health care system .
Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration .
However , not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House .
Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn ’ t doing enough to prepare .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — With coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations, Dr. Anthony Fauci returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday at a fraught moment in the nation’s pandemic response.
The government’s top infectious disease expert will testify before a House committee, along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Advertisement
In prepared testimony submitted for all four witnesses, HHS told lawmakers that “the rigorous clinical testing required to establish vaccine safety and efficacy means that it might take some time for a licensed (coronavirus) vaccine to be available to the general public.”
The statement added that, “the COVID-19 response currently is focused on the proven public health practices of containment and mitigation.” Translation: keeping outbreaks under control is the best tool in the public health arsenal for now.
Fauci remains optimistic that a vaccine will be found, noting that patients develop antibodies to the virus — a sign that the human immune system is able to battle back. However, he shies away from promising results by the end of the year, as President Donald Trump has done.
Since Fauci’s last appearance at a high-profile hearing more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing worrisome increases in cases.
Advertisement
Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”
Then Trump said at his weekend rally in Tulsa that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.
On Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to visit Arizona, a coronavirus hotspot where the rate of positive COVID tests is about 20%, well above the threshold for widespread transmission. His plans include addressing a “Students for Trump” rally.
Fauci has recently warned that the U.S. is still in the first wave of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.
About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Advertisement
Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will be joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.
Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push a malaria drug touted by Trump to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since withdrawn its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine.
“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”
There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.
Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-23--FDA Warns Against Mexican-Made Hand Sanitizers Containing Methanol

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about a Mexican-made hand sanitizer gel that it said is dangerous because it contains large amounts of poisonous methanol , or wood alcohol .
The FDA said the methanol “ can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested , ” and recommended consumers dispose of nine brands of gel sanitizers made by Eskbiochem SA de CV .
The FDA said one of the brands contained 81 % methanol and no ethyl alcohol , which is the drinkable kind .
Late last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market due to the risks associated with methanol poisoning , ” but the firm hadn ’ t done so .
The company did not immediately respond to an email request for comment .
“ Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk , ” the FDA said young children who accidentally ingest it or adult who drink it as an ethyl alcohol substitute are also at risk .
Methanol is a poisonous cousin of the ethyl alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smelled or tasted in drinks .
It causes organ and brain damage and can be fatal , and its symptoms include chest pain , nausea , hyperventilation , blindness and even coma .
Methanol poisoning from adulterated liquor has cost more than a hundred lives in Mexico since the coronavirus pandemic began .
As part of coronavirus lockdowns , many towns banned legitimate liquor sales , and many people also lost their jobs and apparently became unable to buy more professionally made liquors .
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was known or available as of press time , but it ’ s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus .
Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about a Mexican-made hand sanitizer gel that it said is dangerous because it contains large amounts of poisonous methanol, or wood alcohol.
The FDA said the methanol “can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested,” and recommended consumers dispose of nine brands of gel sanitizers made by Eskbiochem SA de CV.
Advertisement
The FDA said one of the brands contained 81% methanol and no ethyl alcohol, which is the drinkable kind.
Late last week the FDA said it had contacted Eskbiochem “to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market due to the risks associated with methanol poisoning,” but the firm hadn’t done so. The company did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.
The brands include All-Clean Hand Sanitizer, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer, The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer and CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer.
“Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk,” the FDA said young children who accidentally ingest it or adult who drink it as an ethyl alcohol substitute are also at risk.
Advertisement
Methanol is a poisonous cousin of the ethyl alcohol in normal liquors and cannot be smelled or tasted in drinks. It causes organ and brain damage and can be fatal, and its symptoms include chest pain, nausea, hyperventilation, blindness and even coma.
Methanol poisoning from adulterated liquor has cost more than a hundred lives in Mexico since the coronavirus pandemic began. As part of coronavirus lockdowns, many towns banned legitimate liquor sales, and many people also lost their jobs and apparently became unable to buy more professionally made liquors.