wnd--2020-08-16--Chicago spent $66 million on a coronavirus facility that treated 38 patients ... total

( DAILYWIRE ) Chicago taxpayers spent $ 66 million renovating a convention center into an emergency coronavirus hospital that ended @ @ @ @ @ .
Further , the contract to renovate the facility went to a politically connected company @ @ @ @ @ it would waive fees or donate such money to coronavirus relief organizations .
The Chicago @ @ @ @ @ aides to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the decision to spend $ 1.7 million per @ @ @ @ @ calling it an “ insurance policy ” for the unfounded fear that Chicago ’ s @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus patients .
Samir Mayekar , deputy mayor for economic and neighborhood development , told @ @ @ @ @ “ incredibly proud of ” the converted facility , adding that the millions of dollars @ @ @ @ @ not spent in vain .
”

(DAILYWIRE) Chicago taxpayers spent $66 million renovating a convention center into an emergency coronavirus hospital that ended up only treating 38 patients. Further, the contract to renovate the facility went to a politically connected company instead of one that said it would waive fees or donate such money to coronavirus relief organizations.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday that top aides to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the decision to spend $1.7 million per patient on the renovations, calling it an “insurance policy” for the unfounded fear that Chicago’s hospitals would be overwhelmed with coronavirus patients. Samir Mayekar, deputy mayor for economic and neighborhood development, told the outlet that he was “incredibly proud of” the converted facility, adding that the millions of dollars in taxpayer money was “not spent in vain.”
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-08-16--Fish launches into boat, killing 56-year-old man

( ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA ) A 56-year-old man has died in Darwin after being struck in his chest by a @ @ @ @ @ boat .
Northern Territory Police say the man had been fishing with family and friends @ @ @ @ @ when he was `` struck in his chest by a large fish which launched itself @ @ @ @ @ A local fisherman said he understood the fish was an 18-kilogram mackerel .

(ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA) A 56-year-old man has died in Darwin after being struck in his chest by a fish while on a fishing boat.
Northern Territory Police say the man had been fishing with family and friends on Darwin Harbour on Friday when he was "struck in his chest by a large fish which launched itself into the boat".
A local fisherman said he understood the fish was an 18-kilogram mackerel.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-08-16--Uber and Lyft could temporarily shut down in California due to gig-worker law

A California law that requires gig workers to be classified as employees could put the brakes on Uber and Lyft providing rideshare services if they lose a lawsuit , according to company executives .
The case is a test of a state law , Assembly Bill 5 , that requires companies to provide benefits and unemployment insurance to gig workers who are considered core parts of a company 's business , CNBC reported .
After the law 's passage , California was joined by San Francisco , Los Angeles and San Diego in filing suit against Uber and Lyft , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violates the law .
On Monday , a judge agreed to issue a preliminary injunction that will stop Uber and Lyft from classifying drivers as independent contractors , according to CNBC .
The order will take effect next week , pending appeals from the companies .
The stakes for Californians are high , Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said .
“ If the court doesn ’ t reconsider , then in California , it ’ s hard to believe we ’ ll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If Uber can not persuade the court to see its way , he expects the ride-sharing service to temporarily pause service in California .
Uber would eventually return , Khosrowshahi said , but most likely in major cities only .
`` If our efforts here are not successful , it would force us to suspend operations in California , ” he said Wednesday , according to Engadget .
California voters have a hand in determining the rideshare companies ' future .
In November , they will be faced with Proposition 22 , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being considered employees .
In an Op-Ed published in The New York Times , Khosrowshahi said complying with the state 's law makes no sense .
`` Why not just treat drivers as employees ? ''
he wrote .
`` Some of our critics argue that doing so would make drivers ’ problems vanish overnight .
`` It may seem like a reasonable assumption , but it ’ s one that I think ignores a stark reality : Uber would only have full-time jobs for a small fraction of our current drivers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer cities than today .
Rides would be more expensive , which would significantly reduce the number of rides people could take and , in turn , the number of drivers needed to provide those trips .
`` Uber would not be as widely available to riders , and drivers would lose the flexibility they have today if they became employees . ''
Khosrowshahi also offered a solution outside the standard business model .
`` I ’ m proposing that gig economy companies be required to establish benefits funds which give workers cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they want , like health insurance or paid time off .
Independent workers in any state that passes this law could take money out for every hour of work they put in .
All gig companies would be required to participate , so that workers can build up benefits even if they switch between apps , '' he wrote .
In siding with the state , CNBC reported , Judge Ethan Schulman scolded Lyft and Uber for their `` prolonged and brazen refusal to comply with California law .
Defendants may not evade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so large that they affect the lives of many thousands of people . ''
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said talk of a new business model is just a sham .
“ Any business model that relies on shortchanging workers in order to make it probably shouldn ’ t be anywhere , whether California or otherwise , ” he said .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

A California law that requires gig workers to be classified as employees could put the brakes on Uber and Lyft providing rideshare services if they lose a lawsuit, according to company executives.
The case is a test of a state law, Assembly Bill 5, that requires companies to provide benefits and unemployment insurance to gig workers who are considered core parts of a company's business, CNBC reported.
After the law's passage, California was joined by San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego in filing suit against Uber and Lyft, saying the companies' current business model violates the law.
On Monday, a judge agreed to issue a preliminary injunction that will stop Uber and Lyft from classifying drivers as independent contractors, according to CNBC. The order will take effect next week, pending appeals from the companies.
The stakes for Californians are high, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
“If the court doesn’t reconsider, then in California, it’s hard to believe we’ll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly,” Khosrowshahi said, according to CNBC.
If Uber cannot persuade the court to see its way, he expects the ride-sharing service to temporarily pause service in California.
Uber would eventually return, Khosrowshahi said, but most likely in major cities only.
Lyft President Josh Zimmerman agreed.
"If our efforts here are not successful, it would force us to suspend operations in California,” he said Wednesday, according to Engadget.
California voters have a hand in determining the rideshare companies' future.
In November, they will be faced with Proposition 22, which exempts drivers for app-based transportation companies from being considered employees.
In an Op-Ed published in The New York Times, Khosrowshahi said complying with the state's law makes no sense.
"Why not just treat drivers as employees?" he wrote. "Some of our critics argue that doing so would make drivers’ problems vanish overnight.
"It may seem like a reasonable assumption, but it’s one that I think ignores a stark reality: Uber would only have full-time jobs for a small fraction of our current drivers and only be able to operate in many fewer cities than today. Rides would be more expensive, which would significantly reduce the number of rides people could take and, in turn, the number of drivers needed to provide those trips.
"Uber would not be as widely available to riders, and drivers would lose the flexibility they have today if they became employees."
Khosrowshahi also offered a solution outside the standard business model.
"I’m proposing that gig economy companies be required to establish benefits funds which give workers cash that they can use for the benefits they want, like health insurance or paid time off. Independent workers in any state that passes this law could take money out for every hour of work they put in. All gig companies would be required to participate, so that workers can build up benefits even if they switch between apps," he wrote.
In siding with the state, CNBC reported, Judge Ethan Schulman scolded Lyft and Uber for their "prolonged and brazen refusal to comply with California law. Defendants may not evade legislative mandates merely because their businesses are so large that they affect the lives of many thousands of people."
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said talk of a new business model is just a sham.
“Any business model that relies on shortchanging workers in order to make it probably shouldn’t be anywhere, whether California or otherwise,” he said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-08-15--Question for Dems: Can Kamala Harris leave California behind?

[ Editor 's note : This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics . ]
Back when California was a swing state , it was commonplace to have a Golden Stater on the national ticket .
Not that it made all that much difference .
Dwight Eisenhower would have won twice regardless of his running mate , but it ’ s a matter of record that he ran with Richard Nixon , the pride of Yorba Linda .
Later , Nixon would win two terms , carrying his home state twice , as did transplanted Californian Ronald Reagan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ foray , then-California Gov .
Earl Warren landed the number-two spot on the Republican ticket with Thomas Dewey .
Despite the famous Chicago Daily Tribune headline stating otherwise , Dewey did not defeat Truman .
And Warren failed to carry his home state ( the Democratic ticket prevailed by fewer than 18,000 votes , just one-half of 1 % of the statewide tally ) .
The point is : Warren ’ s and Nixon ’ s presences on their respective tickets weren ’ t difference makers .
Americans liked Ike and found Dewey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for California Sen. Kamala Harris , now that she ’ s been introduced as Joe Biden ’ s running mate But maybe not .
There still is something about California .
The knee-jerk temptation is to label the choice of Harris as a sop to a reliably Democratic black vote that underperformed in 2016 once confronted with the uninspiring and monochromatic Clinton-Kane ticket , plus the Biden campaign giving into late pressure to make the pick not just a woman , but a woman of color .
If so , then we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white – with shades of gray .
While Harris is described as “ black ” ( her father is of Jamaican descent ) and did attend historically black Howard University , she couldn ’ t connect with African American voters in early-primary South Carolina despite frequent visits to the Palmetto State , which is why she was the third of the 2020 Democrats to announce for president and the third to drop out .
Nor was Harris the “ veepstakes ” front-runner as far as tear-inducing People magazine profiles go .
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who lost both her legs while serving in Iraq and gave birth as a U.S. senator .
The word I can ’ t get past , going back to the earlier problem with Hillary Clinton ’ s failed run : inspirational .
Or , more precisely : cool .
As in , the cool that comes that comes from not only looking good but living the good life in the Golden State ( Harris lives in a $ 4.8 million home in the fashionable enclave of Brentwood , also the home to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invitations ) .
It might be seen as an obvious gambit for a political party funded by billionaires while tailoring its policies to the identity politics of poor minorities .
Harris hits both themes .
Viewed another way , it ’ s an odd and politically tone-deaf calculation .
By putting Harris on the ticket , the Democrats now have to defend the same Golden State that Harris has represented in Washington for less than one term ( the same amount of time in federal office as Barack Obama ) .
From the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abundant sunshine and endless summers ( that is , when the governor hasn ’ t ordered the beaches closed ) is the answer to what ails America : one-party rule that won ’ t hesitate to raise taxes or launch grandiose government schemes in the name of social and racial justice .
That same California doesn ’ t always make sense .
Massive outdoor protests against the police are permissible and aren ’ t deemed a risk to the public ’ s health safety ; yet , freedom to worship on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ticket to contagion – thus churches get closed .
It ’ s also a state that Democrats are running into the ground .
In Los Angeles , disease-ridden homeless encampments are the embodiment of chronic urban blight ( that city ’ s mayor , Eric Garcetti , served on Biden ’ s search committee ) .
In Sacramento , the state government can ’ t print unemployment checks or accurately count COVID cases ( the state ’ s health director lost her job over that fiasco ) .
But if one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California is Democratic elegance incarnate .
If you doubt that , then check out the second season of “ The Politician ” on Netflix , which features a fashionable Santa Barbara matriarch , played by the Goop-chiseled Gwyneth Paltrow , running for governor of California .
Only , Paltrow ’ s character doesn ’ t so much seek office as she dispenses dialogue that ’ s either condescending or insulting -- be it talking down to troglodyte Republicans or ducking nitwit reporters – and pushes an agenda that would be dead on arrival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on all plastic goods ; big blue states seceding to form their own nation ) .
The point : Paltrow ’ s character glides through politics with a confident , almost oblivious stride .
Perhaps that ’ s how the Biden campaign views Harris .
She ’ s articulate , fashionable and , like Paltrow ’ s fictional Georgina Hobart , doesn ’ t seem to have paid a price for often impugning the worst in other people .
Only in America could a presidential candidate tell a rival that , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an oppressed minority because he wasn ’ t part of a desegregation experiment , then wind up as that rival ’ s running mate .
Life doesn ’ t necessarily imitate art .
Whereas Georgina Hobart flies over most of the America land mass en route to her son in New York , Kamala Harris won ’ t enjoy coast-hopping from one blue bubble to another from now until Election Day .
The junior partner in the Biden-Harris ticket likely will be dispatched to western Pennsylvania , not the Westside of L.A. or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to working-class diners ; Soul Cycle and Equinox will give way to Gold ’ s Gym and 24 Hour Fitness .
When it ’ s time to hit the road , California ’ s junior senator will need to hide the Tesla fob and embrace SUVs and pickup trucks .
Along the way , we ’ ll discover : When Kamala Harris leaves California , can she leave California behind ?

[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Politics.]
By Bill Whalen
Real Clear Politics
Back when California was a swing state, it was commonplace to have a Golden Stater on the national ticket. Not that it made all that much difference. Dwight Eisenhower would have won twice regardless of his running mate, but it’s a matter of record that he ran with Richard Nixon, the pride of Yorba Linda.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Later, Nixon would win two terms, carrying his home state twice, as did transplanted Californian Ronald Reagan.
Prior to Nixon’s first veep foray, then-California Gov. Earl Warren landed the number-two spot on the Republican ticket with Thomas Dewey. Despite the famous Chicago Daily Tribune headline stating otherwise, Dewey did not defeat Truman. And Warren failed to carry his home state (the Democratic ticket prevailed by fewer than 18,000 votes, just one-half of 1% of the statewide tally).
The point is: Warren’s and Nixon’s presences on their respective tickets weren’t difference makers. Americans liked Ike and found Dewey dull. The same may prove true for California Sen. Kamala Harris, now that she’s been introduced as Joe Biden’s running mate
But maybe not. There still is something about California.
The knee-jerk temptation is to label the choice of Harris as a sop to a reliably Democratic black vote that underperformed in 2016 once confronted with the uninspiring and monochromatic Clinton-Kane ticket, plus the Biden campaign giving into late pressure to make the pick not just a woman, but a woman of color.
If so, then we have a matter that’s black and white – with shades of gray.
While Harris is described as “black” (her father is of Jamaican descent) and did attend historically black Howard University, she couldn’t connect with African American voters in early-primary South Carolina despite frequent visits to the Palmetto State, which is why she was the third of the 2020 Democrats to announce for president and the third to drop out.
Nor was Harris the “veepstakes” front-runner as far as tear-inducing People magazine profiles go. That was the province of Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both her legs while serving in Iraq and gave birth as a U.S. senator.
The word I can’t get past, going back to the earlier problem with Hillary Clinton’s failed run: inspirational. Or, more precisely: cool.
As in, the cool that comes that comes from not only looking good but living the good life in the Golden State (Harris lives in a $4.8 million home in the fashionable enclave of Brentwood, also the home to countless celebrities who can soon expect fundraising invitations).
It might be seen as an obvious gambit for a political party funded by billionaires while tailoring its policies to the identity politics of poor minorities. Harris hits both themes. Viewed another way, it’s an odd and politically tone-deaf calculation.
By putting Harris on the ticket, the Democrats now have to defend the same Golden State that Harris has represented in Washington for less than one term (the same amount of time in federal office as Barack Obama).
From the left’s perspective, the land of abundant sunshine and endless summers (that is, when the governor hasn’t ordered the beaches closed) is the answer to what ails America: one-party rule that won’t hesitate to raise taxes or launch grandiose government schemes in the name of social and racial justice.
That same California doesn’t always make sense. Massive outdoor protests against the police are permissible and aren’t deemed a risk to the public’s health safety; yet, freedom to worship on a smaller scale and under one roof is a ticket to contagion – thus churches get closed.
It’s also a state that Democrats are running into the ground. In Los Angeles, disease-ridden homeless encampments are the embodiment of chronic urban blight (that city’s mayor, Eric Garcetti, served on Biden’s search committee). In Sacramento, the state government can’t print unemployment checks or accurately count COVID cases (the state’s health director lost her job over that fiasco).
But if one is confined to Wilmington, Del., then California is Democratic elegance incarnate. If you doubt that, then check out the second season of “The Politician” on Netflix, which features a fashionable Santa Barbara matriarch, played by the Goop-chiseled Gwyneth Paltrow, running for governor of California.
Only, Paltrow’s character doesn’t so much seek office as she dispenses dialogue that’s either condescending or insulting -- be it talking down to troglodyte Republicans or ducking nitwit reporters – and pushes an agenda that would be dead on arrival in most any swing state (a ban on all plastic goods; big blue states seceding to form their own nation).
The point: Paltrow’s character glides through politics with a confident, almost oblivious stride. Perhaps that’s how the Biden campaign views Harris. She’s articulate, fashionable and, like Paltrow’s fictional Georgina Hobart, doesn’t seem to have paid a price for often impugning the worst in other people. Only in America could a presidential candidate tell a rival that, in effect, he knows little about being an oppressed minority because he wasn’t part of a desegregation experiment, then wind up as that rival’s running mate.
Life doesn’t necessarily imitate art. Whereas Georgina Hobart flies over most of the America land mass en route to her son in New York, Kamala Harris won’t enjoy coast-hopping from one blue bubble to another from now until Election Day.
The junior partner in the Biden-Harris ticket likely will be dispatched to western Pennsylvania, not the Westside of L.A. or Manhattan. Brentwood bistros will give way to working-class diners; Soul Cycle and Equinox will give way to Gold’s Gym and 24 Hour Fitness. When it’s time to hit the road, California’s junior senator will need to hide the Tesla fob and embrace SUVs and pickup trucks.
Along the way, we’ll discover: When Kamala Harris leaves California, can she leave California behind?


wnd--2020-08-15--$1,000,000 in buried treasure hidden across state by jewelry store forced to close due to pandemic

Small businesses have had a rough go of it lately .
With people quarantining and limiting their shopping to the essentials , even once-booming shops are closing their doors .
But one man has refused to let the inhospitable climate grind him down .
After 23 years in the jewelry business , instead of simply shutting down , Johnny Perri of J & M Jewelers pivoted in a very unique way .
With nearly $ 1 million worth of inventory , including gold , silver , platinum , gems and other rare , precious and expensive items , Perri took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We had the time of our life burying everything , '' he told Gray News .
`` It was awesome , man . ''
He has created one of the most tantalizing treasure hunts , using the entire state of Michigan as the hunting grounds .
Each treasure buried is worth around $ 4,000 and is outfitted with a GPS device .
`` I have buried not only my entire jewelry store but thousands upon thousands of dollars of gold , silver , diamonds & antiques in various locations in Michigan from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he wrote on Johnny 's Treasure Quest .
`` Everything I have buried has a history and many memories attached to them that I have let go and placed in the ground for you to discover . ''
But Perri is n't just offering up the clues to any would-be quester .
There 's an entry fee of $ 49 per person for the quest , which kicked off Aug. 1 .
The treasures are located in a number of counties , including Newaygo , Mackinac , Oakland and Macomb .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September quests are already listed as `` SOLD OUT '' on the treasure quest website .
`` Quests begin promptly at the start time EST on your Quests start date ! ''
the `` about '' section reads .
`` When clues are released- THE QUEST BEGINS . ''
`` Use your mind to work through puzzles , riddles , clues and maps .
Always be safe & never destroy property while working the quest !
No unnecessary digging required . ''
As with all good treasure hunts , `` X WILL ALWAYS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FINDERS KEEPERS of REAL TREASURE ! ''
To top it all off , this is just the sort of diversion many people need right now -- and it can be participated in while respecting social distancing .
The Facebook page announces upcoming quests , teases the treasures and highlights the finders of those treasures .
The first treasure was found on Aug. 8 , by two women named Crystal and Denise .
`` Congratulations to Crystal & Denise !
They found the first treasure !
!
!
! ''
the page posted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy for you and look forward to meeting you both soon .
GPS time stamp .
10:42am EST . ''
The post includes photos of the finders proudly holding up their treasure : Bars of silver .
You do n't have to live in Michigan to purchase a ticket , travel and participate .
Perri hopes that this activity will give people something fun to work on together like it did for him and his family while they were planning the quest .
`` The treasure lies in the adventure , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the adventurer is going to find something about themselves that they did n't know that they could do before . ''
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

Small businesses have had a rough go of it lately. With people quarantining and limiting their shopping to the essentials, even once-booming shops are closing their doors.
But one man has refused to let the inhospitable climate grind him down. After 23 years in the jewelry business, instead of simply shutting down, Johnny Perri of J&M Jewelers pivoted in a very unique way.
With nearly $1 million worth of inventory, including gold, silver, platinum, gems and other rare, precious and expensive items, Perri took them all ... and hid them.
"We had the time of our life burying everything," he told Gray News. "It was awesome, man."
He has created one of the most tantalizing treasure hunts, using the entire state of Michigan as the hunting grounds. Each treasure buried is worth around $4,000 and is outfitted with a GPS device.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"I have buried not only my entire jewelry store but thousands upon thousands of dollars of gold, silver, diamonds & antiques in various locations in Michigan from the bottom to the upper peninsula," he wrote on Johnny's Treasure Quest. "Everything I have buried has a history and many memories attached to them that I have let go and placed in the ground for you to discover."
But Perri isn't just offering up the clues to any would-be quester. There's an entry fee of $49 per person for the quest, which kicked off Aug. 1.
The treasures are located in a number of counties, including Newaygo, Mackinac, Oakland and Macomb. All of the August and most of the September quests are already listed as "SOLD OUT" on the treasure quest website.
"Quests begin promptly at the start time EST on your Quests start date!" the "about" section reads. "When clues are released- THE QUEST BEGINS."
"Use your mind to work through puzzles, riddles, clues and maps. Always be safe & never destroy property while working the quest! No unnecessary digging required."
As with all good treasure hunts, "X WILL ALWAYS MARK THE SPOT," and "FINDERS KEEPERS of REAL TREASURE!"
To top it all off, this is just the sort of diversion many people need right now -- and it can be participated in while respecting social distancing.
The Facebook page announces upcoming quests, teases the treasures and highlights the finders of those treasures.
The first treasure was found on Aug. 8, by two women named Crystal and Denise.
"Congratulations to Crystal & Denise! They found the first treasure!!!!" the page posted. "Ladies, I’m so happy for you and look forward to meeting you both soon. GPS time stamp. 10:42am EST."
The post includes photos of the finders proudly holding up their treasure: Bars of silver.
You don't have to live in Michigan to purchase a ticket, travel and participate. Perri hopes that this activity will give people something fun to work on together like it did for him and his family while they were planning the quest.
"The treasure lies in the adventure," he says in the quest video.
"I think the adventurer is going to find something about themselves that they didn't know that they could do before."
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-08-15--Trump scoffs at Biden claiming credit for Middle East peace deal

President Trump on Friday scoffed at Joe Biden 's claim for some of the credit for a Middle East peace agreement .
The White House on Thursday announced Israel and the United Arab Emirates had reached agreement on a peace deal , a stunning development in the always turbulent issue of Middle East relationships .
It was a reporter for the Gateway Pundit who asked Trump : `` Yesterday you announced a historic peace treaty between Israel and the United Arab Emirates .
Later in the day Joe Biden tried to take credit for the deal .
What 's your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beauty , '' Trump responded .
`` We announced the deal .
And I appreciate it .
Even The New York Times gave it great coverage and editorials today .
Wall Street Journal , Washington Post everybody was saying great .
And I saw where Sleepy Joe tried to take credit for it .
I ’ ve been trying to figure out how that one works .
No – what he did is they made a terrible deal with Iran and the deal was a horror show and I ended it .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing .
They gave them $ 1.8 billion in cash for nothing .
They got nothing from that deal except trouble .
They did nothing – just like they ’ ve been weak on China , they ’ ve been weak on Russia .
They ’ ve been weak on everyone , and they were the weakest of all on Iran .
That was a great deal made by very talented people that work with me , and it ’ s been praised all over the world .
And what you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come into that deal and you ’ ll have peace in the Middle East .
And Biden doesn ’ t even know the names of the countries I ’ m talking about , '' Trump said .
Biden had claimed , `` The coming together of Israel and the Arab states builds on the efforts of multiple administrations to foster a broader Arab-Israel opening , including the efforts of the Obama Biden administration to build on the Arab Peace initiative .
I personally spent time with leaders of both Isreal and UAE during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and broader engagement and the benefits it could deliver to both nations . ''
The GP commentary ?
`` What a crock of BS .
… In truth the Israel-UAE deal was another blow to the killer Iranian regime who Obama fed with U.S. dollars to spread their terror around the region . ''
At Breitbart was the report that there may be some truth in the idea that Biden `` helped Middle East peace . ''
There , U.S .
Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said Biden `` contributed '' to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
'' The Abraham Accord was announced by Trump and allows for the normalization of dealings between Israel and UAE .
It is expected to lead to further deals .
Friedman explained , according to the report , the credit Biden may deserve is all negative .
`` I think the credit that he ( Biden ) deserves is he was – they were so bad and so hostile to both Israel and the Emirates that it caused both of them to commiserate a little bit , which was something that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ( Trump ) took office , '' he said .
`` So , to that extent , I think the Obama policy was so terrible that it probably created more of a commonality of interest between Israel and the Emirates , '' he said .

President Trump on Friday scoffed at Joe Biden's claim for some of the credit for a Middle East peace agreement.
The White House on Thursday announced Israel and the United Arab Emirates had reached agreement on a peace deal, a stunning development in the always turbulent issue of Middle East relationships.
It was a reporter for the Gateway Pundit who asked Trump: "Yesterday you announced a historic peace treaty between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Later in the day Joe Biden tried to take credit for the deal. What's your response?"
"That was a beauty," Trump responded. "We announced the deal. And I appreciate it. Even The New York Times gave it great coverage and editorials today. Wall Street Journal, Washington Post everybody was saying great. And I saw where Sleepy Joe tried to take credit for it. I’ve been trying to figure out how that one works. No – what he did is they made a terrible deal with Iran and the deal was a horror show and I ended it.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"They gave them $150 billion for nothing. They gave them $1.8 billion in cash for nothing. They got nothing from that deal except trouble. They did nothing – just like they’ve been weak on China, they’ve been weak on Russia. They’ve been weak on everyone, and they were the weakest of all on Iran. That was a great deal made by very talented people that work with me, and it’s been praised all over the world. And what you’ll see now is that other countries will come into that deal and you’ll have peace in the Middle East. And Biden doesn’t even know the names of the countries I’m talking about," Trump said.
Biden had claimed, "The coming together of Israel and the Arab states builds on the efforts of multiple administrations to foster a broader Arab-Israel opening, including the efforts of the Obama Biden administration to build on the Arab Peace initiative. I personally spent time with leaders of both Isreal and UAE during our administration building the case for cooperation and broader engagement and the benefits it could deliver to both nations."
The GP commentary? "What a crock of BS. … In truth the Israel-UAE deal was another blow to the killer Iranian regime who Obama fed with U.S. dollars to spread their terror around the region."
At Breitbart was the report that there may be some truth in the idea that Biden "helped Middle East peace."
There, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said Biden "contributed" to the deal "only by being so 'hostile.'"
The Abraham Accord was announced by Trump and allows for the normalization of dealings between Israel and UAE.
It is expected to lead to further deals.
Friedman explained, according to the report, the credit Biden may deserve is all negative.
"I think the credit that he (Biden) deserves is he was – they were so bad and so hostile to both Israel and the Emirates that it caused both of them to commiserate a little bit, which was something that we were able to take advantage of when the president (Trump) took office," he said.
"So, to that extent, I think the Obama policy was so terrible that it probably created more of a commonality of interest between Israel and the Emirates," he said.


wnd--2020-08-15--Mindfulness and meditation can worsen depression and anxiety

( NEW SCIENTIST ) Mindfulness and other types of meditation are usually seen as simple stress-relievers – but they can @ @ @ @ @ .
About one in 12 people who try meditation experience an unwanted negative effect , @ @ @ @ @ or anxiety , or even the onset of these conditions for the first time , @ @ @ @ @ review of the evidence .
“ For most people it works fine but it has @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not universally benevolent , ” says Miguel Farias at Coventry University in the @ @ @ @ @ researchers behind the work .
There are many types of meditation , but one of @ @ @ @ @ , in which people pay attention to the present moment , focusing on either their @ @ @ @ @ external sensations .
It is recommended by several National Health Service bodies in the UK @ @ @ @ @ depression relapses in people who have experienced the condition several times .

(NEW SCIENTIST) Mindfulness and other types of meditation are usually seen as simple stress-relievers – but they can sometimes leave people worse off.
About one in 12 people who try meditation experience an unwanted negative effect, usually a worsening in depression or anxiety, or even the onset of these conditions for the first time, according to the first systematic review of the evidence. “For most people it works fine but it has undoubtedly been overhyped and it’s not universally benevolent,” says Miguel Farias at Coventry University in the UK, one of the researchers behind the work.
There are many types of meditation, but one of the most popular is mindfulness, in which people pay attention to the present moment, focusing on either their own thoughts and feelings or external sensations. It is recommended by several National Health Service bodies in the UK as a way of reducing depression relapses in people who have experienced the condition several times.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-08-15--Michigan rejects 846 mailed ballots 'because the voter was dead'

Of those , 846 ballots were not accepted “ because the voter was dead , ” the Detroit News reported @ @ @ @ @ were denied because there was no voter signature on the envelope , and 1,111 votes @ @ @ @ @ moved to a new address after submitting the ballot .
The state claimed the dead @ @ @ @ @ they submitted the ballot and when it was counted .
Michigan ’ s largest city @ @ @ @ @ ballots that were ultimately rejected , according to the paper .

(BREITBART) Michigan clerks rejected 10,694 mailed ballots during the August 4 primary.
Of those, 846 ballots were not accepted “because the voter was dead,” the Detroit News reported.
Further, 2,225 ballots were denied because there was no voter signature on the envelope, and 1,111 votes were discarded because the voter moved to a new address after submitting the ballot. The state claimed the dead voters died between the time they submitted the ballot and when it was counted.
Michigan’s largest city, Detroit, received 820 ballots that were ultimately rejected, according to the paper.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-08-15--CDC: Number of people seriously considering suicide skyrockets amid COVID

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the emotional toll that the coronavirus pandemic is taking on Americans .
According to the results of a survey conducted between June 24 and June 30 and released Friday , more than one out of ten respondents reported they had `` seriously considered suicide in past 30 days . ''
In a summary noting that communities “ have faced mental health challenges related to COVID-19–associated morbidity , mortality , and mitigation activities , ” the CDC reported 10.7 percent of adult respondents weighed suicide .
That number is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who said in a 2018 Department of Health and Human Services survey that they had considered taking their own life in the past 12 months .
`` Suicidal ideation was also elevated ; approximately twice as many respondents reported serious consideration of suicide in the previous 30 days than did adults in the United States in 2018 , referring to the previous 12 months ( 10.7 % versus 4.3 % ) , '' the CDC said .
In another troubling find , 25.5 percent of respondents age 18-24 reported suicidal ideation .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults reported considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19 , ” the report said .
“ Younger adults , racial/ethnic minorities , essential workers , and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes , increased substance use , and elevated suicidal ideation.
” The true scope of the psychological impact of the disease and its effects on society revealed that four out of 10 respondents reported experiencing at least one adverse mental health issue .
“ Overall , 40.9 % of respondents reported at least one adverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder ( 30.9 % ) , symptoms of a trauma- and stressor-related disorder ( TSRD ) related to the pandemic ( 26.3 % ) , and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 ( 13.3 % ) , ” the report found .
The report said that 30.7 percent of those who identified themselves as unpaid caregivers for other adults said they had seriously considered taking their own life .
The study on the adverse effects of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) were more likely than women ( 8.9 percent ) to report having thoughts of suicide .
“ Suicidal ideation was more prevalent among males than among females , ” the report stated .
The report concluded that some groups of Americans were more likely than others to report a decline in mental health .
“ Mental health conditions are disproportionately affecting specific populations , especially young adults , Hispanic persons , black persons , essential workers , unpaid caregivers for adults , and those receiving treatment for preexisting psychiatric conditions , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adult unpaid caregivers for other adults had the second-highest share of respondents who reported feeling suicidal thoughts .
The only group with a higher share was adults with post-traumatic stress disorder , 44.8 percent of whom reported seriously considering suicide in the past 30 days .
The report surveyed 5,412 adult Americans , who were invited to participate in the web-based survey .
Author and syndicated columnist Phil Kerpen shared the results of the study CDC report on Twitter : Kerpen previously shared a video of remarks from CDC Director Robert Redfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there has been another cost that we 've seen , particularly in high schools .
`` We 're seeing , sadly , far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID , '' he added .
`` We 're seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess , that we had as background , than we are seeing deaths from COVID . ''
Many experts in the early days of the social and economic lockdowns due to the coronavirus warned of the pandemic 's adverse effects on mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , President Donald Trump warned that prolonged lockdowns could lead to `` thousands '' of suicides .
“ Look , you ’ re going to lose a number of people to the flu , but you ’ re going to lose more people by putting a country into a massive recession or depression , ” he said .
“ You ’ re going to lose people .
You ’ re going to have suicides by the thousands .
You ’ re going to have all sorts of things happen .
You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump added .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the emotional toll that the coronavirus pandemic is taking on Americans.
According to the results of a survey conducted between June 24 and June 30 and released Friday, more than one out of ten respondents reported they had "seriously considered suicide in past 30 days."
In a summary noting that communities “have faced mental health challenges related to COVID-19–associated morbidity, mortality, and mitigation activities,” the CDC reported 10.7 percent of adult respondents weighed suicide.
That number is more than double the percentage of adults who said in a 2018 Department of Health and Human Services survey that they had considered taking their own life in the past 12 months.
"Suicidal ideation was also elevated; approximately twice as many respondents reported serious consideration of suicide in the previous 30 days than did adults in the United States in 2018, referring to the previous 12 months (10.7% versus 4.3%)," the CDC said.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
In another troubling find, 25.5 percent of respondents age 18-24 reported suicidal ideation.
“During June 24–30, 2020, U.S. adults reported considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19,” the report said.
“Younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation.”
The true scope of the psychological impact of the disease and its effects on society revealed that four out of 10 respondents reported experiencing at least one adverse mental health issue.
“Overall, 40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), symptoms of a trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic (26.3%), and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%),” the report found.
The report said that 30.7 percent of those who identified themselves as unpaid caregivers for other adults said they had seriously considered taking their own life.
The study on the adverse effects of the pandemic also found that men (12.6 percent) were more likely than women (8.9 percent) to report having thoughts of suicide.
“Suicidal ideation was more prevalent among males than among females,” the report stated.
The report concluded that some groups of Americans were more likely than others to report a decline in mental health.
“Mental health conditions are disproportionately affecting specific populations, especially young adults, Hispanic persons, black persons, essential workers, unpaid caregivers for adults, and those receiving treatment for preexisting psychiatric conditions,” the CDC said.
Among all groups, adult unpaid caregivers for other adults had the second-highest share of respondents who reported feeling suicidal thoughts.
The only group with a higher share was adults with post-traumatic stress disorder, 44.8 percent of whom reported seriously considering suicide in the past 30 days.
The report surveyed 5,412 adult Americans, who were invited to participate in the web-based survey.
Author and syndicated columnist Phil Kerpen shared the results of the study CDC report on Twitter:
As CDC director Redfield has said, the coronavirus "has very limited pathogenicity under age 45." Lockdowns, college closures, sports cancellations. These things are driving young people toward suicide. It's unconscionable. — Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) August 13, 2020
Here is the best historical comparison we have, which several have asked for. These numbers, however, were for a question asking have you seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months. The new survey asked past 30 days.https://t.co/7Rtx7XcIU7 pic.twitter.com/X5kMBKuKuI — Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) August 14, 2020
Kerpen previously shared a video of remarks from CDC Director Robert Redfield, who said last month: "But there has been another cost that we've seen, particularly in high schools.
"We're seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID," he added.
"We're seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess, that we had as background, than we are seeing deaths from COVID."
CDC re school closures, particularly high schools: "We're seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID. We're seeing far greater deaths from drug overdose that are above excess, that we had as background, than we are seeing deaths from COVID." pic.twitter.com/TTdEtCNfIA — Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) July 29, 2020
Many experts in the early days of the social and economic lockdowns due to the coronavirus warned of the pandemic's adverse effects on mental health.
Speaking with Fox News in March, President Donald Trump warned that prolonged lockdowns could lead to "thousands" of suicides.
“Look, you’re going to lose a number of people to the flu, but you’re going to lose more people by putting a country into a massive recession or depression,” he said.
“You’re going to lose people. You’re going to have suicides by the thousands. You’re going to have all sorts of things happen. You’re going to have instability,” Trump added.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-08-17--County admits it doesn't know which inmates were released over COVID concerns

We 've all accepted that low-risk prisoners need to be released into the community during the coronavirus pandemic because of the risk of COVID-19 infection in jails .
We 're all assuming , of course , that they 're being released under some sort of monitoring regime and that local authorities at least know where they are , to the extent that they can .
This is why Montgomery County , Maryland , is in a bit of trouble .
One of the inmates who county officials released into the community has been charged with murder .
However , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information about those who had been released , it turns out the county did n't actually know .
Sorry about that , everyone .
According to The Washington Post , 26-year-old Justin A. Wilson of Germantown , Maryland , was arrested late last month and charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing a man to death in his home .
The victim , Edigio Ienzi , was 63 years old .
WTTG-TV reported that a relative of Ienzi woke up and discovered him struggling with Wilson , who was armed with a knife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dial 911 .
Wilson allegedly fled the scene , although his escape was picked up by a neighbor 's surveillance camera , The Post reported .
“ Another family member , after reviewing the video surveillance , told detectives that he believed the suspect to be someone he knew , and provided Wilson ’ s name , ” police said in a statement .
Wilson had visited the house several weeks earlier ; in the wake of his visit , a number of silver coins were missing , WTTG reported .
He had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theft .
Wilson was arrested three separate times in three different months on theft charges in 2019 , according to Bethesda Magazine .
All three charges stemmed from breaking into vehicles and stealing credit cards and other items .
Furthermore , Wilson pleaded guilty in 2013 to the theft of less than $ 1,000 .
He was also being held on rogue and vagabond charges , which are usually applied when someone is caught with burglary tools or has been serially accused of breaking into vehicles , WJLA-TV reported .
On April 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` immediate threat posed by [ the ] COVID-19 pandemic . ''
On April 30 , he was released from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Clarksburg .
WJLA reported that `` Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Richard Jordan held a telephone hearing .
According to court records , that hearing lasted just under six minutes .
It resulted in Judge Jordan granting Wilson a $ 5,000 unsecured personal bond .
Such bonds do not require defendants to put down any money for their release . ''
On July 25 , detectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Three days later , on July 28 , he was captured in Stafford County , Virginia .
Wilson 's arrest shone a light on a serious problem .
WJLA 's Kevin Lewis had filed a Freedom of Information Act request that `` sought the name , age , and release date of all defendants who 've received compassionate releases due to COVID . ''
`` Now more than six weeks later , and I 'm still waiting for those public records , '' he tweeted on Aug. 8 .
On Monday , Montgomery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling him they could n't fulfill it for a very disturbing reason .
`` A Montgomery County spokesman tells me that the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation has not kept track of which inmates it released due to COVID-19 health concerns , '' Lewis tweeted .
`` Because of that , DOCR claims it can not fulfil my June 24 , 2020 , public records request . ''
Assuming Montgomery County is being honest , this is a big admission .
If you are n't familiar with the area , we 're not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Montgomery County is adjacent to Washington , D.C. , and contains some of its most populous suburbs .
In 2019 , the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population at 1,050,688 .
In other words , one of the 50 most populous counties in the United States seems to have no idea who has been let out of its correctional institutions .
Eliminating the possibility that county officials are lying and just do n't want the media to know -- and that could lead to even worse conclusions -- this is a lesson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the coronavirus crisis .
Law enforcement sources told WJLA they 're frustrated with the situation and wanted answers .
Meanwhile , the Montgomery County State 's Attorney 's Office insists Wilson 's release was necessary given coronavirus fears .
“ Officials responsible for curtailing the spread of COVID-19 understood him to be in a high-risk health category releasing him pending sentencing , '' Ramon Korionoff , a spokesman for the state 's attorney 's office , told WJLA .
`` Unfortunately , he ended up killing someone while he was out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ extradited from Virginia , and he remains held on no-bond status in the County jail per our request this past Wednesday .
We will move forward to prosecute him for the murder of which he is accused . ''
That 's all good and well -- and the least of what one would expect out of a state 's attorney .
The issue lies with the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation , which apparently has no clue prisoners like Wilson were out in the first place .
Were those charged or convicted of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street ?
Was more care taken with other cases , considering Wilson was let out after a six-minute phone hearing ?
And , perhaps most importantly , what other counties and jurisdictions are being this sloppy with who they release ?
Montgomery County is a microcosm of how officials are getting COVID-19 prisoner releases wrong .
As much as you do n't want to put someone in an environment where they could catch a deadly disease , there are also some people who need to be in jail .
And even if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely watched .
I would have thought this was common sense , but apparently it 's not .
The problem is n't just what 's happening in Montgomery County , however .
The problem is that it almost certainly is n't the only county in the United States where this kind of mess is going on .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

We've all accepted that low-risk prisoners need to be released into the community during the coronavirus pandemic because of the risk of COVID-19 infection in jails.
We're all assuming, of course, that they're being released under some sort of monitoring regime and that local authorities at least know where they are, to the extent that they can.
This is why Montgomery County, Maryland, is in a bit of trouble. One of the inmates who county officials released into the community has been charged with murder. However, that's not all.
When pressed for information about those who had been released, it turns out the county didn't actually know. Sorry about that, everyone.
According to The Washington Post, 26-year-old Justin A. Wilson of Germantown, Maryland, was arrested late last month and charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing a man to death in his home.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The victim, Edigio Ienzi, was 63 years old. WTTG-TV reported that a relative of Ienzi woke up and discovered him struggling with Wilson, who was armed with a knife.
The relative then ran upstairs to dial 911. Wilson allegedly fled the scene, although his escape was picked up by a neighbor's surveillance camera, The Post reported.
“Another family member, after reviewing the video surveillance, told detectives that he believed the suspect to be someone he knew, and provided Wilson’s name,” police said in a statement.
Wilson had visited the house several weeks earlier; in the wake of his visit, a number of silver coins were missing, WTTG reported.
He had been in jail awaiting several charges of theft.
Wilson was arrested three separate times in three different months on theft charges in 2019, according to Bethesda Magazine.
All three charges stemmed from breaking into vehicles and stealing credit cards and other items.
Furthermore, Wilson pleaded guilty in 2013 to the theft of less than $1,000.
He was also being held on rogue and vagabond charges, which are usually applied when someone is caught with burglary tools or has been serially accused of breaking into vehicles, WJLA-TV reported.
EXCLUSIVE: On April 30, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Richard Jordan freed Justin Wilson from jail bc of COVID-19 concerns. On July 23, Wilson, a repeat criminal, allegedly murdered a 63yo man in his Germantown, Md. home. The victim's 16yo daughter witnessed part of it. pic.twitter.com/qZiDaV8CtQ — Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) August 8, 2020
On April 23, Wilson filed for release because of the "immediate threat posed by [the] COVID-19 pandemic." On April 30, he was released from the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Clarksburg.
WJLA reported that "Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Richard Jordan held a telephone hearing. According to court records, that hearing lasted just under six minutes. It resulted in Judge Jordan granting Wilson a $5,000 unsecured personal bond. Such bonds do not require defendants to put down any money for their release."
MORE: The girl awoke to shouting, walked downstairs and allegedly saw Wilson tussling with her father at knifepoint. The girl ran back to her bedroom, locked her door, hid in the closet, and called 911. "The caller is whispering, advising she saw a knife and blood." -dispatcher pic.twitter.com/mSxPwBx7q2 — Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) August 8, 2020
On July 25, detectives filed an arrest warrant against Wilson. Three days later, on July 28, he was captured in Stafford County, Virginia.
Wilson's arrest shone a light on a serious problem. WJLA's Kevin Lewis had filed a Freedom of Information Act request that "sought the name, age, and release date of all defendants who've received compassionate releases due to COVID."
"Now more than six weeks later, and I'm still waiting for those public records," he tweeted on Aug. 8.
MORE: On June 24, I sent Montgomery County a Maryland Public Information Act request. It sought the name, age, and release date of all defendants who've received compassionate releases due to COVID. Now more than six weeks later, and I'm still waiting for those public records. pic.twitter.com/G3Ar9AGabl — Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) August 8, 2020
On Monday, Montgomery County officials responded to the request, telling him they couldn't fulfill it for a very disturbing reason.
UPDATE: A Montgomery County spokesman tells me that the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation has not kept track of which inmates it released due to COVID-19 health concerns. Because of that, DOCR claims it cannot fulfil my June 24, 2020, public records request (pictured). pic.twitter.com/2qvOLsXspz — Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) August 10, 2020
"A Montgomery County spokesman tells me that the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation has not kept track of which inmates it released due to COVID-19 health concerns," Lewis tweeted.
"Because of that, DOCR claims it cannot fulfil my June 24, 2020, public records request."
Assuming Montgomery County is being honest, this is a big admission. If you aren't familiar with the area, we're not talking about some peaceful rural county here.
Montgomery County is adjacent to Washington, D.C., and contains some of its most populous suburbs. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population at 1,050,688.
In other words, one of the 50 most populous counties in the United States seems to have no idea who has been let out of its correctional institutions.
Eliminating the possibility that county officials are lying and just don't want the media to know -- and that could lead to even worse conclusions -- this is a lesson on how not to handle prison releases during the coronavirus crisis.
Law enforcement sources told WJLA they're frustrated with the situation and wanted answers. Meanwhile, the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office insists Wilson's release was necessary given coronavirus fears.
“Officials responsible for curtailing the spread of COVID-19 understood him to be in a high-risk health category releasing him pending sentencing," Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for the state's attorney's office, told WJLA.
"Unfortunately, he ended up killing someone while he was out. Police have arrested him, he was extradited from Virginia, and he remains held on no-bond status in the County jail per our request this past Wednesday. We will move forward to prosecute him for the murder of which he is accused."
That's all good and well -- and the least of what one would expect out of a state's attorney. The issue lies with the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, which apparently has no clue prisoners like Wilson were out in the first place.
Were those charged or convicted of violent crimes put back out on the street? Was more care taken with other cases, considering Wilson was let out after a six-minute phone hearing?
And, perhaps most importantly, what other counties and jurisdictions are being this sloppy with who they release?
Montgomery County is a microcosm of how officials are getting COVID-19 prisoner releases wrong. As much as you don't want to put someone in an environment where they could catch a deadly disease, there are also some people who need to be in jail.
And even if they don't, they need to be closely watched. I would have thought this was common sense, but apparently it's not.
The problem isn't just what's happening in Montgomery County, however. The problem is that it almost certainly isn't the only county in the United States where this kind of mess is going on.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-08-17--Taiwan to position fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets 100 miles from China

About $ 8 billion worth of U.S.-made firepower will be staring at China from across the Taiwan Strait as the result of a news arms deal .
The 10-year deal will provide Taiwan with the latest version of the F-16 fighter to replace and update the current F-16s in Taiwan 's air force , according to an Agence France-Presse report .
The AFP reported the Pentagon announced the deal as part of a $ 62 billion contract with Lockheed Martin without naming the buyer , but that sources confirmed to it that some of the jets are bound for Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying 66 F-16s .
It said the U.S. sold Taiwan 150 F-16s in 1992 .
The F-16s heading to Taiwan will be have a fire control radar made by Northrop Grumman Corp. called the APG-83 , which allows precision-guided munitions to be fired at greater distances , Bloomberg reported .
The deal is bound to anger China , because Taiwan , about 100 miles off the coast of China , was the island to which the former Nationalist government of China retreated in 1949 after losing the war for power on the mainland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island is rightfully part of its territory .
The U.S. , however , has supported Taiwan 's independence by supplying the island nation with extensive military aid .
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian objected in May when the Trump administration announced a $ 180 million arms sale to Taiwan , according to CNN .
`` China is firmly opposed to the US arms sales to Taiwan and has made solemn representations to the US .
We urge the US side to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stop arms sales to Taiwan and military links between the United States and Taiwan to avoid further damage to Sino-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait , '' he said in a statement .
When a 2019 arms sale announcement was made , Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said supporting Taiwan is essential , according to a CNN report from the time .
`` As the Chinese government and Communist Party seeks to extend its authoritarian reach in the region , it is critical that the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our democratic partner Taiwan through regular and consistent support , '' Rubio said .
The Trump administration 's support for Taiwan was shown by last week 's visit of Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to Taiwan .
“ It is a true honor to be here to convey a message of strong support and friendship from President Trump to Taiwan , ” Azar said , according to The New York Times .
“ Taiwan ’ s response to Covid-19 has been among the most successful in the world , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , transparent , democratic nature of Taiwan ’ s society and culture.
” The visit was deplored by China .
“ The United States will gradually turn Taiwan into a gunpowder keg for the Sino-US game , and Taiwan will slide to the brink of being detonated by the United States and lose its ability to choose its own strategy , ” editorialized The Global Times , a news outlet published by the Chinese Communist Party ’ s People ’ s Daily .
China also used the occasion of Azar 's visit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Taiwan Strait , resulting in Taiwan scrambling its jets before the Chinese planes turned back , according to Reuters .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

About $8 billion worth of U.S.-made firepower will be staring at China from across the Taiwan Strait as the result of a news arms deal.
The 10-year deal will provide Taiwan with the latest version of the F-16 fighter to replace and update the current F-16s in Taiwan's air force, according to an Agence France-Presse report.
The AFP reported the Pentagon announced the deal as part of a $62 billion contract with Lockheed Martin without naming the buyer, but that sources confirmed to it that some of the jets are bound for Taiwan.
Bloomberg reported that Taiwan will be buying 66 F-16s. It said the U.S. sold Taiwan 150 F-16s in 1992.
The F-16s heading to Taiwan will be have a fire control radar made by Northrop Grumman Corp. called the APG-83, which allows precision-guided munitions to be fired at greater distances, Bloomberg reported.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
US formalizes F-16 jet sale to Taiwan with China tensions high Taiwan’s purchase of the F-16s marks the first sale of advanced fighter jets to the island since President George H.W. Bush announced approval for 150 F-16s in 1992.#F16 pic.twitter.com/RbWms5Vahl — Asian Live Updates (@asianliveupdate) August 16, 2020
The deal is bound to anger China, because Taiwan, about 100 miles off the coast of China, was the island to which the former Nationalist government of China retreated in 1949 after losing the war for power on the mainland. China's position is that the island is rightfully part of its territory. The U.S., however, has supported Taiwan's independence by supplying the island nation with extensive military aid.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian objected in May when the Trump administration announced a $180 million arms sale to Taiwan, according to CNN.
"China is firmly opposed to the US arms sales to Taiwan and has made solemn representations to the US. We urge the US side to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiques, and stop arms sales to Taiwan and military links between the United States and Taiwan to avoid further damage to Sino-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," he said in a statement.
When a 2019 arms sale announcement was made, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said supporting Taiwan is essential, according to a CNN report from the time.
"As the Chinese government and Communist Party seeks to extend its authoritarian reach in the region, it is critical that the United States continue to enhance our strategic relationship with our democratic partner Taiwan through regular and consistent support," Rubio said.
The Trump administration's support for Taiwan was shown by last week's visit of Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to Taiwan.
“It is a true honor to be here to convey a message of strong support and friendship from President Trump to Taiwan,” Azar said, according to The New York Times. “Taiwan’s response to Covid-19 has been among the most successful in the world, and that is a tribute to the open, transparent, democratic nature of Taiwan’s society and culture.”
The visit was deplored by China.
“The United States will gradually turn Taiwan into a gunpowder keg for the Sino-US game, and Taiwan will slide to the brink of being detonated by the United States and lose its ability to choose its own strategy,” editorialized The Global Times, a news outlet published by the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily.
China also used the occasion of Azar's visit to have fighter jets cross the midpoint of the Taiwan Strait, resulting in Taiwan scrambling its jets before the Chinese planes turned back, according to Reuters.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-08-17--Congressional candidate accused of aggressive sexual behavior

• Several women have come forward with allegations of aggressive sexual behavior against rising GOP star Madison Cawthorn , which he has denied .
• Katrina Krulikas alleges that Cawthorn attempted to forcibly kiss her after she had already rejected one attempt , pressured her to sit on his lap , and questioned her about her sexual history .
• Francesca McDaniel alleges that he forcibly kissed her though she resisted and told him she had a boyfriend .
• An anonymous woman alleges that Cawthorn grabbed her thigh in the dining hall at Patrick Henry College while the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ romantically interested in .
GOP congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn denied three women ’ s allegations that he behaved in a sexually aggressive manner toward them .
Cawthorn , who bested his opponent Lynda Bennett in June despite her endorsement from President Donald Trump , has campaigned on a platform emphasizing “ faith , family , and freedom.
” The 25-year-old North Carolina candidate was left paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident when he was 18 and campaigns on the idea that overcoming his own personal tragedy makes him better fit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women , Katrina Krulikas and Francesca McDaniel , separately said they knew Cawthorn before his political career and told WORLD Magazine that Cawthorn grabbed their faces and forcibly kissed them after they rejected previous advances .
They also said he made them uncomfortable by questioning their sexual history .
A third woman , who remained unnamed , said he put his hand on her upper thigh in a public setting .
WORLD notes that it corroborated each account with at least one other individual .
Cawthorn denied these allegations through a spokesman in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Foundation .
“ Madison has no recollection of the anonymous accusation and denies being forceful in the other two circumstances , ” campaign spokesman John Hart told the DCNF .
“ Sadly , in the Kavanaugh age , nothing will satisfy a woke mob that decides someone is guilty of sexual misconduct until proven innocent.
” Hart also called the WORLD story a “ mix of half-truths , untruths and potentially fabricated allegations based on double anonymous sources.
” WORLD reported that the Republican ’ s campaign did not respond to repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these accounts , ” though Hart noted to WORLD in a written statement that Cawthorn apologized to one of the women “ if his attempt to kiss her when he was a teenager made her feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
” “ There is a big difference between a failed advance and being forceful , to the extent that ’ s possible when you ’ re a paraplegic , ” Hart told the DCNF .
“ If being guilty of an awkward , failed advance is a disqualifying event every male in public office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fall 2o14 , when she was 17 and Cawthorn was 19 , Cawthorn attempted to forcibly kiss her after she had already rejected a previous attempt .
She also said she felt pressured to sit on his lap and that he questioned her about her sexual history .
Krulikas said the incident occurred in a secluded field where Cawthorn had driven her as a date .
Both were part of the same Christian homeschool community , she told WORLD .
Krulikas ’ s friend , Lizbeth Sherill , reportedly received a text @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote for Cawthorn earlier this year .
Sherill , who said Krulikas told her about the alleged incident with Cawthorn a few weeks after it occurred , assumed the message was automated and texted back that she would not be voting for Cawthorn because of how he had allegedly treated her friend .
Krulikas received texts from a person identifying themselves as Madison Cawthorn on Feb. 3 , WORLD reports .
The texts , which WORLD reported it viewed , allegedly said the campaign was told Cawthorn “ sexually assaulted [ my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I remember you and I went on a date to that campfire years ago and I remember I asked if I could kiss you , you said no , but I thought you were just being coy and then I really quickly kissed you and that ’ s all I can remember , ” the text said , according to WORLD .
“ I can see in hindsight how that was over the line and I am sorry.
” Krulikas told WORLD : “ This message came six years after the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public scrutiny.
” Hart told WORLD in a statement that voters should “ process this unfounded allegation with common sense and grace.
” He noted that this “ was one of Madison ’ s first dates after he was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
” Hart also said Cawthorn reached out to Krulikas after the matter was brought to the campaign ’ s attention and apologized if he made her feel “ uncomfortable or unsafe.
” Cawthorn “ was relieved when Ms. [ Krulikas ] shared that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s unfortunate that she is now being used by Democrats to further their political agenda , ” Hart told WORLD .
Krulikas told WORLD that she was not “ put up by any Democrats.
” She also posted about the incident on Instagram Friday .
McDaniel alleges that on May 29 , 2015 , Cawthorn pulled her face in and kissed her while in his car after she told him wasn ’ t interested in him .
She said she resisted and said she had a boyfriend .
She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her boyfriend , why she was a virgin and discussed his genitalia , WORLD reports .
McDaniel , who agreed to go public with her story after she saw Krulikas post her allegations against Cawthorn on Instagram , also alleges that Cawthorn repeatedly assured her that no one would find out about the incident .
“ I felt , like , pressured to give in to it because he started being aggressive , and he is a strong guy , ” she told WORLD .
“ He had buff arms and worked out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman , who remained anonymous out of fear that speaking would jeopardize her job with the federal government , told WORLD that Cawthorn publicly grabbed her thigh while the two were speaking in the dining hall at Patrick Henry College , which they both attended .
The woman was 19 at the time and alleges that Cawthorn was chatting with her about whether one of her friends would agree to go on a date with him .
During the conversation , she alleges , Cawthorn placed his hand on her upper left leg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ His hand was on the side , and his fingers were on the back of my leg , ” she told WORLD .
She said she did not report the alleged incident to the school ’ s authorities , though she did tell her roommate , who confirmed to WORLD that the woman told her about the allegation .
“ Going to a Christian school—no one does stuff like that , ” the anonymous Cawthorn accuser told the publication .
“ He was talking to me and then he moved his hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to where it was under my skirt and not appropriate.
” “ It was in public where people could see , ” she continued .
“ It was a super weird situation where we were talking about another girl that he liked , but he was touching me.
” Hart said that it is “ shocking and disappointing that WORLD would “ participate in left-wing , campaign season character assassination , ” comparing the allegations against Cawthorn .
The Cawthorn spokesman told the DCNF that WORLD didn ’ t provide details to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two allegations .
The campaign didn ’ t respond to repeated interview requests between Friday and Sunday when the story was posted , WORLD told the DCNF in a statement .
WORLD said it told the campaign that it wanted to ask about additional allegations in an interview and warned that it would publish the story without an interview if the campaign didn ’ t respond before noon Sunday .
WORLD told the DCNF that Hart contacted the publication three hours after the story was posted .
“ In a phone conversation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvest Prude wouldn ’ t agree to an off-the-record conversation , Hart hung up without answering our questions , ” the WORLD statement said .
Hart provided the DCNF with a statement he sent to WORLD after his phone conversation with Reneau and Prude in which he acknowledged the numerous interview requests and said that Prude did not lay out the specifics of the second two allegations against Cawthorn .
“ Finally , we were cautioned against communicating with Ms. Prude at all by people who know her because they claimed she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on past interactions , and could not be trusted to be objective , ” Hart said in his emailed statement to WORLD .
“ We engaged with her anyway .
Sadly , those warnings seemed to be well-founded.
” This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact [ email protected ]

By Mary Margaret Olohan
Daily Caller News Foundation
Several women have come forward with allegations of aggressive sexual behavior against rising GOP star Madison Cawthorn, which he has denied.
Katrina Krulikas alleges that Cawthorn attempted to forcibly kiss her after she had already rejected one attempt, pressured her to sit on his lap, and questioned her about her sexual history.
Francesca McDaniel alleges that he forcibly kissed her though she resisted and told him she had a boyfriend.
An anonymous woman alleges that Cawthorn grabbed her thigh in the dining hall at Patrick Henry College while the two were speaking about a girl he was romantically interested in.
GOP congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn denied three women’s allegations that he behaved in a sexually aggressive manner toward them.
Cawthorn, who bested his opponent Lynda Bennett in June despite her endorsement from President Donald Trump, has campaigned on a platform emphasizing “faith, family, and freedom.” The 25-year-old North Carolina candidate was left paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident when he was 18 and campaigns on the idea that overcoming his own personal tragedy makes him better fit to represent his fellow Americans.
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Two women, Katrina Krulikas and Francesca McDaniel, separately said they knew Cawthorn before his political career and told WORLD Magazine that Cawthorn grabbed their faces and forcibly kissed them after they rejected previous advances. They also said he made them uncomfortable by questioning their sexual history.
A third woman, who remained unnamed, said he put his hand on her upper thigh in a public setting. WORLD notes that it corroborated each account with at least one other individual.
Cawthorn denied these allegations through a spokesman in a Sunday statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“Madison has no recollection of the anonymous accusation and denies being forceful in the other two circumstances,” campaign spokesman John Hart told the DCNF. “Sadly, in the Kavanaugh age, nothing will satisfy a woke mob that decides someone is guilty of sexual misconduct until proven innocent.”
Do you believe the allegations against Madison Cawthorn? Yes No Completing this poll entitles you to WND news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use You're logged in to Facebook. Click here to log out. 4% (19 Votes) 96% (416 Votes)
Hart also called the WORLD story a “mix of half-truths, untruths and potentially fabricated allegations based on double anonymous sources.”
WORLD reported that the Republican’s campaign did not respond to repeated requests for an interview “to discuss these accounts,” though Hart noted to WORLD in a written statement that Cawthorn apologized to one of the women “if his attempt to kiss her when he was a teenager made her feel uncomfortable or unsafe.”
“There is a big difference between a failed advance and being forceful, to the extent that’s possible when you’re a paraplegic,” Hart told the DCNF. “If being guilty of an awkward, failed advance is a disqualifying event every male in public office should resign.”
Krulikas told WORLD that in fall 2o14, when she was 17 and Cawthorn was 19, Cawthorn attempted to forcibly kiss her after she had already rejected a previous attempt. She also said she felt pressured to sit on his lap and that he questioned her about her sexual history.
Krulikas said the incident occurred in a secluded field where Cawthorn had driven her as a date. Both were part of the same Christian homeschool community, she told WORLD.
Krulikas’s friend, Lizbeth Sherill, reportedly received a text message from the Cawthorn campaign urging her to vote for Cawthorn earlier this year. Sherill, who said Krulikas told her about the alleged incident with Cawthorn a few weeks after it occurred, assumed the message was automated and texted back that she would not be voting for Cawthorn because of how he had allegedly treated her friend.
Krulikas received texts from a person identifying themselves as Madison Cawthorn on Feb. 3, WORLD reports. The texts, which WORLD reported it viewed, allegedly said the campaign was told Cawthorn “sexually assaulted [my] friend Katrina in high school.”
“I remember you and I went on a date to that campfire years ago and I remember I asked if I could kiss you, you said no, but I thought you were just being coy and then I really quickly kissed you and that’s all I can remember,” the text said, according to WORLD. “I can see in hindsight how that was over the line and I am sorry.”
Krulikas told WORLD: “This message came six years after the fact, when … he faces the possibility of public scrutiny.”
Hart told WORLD in a statement that voters should “process this unfounded allegation with common sense and grace.” He noted that this “was one of Madison’s first dates after he was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.”
Hart also said Cawthorn reached out to Krulikas after the matter was brought to the campaign’s attention and apologized if he made her feel “uncomfortable or unsafe.”
Cawthorn “was relieved when Ms. [Krulikas] shared that she does not feel like a victim. It’s unfortunate that she is now being used by Democrats to further their political agenda,” Hart told WORLD.
Krulikas told WORLD that she was not “put up by any Democrats.” She also posted about the incident on Instagram Friday.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Katrina Aldona (@katrinaaldona) on Aug 13, 2020 at 11:42am PDT
McDaniel alleges that on May 29, 2015, Cawthorn pulled her face in and kissed her while in his car after she told him wasn’t interested in him. She said she resisted and said she had a boyfriend.
She also said he asked her personal questions about her boyfriend, why she was a virgin and discussed his genitalia, WORLD reports.
McDaniel, who agreed to go public with her story after she saw Krulikas post her allegations against Cawthorn on Instagram, also alleges that Cawthorn repeatedly assured her that no one would find out about the incident.
“I felt, like, pressured to give in to it because he started being aggressive, and he is a strong guy,” she told WORLD. “He had buff arms and worked out his upper body a lot.”
Another woman, who remained anonymous out of fear that speaking would jeopardize her job with the federal government, told WORLD that Cawthorn publicly grabbed her thigh while the two were speaking in the dining hall at Patrick Henry College, which they both attended.
The woman was 19 at the time and alleges that Cawthorn was chatting with her about whether one of her friends would agree to go on a date with him. During the conversation, she alleges, Cawthorn placed his hand on her upper left leg near the hem of her dress.
“His hand was on the side, and his fingers were on the back of my leg,” she told WORLD. She said she did not report the alleged incident to the school’s authorities, though she did tell her roommate, who confirmed to WORLD that the woman told her about the allegation.
“Going to a Christian school—no one does stuff like that,” the anonymous Cawthorn accuser told the publication. “He was talking to me and then he moved his hand up my skirt. Not significantly but enough to where it was under my skirt and not appropriate.”
“It was in public where people could see,” she continued. “It was a super weird situation where we were talking about another girl that he liked, but he was touching me.”
Hart said that it is “shocking and disappointing that WORLD would “participate in left-wing, campaign season character assassination,” comparing the allegations against Cawthorn.
The Cawthorn spokesman told the DCNF that WORLD didn’t provide details to Cawthorn’s campaign regarding the second two allegations.
The campaign didn’t respond to repeated interview requests between Friday and Sunday when the story was posted, WORLD told the DCNF in a statement. WORLD said it told the campaign that it wanted to ask about additional allegations in an interview and warned that it would publish the story without an interview if the campaign didn’t respond before noon Sunday.
WORLD told the DCNF that Hart contacted the publication three hours after the story was posted.
“In a phone conversation, when Deputy Editor Michael Reneau and reporter Harvest Prude wouldn’t agree to an off-the-record conversation, Hart hung up without answering our questions,” the WORLD statement said.
Hart provided the DCNF with a statement he sent to WORLD after his phone conversation with Reneau and Prude in which he acknowledged the numerous interview requests and said that Prude did not lay out the specifics of the second two allegations against Cawthorn.
“Finally, we were cautioned against communicating with Ms. Prude at all by people who know her because they claimed she was politically liberal, antagonist toward Madison based on past interactions, and could not be trusted to be objective,” Hart said in his emailed statement to WORLD. “We engaged with her anyway. Sadly, those warnings seemed to be well-founded.”
This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


wnd--2020-08-16--Holy vote! Thousands of Jesus 2020 signs printed as campaign grows

( WSFA ) -- RAMER , Alabama -- It ’ s a gift that keeps on giving !
You may @ @ @ @ @ recently on the Jesus 2020 campaign in Ramer .
Members of Sampey Memorial Baptist Church @ @ @ @ @ put Jesus everywhere , in hopes that people will elect Him as their leader !
@ @ @ @ @ say more than 6,200 signs have been printed and sent to nine states and a @ @ @ @

(WSFA) -- RAMER, Alabama -- It’s a gift that keeps on giving! You may recall the story we did recently on the Jesus 2020 campaign in Ramer.
Members of Sampey Memorial Baptist Church started the campaign to “put Jesus everywhere, in hopes that people will elect Him as their leader!”
Organizers behind the movement say more than 6,200 signs have been printed and sent to nine states and a handful of cities.
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-08-16--Replace cops in schools with ... 'ethnic studies'?

( THE COLLEGE FIX ) -- Albuquerque , New Mexico recently played host to one of the latest protests against @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the Daily Lobo , some 150 “ young people , students , @ @ @ @ @ gathered outside of the Albuquerque Public Schools central office to demand school resource officers , @ @ @ @ @ .
The reason ?
You guessed it : A police presence “ contribute [ s @ @ @ @ @ Black and Brown communities and aggravate [ s ] the school-to-prison pipeline .
”

(THE COLLEGE FIX) -- Albuquerque, New Mexico recently played host to one of the latest protests against having police in K-12 schools.
According to the Daily Lobo, some 150 “young people, students, teachers and community members” gathered outside of the Albuquerque Public Schools central office to demand school resource officers, or SROs, be defunded.
The reason? You guessed it: A police presence “contribute[s] to the criminalization of Black and Brown communities and aggravate[s] the school-to-prison pipeline.”
Read the full story ›