thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Fierce Winds Fan Rockies Wildfires, New Evacuations Ordered

ASSOCIATED PRESS Smoke from the Cameron Peak Fire fills the sky Wednesday , Oct. 14 , 2020 in Masonville , Colo. Strong winds fanned two Rocky Mountain wildfires Wednesday , prompting new evacuation orders as one of them spread toward communities that lie outside Rocky Mountain National Park ( Bethany Baker/Fort Collins Coloradoan via AP ) Cool autumn weather had been helping firefighters in their efforts to quell the Mullen Fire in southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado , and the Cameron Peak Fire in northern Colorado .
But gusts of 70 mph ( 110 kilometers per hour ) have complicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurring much later in the year than usual .
Mountain snows usually are significant enough to end fire season well before mid-October .
The latest evacuations in the path of the Cameron Peak Fire affected mainly recreational properties — including hundreds of mountain cabins — in and around the communities of Glen Haven and Drake east of Rocky Mountain National Park .
The fire continued spreading into remote northern Rocky Mountain National Park and was bearing down on the Colorado State University Mountain Campus a few miles ( 5 kilometers ) north of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparing to do whatever is necessary in those areas , ” fire operations trainee Tim Daly said in a briefing about the efforts to protect the campus and communities .
The main route to the park from the east , U.S. Highway 34 , remained open but under a voluntary evacuation notice , meaning people who need extra time to leave their homes along the highway should consider doing so .
Mandatory evacuation zones for the first time extended to the foothills just west of Fort Collins , Colorado .
The city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plains wasn ’ t considered at risk but residents awoke Wednesday to thick smoke and poor air quality alerts .
Fort Collins schools kept children indoors at recess and told parents that switching entirely to online teaching was an option if the smoke continued .
Students already were being taught online part of the week due to the coronavirus pandemic .
At more than 210 square miles ( 540 square kilometers ) , the Cameron Peak Fire was less than 10 square miles ( 16 square kilometers ) from becoming the biggest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s biggest in history , the Pine Gulch Fire north of Grand Junction , on Sept. 15 .
The Cameron Peak Fire has damaged or destroyed 95 buildings , including 33 homes , while the Mullen Fire 25 miles ( 40 kilometers ) to the north in Medicine Bow National Forest has destroyed or damaged 65 structures .
Both fires affected primarily recreational subdivisions and isolated cabins , not cities or towns .
Firefighters planned to focus on holding their ground against the 275-square mile ( 700-square-kilometer ) Mullen Fire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gusty winds , fire operations section chief John Wallace said in a live-streamed public briefing Wednesday .
“ There ’ s a lot of blowing debris out there , a lot of ash blowing around .
So the conditions are really nasty for us , ” Wallace said .
Crews were preparing to study how to reseed trees and prevent future erosion from happening in the burned areas , some of which were beginning to reopen to homeowners .

Smoke from the Cameron Peak Fire fills the sky Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020 in Masonville, Colo. Strong winds fanned two Rocky Mountain wildfires Wednesday, prompting new evacuation orders as one of them spread toward communities that lie outside Rocky Mountain National Park (Bethany Baker/Fort Collins Coloradoan via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Strong winds fanned two Rocky Mountain wildfires Wednesday, prompting new evacuation orders as one spread toward communities outside Rocky Mountain National Park.
Cool autumn weather had been helping firefighters in their efforts to quell the Mullen Fire in southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado, and the Cameron Peak Fire in northern Colorado. But gusts of 70 mph (110 kilometers per hour) have complicated their efforts.
Advertisement
Forecasters expected dry air and strong wind to pose a challenge for firefighters into the weekend.
The fierce burning is occurring much later in the year than usual. Mountain snows usually are significant enough to end fire season well before mid-October.
The latest evacuations in the path of the Cameron Peak Fire affected mainly recreational properties — including hundreds of mountain cabins — in and around the communities of Glen Haven and Drake east of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The fire continued spreading into remote northern Rocky Mountain National Park and was bearing down on the Colorado State University Mountain Campus a few miles (5 kilometers) north of the park.
“We’re preparing to do whatever is necessary in those areas,” fire operations trainee Tim Daly said in a briefing about the efforts to protect the campus and communities.
Advertisement
The main route to the park from the east, U.S. Highway 34, remained open but under a voluntary evacuation notice, meaning people who need extra time to leave their homes along the highway should consider doing so.
Mandatory evacuation zones for the first time extended to the foothills just west of Fort Collins, Colorado. The city of 168,000 people on the edge of the plains wasn’t considered at risk but residents awoke Wednesday to thick smoke and poor air quality alerts.
Fort Collins schools kept children indoors at recess and told parents that switching entirely to online teaching was an option if the smoke continued. Students already were being taught online part of the week due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At more than 210 square miles (540 square kilometers), the Cameron Peak Fire was less than 10 square miles (16 square kilometers) from becoming the biggest in Colorado history. Firefighters fully contained the state’s biggest in history, the Pine Gulch Fire north of Grand Junction, on Sept. 15.
The Cameron Peak Fire has damaged or destroyed 95 buildings, including 33 homes, while the Mullen Fire 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the north in Medicine Bow National Forest has destroyed or damaged 65 structures. Both fires affected primarily recreational subdivisions and isolated cabins, not cities or towns.
Advertisement
Firefighters planned to focus on holding their ground against the 275-square mile (700-square-kilometer) Mullen Fire, which was 34% contained, despite the gusty winds, fire operations section chief John Wallace said in a live-streamed public briefing Wednesday.
“There’s a lot of blowing debris out there, a lot of ash blowing around. So the conditions are really nasty for us,” Wallace said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Unemployment Numbers Remain High, 7 Months Into The Pandemic

Thursday ’ s report from the Labor Department shows that the job market remans fragile , and it coincides with other recent data that have signaled a slowdown in hiring .
The economy is still roughly 10.7 million jobs short of recovering all the 22 million jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck in early spring .
The job search website Indeed said its job postings were unchanged last week , remaining about 17 % below last year ’ s levels .
Many employers still aren ’ t confident enough in their businesses or in their view of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postings had rebounded steadily over the summer , but the gains have slowed in the past two months .
The recession has disproportionately hurt in-person service industries , especially restaurants , hotels , travel companies and entertainment venues .
The damage to those industries has left millions of people unemployed , likely for an extended period until they are either finally recalled to their previous jobs or switch to new careers .
The government ’ s report Thursday said the number of people who are continuing to receive unemployment benefits dropped 1.2 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs .
But it also reflects the fact that potentially even more people have used up their regular state benefits — which usually expire after six months — and have transitioned to extended benefit programs that last an additional three months .
The extended aid programs were established by the financial aid package that Congress enacted in the spring .
https : //libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2020/10/how-have-households-used-their-stimulus-payments-and-how-would-they-spend-the-next.html Indeed , the number of people receiving extended benefits in late September , the latest data available , jumped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said 373,000 people applied for jobless aid under a separate program that made the self-employed , contractors and gig workers eligible for unemployment benefits for the first time .
Economists have warned that without further aid , families across the country will struggle in coming months to pay bills , make rent , afford food and avoid eviction .
But Congress has hit a stalemate in negotiations to provide further rescue aid to jobless individuals and struggling businesses , states and localities .
Negotiations , led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although prospects appear dim .
The end of federal aid for the unemployed will likely force many of the jobless to sharply cut their spending , thereby weakening the economy .
The full impact may have been delayed , though , by the fact that most of the federal aid was saved or was used to pare debt , according to research by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York .
According to the New York Fed , at the end of June nearly one-quarter of jobless aid payments had been saved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down debt .
Just 28 % of the money was spent .
And more than one-third of the $ 1,200 stimulus checks that went to most adults was saved , with an additional one-third of that money used to pay off debt .
Overall , Americans ’ saving rate remains sharply higher than pre-pandemic levels , suggesting that some people will be able to continue paying some bills out of their savings , at least for now .
The end of the federal payments has also underscored the dramatically uneven nature of unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , the maximum weekly payment is only $ 240 , while in neighboring California it ’ s $ 450 .
In Florida and Tennessee , the maximum is just $ 275 .
In New Jersey , the top weekly benefit is $ 713 .
And about a dozen states lowered or froze their maximum weekly payment after the 2008-2009 recession , according to a report from the Century Foundation .
In North Carolina and Wisconsin , for example , the maximum payments are no longer set as a proportion of average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically rise each year .
Instead , they are set according to formulas related to a recipient ’ s previous earnings .
Most states had to borrow billions of dollars to fund unemployment benefits during and after the Great Recession .
To cut costs , many responded by cutting the amount or length of weekly payments .
Only a few have since reversed their cuts .
Some of the lowest benefits are provided in states where Black Americans make up the largest proportion of jobless aid recipients .
In Mississippi , for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August were Black , according the Century Foundation .
The maximum benefit in that state is $ 235 a week .

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to 898,000, a historically high number and evidence that layoffs remain a hindrance to the economy’s recovery from the pandemic recession that erupted seven months ago.
Thursday’s report from the Labor Department shows that the job market remans fragile, and it coincides with other recent data that have signaled a slowdown in hiring. The economy is still roughly 10.7 million jobs short of recovering all the 22 million jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck in early spring.
The job search website Indeed said its job postings were unchanged last week, remaining about 17% below last year’s levels. Many employers still aren’t confident enough in their businesses or in their view of the economy to ramp up hiring. Job postings had rebounded steadily over the summer, but the gains have slowed in the past two months.
Advertisement
The recession has disproportionately hurt in-person service industries, especially restaurants, hotels, travel companies and entertainment venues. The damage to those industries has left millions of people unemployed, likely for an extended period until they are either finally recalled to their previous jobs or switch to new careers.
The government’s report Thursday said the number of people who are continuing to receive unemployment benefits dropped 1.2 million to 10 million. The decline signals that many of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs.
But it also reflects the fact that potentially even more people have used up their regular state benefits — which usually expire after six months — and have transitioned to extended benefit programs that last an additional three months. The extended aid programs were established by the financial aid package that Congress enacted in the spring. https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2020/10/how-have-households-used-their-stimulus-payments-and-how-would-they-spend-the-next.html
Indeed, the number of people receiving extended benefits in late September, the latest data available, jumped 800,000 to 2.8 million. The government also said 373,000 people applied for jobless aid under a separate program that made the self-employed, contractors and gig workers eligible for unemployment benefits for the first time.
Advertisement
That figure was 90,000 lower than in the previous week. These figures aren’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so the government reports them separately from the traditional jobless claims.
Many jobless benefit recipients are now receiving only regular state unemployment payments because a federal weekly supplement of $300 has ended in nearly all states. A $600-a-week federal benefit expired over the summer.
Economists have warned that without further aid, families across the country will struggle in coming months to pay bills, make rent, afford food and avoid eviction. But Congress has hit a stalemate in negotiations to provide further rescue aid to jobless individuals and struggling businesses, states and localities. Negotiations, led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are continuing, although prospects appear dim.
The end of federal aid for the unemployed will likely force many of the jobless to sharply cut their spending, thereby weakening the economy. The full impact may have been delayed, though, by the fact that most of the federal aid was saved or was used to pare debt, according to research by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
According to the New York Fed, at the end of June nearly one-quarter of jobless aid payments had been saved. Nearly half were used to pay down debt. Just 28% of the money was spent.
Advertisement
And more than one-third of the $1,200 stimulus checks that went to most adults was saved, with an additional one-third of that money used to pay off debt. Overall, Americans’ saving rate remains sharply higher than pre-pandemic levels, suggesting that some people will be able to continue paying some bills out of their savings, at least for now.
The end of the federal payments has also underscored the dramatically uneven nature of unemployment benefits across states. In Arizona, for example, the maximum weekly payment is only $240, while in neighboring California it’s $450. In Florida and Tennessee, the maximum is just $275. In New Jersey, the top weekly benefit is $713.
And about a dozen states lowered or froze their maximum weekly payment after the 2008-2009 recession, according to a report from the Century Foundation. In North Carolina and Wisconsin, for example, the maximum payments are no longer set as a proportion of average weekly wages in the state, which typically rise each year. Instead, they are set according to formulas related to a recipient’s previous earnings.
Most states had to borrow billions of dollars to fund unemployment benefits during and after the Great Recession. To cut costs, many responded by cutting the amount or length of weekly payments. Only a few have since reversed their cuts.
Nationwide, on average, unemployment benefits replace about 33% of what recipients earned at their previous job. That is down from 36% in 2009.
Advertisement
“It is a steady downward trend,” said Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation. “The formulas have gradually gotten more stingy.”
Some of the lowest benefits are provided in states where Black Americans make up the largest proportion of jobless aid recipients. In Mississippi, for instance, 54% of unemployment aid recipients in August were Black, according the Century Foundation. The maximum benefit in that state is $235 a week.
In South Carolina, more than one-third of people receiving unemployment aid are Black. The maximum benefit is $326.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Health Issues Surge As Wildfire Smoke Hits Millions In U.S.

SANTA CRUZ , Calif. ( AP ) — Wildfires churning out dense plumes of smoke as they scorch huge swaths of the U.S. West Coast have exposed millions of people to hazardous pollution levels , causing emergency room visits to spike and potentially thousands of deaths among the elderly and infirm , according to an Associated Press analysis of pollution data and interviews with physicians , health authorities and researchers .
“ It ’ s been brutal for me , ” said Barb Trout , a 64-year-old retiree living south of Portland in the Willamette Valley .
She was twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following severe asthmatic reactions , something that had never happened to her before .
Trout had sheltered inside as soon as smoke rolled into the valley just after Labor Day but within days had an asthma attack that left her gasping for air and landed her in the ER .
Two weeks later , when smoke from fires in California drifted into the valley , she had an even more violent reaction that Trout described as a near-death experience .
“ It hit me quick and hard __ more so than the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even breathing , ” she recalled .
After getting stabilized with drugs , Trout was sent home but the specter of a third attack now haunts her .
She and her husband installed an alarm system so she can press a panic button when in distress to call for help .
In nearby Salem , Trout ’ s pulmonologist Martin Johnson said people with existing respiratory issues started showing up at his hospital or calling his office almost immediately after the smoke arrived , many struggling to breathe .
Salem is in Marion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollution at hazardous levels during a short period , some of the worst conditions seen the West over the past two decades , according to AP ’ s analysis .
Most of Johnson ’ s patients are expected to recover but he said some could have permanent loss of lung function .
Then there are the “ hidden ” victims who Johnson suspects died from heart attacks or other problems triggered by the poor air quality but whose cause of death will be chalked up to something else .
Based on prior studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people exposed to recent fires , researchers at Stanford University estimated that as many as 3,000 people over 65 in California alone died prematurely after being exposed to smoke during a six-week period beginning Aug. 1 .
Hundreds more deaths could have occurred in Washington over several weeks of poor air caused by the fires , according to University of Washington researchers .
Wildfires are a regular occurrence in Western states but they ’ ve grown more intense and dangerous as a changing climate dries out forests thick with trees and underbrush from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the smoke from these fires dangerous are particles too small for the naked eye to see that can be breathed in and cause respiratory problems .
Fires across the West emitted more than a million tons of the particles in 2012 , 2015 and 2017 , and almost as much in 2018 — the year a blaze in Paradise , California killed 85 people and burned 14,000 houses , generating a thick plume that blanketed portions of Northern California for weeks .
Figures for 2017 and 2018 are preliminary .
A confluence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year : first , fierce winds up and down the coast whipped fires into a fury , followed in Oregon by a weather inversion that trapped smoke close to the ground and made it inescapable for days .
Hundreds of miles to the south in San Francisco , smoke turned day into night , casting an eerie orange pall over a city where even before the pandemic facemasks had become common at times to protect against smoke .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Wildfires churning out dense plumes of smoke as they scorch huge swaths of the U.S. West Coast have exposed millions of people to hazardous pollution levels, causing emergency room visits to spike and potentially thousands of deaths among the elderly and infirm, according to an Associated Press analysis of pollution data and interviews with physicians, health authorities and researchers.
Smoke at concentrations that topped the government’s charts for health risks and lasted at least a day enshrouded counties inhabited by more than 8 million people across five states in recent weeks, AP’s analysis shows.
Advertisement
Major cities in Oregon, which has been especially hard hit, last month suffered the highest pollution levels they’ve ever recorded when powerful winds supercharged fires that had been burning in remote areas and sent them hurtling to the edge of densely populated Portland.
Medical complications began arising while communities were still enveloped in smoke, including hundreds of additional emergency room visits daily in Oregon, according to state health officials.
“It’s been brutal for me,” said Barb Trout, a 64-year-old retiree living south of Portland in the Willamette Valley. She was twice taken to the emergency room by ambulance following severe asthmatic reactions, something that had never happened to her before.
Trout had sheltered inside as soon as smoke rolled into the valley just after Labor Day but within days had an asthma attack that left her gasping for air and landed her in the ER. Two weeks later, when smoke from fires in California drifted into the valley, she had an even more violent reaction that Trout described as a near-death experience.
Advertisement
Barbara Trout, who has an asthma disorder, holds a vial of inhalation solution of Ipratropium Bromide and Albuterol Sulfate, prescribed medication at her home in Keizer, Ore., on Oct. 14, 2020. AP Photo/Andrew Selsky
“It hit me quick and hard __ more so than the first one. I wasn’t hardly even breathing,” she recalled. After getting stabilized with drugs, Trout was sent home but the specter of a third attack now haunts her. She and her husband installed an alarm system so she can press a panic button when in distress to call for help.
“It’s put a whole new level on my life,″ she said. “I’m trying not to live in fear, but I’ve got to be really really cautious.”
In nearby Salem, Trout’s pulmonologist Martin Johnson said people with existing respiratory issues started showing up at his hospital or calling his office almost immediately after the smoke arrived, many struggling to breathe. Salem is in Marion county, which experienced eight days of pollution at hazardous levels during a short period, some of the worst conditions seen the West over the past two decades, according to AP’s analysis.
Most of Johnson’s patients are expected to recover but he said some could have permanent loss of lung function. Then there are the “hidden” victims who Johnson suspects died from heart attacks or other problems triggered by the poor air quality but whose cause of death will be chalked up to something else.
Advertisement
“Many won’t show up at the hospital or they’ll die at home or they’ll show up at hospice for other reasons, such as pneumonia or other complications,” Johnson said.
Based on prior studies of pollution-related deaths and the number of people exposed to recent fires, researchers at Stanford University estimated that as many as 3,000 people over 65 in California alone died prematurely after being exposed to smoke during a six-week period beginning Aug. 1. Hundreds more deaths could have occurred in Washington over several weeks of poor air caused by the fires, according to University of Washington researchers.
The findings for both states have not been published in peer-reviewed journals. No such estimate was available for Oregon.
Wildfires are a regular occurrence in Western states but they’ve grown more intense and dangerous as a changing climate dries out forests thick with trees and underbrush from decades of fire suppression. What makes the smoke from these fires dangerous are particles too small for the naked eye to see that can be breathed in and cause respiratory problems.
On any given day, western fires can produce 10 times more particles than are produced by all other pollution sources including vehicle emissions and industrial facilities, said Shawn Urbanski, a U.S. Forest Service smoke scientist.
Advertisement
Fires across the West emitted more than a million tons of the particles in 2012, 2015 and 2017, and almost as much in 2018 — the year a blaze in Paradise, California killed 85 people and burned 14,000 houses, generating a thick plume that blanketed portions of Northern California for weeks. Figures for 2017 and 2018 are preliminary.
A firefighter passes flames while battling the Glass Fire in a Calistoga, Calif., vineyard on Oct. 1, 2020. AP Photo/Noah Berger
A confluence of meteorological events made the smoke especially bad this year: first, fierce winds up and down the coast whipped fires into a fury, followed in Oregon by a weather inversion that trapped smoke close to the ground and made it inescapable for days. Hundreds of miles to the south in San Francisco, smoke turned day into night, casting an eerie orange pall over a city where even before the pandemic facemasks had become common at times to protect against smoke.
AP’s analysis of smoke exposure was based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data compiled from hundreds of air quality monitoring stations. Census data was used to determine the numbers of people living in affected areas of Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Montana.
At least 38 million people live in counties subjected to pollution considered unhealthy for the general population for five days, according to AP’s analysis. That included more than 25 million people in California, 7.2 million in Washington, 3.5 million in Oregon, 1 million in Idaho and 299,000 people in Montana.
Advertisement
The state totals for the number of people exposed to unhealthy air on a given day were derived from counties where at least one monitoring site registered unhealthy air.
Scientists studying long-term health problems have found correlations between smoke exposure and decreased lung function, weakened immune systems and higher rates of flu. That includes studies from northwestern Montana communities blanketed with smoke for weeks in 2017.
“Particulate matter enters your lungs, it gets way down deep, it irrigates the lining and it possibly enters your bloodstream,” said University of Montana professor Erin Landguth. “We’re seeing the effects.”
The coronavirus raises a compounding set of worries: An emerging body of research connects increased air pollution with greater rates of infection and severity of symptoms, said Gabriela Goldfarb, manager of environmental health for the Oregon Health Authority.
Climate experts say residents of the West Coast and Northern Rockies should brace for more frequent major smoke events, as warming temperatures and drought fuel bigger, more intense fires.
Advertisement
Their message is that climate change isn’t going to bring worse conditions: they are already here. The scale of this year’s fires is pushing the envelope” of wildfire severity modeled out to 2050, said Harvard university climate researcher Loretta Mickley
“The bad years will increase. The smoke will increase,” said Jeffrey Pierce an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University. “It’s not unreasonable that we could be getting a 2020-type year every other year.”
___
Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--How The North Carolina GOP Has Undermined Cleanup Of ‘Forever Chemicals’

Gerry Broome/Associated Press The Fayetteville Works plant where Chemours manufactures a chemical that has entered the Cape Fear River , a source of drinking water for much of the southeastern part of North Carolina .
PFAS have been at the forefront of an emotional public debate in the southeastern part of the state since 2016 , when it was discovered that a plant owned by PFAS manufacturer Chemours in Fayetteville had contaminated the drinking water for 250,000 downstream residents .
But as people plead for stronger government action , underfunded state agencies haven ’ t been able to fully respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 2.5 billion budget surplus .
Though the DEQ should take the lead on addressing contamination in North Carolina , the GOP-controlled legislature in 2010 began a six-year process of slashing the department ’ s budget by nearly 40 % .
The cuts forced the elimination of about 400 positions .
And while Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper , who was elected in 2016 , has requested more funding for the DEQ , Republicans have repeatedly rejected those requests .
“ While I have great confidence in my attorneys and the hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s clean air and water , there ’ s no doubt that our Environmental Division is underfunded and understaffed , ” Stein said .
“ We are simply not funded at a level that allows us to protect the state from these dangerous chemicals to the extent needed.
” But McCallie said “ the fight is far from over ” as Chemours , which was spun off from chemical giant DuPont in 2015 , is hardly the only company discharging PFAS in North Carolina .
Multiple industrial polluters are thought to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and sewage sludge spread on agricultural land is also behind high PFAS levels in some waterways .
Stein ’ s office hired outside help to look at legal strategies for addressing contamination statewide , and on Oct. 13 it announced the first lawsuit stemming from that effort .
The suit seeks damages from DuPont , which it alleges created and undercapitalized Chemours to avoid “ massive liabilities.
” The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has further complicated the situation .
The state may need to dip into some of its reserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s in the process of developing a new budget .
The GOP is already floating the idea of more cuts to the DEQ .
Meanwhile , the state isn ’ t monitoring tap water .
The DEQ and the collaboratory have conducted piecemeal testing of drinking water supplies and sewage plants throughout the state , and the DEQ is attempting to identify some PFAS polluters .
But only a few local water districts are sampling water that comes out of the tap , said Donovan .
The levels of PFAS found are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t monitoring tap water either , those that are have also found unsafe levels of fluorinated compounds in multiple districts .
The DEQ could be considered “ the water police , ” Donovan said .
“ They have a system that they have to follow to be able to enforce the law , so it ’ s almost like we have these citizen arrests that are meaningless until the actual state agency can get involved and do their due process , ” she explained .

The Fayetteville Works plant where Chemours manufactures a chemical that has entered the Cape Fear River, a source of drinking water for much of the southeastern part of North Carolina. Gerry Broome/Associated Press
In North Carolina’s Cape Fear River basin, levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been recorded at 1,000 times the level considered safe for human consumption. Both federal data and anecdotal evidence strongly suggest that these manufactured chemicals are linked to abnormally high rates of thyroid cancer and some other rare cancers.
PFAS have been at the forefront of an emotional public debate in the southeastern part of the state since 2016, when it was discovered that a plant owned by PFAS manufacturer Chemours in Fayetteville had contaminated the drinking water for 250,000 downstream residents. But as people plead for stronger government action, underfunded state agencies haven’t been able to fully respond ― even as North Carolina sits on a $2.5 billion budget surplus.
Advertisement
That’s because the state’s Republican-controlled legislature has financially kneecapped the agencies dealing with PFAS-related issues, leaving them unable to adequately test water, study health impacts, clean up the contamination and hold polluters accountable. Meanwhile, money that could save lives around the Cape Fear region now sits unspent.
“It’s almost criminal,” said Emily Donovan, co-founder of the Clean Cape Fear advocacy group. “There seems to be an unwillingness at the state level to fully research PFAS exposures and we’re left almost begging them to please pay attention and do something.”
Instead of appropriately funding the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the agency that officially handles environmental crises, the legislature created the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory, a program made up of state university researchers who study issues around PFAS contamination.
While those on all sides agree that funding academic research is a useful step, critics say the collaboratory merely creates the appearance of serious action but has been deliberately designed to be ineffective.
Advertisement
University researchers don’t have regulatory authority so they can’t enforce environmental laws, order cleanups or take legal action against polluters. The DEQ and other state agencies also can’t use information that the collaboratory gathers in a regulatory capacity because their data must be collected using an officially approved methodology and must remain in the state’s “chain of custody.”
State agencies are left unable to carry out basic responses to the PFAS crisis and protect the public, said Grady McCallie, policy director for the North Carolina Conservation Network. The state hasn’t been adequately monitoring tap water, regularly checking residents’ blood or mounting a sufficient legal challenge against polluters, he said.
“[The collaboratory is] generating excellent information but it’s not information that you can regulate with, and that’s by design,” McCallie said, adding that the state has enough money to fully staff both the DEQ and the collaboratory. “It doesn’t have to be an either/or choice.”
The debate is also political. Republicans in the state legislature installed the collaboratory’s leadership, which gives the GOP more control over environmental regulation at a time when Democrats control the state’s regulatory agencies. Critics contend that Republicans have executed a cynical plan to strip Democrats of their power to hold chemical companies and polluters accountable for PFAS contamination.
“PFAS is now a political issue, though it should be nonpartisan,” said Democratic state Sen. Harper Peterson, who in 2019 introduced a comprehensive PFAS bill that Republicans killed. “They’re happy to study and not take the necessary action.”
Advertisement
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has requested more funding for the state Department of Environmental Quality, but Republicans have repeatedly rejected those requests. Gerry Broome/Associated Press
Assault On The Regulatory System
PFAS is a class of about 7,500 fluorinated compounds dubbed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down and can’t be destroyed. They make products water- and stain-resistant, and are used in everything from Teflon to Scotchgard to food packaging.
The now-ubiquitous compounds are increasingly linked to a range of cancers, liver disease, kidney disease and other serious illnesses, and are behind a growing number of public health crises around the country.
Though the DEQ should take the lead on addressing contamination in North Carolina, the GOP-controlled legislature in 2010 began a six-year process of slashing the department’s budget by nearly 40%. The cuts forced the elimination of about 400 positions. And while Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who was elected in 2016, has requested more funding for the DEQ, Republicans have repeatedly rejected those requests.
At the same time, GOP budget cuts to the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, now run by Democrat Josh Stein, forced the elimination of 23 attorneys from its environmental division. (Cooper and Stein are both up for reelection this year.)
Advertisement
Though some positions in the attorney general’s office have since been restored, the cuts have directly impacted the state’s ability to take on PFAS polluters, Stein said in an email.
“While I have great confidence in my attorneys and the hard work they do to protect our state’s clean air and water, there’s no doubt that our Environmental Division is underfunded and understaffed,” Stein said. “We are simply not funded at a level that allows us to protect the state from these dangerous chemicals to the extent needed.”
The state has been successful in its only legal battle over PFAS contamination. A consent order issued last year and updated in August requires Chemours to cut emissions, reduce discharges and begin cleanup.
But McCallie said “the fight is far from over” as Chemours, which was spun off from chemical giant DuPont in 2015, is hardly the only company discharging PFAS in North Carolina. Multiple industrial polluters are thought to be responsible for contamination in the Haw River, and sewage sludge spread on agricultural land is also behind high PFAS levels in some waterways. Stein’s office hired outside help to look at legal strategies for addressing contamination statewide, and on Oct. 13 it announced the first lawsuit stemming from that effort. The suit seeks damages from DuPont, which it alleges created and undercapitalized Chemours to avoid “massive liabilities.”
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have also proposed $73 million in additional cuts to the state Department of Health and Human Services, which is the agency that should execute epidemiological studies essential to an effective response.
Advertisement
The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has further complicated the situation. The state may need to dip into some of its reserves to cover revenue shortfalls, and it’s in the process of developing a new budget. The GOP is already floating the idea of more cuts to the DEQ.
By not fully funding these agencies, Republicans have amassed a budget surplus at the expense of North Carolinians’ lives, said Democratic state Rep. Deb Butler.
“GOP leaders run around touting that there’s a surplus, but it’s not a surplus when you’re not meeting people’s needs,” she said.
Where Are ‘The Water Police’?
As in many towns in North Carolina and across the nation that have discovered PFAS in their water, public health advocates in Pittsboro suspect the chemicals are behind a range of illnesses.
One family reports that their two children have lost the ability to regulate their body temperature, said Emily Sutton, the designated riverkeeper for the Haw River Assembly. Another child who moved to Pittsboro started getting migraines that stopped once they quit drinking the town’s water. Other longtime residents are facing health problems that studies have previously linked to PFAS — gall bladder disease, thyroid disease and miscarriages.
Advertisement
Sutton said that recent Haw River sampling found PFAS counts over 1,000 parts per trillion. The Environmental Protection Agency’s advisory limit for PFOA and PFOS — two types of PFAS — in drinking water is 70 ppt. Some states have set their own lower limits, though North Carolina is not one of them.
“We don’t know for sure what the health impacts are, but these are healthy people who move to the community and start having health problems,” Sutton said. The contamination’s source is unclear, but upstream industry, landfill leaching and sewage sludge applied to cropland are all suspects.
Despite the clear concerns, the state is offering Pittsboro little help, Sutton said. A scientist with the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory has tested residents’ blood, but the DEQ is focusing its limited resources downstream where Chemours is responsible for much of the “staggering” contamination in the Cape Fear basin.
Cities across southeastern North Carolina face similar uncertainty, but the state isn’t undertaking the type of wide-scale epidemiological study that’s needed to understand the scope of the crisis and respond appropriately. The collaboratory is gathering some health data and working to understand more about how PFAS impact human health, but McCallie said those efforts represent “a fraction of what we need to know.”
“There’s room for a lot more money to be spent on epidemiological research and studies on different health impacts,” he said.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the state isn’t monitoring tap water. The DEQ and the collaboratory have conducted piecemeal testing of drinking water supplies and sewage plants throughout the state, and the DEQ is attempting to identify some PFAS polluters. But only a few local water districts are sampling water that comes out of the tap, said Donovan. The levels of PFAS found are consistently high. Though most other states aren’t monitoring tap water either, those that are have also found unsafe levels of fluorinated compounds in multiple districts.
The data on PFAS in water supplies gathered by the collaboratory could be used to generally inform the state’s decision-making. The DEQ can’t use it to enforce discharge limits, water quality standards or permit conditions with reporting requirements, however, because the agency has a legal process it must follow in enforcing laws.
The DEQ could be considered “the water police,” Donovan said. “They have a system that they have to follow to be able to enforce the law, so it’s almost like we have these citizen arrests that are meaningless until the actual state agency can get involved and do their due process,” she explained.
Regardless, environmentalists argue that the DEQ could do more without additional funds. It could regulate PFAS as a class instead of on an individual basis. Currently, each PFAS compound is treated separately even though they share similar traits. Regulating one group of chemicals is far more efficient than trying to regulate some 7,500 individual compounds.
It could also outright ban the discharge of PFAS into water or air, McCallie said.
“What that would do is force companies to find a different way of disposing of it, or they would need to change their production process so they’re not generating waste with PFAS,” he said.
Advertisement
Because of the DEQ and the state legislature’s failure to act, North Carolinians whose drinking water is contaminated with PFAS must pay for filters that can cost thousands of dollars themselves.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Made Bold UFO Claim In His Final Interview

A retired Air Force official in charge of one of its most famous UFO research efforts said before his death last year that the effort may have been scuttled not because it was fruitless , but just the opposite .
Officially , the project was shuttered despite some 700 open cases because it “ no longer can be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science.
” But Friend , who died last year at the age of 99 , suggested in his last interview that the shutdown could have been for another reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII and the only Black leader of Project Blue Book , heading it during the civil rights movement , was originally skeptical of claims that aliens had ever made the long trip to Earth .
“ Do I believe that we have been visited ?
No , I don ’ t believe that , ” he told HuffPost in 2012 .
“ And the reason I don ’ t believe it is because I can ’ t conceive of any of the ways in which we could overcome some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would you have to take with you on a trip for 22 years through space ?
How much fuel would you need ?
How much oxygen or other things to sustain life do you have to have ?
” However , Friend also called for more study and said he believes there could be life elsewhere .
“ I think that anytime there ’ s a possibility of scientific pay dirt from studying these phenomena , that yes , it would be much better if the government or some other agency was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scientific aspects of it , ” he said .
More recent revelations indicate that the U.S. government ’ s interest in UFOs didn ’ t end with Project Blue Book but have continued in other forms , much of which is detailed in “ The Phenomenon.
” Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) said in the film that the federal government has been covering up UFOs and that most of the evidence “ hasn ’ t seen the light of day .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A retired Air Force official in charge of one of its most famous UFO research efforts said before his death last year that the effort may have been scuttled not because it was fruitless, but just the opposite.
In a clip from the new documentary “The Phenomenon,” Lt. Col. Robert Friend pointed to the sudden closure of Project Blue Book in 1969.
Advertisement
“Which would suggest what?” he asked before answering his own question: “That they knew what it was.”
James Fox, the film’s director added: “Or didn’t know what it was.”
But Friend, who led Project Blue Book from 1958-1963, persisted.
“Also the other way,” Friend replied with a telling grin. “That they did know what it was.”
Officially, the project was shuttered despite some 700 open cases because it “no longer can be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science.”
But Friend, who died last year at the age of 99, suggested in his last interview that the shutdown could have been for another reason:
Advertisement
Friend, who was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII and the only Black leader of Project Blue Book, heading it during the civil rights movement, was originally skeptical of claims that aliens had ever made the long trip to Earth.
“Do I believe that we have been visited? No, I don’t believe that,” he told HuffPost in 2012. “And the reason I don’t believe it is because I can’t conceive of any of the ways in which we could overcome some of these things: How much food would you have to take with you on a trip for 22 years through space? How much fuel would you need? How much oxygen or other things to sustain life do you have to have?”
However, Friend also called for more study and said he believes there could be life elsewhere.
“I think that anytime there’s a possibility of scientific pay dirt from studying these phenomena, that yes, it would be much better if the government or some other agency was to take on these things and to pursue the scientific aspects of it,” he said.
Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in the film that the federal government has been covering up UFOs and that most of the evidence “hasn’t seen the light of day.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Jimmy Kimmel Rips NBC’s Donald Trump Town Hall With Bill Cosby Ding

Jimmy Kimmel joined the growing chorus of criticism of NBC ’ s planned hosting of a televised town hall with President Donald Trump at the exact same time on Thursday as ABC ’ s town hall with Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
“ You know , there was supposed to be a debate tomorrow night , but since Trump would not agree to the virtual format that they wanted to have because he tested positive for the coronavirus , he backed out altogether , ” the comedian explained on Wednesday ’ s episode of ABC ’ s “ Jimmy Kimmel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no debate , Biden agreed to do a town hall on ABC that night , ” Kimmel said .
Days later , NBC announced that Trump would appear for a town hall on the rival network .
“ Thanks , NBC , ” said Kimmel .
“ First ‘ The Apprentice ’ and now this .
Why not a new Bill Cosby special while we ’ re at it ?
” “ The Apprentice ” reality television show that Trump hosted is credited with reviving the president ’ s fortunes before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose shows were for decades a staple on NBC , is currently serving a prison sentence for sexual assault .
“ There is no good reason to hold these events simultaneously , ” Kimmel argued .
Trump obviously “ wanted this because he knows he ’ ll get better ratings than Joe Biden , ” he said .
But even though more people will likely watch Trump , Kimmel said , “ that doesn ’ t mean anything.
” “ If my choices are watching a documentary about the Bill of Rights or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a shovel , I ’ m going shovel every single time , ” he joked .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Jimmy Kimmel joined the growing chorus of criticism of NBC’s planned hosting of a televised town hall with President Donald Trump at the exact same time on Thursday as ABC’s town hall with Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“You know, there was supposed to be a debate tomorrow night, but since Trump would not agree to the virtual format that they wanted to have because he tested positive for the coronavirus, he backed out altogether,” the comedian explained on Wednesday’s episode of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Advertisement
“So, because there was no debate, Biden agreed to do a town hall on ABC that night,” Kimmel said. Days later, NBC announced that Trump would appear for a town hall on the rival network.
“Thanks, NBC,” said Kimmel. “First ‘The Apprentice’ and now this. Why not a new Bill Cosby special while we’re at it?”
“The Apprentice” reality television show that Trump hosted is credited with reviving the president’s fortunes before his 2016 presidential campaign, Cosby, whose shows were for decades a staple on NBC, is currently serving a prison sentence for sexual assault.
“There is no good reason to hold these events simultaneously,” Kimmel argued. Trump obviously “wanted this because he knows he’ll get better ratings than Joe Biden,” he said.
Advertisement
But even though more people will likely watch Trump, Kimmel said, “that doesn’t mean anything.”
“If my choices are watching a documentary about the Bill of Rights or a guy getting hit in the nuts with a shovel, I’m going shovel every single time,” he joked.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--John Legend Dedicates Billboard Music Awards Performance To Chrissy Teigen

John Legend delivered a stirring rendition of “ Never Break ” at the Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday , and dedicated the song to his wife , supermodel Chrissy Teigen .
It was Legend ’ s first performance since the couple lost their third child , a son they named Jack , following pregnancy complications .
“ This is for Chrissy , ” Legend said before launching into the emotional performance at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles .
We will never break We will never break Built on a foundation Strong enough to stay We will never break As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our love will remain Teigen and Legend have two children : daughter Luna , 4 , and Miles , 2 .
They announced in August that Teigen was pregnant again .
Teigen battled complications with the pregnancy and spent several weeks on bed rest before she was hospitalized for excessive bleeding .
In a Twitter message to her followers at the start of the month , Teigen shared the devastating news that the baby had not survived .
“ We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve never felt before , ” she wrote .
“ On this darkest of days , we will grieve , we will cry our eyes out .
But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it , ” she concluded her post .
The couple has been quiet on social media since that time .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
John Legend delivered a stirring rendition of “Never Break” at the Billboard Music Awards on Wednesday, and dedicated the song to his wife, supermodel Chrissy Teigen.
It was Legend’s first performance since the couple lost their third child, a son they named Jack, following pregnancy complications.
Advertisement
“This is for Chrissy,” Legend said before launching into the emotional performance at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The song’s message was clear:
We will never break
We will never break
Built on a foundation
Strong enough to stay
We will never break
As the water rises
And the mountains shake
Our love will remain
Teigen and Legend have two children: daughter Luna, 4, and Miles, 2. They announced in August that Teigen was pregnant again.
Teigen battled complications with the pregnancy and spent several weeks on bed rest before she was hospitalized for excessive bleeding. In a Twitter message to her followers at the start of the month, Teigen shared the devastating news that the baby had not survived.
Advertisement
“We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before,” she wrote.
“On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it,” she concluded her post.
The couple has been quiet on social media since that time.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Lizzo Sends A Powerful Message With Her Billboard Music Awards Dress

If the message in Lizzo ’ s Billboard Music Awards speech wasn ’ t obvious enough ― her dress should make things crystal clear .
The “ Truth Hurts ” singer , wearing a black dress with a white “ Vote ” print , made an impassioned call to action after winning the Top Song Sales Artist award Wednesday night .
“ I ’ ve been thinking a lot about suppression and the voices that refused to be suppressed , ” she said .
“ I wonder , would I be standing here right now if it weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have their voices be suppressed ?
“ I just want to say right now , if you ’ re at home watching this and you are thinking about changing yourself to feel worthy , this is your sign to remain true to who you are.
” “ Let me tell you all something , ” she added .
“ When people try to suppress something , it ’ s normally because that thing holds power .
They ’ re afraid of your power .
There ’ s power in who you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice .
So whether it ’ s through music , protests or your right to vote , use your power , use your voice and refuse to be suppressed.
” Lizzo was nominated in 11 categories in this year ’ s Billboard Music Awards .
She ’ s been a vocal voting advocate , using her enormous platform to urge fans to cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 election .
Earlier this week , she incentivized fans with a video of herself twerking in an “ Auntie Sam ” outfit .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she posted a video imploring people to “ register to vote , to vote and to know your power .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
If the message in Lizzo’s Billboard Music Awards speech wasn’t obvious enough ― her dress should make things crystal clear.
The “Truth Hurts” singer, wearing a black dress with a white “Vote” print, made an impassioned call to action after winning the Top Song Sales Artist award Wednesday night.
Advertisement
“I’ve been thinking a lot about suppression and the voices that refused to be suppressed,” she said. “I wonder, would I be standing here right now if it weren’t for the big Black women who refused to have their voices be suppressed?
“I just want to say right now, if you’re at home watching this and you are thinking about changing yourself to feel worthy, this is your sign to remain true to who you are.”
“Let me tell you all something,” she added. “When people try to suppress something, it’s normally because that thing holds power. They’re afraid of your power. There’s power in who you are. There’s power in your voice. So whether it’s through music, protests or your right to vote, use your power, use your voice and refuse to be suppressed.”
Advertisement
Lizzo was nominated in 11 categories in this year’s Billboard Music Awards. She’s been a vocal voting advocate, using her enormous platform to urge fans to cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Trump’s $200 Drug Discounts For Seniors Won't Be Ready For Election Day

Democratic lawmakers have raised questions about whether the administration has the authority to order on its own billions of dollars in Medicare spending for what the Democrats say are political reasons .
Administration and congressional officials say such questions have bogged down review of the plan by agencies , including the Department of Health and Human Services , the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the White House Office of Management and Budget .
The Medicare agency , or CMS , said in a statement : “ We know that many seniors struggle to afford their medication and because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The administration is committed to lowering out-of-pocket costs for our nation ’ s seniors .
We will provide more information about the prescription drug cards soon.
” Earlier this month , Reps. Frank Pallone , D-N.J. , Richard Neal , D-Mass , and Sen. Ron Wyden , D-Ore. , questioned the legality of Trump ’ s plan , saying in a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar that “ the president now appears to be attempting to buy votes just weeks before the election using taxpayer dollars.
” — The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the discount cards under its authority to conduct “ demonstration programs ” testing new ideas .
The $ 200 would test if extra cash made seniors more likely to stay on their medications and avoid costly hospitalizations .
But sending cards to nearly all Medicare recipients is not a test , the lawmakers said .
For example , there wouldn ’ t be a control group against which to measure any results .
Therefore , such a mass mailing would not meet legal standards for a Medicare demonstration program testing new ideas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated as high as $ 7.8 billion , not counting administrative expenses .
The money would come from Medicare ’ s Supplemental Medical Insurance Trust Fund .
But spending for the cards has not been authorized by Congress , which has the power of the purse .
A congressional official said that if the Trump administration approves the plan , it in effect would create a budgetary “ trap door ” through which future administrations could try to spend billions of dollars without congressional oversight .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced the plan as part of a Sep. 24 speech calling attention to his health care agenda , it seemed like the discount cards were about to go in the mail .
People wondered if they would bear the presidents ’ name .
The cards would allow seniors to save $ 200 off their prescription copays .
Trump initially said 33 million Medicare recipients would get the cards , but administration and congressional officials said the latest estimate is 39 million .
The plan came as a surprise to rank-and-file officials at HHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it out , said the administration official , adding that it was directed by the White House .
The agencies are trying to move ahead on Trump ’ s plan , but the official said it first has to pass the legal and procedural checks that would apply to any similar idea .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s plan to mail millions of seniors a $200 prescription savings card has hit legal and budget roadblocks, making it unlikely the government can carry it out before Election Day.
Democratic lawmakers have raised questions about whether the administration has the authority to order on its own billions of dollars in Medicare spending for what the Democrats say are political reasons. Administration and congressional officials say such questions have bogged down review of the plan by agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Advertisement
A White House official had no comment on the status of the prescription cards, which Trump announced with a flourish last month during a health care speech in Charlotte, N.C.
The Medicare agency, or CMS, said in a statement: “We know that many seniors struggle to afford their medication and because of these high costs may forgo treatment. The administration is committed to lowering out-of-pocket costs for our nation’s seniors. We will provide more information about the prescription drug cards soon.”
One administration official said the odds are 75-25 the plan will not happen. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss back-and-forth internal deliberations.
Earlier this month, Reps. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Richard Neal, D-Mass, and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questioned the legality of Trump’s plan, saying in a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar that “the president now appears to be attempting to buy votes just weeks before the election using taxpayer dollars.”
Advertisement
The lawmakers’ objections appear to have hit a nerve in the administration. Among them:
— The White House asserted that Medicare could legally send out the discount cards under its authority to conduct “demonstration programs” testing new ideas. The $200 would test if extra cash made seniors more likely to stay on their medications and avoid costly hospitalizations. But sending cards to nearly all Medicare recipients is not a test, the lawmakers said. For example, there wouldn’t be a control group against which to measure any results. Therefore, such a mass mailing would not meet legal standards for a Medicare demonstration program testing new ideas.
— The cost to taxpayers has been estimated as high as $7.8 billion, not counting administrative expenses. The money would come from Medicare’s Supplemental Medical Insurance Trust Fund. But spending for the cards has not been authorized by Congress, which has the power of the purse. A congressional official said that if the Trump administration approves the plan, it in effect would create a budgetary “trap door” through which future administrations could try to spend billions of dollars without congressional oversight. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal analysis.
When Trump announced the plan as part of a Sep. 24 speech calling attention to his health care agenda, it seemed like the discount cards were about to go in the mail. People wondered if they would bear the presidents’ name.
The cards would allow seniors to save $200 off their prescription copays. Trump initially said 33 million Medicare recipients would get the cards, but administration and congressional officials said the latest estimate is 39 million.
“Nobody has seen this before,” the president said, with trademark salesmanship. “These cards are incredible. The cards will be mailed out in coming weeks.
Advertisement
“I will always take care of our wonderful senior citizens,” Trump added. “Joe Biden won’t be doing this.”
The plan came as a surprise to rank-and-file officials at HHS and CMS who were expected to carry it out, said the administration official, adding that it was directed by the White House.
The agencies are trying to move ahead on Trump’s plan, but the official said it first has to pass the legal and procedural checks that would apply to any similar idea.
Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, said the cards would help a lot of people a little bit but that doesn’t address the underlying problem of high prescription drug costs.
“It would do relatively little for seniors with truly catastrophic prescription drug expenses,” she said.
Advertisement
Trump long ago backed off his 2016 campaign idea for Medicare to negotiate drug prices, an approach his Democratic rival Biden is now pushing.
But he supported a bipartisan Senate bill that would have capped out-of-pocket costs for Medicare recipients and required rebates if drugmakers raised prices above inflation.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Chris Christie Won't Blame Trump For COVID-19, Says He Should've Worn Mask

Chris Christie may be breathing easier after recovering from COVID-19 , but he admits he was “ wrong ” about the way he handled the coronavirus prior to getting sick .
The former New Jersey governor and frequent contact of President Donald Trump announced he was positive on Oct. 3 , about a week after he was seen without a mask at Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the Rose Garden .
Trump announced his positive COVID-19 test on Oct. 2 .
Christie told The New York Times on Thursday that he feels better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but admits he still suffers from some fatigue .
He also expressed regret for the cavalier way he followed guidelines designed to keep him and others from contracting the disease .
“ I believed when I entered the White House grounds , that I had entered a safe zone , due to the testing that I and many others underwent every day , ” he said .
“ I was wrong .
I was wrong not to wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement and I was wrong not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prep sessions with the president and the rest of the team.
” Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie ( center ) talks with guests in the Rose Garden after President Donald Trump introduced 7th U.S .
Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett , 48 , as his nominee to the Supreme Court at the White House on Sept. 26 .
Christie added : “ I hope that my experience shows my fellow citizens that you should follow CDC guidelines in public no matter where you are and wear a mask to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor showed up at Barrett ’ s announcement and did the debate prep at Trump ’ s behest , he says he does not blame the president for getting him sick .
“ I don ’ t know who infected me and I don ’ t know how frequently [ Trump ] was tested , ” he said .
“ I was put in the third row , and what they told us was that everybody in the first three rows had been tested that day and tested negative .
I shouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
But while Christie is now asking Americans to wear masks , socially distance themselves and wash their hands , he ’ s not a full convert yet .
“ I believe we have not treated Americans as adults , who understand truth , sacrifice and responsibility that I know them to be , ” he said , griping that the responses to the virus are “ governed by our two dominant political and media extremes : those who believe there is nothing to this virus and those alarmists who would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not trust the common sense of the American people .
Both are wrong .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Chris Christie may be breathing easier after recovering from COVID-19, but he admits he was “wrong” about the way he handled the coronavirus prior to getting sick.
The former New Jersey governor and frequent contact of President Donald Trump announced he was positive on Oct. 3, about a week after he was seen without a mask at Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the Rose Garden. Trump announced his positive COVID-19 test on Oct. 2.
Advertisement
Christie told The New York Times on Thursday that he feels better than he did when the virus first struck, but admits he still suffers from some fatigue.
He also expressed regret for the cavalier way he followed guidelines designed to keep him and others from contracting the disease.
“I believed when I entered the White House grounds, that I had entered a safe zone, due to the testing that I and many others underwent every day,” he said. “I was wrong. I was wrong not to wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement and I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the president and the rest of the team.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (center) talks with guests in the Rose Garden after President Donald Trump introduced 7th U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett, 48, as his nominee to the Supreme Court at the White House on Sept. 26. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Advertisement
Christie added: “I hope that my experience shows my fellow citizens that you should follow CDC guidelines in public no matter where you are and wear a mask to protect yourself and others.”
Although the former governor showed up at Barrett’s announcement and did the debate prep at Trump’s behest, he says he does not blame the president for getting him sick.
“I don’t know who infected me and I don’t know how frequently [Trump] was tested,” he said. “I was put in the third row, and what they told us was that everybody in the first three rows had been tested that day and tested negative. I shouldn’t have relied on that,” he said.
But while Christie is now asking Americans to wear masks, socially distance themselves and wash their hands, he’s not a full convert yet.
“I believe we have not treated Americans as adults, who understand truth, sacrifice and responsibility that I know them to be,” he said, griping that the responses to the virus are “governed by our two dominant political and media extremes: those who believe there is nothing to this virus and those alarmists who would continue to close down our country and not trust the common sense of the American people. Both are wrong.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Multiple Health Organizations Unite To Condemn COVID-19 Herd Immunity Strategy

A bevy of health organizations has come together to issue a statement speaking out against herd immunity as a means of limiting the spread of COVID-19 .
The statement , published on Wednesday on the American Public Health Association ( APHA ) website , was authored by 17 groups , including the Trust for America ’ s Health and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare .
It is a direct response to an open letter known as The Great Barrington Declaration , which was released on Oct. 4 and penned by professors at the Harvard Medical School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Oxford University .
The Great Barrington Declaration has been embraced by senior White House officials .
It argues that herd immunity ― the idea that a population will eventually develop natural antibodies to a disease over time as enough of its members are exposed to it ― is the only way to prevent the “ devastating effects on short and long-term public health ” caused by lockdown measures .
In order to achieve herd immunity , the declaration espouses allowing “ those who are at minimal risk of death to live their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus through natural infection , while better protecting those who are at highest risk.
” This recommendation , according to the statement on APHA website , ignores reliable science , would take far too long and would result in needless death .
“ There is no evidence that we are even remotely close to herd immunity , ” the statement reads .
“ To the contrary , experts believe that 85-90 % of the U.S. population is still at risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 ( the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 ) .
Herd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulating because a large segment of the population has already been infected .
Letting Americans get sick , rather than focusing on proven methods to prevent infections , could lead to hundreds of thousands of preventable illnesses and deaths .
It would also add greater risk in communities of color , which have already experienced disproportionate impacts of the pandemic.
” The statement highlights Sweden , which attempted a herd immunity response to COVID-19 and has been criticized for a laissez-faire attitude that has resulted in the highest mortality rate of any Nordic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center .
“ COVID-19 carries a much higher risk of severe disease and death than other infections where herd immunity was attempted before a vaccine was available , ” the statement says .
Critiquing the idea of allowing the coronavirus to spread among younger people , it continues , “ This notion is dangerous because it puts the entire population , particularly the most vulnerable , at risk .
Young people are not all healthy , and they don ’ t live in vacuums .
They interact with family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased rates of COVID-19 in young people will lead to increased infection rates among all Americans.
” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , and Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus , head of the World Health Organization , have spoken out against a herd immunity approach to the coronavirus pandemic , arguing that allowing COVID-19 to spread unchecked would result in an unacceptable death toll .
In contrast , White House Coronavirus Task Force advisor Dr. Scott Atlas has embraced the concept .
Atlas , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , works as an epidemiologist and has no training in the area of infectious diseases .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A bevy of health organizations has come together to issue a statement speaking out against herd immunity as a means of limiting the spread of COVID-19.
The statement, published on Wednesday on the American Public Health Association (APHA) website, was authored by 17 groups, including the Trust for America’s Health and the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
Advertisement
It is a direct response to an open letter known as The Great Barrington Declaration, which was released on Oct. 4 and penned by professors at the Harvard Medical School, Stanford University’s Medical School and Oxford University.
The Great Barrington Declaration has been embraced by senior White House officials. It argues that herd immunity ― the idea that a population will eventually develop natural antibodies to a disease over time as enough of its members are exposed to it ― is the only way to prevent the “devastating effects on short and long-term public health” caused by lockdown measures.
In order to achieve herd immunity, the declaration espouses allowing “those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk.”
This recommendation, according to the statement on APHA website, ignores reliable science, would take far too long and would result in needless death.
Advertisement
“There is no evidence that we are even remotely close to herd immunity,” the statement reads. “To the contrary, experts believe that 85-90% of the U.S. population is still at risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19). Herd immunity is achieved when the virus stops circulating because a large segment of the population has already been infected. Letting Americans get sick, rather than focusing on proven methods to prevent infections, could lead to hundreds of thousands of preventable illnesses and deaths. It would also add greater risk in communities of color, which have already experienced disproportionate impacts of the pandemic.”
The statement highlights Sweden, which attempted a herd immunity response to COVID-19 and has been criticized for a laissez-faire attitude that has resulted in the highest mortality rate of any Nordic country, according to analysis by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
“COVID-19 carries a much higher risk of severe disease and death than other infections where herd immunity was attempted before a vaccine was available,” the statement says. Critiquing the idea of allowing the coronavirus to spread among younger people, it continues, “This notion is dangerous because it puts the entire population, particularly the most vulnerable, at risk. Young people are not all healthy, and they don’t live in vacuums. They interact with family members, co-workers and neighbors. Inviting increased rates of COVID-19 in young people will lead to increased infection rates among all Americans.”
The statement calls masking and physical distancing “the path to a new normal” and blasts the Great Barrington Declaration and similar strategies as “wrong-headed proposals masquerading as science.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, have spoken out against a herd immunity approach to the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that allowing COVID-19 to spread unchecked would result in an unacceptable death toll.
Advertisement
In contrast, White House Coronavirus Task Force advisor Dr. Scott Atlas has embraced the concept. Atlas, who increasingly has the ear of President Donald Trump, works as a neuroradiologist and has no training in the area of infectious diseases.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--OSHA Doesn't Expect Employers To Report COVID-19 Hospitalizations Anymore

Employers are legally required to notify OSHA promptly whenever a worker ends up hospitalized due to a work-related injury or illness .
But the way the Trump administration is choosing to read the rules , there is almost no scenario in which a COVID-19 hospitalization must be reported to the agency .
“ This is going to lead to the further spread of COVID-19 at work and out into the public , ” said Debbie Berkowitz , a former OSHA official now with the nonprofit National Employment Law Project .
“ It means the agency will never find out where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never be able to hold employers accountable.
” In 2014 , the Obama-era OSHA issued a regulation stating that whenever a worker is hospitalized , suffers an amputation or loses an eye , the employer has to report the incident to OSHA within 24 hours by phone or email .
When an employer learns of a work-related death , OSHA must be notified within eight hours .
Under the administration ’ s interpretation , “ work-related incident ” means “ an exposure to [ coronavirus ] in the workplace.
” So for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a worker would have to be exposed to COVID-19 , get sick and end up hospitalized all within 24 hours .
That ’ s not how this virus works , and the change all but ensures far less reporting .
Now they can hide the fact that workers are getting sick because of their failure to protect them .
Debbie Berkowitz , former OSHA official now with National Employment Law Project The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a person infected with COVID-19 can show symptoms anywhere from two to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not until five days later .
It often takes even longer for someone ’ s condition to deteriorate enough to warrant a trip to the hospital .
The new policy has already had real-world impact .
In May , OSHA issued a fine against a Georgia nursing home that had waited two weeks to notify the agency that six of its workers had been hospitalized due to COVID-19 .
But the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , which was first to detail the recent policy change , reported last week that OSHA dropped that citation when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the lack of reporting would make it harder for OSHA to figure out where to devote its limited resources to stem COVID-19 clusters at work .
The agency has fewer than a thousand inspectors to cover private-sector workplaces in 29 states ( the other states have their own worker safety agencies ) .
Hospitalization reports can be a helpful red flag alerting inspectors to ongoing hazards .
Fewer hospitalization reports can also shield employers from scrutiny and embarrassment .
OSHA releases that data to the public , helping workers , advocates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But because of the 24-hour window , Berkowitz said the OSHA data on COVID-19 hospitalizations will be all but nonexistent , even in hard-hit industries like meatpacking and nursing homes .
House Democrats were concerned enough about the policy change to send a letter Wednesday to Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia , whose agency includes OSHA , demanding to hear the rationale behind it .
The letter from Reps. Bobby Scott ( Va. ) and Alma Adams ( N.C. ) warns that the change will “ cause significant damage to our nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the novel coronavirus.
” Hospitalization reports from employers are only one way OSHA learns about potential hazards .
It also receives complaints directly from workers and other sources , which have been pouring in since March ― though very few of them have led to on-the-ground inspections .
The federal agency had received more than 9,400 worker complaints related to COVID-19 as of Wednesday , but had opened only 211 inspections as a result .
As HuffPost recently reported , the majority of cases were apparently closed after a back-and-forth via phone and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Complaints that lead to inspections aren ’ t producing significant fines , even in cases where workers have died .
For instance , the Smithfield meatpacking plant in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , was home to one of the worst coronavirus clusters in the country in the spring .
More than 1,000 workers were infected and four died .
OSHA fined the plant just $ 13,494 .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
If your workplace is the site of a major coronavirus outbreak, don’t expect your employer to tell the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Employers are legally required to notify OSHA promptly whenever a worker ends up hospitalized due to a work-related injury or illness. But the way the Trump administration is choosing to read the rules, there is almost no scenario in which a COVID-19 hospitalization must be reported to the agency.
Advertisement
Workplace safety experts are concerned the lack of employer reporting will leave the federal government unable to track large workplace outbreaks and intervene to stop the spread. Some of the worst COVID-19 clusters in the country have revolved around workplaces like meatpacking plants and nursing homes.
“This is going to lead to the further spread of COVID-19 at work and out into the public,” said Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA official now with the nonprofit National Employment Law Project. “It means the agency will never find out where there are serious outbreaks, and will never be able to hold employers accountable.”
In 2014, the Obama-era OSHA issued a regulation stating that whenever a worker is hospitalized, suffers an amputation or loses an eye, the employer has to report the incident to OSHA within 24 hours by phone or email. When an employer learns of a work-related death, OSHA must be notified within eight hours.
But in updated guidance issued on Sept. 30, the Trump administration made clear the rule wouldn’t apply to most COVID-19 cases. It pointed to a line in the regulation that says “you must only report the event to OSHA if it occurs within twenty-four hours of the work-related incident.”
Advertisement
Under the administration’s interpretation, “work-related incident” means “an exposure to [coronavirus] in the workplace.” So for the employer to be required to notify OSHA, a worker would have to be exposed to COVID-19, get sick and end up hospitalized all within 24 hours. That’s not how this virus works, and the change all but ensures far less reporting.
The new policy appears to be a reversal of the agency’s guidance in July, when it said employers had to report hospitalizations regardless of when the exposure might have happened.
“Now they can hide the fact that workers are getting sick because of their failure to protect them.” - Debbie Berkowitz, former OSHA official now with National Employment Law Project
Peg Seminario, who directed the AFL-CIO’s workplace safety program before retiring last year, said OSHA’s earlier interpretation was the right one. She called applying the 24-hour timeframe to an infectious disease “wrongheaded.”
“It makes absolutely no sense for the reporting of COVID-19,” she said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a person infected with COVID-19 can show symptoms anywhere from two to 14 days after infection, and typically not until five days later. It often takes even longer for someone’s condition to deteriorate enough to warrant a trip to the hospital.
Advertisement
David Michaels, who led OSHA under President Barack Obama, said the Trump administration is misinterpreting the rule his team enacted. Michaels noted that in most situations, an employer couldn’t pinpoint exactly when workers were exposed to COVID-19, making it impossible to know when to start the clock.
He said the new policy fits the Trump administration’s broader pattern of denial during the pandemic: If you aren’t aware of the infections, then the infections aren’t happening.
“It’s an outrageous distortion,” said Michaels, who just co-authored a report for the Century Foundation think tank detailing OSHA’s shortcomings amid the pandemic. “This is OSHA saying they don’t want to know where outbreaks are happening.”
Trump with Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia during an April briefing by the coronavirus task force. Scalia has been widely criticized for OSHA's decisions during the pandemic. Alex Wong via Getty Images
In an email, an OSHA spokesperson said the new guidance was in line with the law. “OSHA’s longstanding regulations state that reporting requirements are triggered by a ‘work-related incident,’ rather than the appearance of symptoms,” the spokesperson wrote.
Advertisement
The new policy has already had real-world impact. In May, OSHA issued a fine against a Georgia nursing home that had waited two weeks to notify the agency that six of its workers had been hospitalized due to COVID-19. But the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which was first to detail the recent policy change, reported last week that OSHA dropped that citation when it released the new guidance.
Michaels said the lack of reporting would make it harder for OSHA to figure out where to devote its limited resources to stem COVID-19 clusters at work. The agency has fewer than a thousand inspectors to cover private-sector workplaces in 29 states (the other states have their own worker safety agencies). Hospitalization reports can be a helpful red flag alerting inspectors to ongoing hazards.
Fewer hospitalization reports can also shield employers from scrutiny and embarrassment. OSHA releases that data to the public, helping workers, advocates and journalists identify companies with troubling track records. But because of the 24-hour window, Berkowitz said the OSHA data on COVID-19 hospitalizations will be all but nonexistent, even in hard-hit industries like meatpacking and nursing homes.
“Now they can hide the fact that workers are getting sick because of their failure to protect them,” she said.
House Democrats were concerned enough about the policy change to send a letter Wednesday to Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, whose agency includes OSHA, demanding to hear the rationale behind it. The letter from Reps. Bobby Scott (Va.) and Alma Adams (N.C.) warns that the change will “cause significant damage to our nation’s capacity to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.”
Advertisement
Hospitalization reports from employers are only one way OSHA learns about potential hazards. It also receives complaints directly from workers and other sources, which have been pouring in since March ― though very few of them have led to on-the-ground inspections. The federal agency had received more than 9,400 worker complaints related to COVID-19 as of Wednesday, but had opened only 211 inspections as a result. As HuffPost recently reported, the majority of cases were apparently closed after a back-and-forth via phone and letter between OSHA and the employer.
Complaints that lead to inspections aren’t producing significant fines, even in cases where workers have died. For instance, the Smithfield meatpacking plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was home to one of the worst coronavirus clusters in the country in the spring. More than 1,000 workers were infected and four died. OSHA fined the plant just $13,494.
The CDC studied that cluster and found that 39 workers ended up in the hospital. If such an outbreak were to happen again, it’s likely none of those hospitalizations would have to be reported to OSHA.