thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-16--EPA Loosens Rule On Toxic Mercury Emissions As Pandemic Rages

The proposed change to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards ( MATS ) does not completely abandon limits on mercury pollution , which damages brains and lungs , but changes the methodology regulators use to weigh the pros and cons of such restrictions , giving more weight to the economic costs and less to the indirect benefits to public health .
“ There will be no increased mercury emissions , ” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said on a call with reporters Thursday evening .
“ The outrageous claims by the environmental community that this is in some way going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re either not reading it or they ’ re purposely misrepresenting it.
” Rather , he said , the changes met the requirements of a 2015 Supreme Court decision in which the conservative majority ruled it was “ appropriate ” for the EPA to consider whether the cost to businesses of complying with the rule outweighed the direct benefits to public health .
“ It ’ s not too often that the Supreme Court hears an environmental case , ” Wheeler said .
“ When they reach a decision , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court and follow their direction , which is what we ’ re doing.
” The announcement Thursday came two weeks after the administration moved forward on its biggest rollback of Obama-era climate rules to date , which weakens rules on tailpipe emissions and , over the next five years , allows automobiles sold in the United States to average far fewer miles per gallon than vehicles sold in most of Europe or East Asia .
The proposal , pushed by both EPA and the Department of Transportation , argued that Americans favored gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety features reduce the risk of deaths in auto collisions .
Therefore , the agency said , clearing the way for less fuel-efficient vehicles had the indirect benefit of saving lives .
“ So , it looks like the Trump administration ’ s approach is to rely on co-benefits when their consideration supports weaker regulations but ignore them when they would support rules protecting the health of Americans , ” Revesz said .
The oil industry , which quietly lobbied the Trump administration to gut the auto emission rule , could be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it split the auto industry , with several major carmakers backing California regulators ’ campaign to keep the existing standard in place .
Thursday ’ s rule change could similarly divide the coal industry .
When the EPA first proposed loosening the rule in 2018 , trade groups representing utilities ― including the Edison Electric Institute , the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the American Public Power Association ― urged the agency to keep the rule in tact because power companies had already invested in the equipment required to comply .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focusing on costs could prompt litigious coal-mining companies such as Murray Energy , for which Wheeler worked as a lobbyist until 2017 , to challenge the MATS regulation outright .
Doing so could end up encouraging some utilities to mothball retrofits on plants and burn more coal , or increase the ( currently slim ) chances of a new coal plant being built .
“ Only in this upside-down Trumpian world could EPA consider already-implemented controls on extremely deadly pollution from coal-fired power plants not ‘ appropriate , ’ ” said Ann Weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force .
“ If today ’ s action ultimately spurs challenges to the MATS , we could see coal-fired power plants actually turning off scrubbers and other lifesaving air pollution controls that have been installed and paid for to meet MATS , just so Trump ’ s coal industry cronies can sell a few more tons of coal.
” The potential outcome seems unlikely to stem the growing list of coal companies that have gone bottom up since President Donald Trump took office .
On Tuesday , Longview Power , a West Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the industry ’ s future , declared bankruptcy .
“ It ’ s honest accounting , ” he said , growing audibly frustrated on the call .
“ As a society , we have limited resources to address different problems .
If we ’ re going to address a particular pollutant , we need to be upfront and honest with the American public about what those pollutants are.
” But the decision came as the administration ramps up its efforts to scale back regulations on polluters in what critics view as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the nation is distracted by a pandemic that has already killed more than 26,000 in the U.S. Days before the auto rule was finalized , the EPA halted enforcement of the most basic clean air and water rules for the duration of the pandemic , a decision the agency downplayed as temporary but that environmentalists blasted as giving companies carte blanche to pollute .
Meanwhile , the Interior Department approved a slate of new fossil fuel projects and held an auction to lease new offshore drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico @

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The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday finalized its proposal to loosen rules on oil- and coal-fired power plants’ emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants in its latest rollback of public health protections during the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposed change to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) does not completely abandon limits on mercury pollution, which damages brains and lungs, but changes the methodology regulators use to weigh the pros and cons of such restrictions, giving more weight to the economic costs and less to the indirect benefits to public health.
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“There will be no increased mercury emissions,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said on a call with reporters Thursday evening. “The outrageous claims by the environmental community that this is in some way going to cause mercury emissions to go up, they’re either not reading it or they’re purposely misrepresenting it.”
Rather, he said, the changes met the requirements of a 2015 Supreme Court decision in which the conservative majority ruled it was “appropriate” for the EPA to consider whether the cost to businesses of complying with the rule outweighed the direct benefits to public health.
Wheeler said the Obama administration took a “dishonest” approach to interpreting the rule that tipped the scales “so any regulation could be justified regardless of cost.”
“It’s not too often that the Supreme Court hears an environmental case,” Wheeler said. “When they reach a decision, we have a responsibility to listen to the court and follow their direction, which is what we’re doing.”
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But environmental lawyers accused the EPA of downplaying the indirect benefits from restricting releases of toxic heavy metals just two weeks after the EPA defending its rollback of another major environmental rule by focusing “almost exclusively” on similar indirect benefits.
“There is no plausible economic argument for this one-sided approach,” said Richard Revesz, a professor at New York University’s School of Law. “The hypocrisy of this move is particularly striking.”
A coal facility in Pennsylvania. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
The announcement Thursday came two weeks after the administration moved forward on its biggest rollback of Obama-era climate rules to date, which weakens rules on tailpipe emissions and, over the next five years, allows automobiles sold in the United States to average far fewer miles per gallon than vehicles sold in most of Europe or East Asia.
The proposal, pushed by both EPA and the Department of Transportation, argued that Americans favored gas guzzlers, and new vehicles with more safety features reduce the risk of deaths in auto collisions. Therefore, the agency said, clearing the way for less fuel-efficient vehicles had the indirect benefit of saving lives.
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“So, it looks like the Trump administration’s approach is to rely on co-benefits when their consideration supports weaker regulations but ignore them when they would support rules protecting the health of Americans,” Revesz said.
The oil industry, which quietly lobbied the Trump administration to gut the auto emission rule, could be the biggest beneficiary of that rollback. But it split the auto industry, with several major carmakers backing California regulators’ campaign to keep the existing standard in place.
Thursday’s rule change could similarly divide the coal industry. When the EPA first proposed loosening the rule in 2018, trade groups representing utilities ― including the Edison Electric Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the American Public Power Association ― urged the agency to keep the rule in tact because power companies had already invested in the equipment required to comply.
But legal experts warned that the new rule focusing on costs could prompt litigious coal-mining companies such as Murray Energy, for which Wheeler worked as a lobbyist until 2017, to challenge the MATS regulation outright. Doing so could end up encouraging some utilities to mothball retrofits on plants and burn more coal, or increase the (currently slim) chances of a new coal plant being built.
“Only in this upside-down Trumpian world could EPA consider already-implemented controls on extremely deadly pollution from coal-fired power plants not ‘appropriate,’” said Ann Weeks, legal director of Clean Air Task Force. “If today’s action ultimately spurs challenges to the MATS, we could see coal-fired power plants actually turning off scrubbers and other lifesaving air pollution controls that have been installed and paid for to meet MATS, just so Trump’s coal industry cronies can sell a few more tons of coal.”
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The potential outcome seems unlikely to stem the growing list of coal companies that have gone bottom up since President Donald Trump took office. On Tuesday, Longview Power, a West Virginia coal-plant operator once hailed as a model for the industry’s future, declared bankruptcy.
Asked how the rule change improves public health, Wheeler said it “forces the agency to be more upfront about the regulatory costs and benefits to the public.”
“It’s honest accounting,” he said, growing audibly frustrated on the call. “As a society, we have limited resources to address different problems. If we’re going to address a particular pollutant, we need to be upfront and honest with the American public about what those pollutants are.”
But the decision came as the administration ramps up its efforts to scale back regulations on polluters in what critics view as a cynical bid to complete unpopular rule changes while the nation is distracted by a pandemic that has already killed more than 26,000 in the U.S.
Days before the auto rule was finalized, the EPA halted enforcement of the most basic clean air and water rules for the duration of the pandemic, a decision the agency downplayed as temporary but that environmentalists blasted as giving companies carte blanche to pollute. Meanwhile, the Interior Department approved a slate of new fossil fuel projects and held an auction to lease new offshore drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Trump Urges Supporters To Rally Against Coronavirus Restrictions

The president took to Twitter with the kind of rhetoric some of his supporters have used to demand the lifting of the orders that have thrown millions of Americans out of work .
On Thursday , the president detailed a three-step set of guidelines for methodically easing the restrictions over a span of several weeks in places that have robust testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases , assuring the nation ’ s governors : “ You ’ re going to call your own shots.
” “ The federal government can not wipe its hands of this and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are responsible for testing.′ We can not do it .
We can not do it without federal help , ” the governor said .
Many Americans , especially in rural areas and other parts of the country that have not seen major outbreaks , have urged governors to reopen their economies .
Protesters have taken to the streets in Ohio , Texas , North Carolina , Kentucky , Virginia and Michigan , where more than 3,000 turned out on Wednesday in what looked like one of the president ’ s rallies , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health experts have warned that lifting the restrictions too soon could enable the virus to come back with a vengeance .
And they have said that an easing of the stay-at-home measures must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to keep the scourge in check .
Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , a Democrat who has been critical of the federal government ’ s response to the crisis , said that she hopes to begin reopening parts of the state ’ s economy May 1 , but that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to avoid a second wave of infections .
The clash between Trump and Cuomo was personal , with the president complaining he hasn ’ t heard the governor say thanks for the help he has received from Washington .
Cuomo countered by saying : “ I don ’ t know what I ’ m supposed to do , send a bouquet of flowers ?
` Thank you to the federal government for participating in a federal emergency.
’ ” Meanwhile , China acknowledged that the coronavirus death toll in the one-time epicenter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher than reported , underscoring just how seriously the official numbers of infections and deaths around the world may be understating the dimensions of the disaster .
In Britain , the official death toll of about 14,600 come under increasing scrutiny because it likewise does not include any deaths at home or in nursing homes .
The country ’ s statistics agency has said the actual number of dead could be around 15 % higher ; others think it will be far more .
And in Spain , the country ’ s 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criteria on counting the dead .
The country has recorded more than 19,000 deaths , but the system leaves out patients who had symptoms but were not tested before they died .
“ There is a general feeling that the epidemiologists don ’ t have a clue of what ’ s going on , that experts know even less and that governments are concealing information , but I don ’ t think that ’ s true , ” said Hermelinda Vanaclocha , an epidemiologist on Spain ’ s top virus advisory panel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” China raised its overall death toll to over 4,600 after Wuhan , where the outbreak first took hold , added nearly 1,300 deaths .
Questions have long swirled around the accuracy of China ’ s case reporting , with critics saying officials sought to minimize the outbreak that began in December .
That has been a struggle around the world , though .
The official death toll in New York City soared by more than half earlier this week when health authorities began including people who probably had COVID-19 but died without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added to the city ’ s count .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A day after laying out a roadmap for gradually reviving economic activity, President Donald Trump urged his supporters to “LIBERATE” three states led by Democratic governors Friday, in effect encouraging protests against the stay-at-home restrictions aimed at containing the coronavirus.
The president took to Twitter with the kind of rhetoric some of his supporters have used to demand the lifting of the orders that have thrown millions of Americans out of work.
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“LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” “LIBERATE VIRGINIA,” Trump said in a tweet-storm in which he also lashed out at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for criticizing the federal response. Cuomo “should spend more time `doing’ and less time `complaining,’” he said, adding: ”Less talk and more action!”
Responding to pleas from some governors for help in ramping up testing for the virus, Trump put the burden on them, tweeting: “The States have to step up their TESTING!”
On Thursday, the president detailed a three-step set of guidelines for methodically easing the restrictions over a span of several weeks in places that have robust testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases, assuring the nation’s governors: “You’re going to call your own shots.”
But some governors made it clear they are not ready to break out the roadmap, saying they badly need help from Washington in expanding testing.
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Cuomo, whose state is the most lethal hot spot in the nation and is still seeing over 600 deaths a day, accused the federal government of “passing the buck without passing the bucks.”
“The federal government cannot wipe its hands of this and say, `Oh, the states are responsible for testing.′ We cannot do it. We cannot do it without federal help,” the governor said.
Many Americans, especially in rural areas and other parts of the country that have not seen major outbreaks, have urged governors to reopen their economies. Protesters have taken to the streets in Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Michigan, where more than 3,000 turned out on Wednesday in what looked like one of the president’s rallies, with MAGA hats and Trump flags.
The protests have brought together small-government groups, anti-vaccine advocates, gun rights backers and supporters of right-wing causes.
Public health experts have warned that lifting the restrictions too soon could enable the virus to come back with a vengeance. And they have said that an easing of the stay-at-home measures must be accompanied by wider testing and tracing of infected people to keep the scourge in check.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who has been critical of the federal government’s response to the crisis, said that she hopes to begin reopening parts of the state’s economy May 1, but that it would be done in “smart way” to avoid a second wave of infections.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, announced he was extending the state’s stay-at-home order through May 3 but planned to gradually begin lifting restrictions after that.
The clash between Trump and Cuomo was personal, with the president complaining he hasn’t heard the governor say thanks for the help he has received from Washington. Cuomo countered by saying: “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, send a bouquet of flowers? `Thank you to the federal government for participating in a federal emergency.’”
Meanwhile, China acknowledged that the coronavirus death toll in the one-time epicenter city of Wuhan was nearly 50% higher than reported, underscoring just how seriously the official numbers of infections and deaths around the world may be understating the dimensions of the disaster.
In Italy, Spain, Britain, the United States and elsewhere, similar doubts emerged as governments revised their death tolls or openly questioned the accuracy of them.
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“We are probably only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” said Barcelona University epidemiologist Antoni Trilla, who heads the Spanish government’s expert panel on the crisis.
Worldwide, the outbreak has infected nearly 2.2 million people and killed over 145,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally based on figures supplied by government health authorities around the globe. The death toll in the U.S. neared 34,000, with more than 670,000 confirmed infections.
A patient is loaded into the back of an ambulance by emergency medical workers outside Cobble Hill Health Center, Friday, April 17, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Britain, the official death toll of about 14,600 come under increasing scrutiny because it likewise does not include any deaths at home or in nursing homes. The country’s statistics agency has said the actual number of dead could be around 15% higher; others think it will be far more.
And in Spain, the country’s 17 autonomous regions were ordered to adopt uniform criteria on counting the dead. The country has recorded more than 19,000 deaths, but the system leaves out patients who had symptoms but were not tested before they died.
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“There is a general feeling that the epidemiologists don’t have a clue of what’s going on, that experts know even less and that governments are concealing information, but I don’t think that’s true,” said Hermelinda Vanaclocha, an epidemiologist on Spain’s top virus advisory panel. “It’s simply not easy.”
China raised its overall death toll to over 4,600 after Wuhan, where the outbreak first took hold, added nearly 1,300 deaths. Questions have long swirled around the accuracy of China’s case reporting, with critics saying officials sought to minimize the outbreak that began in December.
That has been a struggle around the world, though. The official death toll in New York City soared by more than half earlier this week when health authorities began including people who probably had COVID-19 but died without being tested. Nearly 3,800 deaths were added to the city’s count.
Such figures can have a huge influence on governments’ actions, as medical staffs struggle to figure out how to cope with surges of sick people and officials make crucial decisions about where to devote resources and how to begin easing lockdowns to resuscitate their economies.
China’s economy shrank 6.8% in the quarter ending in March compared with the same period a year ago, its worst contraction since market-style economic reforms began in 1979.
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The number of people applying for unemployment benefits in the U.S. rose by 5.2 million, bringing the four-week total to a staggering 22 million. U.S. unemployment could reach 20% in April, the highest since the Depression of the 1930s. Layoffs are spreading well beyond stores, restaurants and hotels to white-collar professionals such as software programmers and legal assistants.
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Sedensky reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press journalists from around the world contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Trump Campaign Secretly Paying $180,000 A Year To His Sons’ Significant Others

Carlo Allegri/Reuters Lara Trump , left , and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a Feb. 3 news conference in Des Moines set up by the reelection campaign .
They were unsure when the payments began but say they are being made by campaign manager Bradley Parscale through his company rather than directly by either the campaign or the party in order to avoid public reporting requirements .
“ A lot of people close to Donald Trump are getting rich off of his campaign , ” said Paul Ryan , a campaign finance legal expert at the watchdog group Common Cause .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that they ’ re getting rich .
Because , at the end of the day , it ’ s donor money.
” Lara Trump , 37 , was a campaign “ surrogate , ” making appearances and conducting media interviews on behalf of her father-in-law , in the 2016 campaign and continues to participate in “ Women for Trump ” events as a 2020 campaign “ senior adviser.
” In early 2017 , Parscale confirmed he had hired her to work for his company , which was , in turn , continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Guilfoyle , 51 , has been accompanying Donald Trump Jr. to campaign events since they began dating two years ago .
She had been a Fox News personality until she left the network in 2018 .
In January 2020 , she was named chair of Trump Victory , a joint fundraising committee used to solicit and distribute money to the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee .
The existence of the payments , but not the amounts , was first reported by The New York Times , which recounted a scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her payment checks were always late and Parscale responded that he would look into it .
That incident took place June 18 , 2019 , at a Trump reelection rally in Orlando , Florida , suggesting that payments to Guilfoyle had been taking place for some time .
FEC rules require that campaigns , political parties and other committees disclose all expenditures , including payments to employees .
But the Trump campaign and the RNC have been getting around it by routing many of their payments through Pascale ’ s private companies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― Giles-Parscale and Parscale Strategy LLC ― have been paid $ 38.9 million by Trump ’ s campaign , the RNC , joint fundraising committees and a pro-Trump super PAC between the day Trump took office through February 2020 , according to the latest filings available .
Trump funneling donor money into his children ’ s households builds on his practice of funneling it into his own pocket , which began in 2016 , right after he became the presumptive Republican nominee and began raising large amounts of GOP money .
Trump immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign at Trump Tower , from $ 35,458 per month to $ 169,758 .
He also began billing the campaign five- and six-figure sums for use of his hotels and golf courses for hosting fundraisers .
Those practices continued after his election and through to this day .
His campaign still pays Trump Tower $ 37,542 a month in rent , even though it is based in a high-rise office building in Arlington , Virginia .
The campaign and the RNC continue to host fundraisers at Trump ’ s properties , putting hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into his own cash registers .
All of those entities are owned by the Trump Organization , which in turn is owned by a trust that Trump created after his election and of which he is the sole beneficiary .
Trump and his top aides in 2018 saw Joe Biden as the most dangerous threat to his reelection among the Democrats in the primary field and sought to damage his candidacy by raising questions about his son ’ s business activities .
Indeed , Trump wound up getting impeached for trying to coerce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into Hunter Biden , using $ 391 million in congressionally approved military aid as leverage .

Lara Trump, left, and Kimberly Guilfoyle at a Feb. 3 news conference in Des Moines set up by the reelection campaign. Carlo Allegri/Reuters
WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump’s campaign is secretly paying one Trump son’s wife and another one’s girlfriend $180,000 a year each through the campaign manager’s private company, according to top Republicans with knowledge of the payments.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of eldest son Donald Trump Jr., and Lara Trump, wife of middle son Eric Trump, are each receiving $15,000 a month, according to two GOP sources who are informal White House advisers and who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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They were unsure when the payments began but say they are being made by campaign manager Bradley Parscale through his company rather than directly by either the campaign or the party in order to avoid public reporting requirements.
“I can pay them however I want to pay them,” Parscale told HuffPost on Friday, but then declined to comment any further.
Critics of the arrangement, including Republicans, said the setup was designed to get around Federal Election Commission rules that require campaigns, political parties and other committees to disclose their spending in detail.
“A lot of people close to Donald Trump are getting rich off of his campaign,” said Paul Ryan, a campaign finance legal expert at the watchdog group Common Cause. “They don’t want donors to know that they’re getting rich. Because, at the end of the day, it’s donor money.”
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Stuart Stevens, a top aide to 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s campaign, was even more blunt: “That’s why Parscale has the job. He’s a money launderer, not a campaign manager.”
Lara Trump, 37, was a campaign “surrogate,” making appearances and conducting media interviews on behalf of her father-in-law, in the 2016 campaign and continues to participate in “Women for Trump” events as a 2020 campaign “senior adviser.” In early 2017, Parscale confirmed he had hired her to work for his company, which was, in turn, continuing to work for Trump’s campaign.
Guilfoyle, 51, has been accompanying Donald Trump Jr. to campaign events since they began dating two years ago. She had been a Fox News personality until she left the network in 2018. In January 2020, she was named chair of Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee used to solicit and distribute money to the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.
“She’s doing stuff, but she’s just like this silly cheerleader,” one of the White House advisers said of Guilfoyle. “She gets on these donor calls, and it’s ridiculous.”
The existence of the payments, but not the amounts, was first reported by The New York Times, which recounted a scene in which Guilfoyle confronted Parscale about why her payment checks were always late and Parscale responded that he would look into it. That incident took place June 18, 2019, at a Trump reelection rally in Orlando, Florida, suggesting that payments to Guilfoyle had been taking place for some time.
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FEC rules require that campaigns, political parties and other committees disclose all expenditures, including payments to employees. But the Trump campaign and the RNC have been getting around it by routing many of their payments through Pascale’s private companies.
In all, Parscale’s firms ― Giles-Parscale and Parscale Strategy LLC ― have been paid $38.9 million by Trump’s campaign, the RNC, joint fundraising committees and a pro-Trump super PAC between the day Trump took office through February 2020, according to the latest filings available.
Numerous RNC officials and members did not respond to HuffPost queries about the arrangement. One who did, Arizona committee member Bruce Ash, wrote: “Drop dead!”
Trump funneling donor money into his children’s households builds on his practice of funneling it into his own pocket, which began in 2016, right after he became the presumptive Republican nominee and began raising large amounts of GOP money. Trump immediately quintupled the rent he was charging his campaign at Trump Tower, from $35,458 per month to $169,758. He also began billing the campaign five- and six-figure sums for use of his hotels and golf courses for hosting fundraisers.
Those practices continued after his election and through to this day. His campaign still pays Trump Tower $37,542 a month in rent, even though it is based in a high-rise office building in Arlington, Virginia. The campaign and the RNC continue to host fundraisers at Trump’s properties, putting hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time into his own cash registers.
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All of those entities are owned by the Trump Organization, which in turn is owned by a trust that Trump created after his election and of which he is the sole beneficiary.
“Grift and graft is the family business,” said Robert Weissman, president of the liberal group Public Citizen.
The payments to Guilfoyle and Lara Trump may also complicate the Trump campaign’s efforts to attack presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden for accepting lucrative board memberships when his father was vice president.
Trump and his top aides in 2018 saw Joe Biden as the most dangerous threat to his reelection among the Democrats in the primary field and sought to damage his candidacy by raising questions about his son’s business activities. Indeed, Trump wound up getting impeached for trying to coerce the president of Ukraine into announcing an investigation into Hunter Biden, using $391 million in congressionally approved military aid as leverage.
Even some of the Republican senators who voted to acquit him said that what Trump did was wrong and illegal but not bad enough to warrant his removal from office.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Store Security Guard Used Stun Gun On Muslim Health Care Worker, Advocates Say

BALTIMORE ( AP ) — Officials with a Muslim civil rights advocacy group are urging Maryland police to investigate allegations a security guard used a stun gun on a health care worker who refused to remove a face covering inside a grocery store .
The Council on American-Islamic Relations called for the Howard County Police Department to investigate and called the incident an example of discriminatory behavior against people of color wearing protective face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic , according to a statement released Wednesday .
The council said the alleged victim , a Muslim man of Tunisian heritage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Columbia this month on his way home from his job , which includes serving patients with COVID-19 .
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling on police to investigate a Muslim health care worker 's claims that he was mistreated at a Maryland grocery store .
The security guard ordered the man to remove the protective face covering he was wearing or he would not be allowed to shop , the council said in its account .
“ The shopper removed the face covering briefly to show the guard who he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the establishment — then replaced the face mask and requested the guard to move back to abide by social distancing guidelines , ” the statement said .
The group alleged that when the shopper later walked toward the checkout counter to pay , the guard approached him “ in a confrontational way , ” used a stun gun on him and restrained him on the ground .
Howard County police confirmed officers were called to the Columbia grocery store location April 4 on a “ report of a disorderly subject , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying .
An investigation is ongoing , Llewellyn added .
Representatives for the store could not be reached Wednesday , The Sun said .

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Officials with a Muslim civil rights advocacy group are urging Maryland police to investigate allegations a security guard used a stun gun on a health care worker who refused to remove a face covering inside a grocery store.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations called for the Howard County Police Department to investigate and called the incident an example of discriminatory behavior against people of color wearing protective face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement released Wednesday.
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The council said the alleged victim, a Muslim man of Tunisian heritage, entered an LA Mart grocery store in Columbia this month on his way home from his job, which includes serving patients with COVID-19.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling on police to investigate a Muslim health care worker's claims that he was mistreated at a Maryland grocery store. stellalevi via Getty Images
The security guard ordered the man to remove the protective face covering he was wearing or he would not be allowed to shop, the council said in its account.
“The shopper removed the face covering briefly to show the guard who he was — a regular customer and familiar face at the establishment — then replaced the face mask and requested the guard to move back to abide by social distancing guidelines,” the statement said.
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The group alleged that when the shopper later walked toward the checkout counter to pay, the guard approached him “in a confrontational way,” used a stun gun on him and restrained him on the ground.
Howard County police confirmed officers were called to the Columbia grocery store location April 4 on a “report of a disorderly subject, The Baltimore Sun quoted spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn as saying. An investigation is ongoing, Llewellyn added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--New York Activists Announce ‘Massive Wave’ Of Rent Strikes Starting May 1

New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images Women picket during a rent strike for reductions of rent in the Bronx , New York , in 1932 .
NEW YORK — Working-class New Yorkers are organizing a “ massive wave ” of rent strikes starting May 1 , a coalition of tenant groups and housing advocates announced Thursday , the most aggressive step yet in pressuring a resistant Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) to cancel rent for the duration of the coronavirus crisis as millions here find themselves without a job or a paycheck .
In a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Change and Housing Justice for All announced plans to get one million New Yorkers to withhold rent starting next month .
“ With so many New Yorkers unable to pay rent for the foreseeable future , the current crisis is unsustainable and demands action , ” the groups said in a statement .
“ Many tenants have no ability to pay rent , and landlords can ’ t collect rent from tenants who are broke.
” Although Cuomo has already frozen evictions for the next three months , the housing advocates say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will only result in a surge of evictions once the pandemic ends and tenants will suddenly owe months of back rent .
The governor has also so far declined to support a bipartisan bill in Albany that would cancel rent payments and offer some relief to landlords .
The rent strike , they say , will continue until Cuomo cancels rent across the state for four months , or for however long the pandemic lasts ; freezes rent prices ; and houses the 92,000 homeless people across the state , for whom stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The COVID-19 crisis is making clear what many tenants have known for a long time : we are all just one life event — the loss of a job , a medical emergency — away from losing our homes , ” the pledge states .
“ Today , millions of New Yorkers are out of work .
That means millions of us will be unable to pay the rent on May 1st .
So if we can ’ t pay , let ’ s not pay , together !
” News of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy in New York , which has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic sweeping the globe .
Over 1 million people in the state have already applied for unemployment benefits .
And a recent study from the New School estimates the coronavirus crisis will mean the loss of 1.2 million jobs in New York City alone .
The study predicted the unemployment rate reaching 30 % in the city .
For 77 % of renters across the U.S. , the federal stimulus checks that went out this week will only cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , undocumented immigrants , who make up a large part of New York City ’ s population , aren ’ t eligible for those checks .
“ People that that are undocumented in my neighborhood , they ’ re not waiting for a stimulus check , ” New York City activist Lena Melendez said in a virtual press conference Thursday .
“ They ’ re not gon na get unemployment , they ’ re not going to get a social security check , they don ’ t know they can ’ t apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting anything , and they can ’ t work , because there ’ s nobody outside to buy their goods or services.
” Melendez and her fellow rent strike activists hope to organize tenants living under rich landlords across the city and the state , primarily landlords with large portfolios of dozens of buildings or more , and especially those with ties to Cuomo , who has received millions of dollars in campaign donations from the real estate industry .
According to the activists ’ statement Thursday , participants in the rent strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent May 1 , “ and those who have organized entire apartment buildings to withhold rent , including tenants who will refuse rent payments as an act of solidarity .
”

Women picket during a rent strike for reductions of rent in the Bronx, New York, in 1932. New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images
NEW YORK — Working-class New Yorkers are organizing a “massive wave” of rent strikes starting May 1, a coalition of tenant groups and housing advocates announced Thursday, the most aggressive step yet in pressuring a resistant Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to cancel rent for the duration of the coronavirus crisis as millions here find themselves without a job or a paycheck.
In a statement Thursday, groups including New York Communities for Change and Housing Justice for All announced plans to get one million New Yorkers to withhold rent starting next month.
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“With so many New Yorkers unable to pay rent for the foreseeable future, the current crisis is unsustainable and demands action,” the groups said in a statement. “Many tenants have no ability to pay rent, and landlords can’t collect rent from tenants who are broke.”
Although Cuomo has already frozen evictions for the next three months, the housing advocates say that measure is woefully inadequate, and will only result in a surge of evictions once the pandemic ends and tenants will suddenly owe months of back rent. The governor has also so far declined to support a bipartisan bill in Albany that would cancel rent payments and offer some relief to landlords.
The rent strike organizers are making three demands of the governor, according to an online pledge launched Thursday.
The rent strike, they say, will continue until Cuomo cancels rent across the state for four months, or for however long the pandemic lasts; freezes rent prices; and houses the 92,000 homeless people across the state, for whom stay-at-home orders are “cruel and meaningless.”
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“The COVID-19 crisis is making clear what many tenants have known for a long time: we are all just one life event — the loss of a job, a medical emergency — away from losing our homes,” the pledge states. “Today, millions of New Yorkers are out of work. That means millions of us will be unable to pay the rent on May 1st. So if we can’t pay, let’s not pay, together!”
Housing activists in New York call for a rent strike starting May 1 to pressure the governor to cancel rent during the coronavirus crisis. Courtesy Housing Justice for All
News of the strike comes amid dire predictions for the economy in New York, which has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic sweeping the globe. Over 1 million people in the state have already applied for unemployment benefits.
And a recent study from the New School estimates the coronavirus crisis will mean the loss of 1.2 million jobs in New York City alone. The study predicted the unemployment rate reaching 30% in the city.
For 77% of renters across the U.S., the federal stimulus checks that went out this week will only cover a month of housing costs. Moreover, undocumented immigrants, who make up a large part of New York City’s population, aren’t eligible for those checks.
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“People that that are undocumented in my neighborhood, they’re not waiting for a stimulus check,” New York City activist Lena Melendez said in a virtual press conference Thursday. “They’re not gonna get unemployment, they’re not going to get a social security check, they don’t know they can’t apply for welfare, they’re not getting anything, and they can’t work, because there’s nobody outside to buy their goods or services.”
“Those people are in peril,” she said.
Melendez and her fellow rent strike activists hope to organize tenants living under rich landlords across the city and the state, primarily landlords with large portfolios of dozens of buildings or more, and especially those with ties to Cuomo, who has received millions of dollars in campaign donations from the real estate industry.
According to the activists’ statement Thursday, participants in the rent strikes will include those financially unable to pay rent May 1, “and those who have organized entire apartment buildings to withhold rent, including tenants who will refuse rent payments as an act of solidarity.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--The Stimulus Isn’t Enough

The Stimulus Isn’t Enough

As the weeks of the COVID-19 crisis turn into months , it ’ s becoming clear that the policies aren ’ t sufficient : not the one-time stimulus payments , or pandemic unemployment insurance , or perhaps the biggest blunder , the loan program for small businesses .
And the little help offered to those who still have their jobs in the form of paid sick and family leave isn ’ t nearly enough to keep those people safe .
One-Time Payments Only Go So Far MacQuarri had just gotten on her feet .
She was a stay-at-home mother for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walked out in 2016 , leaving her to care for two young kids .
She turned to food stamps and state assistance to get by .
She drove for Uber .
Then she finally figured out a way to earn cash by watching other people ’ s kids at home .
In Europe and a few other countries , policymakers understand that ― and have figured out a way to pay workers who are sidelined .
For example , the British government is paying up to 80 % of workers ’ wages for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the grants directly and be able to keep people on their payrolls .
( In the U.S. we ’ re doing this , bizarrely , by forcing companies to ask for loans to pay workers . )
Still Waiting For Those Steroids There are a few states that are sending out the money early because they ’ ve had experience with disaster benefits ― Texas , Louisiana and Rhode Island — but the rest of the states haven ’ t even started “ processing ” them yet , said Michele Evermore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Employment Law Project .
Washington state will be processing the benefit in a few days , she said .
“ Some states , like Ohio , won ’ t be processing them until mid-May , ” Evermore said .
“ I am so scared for people scratching by month to month.
” She did say she ’ s optimistic that eventually , the pandemic benefits will start paying out .
“ I ’ m worried but also trying to look at the bright side for those who are getting through.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steroids might be manageable , as regular state unemployment insurance will help cover the bills .
But for those on the margins ― the self-employed , or independent contractors who don ’ t qualify for regular unemployment — things are terrifying .
“ It ’ s going to be a challenge to get benefits in their account by the time rent is due for May , ” Evermore said .
What about help for those still going out to work each day , risking their own health to do their jobs serving others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much to offer them , either : The paid sick leave provisions passed are so weak and riddled with loopholes that they leave out three-quarters of workers .
Small Businesses Will Disappear , Amazon Will Swoop In The idea was that small companies could get loans quickly and use them to keep their workers on the payroll .
If they do that , then the loans are forgiven .
If they can ’ t , then the loans have to be repaid at fairly low interest rates .
“ The local Chinese restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company will be best positioned to take over the spot ?
” Fischer said .
“ It ’ ll be the Panera Bread or the Tim Hortons that is deep-pocketed.
” Those larger companies have other ways to weather the recession , she pointed out ― they can tap other places to borrow money that the little guys just don ’ t have access to .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The federal government’s attempt to rescue normal people ― not banks, not airlines, but actual working Americans ― isn’t cutting it.
Congress has now taken three swings at stimulus packages meant to keep the economy afloat while Americans shelter at home and businesses are shuttered. The Federal Reserve, for its part, has done a bang-up job of helping the largest businesses stay in business. The rich got tax breaks.
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Meanwhile, the programs and policies put in place to help average individuals and small businesses get by are falling short.
As the weeks of the COVID-19 crisis turn into months, it’s becoming clear that the policies aren’t sufficient: not the one-time stimulus payments, or pandemic unemployment insurance, or perhaps the biggest blunder, the loan program for small businesses. And the little help offered to those who still have their jobs in the form of paid sick and family leave isn’t nearly enough to keep those people safe.
If something more isn’t done, the post-coronavirus United States will inevitably become a more unequal place, a land of low-paid worker cogs reporting for duty to giant chain stores and warehouses. If they’re lucky enough to make it out of this alive.
“Our delivery systems for giving money to [individuals and small businesses] are laggard, inefficient and have huge gaps,” said Amanda Fischer, a policy director at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, a think tank. Yet it’s those same individual workers and small businesses that actually make our economy work, she added.
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One-Time Payments Only Go So Far
Getting her stimulus check was a huge relief to Amber MacQuarri, a single mother of two in New Hampshire. She had to shut down her in-home child care center in March because she has lupus and the risks to her health during the coronavirus crisis were too high.
The stimulus money will help cover her expenses for the next four weeks or so, MacQuarri said. After that, it’s unclear. “Even though I’m OK now, I’m scared to death I won’t be in a month, and frankly, I don’t know what I’ll do,” she said.
MacQuarri had just gotten on her feet. She was a stay-at-home mother for about a decade, but her husband walked out in 2016, leaving her to care for two young kids. She turned to food stamps and state assistance to get by. She drove for Uber. Then she finally figured out a way to earn cash by watching other people’s kids at home.
She hopes to revive the business once the crisis ends. But when will that be? Experts say it could be a year or more until the economy can resume “as normal.”
“If something more isn’t done, the post-coronavirus United States will inevitably become a more unequal place, a land of low-paid worker cogs reporting for duty to giant chain stores and warehouses. If they’re lucky enough to make it out of this alive.”
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It’s going to take more than a one-off check to keep people like MacQuarri whole in the meantime.
In Europe and a few other countries, policymakers understand that ― and have figured out a way to pay workers who are sidelined. For example, the British government is paying up to 80% of workers’ wages for the next three months. Employers will get the grants directly and be able to keep people on their payrolls. (In the U.S. we’re doing this, bizarrely, by forcing companies to ask for loans to pay workers.)
In the U.S., the government offers little but anxiety.
Still Waiting For Those Steroids
In late March, Congress passed what Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called “unemployment insurance on steroids.” Under this new policy, jobless Americans could also get an extra $600 a week on top of regular state unemployment payments to make it through for at least four months. The new pandemic unemployment insurance would also be available to gig workers and independent contractors.
It sounded incredible and absolutely crucial. More than 21 million Americans have lost their jobs since this crisis started. These are Great Depression-level numbers.
But the checks haven’t gone out yet in most states. Some jobless folks can’t even get through to the state unemployment agency to get regular benefits.
There are a few states that are sending out the money early because they’ve had experience with disaster benefits ― Texas, Louisiana and Rhode Island — but the rest of the states haven’t even started “processing” them yet, said Michele Evermore, a senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project. Washington state will be processing the benefit in a few days, she said.
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“Some states, like Ohio, won’t be processing them until mid-May,” Evermore said. “I am so scared for people scratching by month to month.” She did say she’s optimistic that eventually, the pandemic benefits will start paying out. “I’m worried but also trying to look at the bright side for those who are getting through.”
For some, the delay of the steroids might be manageable, as regular state unemployment insurance will help cover the bills. But for those on the margins ― the self-employed, or independent contractors who don’t qualify for regular unemployment — things are terrifying. “It’s going to be a challenge to get benefits in their account by the time rent is due for May,” Evermore said.
“Amazon’s warehouse workers got a temporary raise of $2/hour to risk their lives at work during the pandemic. Meanwhile, CEO Jeff Bezos's net worth skyrocketed by $24 billion thanks to the increase in business from the virus.”
Most Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $400 expense. And already, one-third of Americans failed to pay rent in April.
What about help for those still going out to work each day, risking their own health to do their jobs serving others? The stimulus doesn’t have much to offer them, either: The paid sick leave provisions passed are so weak and riddled with loopholes that they leave out three-quarters of workers.
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OSHA, the federal agency meant to protect worker safety and health, has meanwhile been largely MIA when it comes to pushing employers to keep workers from getting sick.
Small Businesses Will Disappear, Amazon Will Swoop In
Perhaps even bleaker is what’s happening with the country’s small businesses.
Equitable Growth’s Fischer put out a long research brief this week pointing out the huge gap in the way the federal government is helping the largest companies compared to how it’s decided to lend a hand to small businesses.
The Federal Reserve is pumping out trillions of dollars to help the financial system and large, public companies in truly novel ways ― enabling the big corporations to weather the storm. Meanwhile, the program to rescue small businesses has been a mess and it’s already run out of money.
The idea was that small companies could get loans quickly and use them to keep their workers on the payroll. If they do that, then the loans are forgiven. If they can’t, then the loans have to be repaid at fairly low interest rates.
Good deal. The problem is: It’s too little, too late. The money only recently started flowing, and now it’s gone, but shops have been shuttered since mid-March. Many are already closed for good.
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And loans were made on a first-come, first-serve basis. That means the businesses with the best and most established relationships with their banks got to the front of the line. There are reports of hedge funds getting small business loans; franchises of restaurant chains owned by big private equity groups are also getting money.
Those with weaker banking relationships ― more likely to be minority-owned or women-owned businesses ― missed out.
A pedestrian walks past a closed business during the coronavirus outbreak on April 16, 2020, in Seattle. More than 585,000 people in Washington state sought unemployment benefits last week, with 143,000 people filing claims for the first time. AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
What happens when these small shops go out of business? Big companies move in.
“The local Chinese restaurant may get foreclosed on, and what company will be best positioned to take over the spot?” Fischer said. “It’ll be the Panera Bread or the Tim Hortons that is deep-pocketed.” Those larger companies have other ways to weather the recession, she pointed out ― they can tap other places to borrow money that the little guys just don’t have access to.
Small businesses have been struggling already in the U.S. as conglomerates take over retail and food industries.
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The number of small retailers fell by 85,000 from 2005 to 2015, Fischer notes in her brief. Amazon already represents 38% of all online retail sales. Walmart controls one-quarter of all grocery sales in the country.
Those two companies are already dominating the COVID-19 economy as homebound shoppers struggle to buy supplies. Amazon’s stock just hit record highs. Surely, their shares of the market will expand.
These big businesses exacerbate inequalities. For small businesses, the difference in pay between managers and workers is relatively small, for example. For the big guys, the inequality is monstrous. Consider that Amazon’s warehouse workers just got a temporary raise of $2 per hour to come work and risk their lives during the pandemic.
Their boss ― CEO Jeff Bezos — has seen his net worth skyrocket by $24 billion thanks to the increase in business from the virus.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that local control shifting to global control at the corporate level just results in owners of that capital being able to hoard the profits,” Fischer said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Most Americans Worried Country Closed By Coronavirus Will Reopen Too Quickly, Poll Finds

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are concerned social restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic will be lifted too quickly , even as President Donald Trump urges the country to get back to normal as soon as possible , according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center .
In a survey of 4,917 U.S. adults on the nonpartisan group ’ s trends panel , Pew found a majority of people from both parties were worried about the duration of measures like stay-at-home orders and social distancing .
But 81 % of Democrats were more worried that restrictions would be lifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of Republicans who had that concern .
“ With substantial limits in place on public activity in most states to combat the coronavirus outbreak , 66 % of Americans say they are more concerned that these restrictions will be lifted too quickly , while 32 % say they are more concerned they won ’ t be lifted quickly enough , ” Pew found .
The economy has been devastated since cases of the coronavirus first hit American shores .
Around 22 million people have filed for jobless benefits in the past month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job losses in American history .
Many respondents placed some blame on Trump himself for the state of the pandemic in America .
65 % said the White House had acted too slowly to take major steps to stop the spread of the virus , although opinions were largely along party lines .
The survey was conducted between April 7 and 12 , but infection rates have only gotten progressively worse over the last week : Cases have continued to spread and more than 662,000 people in the U.S. have now been infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died , many in New York , an epicenter of the pandemic .
Trump released a three-phase plan to reopen the economy on Thursday , saying the country was getting ready to start “ our life ” and the “ rejuvenation of our economy again.
” The results this week weren ’ t all bad for the president .
51 % of Americans said Trump had done an excellent or good job to address the economic needs of businesses , although that support falls to just 46 % when asked if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs or income .
51 % of Americans say Donald Trump is doing an excellent or good job in addressing the economic needs of businesses facing financial difficulties .
Fewer ( 46 % ) say he has done well addressing the financial needs of ordinary people who have lost jobs/income .
https : //t.co/g2mUCmHDkc — Pew Research Center ( @ pewresearch ) April 16 , 2020 “ America wants to be open and Americans want to be open , ” Trump said during the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term solution .
To preserve the health of our citizens , we must also preserve the health and functioning of our economy.
” Pew found that many Americans are also concerned about the future even amid assurances from the president that many states were in “ very good shape.
” 73 % of people said the “ worst is still to come ” in the outbreak , including 56 % of Republicans .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Nearly two-thirds of Americans are concerned social restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic will be lifted too quickly, even as President Donald Trump urges the country to get back to normal as soon as possible, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.
In a survey of 4,917 U.S. adults on the nonpartisan group’s trends panel, Pew found a majority of people from both parties were worried about the duration of measures like stay-at-home orders and social distancing. But 81% of Democrats were more worried that restrictions would be lifted too quickly, as compared with 51% of Republicans who had that concern.
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“With substantial limits in place on public activity in most states to combat the coronavirus outbreak, 66% of Americans say they are more concerned that these restrictions will be lifted too quickly, while 32% say they are more concerned they won’t be lifted quickly enough,” Pew found.
The economy has been devastated since cases of the coronavirus first hit American shores. Around 22 million people have filed for jobless benefits in the past month, by far the worst stretch of job losses in American history.
81% of Democrats say they’re concerned that governments will lift restrictions on public activity too quickly. 46% of Republicans are worried restrictions on public movement won’t be lifted quickly enough. https://t.co/4WKYJ6j2uv — Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) April 16, 2020
Many respondents placed some blame on Trump himself for the state of the pandemic in America. 65% said the White House had acted too slowly to take major steps to stop the spread of the virus, although opinions were largely along party lines.
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The president has still refused to institute any nationwide stay-at-home orders, leaving that authority to governors.
The survey was conducted between April 7 and 12, but infection rates have only gotten progressively worse over the last week: Cases have continued to spread and more than 662,000 people in the U.S. have now been infected with the coronavirus. More than 28,000 have died, many in New York, an epicenter of the pandemic.
On Thursday, the country saw its worst 24-hour death rate since the outbreak began. 4,591 people died in the country, nearly double the previous single-day record.
Trump released a three-phase plan to reopen the economy on Thursday, saying the country was getting ready to start “our life” and the “rejuvenation of our economy again.” The results this week weren’t all bad for the president. 51% of Americans said Trump had done an excellent or good job to address the economic needs of businesses, although that support falls to just 46% when asked if he has supported those who have lost their jobs or income.
51% of Americans say Donald Trump is doing an excellent or good job in addressing the economic needs of businesses facing financial difficulties. Fewer (46%) say he has done well addressing the financial needs of ordinary people who have lost jobs/income. https://t.co/g2mUCmHDkc — Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) April 16, 2020
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“America wants to be open and Americans want to be open,” Trump said during the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House. “A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution. To preserve the health of our citizens, we must also preserve the health and functioning of our economy.”
Pew found that many Americans are also concerned about the future even amid assurances from the president that many states were in “very good shape.” 73% of people said the “worst is still to come” in the outbreak, including 56% of Republicans.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--The Border Crisis Doesn’t Pause For A Pandemic

We ’ re the only community in 35 miles or more in any direction .
As tiny as we are @ @ @ @ @ place to come if people need help and they do .
Leesa Jacobson , co-founder @ @ @ @ @ the Border Zone

For some residents of Arivaca, a dusty Arizona town just 11 miles north of the Mexican border, an unexpected knock on the door in the dead of night is as familiar as a coyote’s howl.
Thousands of migrants have crossed into the U.S. from Mexico in the last decade, following trails that zigzag through the rocky desert nearby. Most pass through without encountering an Arivaca resident. But if the journey proves too difficult, migrants may take a risk and ask for help.
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The border crisis hasn’t paused for the coronavirus pandemic. Border agents apprehended nearly 30,000 migrants at the southwest border in March. And though some of the town’s roughly 700 residents may be unsympathetic toward undocumented immigrants, many Arivacans have dedicated their time and resources to help keep them as safe as possible.
Humanitarian aid volunteers in Arivaca are adjusting their operations accordingly ― doing their best to keep migrants and themselves safe during both a public health crisis and a refugee crisis.
“COVID is a complicating factor,” said Porter Witsell, a volunteer with People Helping People in the Border Zone, an Arivaca-based organization that provides humanitarian aid to migrants. “But it doesn’t mean that people aren’t still making this journey, that people aren’t still suffering and dying on this journey.”
People Helping People works closely with No More Deaths, a migrant advocacy group headquartered in Tucson, to coordinate food, water, legal and medical support for dessert crossers in need.
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The People Helping People humanitarian aid office is empty in Arivaca at sunset on April 15. Eli Imadali for HuffPost
Volunteers operate PHP’s humanitarian aid office on Arivaca’s modest central road, steps away from the artists’ co-op and across from La Gitana, the town’s only bar.
Because of coronavirus concerns, volunteers have adopted a stringent set of protocols that includes wearing surgical masks, washing their hands every 30 minutes and constantly cleaning and re-cleaning surfaces.
“The work hasn’t changed,” said Leesa Jacobson, who co-founded PHP in 2012. “But the complication of doing the work has increased. ... [The virus] just puts another load on people who are sometimes already hard-pressed to do what they do.”
Arivaca is an aging community, and that’s reflected in PHP’s volunteer corps, said Jacobson, who is 68. About half of the volunteers are 60 and older, one of the populations most vulnerable to COVID-19. While those older volunteers take special care to protect themselves during the pandemic, their younger counterparts have stepped up to help keep the office open every day.
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Witsell, a 30-year-old East Coast native, is one of them. She also works as an EMT at Arivaca’s fire department and volunteers her medical expertise to help treat injured migrants who show up to the aid office.
Part of her volunteer work typically includes traveling to the northern Mexican town of Sasabe, about 25 miles southwest of Arivaca, to give out harm reduction supplies to migrants preparing to cross the border.
A sign for the only medical clinic in Arivaca marks a junction at the end of town. Eli Imadali for HuffPost
Witsell and a fellow aid worker hand out water purification tablets and socks ― it’s extremely important to keep your feet healthy during this journey, they explained ― and provide guidance on how to keep cell phones charged and which numbers to call in case of an emergency.
Since the U.S. and Mexico agreed last month to temporarily close the border to nonessential travel in an effort to curb contagion, Witsell hasn’t been able to make those trips.
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“I’m super concerned that people don’t have access to life-saving resources and information about what the journey could be like,” she said.
And it can be incredibly dangerous: Migrants may go days without food or clean water in the desert. Over the last two decades, the remains of thousands of migrants have been recovered in southern Arizona, according to data compiled by the Pima County Forensic Science Center.
“We’re the only community in 35 miles or more in any direction. As tiny as we are, we’re the place to come if people need help and they do.” - Leesa Jacobson, co-founder of People Helping People in the Border Zone
In order to prevent such deaths, humanitarian aid volunteers place supplies along the trails. Sometimes, they’re thwarted. According to a 2018 report from No More Deaths, U.S. Border Patrol agents vandalized water left for migrants 415 times over a 46-month period.
Now, the pandemic has become yet another obstacle for volunteers making the supply drops, said Paige Corich-Kleim, a spokesperson for No More Deaths.
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“We’re trying to do everything with less people and trying to maintain as much social distancing as we can but also recognizing that there are parts of our work that require interaction,” she said.
Amassing supplies has also been a challenge, she said. Vendors have been unable to fulfill some of the group’s bulk orders for gallons of water and canned beans in recent weeks. They need things like hand soap and bleach, but are struggling to get enough.
“The things we’re looking for are the things that everyone is looking for right now,” Corich-Kleim said.
‘It’s Like A Built-In Death Penalty’
While President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies have resulted in fewer border apprehensions in recent months, they haven’t deterred all migrants and asylum-seekers. Instead, the increased militarization of the border has caused them to cross through even more dangerous areas, Witsell said.
“Prevention through deterrence is designed to push people to the most remote parts of the desert,” Witsell said. “It’s like a built-in death penalty: If you can escape it then maybe you have a shot.”
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U.S. Border Patrol trucks sit parked on the main road in Arivaca on April 15. Eli Imadali for HuffPost
The Trump administration has ramped up its border wall construction in Arizona during the pandemic, to the ire of many border town residents. The administration argues that a border wall will prevent further spread of the virus. Epidemiologists note that the barrier won’t help mitigate the outbreaks already popping up in every state.
The administration has also cracked down on humanitarian aid workers in recent years. Border Patrol agents arrested a No More Deaths volunteer in 2018 and charged him with harboring undocumented immigrants. Before a federal jury acquitted him last year, he faced up to 20 years in prison for providing food, water and shelter to two men from Central America.
Still, even beyond Arivaca’s coalition of volunteers, many residents provide humanitarian aid to migrants who show up on their doorsteps in distress. PHP offers supplies to those residents to relieve some of the financial burden.
“We’re the only community in 35 miles or more in any direction,” Jacobson said. “As tiny as we are, we’re the place to come if people need help and they do.”
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“We see the people who are incredibly lost or in really bad physical condition to the point where they’re willing to risk everything they’ve been through to come to somebody’s house and knock on their door for help,” Jacobson said.
What happens next is based on luck. While more Arivacans than not are happy to lend a hand, Jacobson said, others may tell the weary travelers to get off their property. Some call Border Patrol.
Residents reported seeing an increased Border Patrol presence in the area in recent weeks. Though U.S. Customs and Border Protection said last month that its agents “always” wear personal protective equipment when interacting with migrants, some Arivacans said they’ve witnessed agents apprehending migrants without wearing masks or gloves.
What’s more, Jacobson worries residents will be more reluctant to interact with migrants during the pandemic for fear of contracting the virus — even though, compared to Mexico, the U.S. has more than 100 times the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Hunkering Down In A ‘Hippie Retirement Community’
As of Thursday, there were no known cases of COVID-19 in Arivaca. Surrounding Pima County, however, has reported more than 760 cases and at least 52 deaths. Many Arivacans fear it’s only a matter of time before the coronavirus hits their community.
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Because Arivaca is an unincorporated community and has no official town council or police force, residents have taken it upon themselves to support and provide care for one another amid the pandemic.
Dan Kelly, a 74-year-old retiree with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stands at his Arivaca home on April 15. Kelly has made close to 150 masks for fellow Arivaca residents since the novel coronavirus pandemic. Eli Imadali for HuffPost
Dan Kelly, a 74-year-old Vietnam War veteran, is part of a local task force spearheading the town’s coronavirus response. As part of its effort, members have distributed handouts with information about the virus, made hundreds of hand-sewn masks and organized shopping trips to pick up medication and provisions for older residents.
“One of the remarkable things about this community is that, regardless of ideology, we can and do look for ways that we can proactively support the needs of the community,” Kelly said. “The heart of Arivaca is in our capacity to come together.”
Like in so many towns across the country, the virus has turned daily life upside down for many Arivacans. Children are not in school, though school buses drop off free lunch for many of them during the week. La Gatina, the town’s lone cantina, is open only for takeout.
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“People are very anxious not just about contracting the disease but a lot of worry and apprehension about jobs and finances,” Jacobson said.
If an outbreak did occur in Arivaca, it could have disastrous consequences. Many residents don’t have health insurance. There’s one health clinic in town with one doctor who sees patients three days a week. The closest hospital is about 45 minutes away.
“If something is seriously wrong with people they’re either ambulanced or airlifted,” Jacobson said. “Our medical care is adequate for most people but it does have limitations.”
Jamie Bauer, a 69-year-old retiree, at the People Helping People humanitarian aid office, where she volunteers helping migrants in Arivaca, on April 15. Eli Imadali for HuffPost
Jamie Bauer, a 69-year-old who splits her time between Arivaca and Taos, New Mexico, said the lack of nearby medical care has made her question whether she could live in Arivaca year-round in the future.
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“I’ve experienced how it is when you’re old and living here, it’s not always easy,” Bauer said. “I don’t know where I’ll live when I get old but the community is so close here. I think it could be better than a lot of places because we all look out for each other here. We are a tight group. It’s a hippie retirement community.”
Bauer, like so many of her neighbors, has hunkered down in her home with a stockpile of food. She still hangs out with friends ― at a distance ― from time to time and volunteers at the aid office.
For some residents, having to self-isolate isn’t a major change. Jacobson lives about 2.5 miles away from the town center on 10 sprawling acres of a desert that is at once beautiful and deadly.
“I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she said. “I am here for the duration ― hopefully, it’s a longer duration. I’m trying not to get COVID-19 because I want to stay living here.”
She has her two dogs and a tortoise named June to keep her company. Plus, there’s always the chance an unfamiliar person will come knocking on her door.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Pandemic Turning Into A 'Child-Rights Crisis,' United Nations Warns

UNITED NATIONS ( AP ) — Children have so far largely escaped the most severe symptoms of COVID-19 but the social and economic impact “ is potentially catastrophic for millions of children , ” according to a U.N. report launched Thursday .
“ All children , of all ages , and in all countries , are affected , ” it said .
“ However , some children are destined to bear the greatest costs.
” Those badly hit will be children living in slums , refugee and displacement camps , conflict zones , institutions and detention centers and youngsters with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned in a video statement launching the report that the coronavirus pandemic is putting many of the world ’ s children “ in jeopardy ” and urged families everywhere and leaders at all levels to “ protect our children.
” # COVID19 has upended the lives of children worldwide .
With many children in jeopardy , I appeal to leaders at all levels to do everything in their power to cushion the impact of the pandemic - and protect our children.https : //t.co/281j5I3eLV pic.twitter.com/MppCf5UlT8 — António Guterres ( @ antonioguterres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to almost all students out of school , family stress levels rising as communities face lock-downs , and reduced household income expected to force poor families to cut back on essential health and food expenditures , “ particularly affecting children.
” Guterres said the global recession that is gathering pace as a result of the pandemic and the measures being taken to mitigate it could lead to “ hundreds of thousands additional child deaths in 2020.
” According to the report , “ This would effectively reverse the last two to three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single year.
” The estimate of hundreds of thousands of additional child deaths came from a 2011 paper by three economists — Sarah Baird , Jed Friedman , and Norbert Schady — who investigated the impact of “ income shocks , ” like a recession , on infant mortality .
The report urges governments and donors to prioritize education for all children and give special priority to the most vulnerable – youngsters in conflicts and refugee camps , and those who are displaced and disabled .
It also calls for governments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash transfers , to low-income families .
On education , the report said 188 countries have imposed countrywide school closures , affecting more than 1.5 billion children and young people .
And it said nearly 369 million children in 143 countries who rely on school meals for daily nutrition must now look to other sources .
Guterres said some schools are offering online learning but children without access to the internet and in countries with slow and expensive services are severely disadvantaged .
Noting that children are both victims and witnesses of domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ with schools closed , an important early warning mechanism is missing .
”

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Children have so far largely escaped the most severe symptoms of COVID-19 but the social and economic impact “is potentially catastrophic for millions of children,” according to a U.N. report launched Thursday.
It said COVID-19 is turning into “a broader child-rights crisis.”
“All children, of all ages, and in all countries, are affected,” it said. “However, some children are destined to bear the greatest costs.”
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Those badly hit will be children living in slums, refugee and displacement camps, conflict zones, institutions and detention centers and youngsters with disabilities, the report said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned in a video statement launching the report that the coronavirus pandemic is putting many of the world’s children “in jeopardy” and urged families everywhere and leaders at all levels to “protect our children.”
#COVID19 has upended the lives of children worldwide.
With many children in jeopardy, I appeal to leaders at all levels to do everything in their power to cushion the impact of the pandemic - and protect our children.https://t.co/281j5I3eLV pic.twitter.com/MppCf5UlT8 — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 16, 2020
The U.N. chief said the lives of children “are being totally upended” by COVID-19.
He pointed to almost all students out of school, family stress levels rising as communities face lock-downs, and reduced household income expected to force poor families to cut back on essential health and food expenditures, “particularly affecting children.”
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Guterres said the global recession that is gathering pace as a result of the pandemic and the measures being taken to mitigate it could lead to “hundreds of thousands additional child deaths in 2020.”
According to the report, “This would effectively reverse the last two to three years of progress in reducing infant mortality within a single year.”
The estimate of hundreds of thousands of additional child deaths came from a 2011 paper by three economists — Sarah Baird, Jed Friedman, and Norbert Schady — who investigated the impact of “income shocks,” like a recession, on infant mortality.
The report urges governments and donors to prioritize education for all children and give special priority to the most vulnerable – youngsters in conflicts and refugee camps, and those who are displaced and disabled. It also calls for governments and donors to provide economic assistance, including cash transfers, to low-income families.
On education, the report said 188 countries have imposed countrywide school closures, affecting more than 1.5 billion children and young people. And it said nearly 369 million children in 143 countries who rely on school meals for daily nutrition must now look to other sources.
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Guterres said some schools are offering online learning but children without access to the internet and in countries with slow and expensive services are severely disadvantaged.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Senators Fear Black Americans In Face Masks Will Be Exposed To Racial Bias

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Democratic lawmakers want police departments to be vigilant about any racially biased policing during the coronavirus pandemic , as people in communities of color express fears of being profiled while wearing masks or other face coverings in public .
In a letter sent Friday to Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray , Sen. Kamala Harris of California and other Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee urged federal law enforcement agencies to provide anti-bias training and guidance to police officers .
The officers may increasingly encounter masked residents as the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming weeks , the senators said .
“ With the ongoing public health emergency , it is more important than ever for law enforcement to build trust with communities of color , ” the senators said in the letter , which was first shared with The Associated Press .
Earlier this month , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people who go out in public wear a surgical mask or a cloth covering their nose and mouth to prevent the spread of the virus .
And already , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial profiling while following the recommendations .
“ If communities of color — especially African American communities — feel at risk of disproportionate or selective enforcement , they may avoid seeking help or adopting precautionary measures recommended by the CDC , ” the letter reads .
“ This , in turn , could have dire public health consequences.
” The toll of COVID-19 on African Americans has been disproportionate , preliminary public health records show .
The latest AP analysis of available state and local data shows that nearly one-third of those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by the coronavirus , are black .
Since the CDC issued its recommendations on April 3 , several states , including New York , New Jersey and California , began requiring people to wear masks when riding public transportation , visiting grocery stores and pharmacies , or in other spaces where it is difficult to be socially distant .
Less than one week after the CDC ’ s mask recommendations , two black men in surgical masks recorded themselves being followed by a police officer as they left a Walmart in Wood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an African American doctor who wore a mask as he volunteered to test homeless people for COVID-19 was handcuffed and detained by police outside his home in Miami , Florida .
Black men also are reportedly being harassed for not wearing face coverings .
A day after the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority began requiring customers to wear facial coverings on buses and trains , an African American man without a mask was seen on video being forcibly dragged from a bus by Philadelphia transit officers .
Jim Pasco , executive director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a union of more than 330,000 members , pushed back on the senators ’ request .
He said the vast majority of the nation ’ s police officers already receive anti-bias training .
“ In the circumstances we currently find ourselves in , I find it troubling that anyone is asking the nation ’ s already overworked officers to take time out of their work for training , based on a few allegations of improper conduct , ” Pasco said in a phone interview .
“ This seems like political opportunism , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Systemic racism and discrimination in law enforcement isn ’ t a new issue .
However , various studies of criminal justice data show that African Americans are more likely than whites to be pulled over by police , and are as much as three times more likely to be searched .
They have also been arrested and shot by officers at twice the rate of whites .
In the email , Harris , who is black , said the onus can not be on black men to ensure that taking precautions against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make them vulnerable to biased policing .
“ We need to place more responsibility on the system , particularly in this moment , ” she said .
“ During this crisis , it is more important than ever for law enforcement to prioritize building relationships of trust with the communities they serve .
”

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NEW YORK (AP) — Democratic lawmakers want police departments to be vigilant about any racially biased policing during the coronavirus pandemic, as people in communities of color express fears of being profiled while wearing masks or other face coverings in public.
In a letter sent Friday to Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and other Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee urged federal law enforcement agencies to provide anti-bias training and guidance to police officers. The officers may increasingly encounter masked residents as the nation weighs a gradual reopening of the economy in the coming weeks, the senators said.
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“With the ongoing public health emergency, it is more important than ever for law enforcement to build trust with communities of color,” the senators said in the letter, which was first shared with The Associated Press.
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people who go out in public wear a surgical mask or a cloth covering their nose and mouth to prevent the spread of the virus. And already, some black men have reported incidents of racial profiling while following the recommendations.
“If communities of color — especially African American communities — feel at risk of disproportionate or selective enforcement, they may avoid seeking help or adopting precautionary measures recommended by the CDC,” the letter reads. “This, in turn, could have dire public health consequences.”
The toll of COVID-19 on African Americans has been disproportionate, preliminary public health records show. The latest AP analysis of available state and local data shows that nearly one-third of those who have died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, are black.
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African Americans are roughly 14% of the population in the areas included in the analysis.
Since the CDC issued its recommendations on April 3, several states, including New York, New Jersey and California, began requiring people to wear masks when riding public transportation, visiting grocery stores and pharmacies, or in other spaces where it is difficult to be socially distant.
Less than one week after the CDC’s mask recommendations, two black men in surgical masks recorded themselves being followed by a police officer as they left a Walmart in Wood River, Illinois. In another incident, an African American doctor who wore a mask as he volunteered to test homeless people for COVID-19 was handcuffed and detained by police outside his home in Miami, Florida.
Black men also are reportedly being harassed for not wearing face coverings. A day after the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority began requiring customers to wear facial coverings on buses and trains, an African American man without a mask was seen on video being forcibly dragged from a bus by Philadelphia transit officers.
These incidents suggest mask requirements “could expose Black Americans to unfair and dangerous treatment from law enforcement,” Harris, a former prosecutor, said in an email to the AP.
“We can’t let this become a bigger problem,” she said.
Jim Pasco, executive director of the National Fraternal Order of Police, a union of more than 330,000 members, pushed back on the senators’ request. He said the vast majority of the nation’s police officers already receive anti-bias training.
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“In the circumstances we currently find ourselves in, I find it troubling that anyone is asking the nation’s already overworked officers to take time out of their work for training, based on a few allegations of improper conduct,” Pasco said in a phone interview. “This seems like political opportunism, at the least opportunistic time for the country.”
The FBI asked for more time to respond to a request for comment.
Systemic racism and discrimination in law enforcement isn’t a new issue. However, various studies of criminal justice data show that African Americans are more likely than whites to be pulled over by police, and are as much as three times more likely to be searched. They have also been arrested and shot by officers at twice the rate of whites.
In the email, Harris, who is black, said the onus cannot be on black men to ensure that taking precautions against the virus outbreak doesn’t also make them vulnerable to biased policing.
“We need to place more responsibility on the system, particularly in this moment,” she said. “During this crisis, it is more important than ever for law enforcement to prioritize building relationships of trust with the communities they serve.”
The letter to the Justice Department and FBI was also signed by Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Ben Cardin of Maryland.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-17--Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Gives Some Beaches Green Light To Reopen

JACKSONVILLE , Fla. ( AP ) — Florida ’ s governor on Friday gave the green light for some beaches and parks to reopen if it can be done safely , and north Florida beaches became among the first to allow people to return since closures because of the coronavirus .
Mayor Lenny Curry said Duval County beaches were reopening Friday afternoon with restricted hours , and they can only be used for walking , biking , hiking , fishing , running , swimming , taking care of pets and surfing .
The beaches will be open from 6 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Curry said in a video posted to social media .
Gatherings of 50 or more people are prohibited and people must still practice social distancing .
“ Folks , this could be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life , but please respect and follow these limitations , ” Curry said .
“ We ’ ll get back to life as we know it , but we must be patient.
” Florida officials were criticized for leaving beaches open during part of the spring break period last month .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept them open under very restrictive conditions .
Other more high-profile beaches in South Florida — including Miami Beach — were closed by state order .
At a news conference in Fort Lauderdale , Gov .
Ron DeSantis said some municipalities should feel free to start opening up parks and beaches , if that can be done safely , with distancing guidelines remaining in place .
The governor said it was important for people to have outlets for getting exercise , sunshine and fresh air .
Chris Imeson , of Ponte Vedra Beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beach near the St. Johns and Duval county line in the northeast part of the state .
He says he ’ ll definitely go to the beach and is excited about being able to do so .
“ Honestly I don ’ t understand why people are so upset , ” Imeson said in a telephone interview .
“ We have really uncrowded beaches .
...
I can ’ t tell you I ’ ve ever been within 6 feet of another person other than my little boy.
” He is unemployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his time homeschooling his young son .
They ’ ve only gone out in the yard and for walks around the neighborhood .
“ We ’ ve been excessively careful , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t want to understate how serious the coronavirus is , but I would be more concerned about going to a convenience store than going to the beach.
” Imeson said he believes people saw images of spring breakers on Clearwater and Miami beaches before they were shut down and assume all of Florida ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partying crowds .
“ I might take my dog for a walk at sunrise on the beach .
The idea that we ’ re close to people is crazy .
We ’ re never close to anyone at the beach .
There ’ s so much space .
People aren ’ t on top of each other , ” he said .

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s governor on Friday gave the green light for some beaches and parks to reopen if it can be done safely, and north Florida beaches became among the first to allow people to return since closures because of the coronavirus.
Mayor Lenny Curry said Duval County beaches were reopening Friday afternoon with restricted hours, and they can only be used for walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing.
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The beaches will be open from 6 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 8 p.m., Curry said in a video posted to social media. Gatherings of 50 or more people are prohibited and people must still practice social distancing.
“Folks, this could be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life, but please respect and follow these limitations,” Curry said. “We’ll get back to life as we know it, but we must be patient.”
Florida officials were criticized for leaving beaches open during part of the spring break period last month. Most counties closed their beaches in response or kept them open under very restrictive conditions. Other more high-profile beaches in South Florida — including Miami Beach — were closed by state order.
At a news conference in Fort Lauderdale, Gov. Ron DeSantis said some municipalities should feel free to start opening up parks and beaches, if that can be done safely, with distancing guidelines remaining in place.
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The governor said it was important for people to have outlets for getting exercise, sunshine and fresh air.
“Do it in a good way. Do it in a safe way,” DeSantis said.
Chris Imeson, of Ponte Vedra Beach, lives about a 10-minute walk from a beach near the St. Johns and Duval county line in the northeast part of the state. He says he’ll definitely go to the beach and is excited about being able to do so.
“Honestly I don’t understand why people are so upset,” Imeson said in a telephone interview. “We have really uncrowded beaches. ... I can’t tell you I’ve ever been within 6 feet of another person other than my little boy.”
He is unemployed because of the crisis and has spent his time homeschooling his young son. They’ve only gone out in the yard and for walks around the neighborhood.
“We’ve been excessively careful,” he said. “I don’t want to understate how serious the coronavirus is, but I would be more concerned about going to a convenience store than going to the beach.”
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Imeson said he believes people saw images of spring breakers on Clearwater and Miami beaches before they were shut down and assume all of Florida’s sand is covered in drinking, partying crowds.
“I might take my dog for a walk at sunrise on the beach. The idea that we’re close to people is crazy. We’re never close to anyone at the beach. There’s so much space. People aren’t on top of each other,” he said.
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Mike Schneider contributed to this report from Orlando; Tamara Lush contributed from St. Petersburg.
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