thetorontostar--2020-09-05--The Latest: Nevada reports 390 new virus cases, 13 deaths

CARSON CITY , Nev. — Nevada health officials on Saturday reported 390 additional COVID-19 cases and 13 new deaths , bringing the statewide totals to 71,102 confirmed cases and 1,388 deaths .
The vast majority of cases and deaths in Nevada have occurred in Clark County , which includes metro Las Vegas .
— Reno officials said a one-day closure of a small section of a downtown street for limited on-street food and drink service would be a test for helping restaurants whose operations are crimped by restrictions on mass gatherings .
Reno ’ s experiment Saturday follows the lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — Italy leader Conte tells virus deniers : Look at the numbers — Child care crisis pushes US mothers out of the labour force , as pandemic leaves parents with few child care options plus distance learning .
— Colleges using coronavirus dorms , quarantines to keep virus at bay , with the virus spreading through colleges at alarming rates .
— Staying connected during the coronavirus pandemic has been trying for parents and students at a Phoenix school for refugees who speak more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the many summertime traditions being hit hard by the coronavirus are the nation ’ s county and state fairs .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : PHOENIX — A suburban school district in metro Phoenix has put off its plan to return its high school to in-person instruction from remote learning starting Tuesday .
Cactus Shadows High School Principal Tony Vining announced late Friday that Cave Creek Unified School District ’ s sole high school didn ’ t “ have enough staff to safely open and will need to revert to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools have reopened for in-person instruction , but J.O .
Combs Unified in San Tan Valley , was thwarted last month because numerous teachers called in sick while voicing concerns about the safety of reopening schools .
The state Department of Health Services on Saturday reported 836 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with 36 additional deaths , increasing the statewide totals to 205,516 cases and 5,207 deaths .
SANTA FE , N.M. New Mexico officials are urging residents to take precautions while celebrating Labor Day to avoid spreading the coronavirus .
The state “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against COVID-19 , ” but the holiday weekend will be a key to keeping spread of the virus low and to ensuring that students can return safely to school this year , Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement Friday .
“ I ask New Mexicans to please not let their guard down — continue wearing masks and avoiding gatherings , ” the governor added .
“ Just one large gathering can lead to hundreds of COVID-19 cases and affect an entire community ’ s health and safety ... ” State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed COVID-19 cases and six additional deaths , increasing the statewide totals to 26,048 cases with 800 deaths .
ST. LOUIS — Missouri added 77 COVID-19 related deaths to its total Saturday , most of which occurred weeks or months ago .
The state ’ s Department of Health and Senior Services blamed technical issues in a tweet for the spike that brought the state ’ s total number of deaths since the pandemic began to 1,639 .
The newly reported deaths included five that occurred over the past 24 hours , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Through continuing efforts to ensure data transparency and quality , DHSS analysts discovered an inconsistency in death certificate diagnosis codes when compared to case information contained in DHSS disease surveillance systems , ” health officials said in a tweet .
“ After thorough analysis and evaluation , these additional COVID-19-associated deaths were identified .
We expect to report more ( although not as many as today ) of these on Sunday as we work to complete this evaluation of cases.
” Health officials also reported that the number of confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amid the rise in cases , St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced Friday in a social media post that bars , restaurants and nightclubs must continue to restrict capacity to 50 % and close no later than 11 p.m. each night .
The restrictions were originally set to end Sept. 7 .
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State University has issued a Labor Day weekend stay-at-home order for students living on campus to limit the spread of COVID-19 as they return for the school year .
KNSD-TV reported that the order is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. Tuesday .
The announcement was made Saturday , a day after the university reported an additional 120 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases linked to students both on and off campus .
The university said those who violate the order could face disciplinary action , but it did not detail what those consequences would be .
TALLAHASSEE , Fla. — Florida officials are urging vigilance over the Labor Day holiday weekend .
That ’ s despite the fewest number of new deaths — about 60 — since mid-July .
Officials have been urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing throughout the three-day holiday weekend , particularly at beaches and other public places .
On Saturday , the state reported nearly 3,700 news cases of coronavirus , pushing the total number of infections to nearly 644,000 since the outbreak began in the spring .
DES MOINES , Iowa — An Iowa judge has refused to allow some Des Moines area bars to reopen while their lawsuit challenging Gov .
Kim Reynolds ’ bar closures makes its way through the courts .
The Des Moines Register reports Polk County Judge William Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his explanation of the ruling denying a temporary injunction to the bar owners in Polk and Dallas county .
Attorney Billy Mallory , who is representing the bar owners , says he ’ ll appeal the denial while preparing for trial , where he will seek a permanent injunction .
The suit alleges bars closures in Dallas and Polk counties are unconstitutional and unfairly targets some businesses , while restaurants and coffee shops can stay open .
In the Aug. 27 order , Reynolds required the closing of bars in Black Hawk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those counties , along with Polk and Dallas , are considered hot spots for coronavirus infections .
Statewide , cases rose Saturday by 1,024 to 69,006 .
There ’ s been 23 new deaths to bring the total to 1,160 , according to the Iowa Department of Public Health .
BERLIN — German soccer team Union Berlin allowed 4,500 fans at its 2-1 win over Nuremberg in a preseason exhibition match .
It was the first game any professional German soccer team played in front of so many fans since the pandemic forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No fans were allowed once the league resumed after a two-month break .
Fans were only permitted to attend the game – a celebration of 100 years of Union ’ s stadium – under certain conditions .
Tickets were for club members only , personalized and non-transferable to ensure contact-tracing is possible .
The supporters needed to show ID and their club membership card before entering and wear masks when not in their allocated place .
Stewards asked fans too close to move .
Journalists had their temperatures taken and were seated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sororities are under quarantine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after 38 students tested positive for the coronavirus .
The orders from UW-Madison and Dane County health officials affect 420 Greek life students , who have been instructed to quarantine for two weeks , the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported .
UW-Madison is requiring coronavirus tests for students who live in the 38 Greek life houses .
The university didn ’ t say if the cases were linked to parties or large gatherings .
So far , 440 UW-Madison students have tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ROME — The daily number of coronavirus deaths in Italy has been rising , with 16 registered Saturday by the Health Ministry .
That ’ s five more than the previous day .
However , those numbers are dramatically lower than in the early weeks of the pandemic in the nation , when hundreds of people were dying daily .
With nearly 1,700 more cases Saturday , Italy has confirmed a total of 276,338 infections .
Most of the recent cases have been linked to popular holiday locales , particularly among those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ROME — The personal doctor of Silvio Berlusconi has expressed “ cautious but reasonable optimism ” for the former Italian leader ’ s recovery from the coronavirus .
The 83-year-old Berlusconi is hospitalized in Milan after testing positive this week .
Dr. Alberto Zangrillo said in a written statement Saturday that Berlusconi ’ s clinical condition remains stable .
Zangrillo said Friday , several hours after Berlusconi was admitted to San Raffaele hospital , that his patient has an early stage lung infection and was breathing on his own .
LONDON -- The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is telling public sector bosses to get staff back to the office , as the government seeks to revive city centres .
Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill has written to government department chiefs “ strongly encouraging an increased workplace attendance ” and saying 80 % of civil servants should be working from the office at least part-time by the end of September .
The government urged people to work from home when the country went into lockdown in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
Society is gradually reopening , but many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and public transport .
That ’ s bad news for downtown cafes , shops and restaurants that rely on commuters for trade .
The number of new coronavirus infections in the U.K. is rising .
Unions say the need for social distancing makes a full-time return to offices impractical .
Dave Penman , head of civil service union FDA , says the government needs to accept that the world of work had changed for good .
ROME — Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte says he has no words for those who deny the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers .
Pandemic deniers and those against masks and vaccines are expected to rally in Rome on Saturday .
Conte said : “ To those people gathering in Rome today and who think the pandemic doesn ’ t exist , we reply with numbers : More than ... 274,000 infected and some 35,000 dead .
Period.
” The daily case load , after dropping down to below 200 at the start of summer , surpassed more than 1,700 on Friday , the biggest one-day increase since early May .
Many of the recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of them young people .
Conte says , “ if things go badly , we ’ ll be able to intervene in a targeted and very circumscribed way ” to manage any dramatic surge .
His country was hard hit when the outbreak first erupted in Europe and went into lockdown .
Italy has confirmed nearly 275,000 coronavirus cases and counts 35,518 known dead .
BERLIN — Germany wants to boost its public health system with 5,000 new jobs and 4 billion euros ( $ 4.735 billion ) in investment to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices up to speed .
The announcement by Health Minister Jens Spahn on Saturday came after a meeting with the country ’ s 16 state health ministers about the coronavirus pandemic .
Germany wants to add are at least 1,500 new doctors , medical and administrative staff by the end of next year .
Meanwhile , German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has suggested the country mourn the victims of the coronavirus pandemic at an official memorial .
Steinmeier told newspaper group RND on Saturday “ we must help people who are mourning and think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The German president , whose office is mostly ceremonial , says he was in talks with other officials regarding a memorial .
On Saturday , Germany registered 1,378 new coronavirus infections for a total of nearly 249,000 cases .
Total deaths stand at more than 9,300 people , according the country ’ s disease control centre .
HOUSTON — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop detaining unaccompanied immigrant children in hotels .
That allows for expelling them without the chance to seek refuge in the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the coronavirus pandemic .
U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee ruled Friday the use of hotels violates a two-decade-old settlement governing the treatment of immigrant children in custody .
She ordered border agencies to stop placing children in hotels by Sept. 15 and to remove children from hotels as soon as possible .
At least 577 unaccompanied children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border since March have been held in hotels , sometimes for weeks , according to government data .
That ’ s instead of sending them to shelters operated by the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minors receive legal services , education , and the chance to be placed with relatives living in the U.S. Those facilities are licensed by the states where they are located .
More than 13,000 beds in HHS facilities are currently empty .
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will visit Assisi next month , in his first visit outside Rome since the coronavirus pandemic .
He ’ ll journey to Assisi , the birthplace in the central Italian region of Umbria of his namesake saint .
He ’ ll sign an authoritative papal letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vatican said Saturday .
The encyclical is expected to stress the value of brotherly relations during and after the pandemic , a theme Francis evoked repeatedly during the pandemic .
Francis has stressed the coronavirus reveals the fragility of existence and the importance of helping one other , especially the poor .
Italy was put under lockdown in early March when it became the first country in Europe to feel the full brunt of the coronavirus .
PRAGUE — The number of people infected with the coronavirus has continued to surge in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time .
The Health Ministry says the day-to-day increase reached a record of 798 new confirmed cases on Friday .
The announcement comes after the country registered over 600 cases the previous two days , also records at the time .
Health authorities have already imposed new restrictive measures in the Czech capital , reacting to the spike .
Starting on Wednesday , it is mandatory again to wear face masks in stores and shopping malls .
At the same time , bars , restaurants and nightclubs have to be closed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republic has 27,249 cases and 429 deaths .
MEXICO CITY — The coronavirus pandemic has hit Mexico so hard that the governments of several states ran out of death certificates .
Officials said Friday the federal forms started running out about 15 to 20 days ago in at least three states — Baja California , the State of Mexico and Mexico City .
Authorities say a million new forms have been printed and are being distributed .
The certificates are printed with special characteristics because falsification has been a problem in the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 deaths in the world .
On Friday , the number of confirmed cases rose by 6,196 to 623,090 , while deaths rose by 522 to 66,851 .
Cases in Mexico now appear to have plateaued and are no longer decreasing .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is urging Americans to “ remain vigilant ” about the coronavirus over the Labor Day weekend .
Trump said at a White House briefing Friday that “ we need everybody to be careful ” and to “ apply common sense ” in their interactions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said this week that several Midwestern states that have seen jumps in coronavirus caseloads should be especially vigilant during the holiday weekend .
They are North Dakota , South Dakota , Arkansas , Iowa , Illinois , Indiana and Missouri .
Past increases in cases of COVID-19 have followed the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays .
Trump is eager to put the pandemic in the past , but he tells Americans to “ let ’ s just try to get through this @ @ @ @


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Phoenix sets high-temperature record; crews rescue hikers

Phoenix on Saturday set a high-temperature record of 115 degrees for the date as emergency crews rescued several hikers at a popular recreation area in the city .
The baking heat broke the previous record of 113 degrees set in 1945 , the National Weather Service said .
Saturday was the 14th day this year where Phoenix had a high of 115 degrees or more , topping the previous record of seven , the weather service said .
Tucson reached 107 degrees , tying a 1945 record .
The southern Arizona city was expected to break the record later Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Both cities and numerous other desert areas in Arizona and southern Nevada are under excessive heat warnings in effect through Monday night .
Forecasters advised limiting outdoor activity , staying inside in air-conditioned places , drinking plenty of water and checking family members and neighbours .
The Phoenix Fire Department said crews used a helicopter and ground vehicles to rescue four adults having heat-related issues in three separate incidents on Camelback Mountain .
One person was taken to a hospital for evaluation , but the other three people declined to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Phoenix was the warmest ever with an average high temperature of 110.7 degrees and an average high of 99.1 degrees , the weather service said .

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thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Thousands peacefully protest outside the Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE , Ky. - An airplane circled above Churchill Downs on Saturday , flying a banner behind it : “ Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor , ” it said .
The 146th Kentucky Derby became a surreal distillation of the crises facing the country in 2020 , in the hometown of Taylor , a 26-year-old Black emergency medical technician shot dead in her home in March when police burst in to serve a search warrant in the middle of the night .
Inside the racetrack , the stands were mostly empty and wagering windows closed as fans were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outside , thousands of protesters leaned into the gates , chanting Taylor ’ s name .
Armored police vehicles in the parking lot replaced the normal throngs of Derby-goers in seersucker and showy hats .
As the horses rounded the track , the protesters shouted and stomped , trying to make enough noise so that no one inside could ignore them .
The protests were peaceful .
The demonstrators marched 2 miles ( 3 kilometres ) from a city park and circled the track .
They chanted “ No justice , no Derby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say Taylor ’ s name .
Inside the gate , police stood guard in riot gear with clubs , some on horses and some with armoured military vehicles .
The investigation into Taylor ’ s March killing is ongoing and no charges have been filed .
“ What are we celebrating ?
” one of the organizers , Brittany Wiley , told the crowd .
“ We don ’ t want mint juleps .
We want justice .
We ’ re not partying .
We ’ re protesting .
No justice ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , looked up from the crowd of protesters at the plane overhead .
As a Louisville native , the Derby is a special time for him and his family .
Back in February , before the pandemic , he had shopped for tickets and planned to attend .
But even if fans had been allowed inside , he said , it wouldn ’ t have felt right to go .
His grandparents came of age during the Civil Rights movement .
And still here he is , generations later .
He said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to march , too .
“ We are here as one , ” he wants the protest to say to his hometown .
“ When they see our solidarity , they will have to understand that we are serious .
We want justice for Breonna Taylor .
And not just for her .
For us all.
” When the race ended , the protesters quickly headed out .
There was no violence , though the prospect of a large-scale demonstration on Derby Day , on top of the pandemic , had left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first race started Saturday morning , a group of self-described “ patriots ” marched through downtown as a counterprotest , many carrying assault rifles and campaign flags for President Donald Trump .
They went to a square in the heart of downtown where demonstrators have kept vigil for more than 100 days .
There were confrontations between the groups , but no violence .
The large protest at the racetrack march briefly crossed paths with a pro-gun Black group that calls themselves the NFAC .
Some local protesters have disagreed with their tactics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July and an accidental shooting injured three members .
On Saturday , about 100 members of the NFAC marched through but diverged from the large protest group and kept moving without incident .
On normal years , the Derby is a two-week long party .
Wanda Martin lives across from the backside of Churchill Downs .
Usually her lawn is filled with people , food and music and dancing .
Friends come from all over the county to visit .
Martin grew up in the horse racing business .
She worked for trainers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is usually her favourite week of the year .
She always sells T-shirts with sayings like “ Talk Derby to me ” and “ Go Baby Go !
” The only thing she could come up with to put on her shirts this year was “ 2020 Worst Derby Ever.
” She hung them from a clothesline across the front of her lawn .

Claire Galofaro And Dylan Lovan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--NY attorney general to form grand jury after Prude death

ROCHESTER , N.Y. - New York ’ s attorney general on Saturday moved to form a grand jury to investigate the death of Daniel Prude , a Black man who died earlier this year after Rochester police placed a hood over his head and held him down .
“ The Prude family and the Rochester community have been through great pain and anguish , ” Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement about Prude ’ s death , which has sparked nightly protests and calls for reform .
She said the grand jury would be part of an “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his brother called for help for his erratic behaviour in March has roiled New York ’ s third-largest city since video of the encounter was made public earlier this week , with protesters demanding more accountability for how it happened and legislation to change how authorities respond to mental health emergencies .
“ This is just the beginning , ” Ashley Gantt , a protest organizer , said by email after James ’ announcement .
“ We will not be stopped in our quest for truth and justice.
” Protesters gathered Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Prude , naked and handcuffed , was held face-down as snow fell .
Policy body camera video shows officers covering Prude ’ s head with a “ spit hood , ” designed to protect police from bodily fluids , then pressing his face into the pavement for two minutes .
Prude died March 30 after he was taken off life support .
The Monroe County medical examiner listed the manner of death as homicide caused by “ complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.
” Excited delirium and acute intoxication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributing factors , the report said .
A police internal affairs investigation cleared the officers involved of any wrongdoing , concluding in April that their “ actions and conduct displayed when dealing with Prude appear to be appropriate and consistent with their training.
” James ’ office opened its investigation the same month .
Under New York law , deaths of unarmed people in police custody are often turned over to the attorney general ’ s office , rather than handled by local officials .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo earlier this week called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Today , I applaud Attorney General Tish James for taking swift , decisive action in empaneling a grand jury , ” Cuomo said in a statement .
“ Justice delayed is justice denied and the people of New York deserve the truth.
” Advocates say Prude ’ s death and the actions of the seven now-suspended Rochester police officers demonstrate how police are ill-equipped to deal with people suffering mental problems .
Having police respond can be a “ recipe for disaster , ” The National Alliance on Mental Illness said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death “ is yet another harrowing tragedy , but a story not unfamiliar to us , ” the advocacy group said .
“ People in crisis deserve help , not handcuffs.
” Stanley Martin , an organizer of Free the People Rochester , told reporters : “ We do not need violent workers with guns to respond to mental health crises.
” Activists have marched nightly in the city of 210,000 on Lake Ontario since the police body camera footage of the encounter with Prude were released by his family Wednesday .
Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests , police said .
As they had the night before , officers doused activists at police headquarters with a chemical spray to drive them from barricades around the building .
As the night wore on , demonstrators were pushed further back , as police fired what appeared to be pepper balls .
Fireworks were shot off and a bus stop was set on fire .
Prude ’ s family has said he appeared to be spiraling into crisis in the hours before his encounter with police .
“ You ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man is heard saying .
A police union has defended the officers involved in the encounter , saying they were strictly following department training and protocols , including using the mesh hood .


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--3 fatal shootings yield no indictments for Florida officers

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. - A grand jury in Florida declined to issue indictments against Tallahassee police officers involved in the shooting deaths of three people in separate incidents that helped ignite Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the state ’ s capital city .
Jurors in Leon County concluded that the police officers were justified in using lethal force in the separate shootings of Mychael Johnson , Tony McDade and Wilbon Woodard , the Tallahassee Democrat reported .
All three were Black .
A diverse group of demonstrators under the banner of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee took to the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s African American community — which accounts for more than a third of Tallahassee ’ s 200,000 residents .
Police equipped with shields and battle gear formed lines outside the state capitol .
A helicopter flew overhead .
Video posted on Twitter showed police forcibly taking several demonstrator into custody .
The community group tweeted that it was trying to free at least 11 demonstrators who were arrested .
By late Saturday afternoon , the dozens of protesters taking part in the march had dispersed .
Shortly after the release of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey appealed for calm , noting “ the pain and trauma that these incidents have caused , especially in our communities of colour.
” The mayor called for a review of the police department ’ s use of deadly force and said he would seek to include a mental health component to how police respond to incidents .
Earlier this week , Leon County put in place a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. because of ongoing civil unrest .
County officials cited protests that have sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend in which a man pulled a gun on protesters .
While the grand jury declined to hand down indictments against the police officers , it expressed concern .
In the March shooting of Mychael Johnson , one officer , Zackri Jones , yelled , “ I ’ m going to kill you , ” before shooting him in the back of the head during a violent struggle , the Democrat reported .
It also noted that the officer who shot and killed McDade violated police department policy by not activating his body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and killed a 21 year old , but there were differing accounts about McDade ’ s confrontation with police in late May .
About a week earlier , police shot and killed Woodard , who police say was armed , after a report of an altercation in a restaurant parking lot .
Chief Lawrence Revell said in a statement sent Friday that he hoped the grand jury ’ s findings “ can help us begin to heal.
” The Florida Police Benevolent Association thanked the jury for its service and for acknowledging that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are aware of the many issues facing law enforcement and the minority communities in this country , but it is our hope that we can begin to heal together , ” the association said in a statement .
“ It must start somewhere , so we urge all community leaders , to join together to promote conversation and tolerance for all .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Colleges using COVID dorms, quarantines to keep virus at bay

STORRS , Conn. - With the coronavirus spreading through colleges at alarming rates , universities are scrambling to find quarantine locations in dormitory buildings and off-campus properties to isolate the thousands of students who have caught COVID-19 or been exposed to it .
Sacred Heart University has converted a 34-room guest house at the former Connecticut headquarters of General Electric to quarantine students .
The University of South Carolina ran out of space at a dormitory for quarantined students and began sending them to rooms it rented in hotel-like quarters at a training centre for prosecutors .
The Air Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free up space on its Colorado base for quarantines .
The actions again demonstrate how the virus has uprooted traditional campus life amid a pandemic that has killed nearly 200,000 people in the U.S. and proven to be especially problematic for universities since the start of the school year .
Many colleges quickly scrapped in-person learning in favour of online after cases began to spike , bars have been shut down in college towns , and students , fraternities and sororities have been repeatedly disciplined for parties and large gatherings .
Health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member Dr. Deborah Birx have been urging colleges to keep students on campus to avoid them infecting members of their family and community .
At Sacred Heart , which acquired the 66-acre GE campus in 2016 , the guest house that once provided rooms for visiting corporate executives will be used for the rest of the year to isolate any of its 3,000 students who test positive for COVID-19 and are unable to return home , said Gary MacNamara , the school ’ s director of public safety .
Rooms are stocked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stations for remote learning .
Heath officials will do periodic check-ups , security is stationed outside and card swipes keep track of who enters or leaves .
“ With all the stress and fear a student may have if in isolation we believe we need to make it as comfortable as possible , ” MacNamara said .
“ This guest house helps us accomplish that.
” But not every situation is as comfortable .
Ryan Bologna has been locked in his dorm room at the University of Connecticut since 12 cases were found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s allowed to go to a dining hall next door , but has had no other contact with the outside world .
Zoom classes and virtual marching band practice and video gaming are not what the communications major had envisioned for the start of his senior year .
“ I do have friends I ’ ve made throughout the years that I can talk to , ” he said .
“ But If I were a freshman , I ’ d be really struggling right now as far as the social aspect.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in states like Connecticut , where the infection rate at UConn on Thursday was 1.34 % among residential students tested for the virus .
But the results haven ’ t been as good elsewhere .
The University of Alabama recently informed students in half of a five-story complex that they had to move to other housing to make room for infected or potentially infected students , because two other quarantine-and-isolation facilities would reach capacity .
So far , more than 1,000 students on the Tuscaloosa campus have tested positive since mid-August .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online dashboard showed its quarantine housing was 36 % full .
The university banned on-campus events for two weeks and the city of Tuscaloosa ordered bars closed amid concern about virus spread .
The football-obsessed school is still planning to allow fans for games — with a ban on tailgating — when the Crimson Tide begin their season this month .
Freshman Zachary Bourg , 18 , spent 10 days in a quarantine dorm after testing positive on Aug. 23 .
He ’ s now back in his regular room .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ semester , ” he said .
“ But if cases continue to rise at the rate they are then the likelihood of that occurring is starting to get lower.
” The University of South Carolina has about 35,000 students on its main Columbia campus .
More than 1,400 have tested positive for COVID-19 so far , with many more ordered into quarantine after exposure to COVID-positive students .
They were first housed in a dormitory called Bates West , where some students are allowed to room together .
But once that filled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a training centre for prosecutors .
“ We do feel like we can surge additional space , either on campus or nearby , to support the students , ” said Larry Thomas , a school spokesman .
Brown University has delayed the start in-person learning until next month at the earliest because of concerns over where to put those who might test positive .
Schools such as Georgia College & State University , a 7,000-student school in Milledgeville which has reported more than 600 cases since the beginning of August , are telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should leave campus .
There ’ s a debate in the health community about whether to send students home or keep them in quarantine .
Dr. Joseph Gerald , associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona , said the idea of identifying cases , contact tracing and quarantining is the right approach .
He said it ’ s just going to be hard to do in dorms , frat houses or places where students congregate .
“ One of the things we ’ re struggling with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what to do with multi-story buildings , where kids need to get to their rooms , but we have one or two elevators , ” he said .
“ It ’ s not really possible to make an elevator safe.
” Dr. Peter Hotez , a Baylor College of Medicine infectious disease expert , dean of the National School for Tropical Medicine and co-director Texas Children ’ s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development said many colleges simply can not open safely .
“ There ’ s only so much you can do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ That will help get you about 20 % to 30 % of the way , the other 70 % is whether you have an adequate suppression of transmission .
You might get away with it at Bowdoin College … but clearly it ’ s going to fail at the University of Alabama , the University of Georgia and places like that.
“ Associated Press writer Haleluya Hadero contributed to this report .

Pat Eaton-Robb And Jeff Amy - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Feds ask court to uphold Coast Guard officer’s sentence

RICHMOND , Va. - Justice Department prosecutors have urged a federal appeals court to uphold a prison sentence of more than 13 years for a former Coast Guard officer accused of plotting a terrorist attack inspired by infamous mass murderers and far-right extremists .
The arguments from federal prosecutors in Maryland came in a court filing Friday , about three months after attorneys for Christopher Hasson asked the 4th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals to let him withdraw his guilty plea or else throw out his sentence .
The main area of contention in the appeal case is whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a terrorism enhancement to the sentence of the former lieutenant , who was not charged or convicted of a terrorism-related offence .
Hasson ’ s attorney in the appeal argued that the defendant ’ s 160-month prison term was roughly four times longer than sentencing guidelines would have called for if U.S. District Judge George Hazel had not mistakenly applied the terrorism enhancement to the sentence .
Federal prosecutors on Friday countered that Hazel properly applied the enhancement .
Prosecutors wrote that by the “ plain wording ” of the sentencing guidelines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defendant have committed a federal crime of terrorism .
All that is required is that the offence involved or was intended to promote a federal crime of terrorism.
” Hasson , 51 , pleaded guilty in October to possessing unregistered and unserialized silencers , being a drug addict in possession of firearms and illegal possession of tramadol , an opioid painkiller .
He is serving his sentence at a medium-security federal correctional facility in North Carolina .
Federal prosecutors have described Hasson as a domestic terrorist and self-described white nationalist .
In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be planning attacks inspired by the manifesto of Anders Behring Breivik , the Norwegian far-right terrorist who killed 77 people in a 2011 bomb-and-shooting rampage .
Prosecutors also said Hasson drew up what appeared to be a computer spreadsheet hit list naming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic presidential hopefuls , including Elizabeth Warren .
He also mentioned several network TV journalists , including MSNBC ’ s Chris Hayes and Joe Scarborough and CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo and Van Jones .
Investigators found 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition , when they searched Hasson ’ s basement apartment in Silver Spring .
Hasson had faced a maximum prison sentence of 31 years at sentencing .
Hazel said he believes the officer was preparing to carry out a “ mass casualty assault as a way to act out his white nationalist views .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Deposed president evacuated from Mali for medical treatment

BAMAKO , Mali - Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , the Malian president ousted by a military coup in August , was evacuated late Saturday to the United Arab Emirates for medical treatment , a diplomat said .
The 75-year-old ’ s health has been in question since he was hospitalized following his detention for 10 days by the military junta now in power .
He left Mali with his wife , Aminata Maiga Keita , an attache , two doctors and four security agents , said the diplomat with knowledge of the situation but who insisted on not being quoted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak to press on the matter .
The plane was dispatched by the United Arab Emirates following a request from Malian authorities and Keita , so he can be treated at a military hospital in Abu Dhabi , the diplomat said .
Keita had been moved to his residence earlier this week after hospitalization at a private clinic under the tight security of the junta .
Leaders of the junta had said they were open to whatever treatment he needed to get , even if in another country .
The junta , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salvation of the People , is now running Mali under the leadership of Col. Assimi Goita .
Keita , who was first elected in 2013 , had three years left in his term when mutinous soldiers detained him at his residence after firing shots outside the house .
Hours later , he appeared in a midnight broadcast on state television , telling Malians he would resign immediately so no blood would be shed for him to stay in power .
Officials from the junta had said Keita was being held at the barracks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest movement against Keita ’ s presidency saw tens of thousands demonstrate in the streets in the months leading up to his overthrow .
A mediation delegation led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan met with Keita while he was in military custody , and they later told journalists that Keita did not want to try to return to power .
The international community has decried Keita ’ s ouster , and the regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Mali , shutting borders , halting financial flows and threatening further sanctions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demands of ECOWAS , so his evacuation for medical treatment might play favourably .
There are worries that the political vacuum brought by the coup could allow Islamic extremists to expand their reach .
A similar coup in 2012 led to the militants overrunning major towns in the north where they implemented their strict interpretation of Islamic law , such as amputating the hands of those charged with theft .
A French-led military operation in 2013 ousted the extremists but the Malian military and its partners have faced an insurgency ever since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with Operation Barkhane were reported killed in the Tessalit region of northern Mali , according to a statement from French Defence forces .
They died after their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device , it said .
France has more than 6,500 soldiers currently engaged in foreign operations , with more than 5,000 as part of Operation Barkhane , according to the defence ministry .
“ In the Sahel , France is and remains engaged alongside Mali , Burkina Faso , Mauritania , Niger and Chad in this relentless fight against armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Associated Press writer Carley Petesch in Dakar , Senegal , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Bond denied for Georgia trooper charged in fatal shooting

SYLVANIA , Ga. - A Georgia judge has denied bond for a former Georgia State Patrol trooper accused of murder in the August shooting death of a 60-year-old Black man who refused to stop for a broken tail light .
Screven County Judge F. Gates Peed on Friday ruled that it “ would be inappropriate ” to grant bond at the moment for Jacob Gordon Thompson , given the facts of the case .
Thompson , who is white , briefly chased Julian Lewis on Aug. 7 before forcing Lewis ’ car into a ditch and fatally shooting Lewis in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident report that he feared for his life and fired one shot when Lewis revved his engine and turned his steering wheel as if he wanted to ram the trooper .
Thompson was arrested a week later on a charge of felony murder and aggravated assault by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation .
He remains in custody at the Screven County Jail , near the state ’ s South Carolina border .
Attorney Francys Johnson , who is representing the Lewis family , said that Peed ’ s denial of bond for Thompson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement for racial equality in American policing .
“ The unprecedented pace of the investigation is a direct result of years of activism on these issues along with a sea-change in law enforcement leadership at the top of the GBI , ” Johnson said in a statement Friday .
“ This case is not proceeding as business as usual.
” The incident report Thompson filed says he spotted a Nissan Sentra driving with a broken tail light at about 9 p.m. and turned on his lights to initiate a traffic stop in rural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flashed both his turn signals and motioned with a hand outside his window but made no effort to stop .
Thomspon wrote that he followed the car at speeds up to 65 mph ( 105 kph ) until the vehicle rolled through a stop sign .
The trooper then performed a manoeuvr that forced the car into a ditch .
Thompson said he pulled alongside the vehicle and drew his gun as he got out of his cruiser .
“ At some point , I heard the engine on the violator ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speed , ” Thompson wrote in his report .
“ I activated the light on my weapon and observed the violator with both hands on the steering wheel .
I saw him wrenching the steering wheel in an aggressive back and forth manner towards me and my patrol vehicle.
” He continued : “ It appeared to me that the violator was trying to use his vehicle to injure me .
Being in fear for my life and safety , I discharged my weapon once.
” The trooper ’ s bullet hit Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he tried to render first aid until paramedics arrived .


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Israelis protest against PM as coronavirus infections spike

JERUSALEM - Thousands of Israelis protested outside the official residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night , pressing ahead with a monthslong campaign demanding the embattled Israeli leader resign .
The protest came as Israel is coping with record levels of coronavirus infections .
Demonstrators have been protesting Netanyahu ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis , which has led to soaring unemployment , and they say he should step down while on trial for corruption charges .
Protesters held banners reading “ Revolution “ and “ Get out of here ” and held blue and white Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister was projected on a building reading in Hebrew : “ Enough with you.
” Smaller crowds gathered on bridges and intersections across the country also calling for Netanyahu to step down .
The government moved quickly to contain the coronavirus last spring , but bungled the reopening of the economy and now finds itself dealing with a stronger outbreak .
The death toll has surpassed 1,000 people , and the country is considering a new lockdown to stop the rapid spike in daily infections .
Israel currently has over 26,000 active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely been peaceful in recent weeks , protesters scuffled with police in several locations .
At least 13 arrests were made , including a man that police said “ was dressed up as a woman in a provocative way.
” Police also said two officers were lightly injured when a crowd burst through a police blockade .
Netanyahu has dismissed the protesters as “ leftists ” and “ anarchists.
” But his tough talk , and even a series of foreign policy accomplishments , have done nothing to deter the crowds .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a diplomatic boost as Serbia announced it will move its embassy to Jerusalem and Kosovo said it will establish ties with Israel with an embassy in Jerusalem .
The announcements , making the countries the third and fourth to move their embassies to contested Jerusalem , follow Israel ’ s historic agreement last month to establish diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates .
Netanyahu has vowed to remain in office despite being charged last year with bribery , fraud and breach of trust in three long-running corruption investigations .
He has denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witch hunt ” and lashing out at the judiciary , law enforcement and media .


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--In ruling, judge throws lifeline to diversity visa lottery

SAN DIEGO - A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to resume issuing diversity visas for immigrants from underrepresented countries , partially reversing a pandemic-related freeze on a wide range of immigrant and temporary visas .
The U.S. issues up to 55,000 visas a year to people from countries with low representation in the U.S. , many in Africa .
They are chosen from millions of applicants by lottery .
Winners who aren ’ t vetted for green cards at U.S. consulates lose their spots if they don ’ t have their visas in hand by Sept. 30 of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department had issued about 12,000 diversity visas for the 2020 lottery when President Donald Trump announced the freeze in April , leaving about 43,000 winners still waiting , U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said .
“ To be clear , there is no statutory requirement that every available diversity visa be issued each year , ” Mehta wrote in an 85-page ruling Friday in Washington .
“ But that does not mean that the State Department could effectively extinguish the diversity program for a given year by simply sitting on its hands and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out.
” Mehta , who was appointed by President Barack Obama , denied requests to take similar action on other visa categories subject to bans , including many family members , H-1B visas for high-tech workers and H-2B visas for seasonal workers .
Trump has long sought to scrap the diversity visa lottery , saying it brings “ the worst of the worst.
” While Mehta justified his order on grounds that delays were unreasonable , he made clear that he disagreed with Trump ’ s characterizations .
“ Diversity visa lottery winners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation , like millions before , to seek a better life for themselves and their families , and to pursue the American Dream , ” he wrote .
“ They do not deserve to be caricatured as common criminals , or to be used as a political wedge issue.
” Trump imposed the visa freezes through the end of this year , calling them a way to protect American jobs from economic losses wrought by the pandemic .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good-faith efforts ... to expeditiously process and adjudicate “ diversity visas for 2020 but stopped short of extending the Sept. 30 deadline .
He scheduled a hearing for Sept. 25 to consider additional steps .
Attorneys for visa applicants welcomed the order but expressed disappointment that other visa categories were denied .
“ Diversity visa applicants can finally exhale today , ” said Karen Tumlin , director of Justice Action Center “ The diversity visa lottery has allowed for substantial diversification of legal immigration , especially from Africa , and we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Several boats sink during Texas parade for President Trump

AUSTIN , Texas - A spokesperson for the Travis County sheriff ’ s office in Texas says “ several ” @ @ @ @ @ part in a parade in support of President Donald Trump .
“ We responded to @ @ @ @ @ distress , several of them sank , ” but there are no reports of fatalities @ @ @ @ @ not determined how many boats sank on the lake near Austin , according to sheriff @ @ @ @ @ .
Dark said the cause was under investigation , but there was no indication of @ @ @ @ @ We have no reason to suspect foul play in any of these , ” sinkings @ @ @ @ @ said weather conditions were generally calm and meteorologist Paul Yura with the National Weather Service @ @ @ @ @ were were no storms in the area at the time and winds were generally 16 @ @ @ @ @ The lake should be fairly navigable , without issue at those wind speeds , “ @ @ @ @ @ Travis is an approximately 7,689 hectares impoundment about 19 kilometres northwest of Austin .


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Bar: Lawyer tried to get jailed client to have sex with him

VIRGINIA BEACH , Va. - An attorney in Virginia is facing state bar accusations that he tried to get a jailed client to have a three-way sexual relationship with him and another female client .
A Virginia State Bar subcommittee certified the allegations against Virginia Beach attorney Scott A. Lehman last month , the Virginian-Pilot reported Friday .
Lehman , who has been a member of the bar since 2009 , was given 21 days to respond and provide available dates for a hearing .
He didn ’ t reply to a request for comment from the newspaper .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she met Lehman on the website Seeking Arrangement , which bills itself as a way for wealthy “ sugar daddies ” to meet women known as “ sugar babies.
” When she was jailed for a probation violation in 2019 , she asked him for help , according to the 13-page certification document .
Two months later , she told sheriff ’ s officers Lehman was representing her for free with the understanding that she would have a sexual relationship with him after she was released from jail .
She also told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facility ’ s video visitation system .
The officers reviewed footage of the video conversations and said they saw Lehman ’ s attempts to establish the three-way relationship .
The newspaper reported the other woman was also his client and was out on bond while awaiting trial .
The jailed woman denied to a Virginia State Bar investigator that she had said Lehman offered his services for free in exchange for sex .
Lehman told the investigator he only agreed to represent the woman for free during a bond hearing .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December after he did not fully comply with an order to turn over case records of the two women .


thetorontostar--2020-09-05--Lawyer of accused Kenosha shooter resigns from defence fund

A lawyer representing a 17-year-old charged with shooting three people during a protest in Kenosha , Wisconsin , has resigned from his position with a defence fund that has raked in more than $ 700,000 to defend his client and conservative causes .
Attorney John Pierce is defending Kyle Rittenhouse against intentional homicide charges for shooting two people to death and wounding a third during a night of unrest last month over the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man who was left paralyzed from the waist down .
Pierce said he resigned from the # FightBack Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defend Rittenhouse , to avoid any “ appearance of conflict , “ USA Today reported .
Pierce and his firm , Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht , have been accused of defaulting on millions of dollars owed to investors , according to court documents .
Pierce acknowledged in New York court documents earlier this year that he had failed to pay Karish Kapital $ 4 million for cash advances it had made to Pierce ’ s firm , which also has a much large payment of $ 65 million looming for another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Lin Wood , another attorney who has taken up high-profile cases championed by conservatives , started the fund in early August .
The fund is described as a way to “ bring lawsuits to check the lies of the left.
” Pierce has argued that Rittenhouse acted in self-defence when he shot the three people on Aug. 25 during a third night of protests over the shooting of Blake two days earlier , which was captured on cellphone video and posted online .
The Rittenhouse case has become a political flashpoint .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump gave an account at odds with the one given by prosecutors , falsely implying that the teenager only shot the men after he tripped and they attacked him .
Wood , who now controls the foundation , said Pierce would be reimbursed for his work defending Rittenhouse .


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Census Bureau must temporarily halt winding down operations.

ORLANDO , Fla. - A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Census Bureau for the time being to stop following @ @ @ @ @ had it winding down operations in order to finish the 2020 census at the end @ @ @ @ @ judge in San Jose late Saturday issued a temporary restraining order against the Census Bureau @ @ @ @ @ which oversees the agency .
The order stops the Census Bureau from winding down operations @ @ @ @ @ held on Sept. 17 .
A coalition of cities , counties and civil rights groups @ @ @ @ @ , demanding it restore its previous deadline for finishing the census to the end of @ @ @ @ @ a revised plan to end operations at the end of September .
They had argued @ @ @ @ @ the Census Bureau to overlook minority communities , leading to an inaccurate count that is @ @ @ @ @ 1.5 trillion in federal funding is distributed and how many congressional seats each state gets @


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Fire on oil tanker off Sri Lanka extinguished after 3 days

COLOMBO , Sri Lanka - A fire on a large oil tanker drifting off Sri Lanka ’ s coast was extinguished on Sunday after burning for three days , as a team of experts moved to salvage the vessel , the country ’ s navy said .
Four tugboats , three Sri Lankan navy ships and six Indian ships battled the fire on the MT New Diamond since Thursday .
Five Sri Lankan coast guard ships and gunboats also took part in the effort .
“ As of now , the fire has been completely extinguished , ” the navy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in comments that were broadcast on local TV channels .
But he cautioned that there is a risk of another fire erupting due to the heat of the ship ’ s iron plates .
Earlier Sunday , the navy said a team of experts was already on one of the tugboats .
Another 10 British and Dutch professionals , including rescue operation specialists , disaster evaluators and legal consultants , were also expected to join the mission to salvage the ship .
With its engines shut down , the tanker — carrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — drifted about 20 nautical miles ( 37 kilometres ) from Sri Lanka ’ s eastern coast on Friday before a tugboat towed it farther out to sea .
The fire killed one crew member and injured another .
Both are Filipino .
The injured third engineer was hospitalized in stable condition .
The fire began in an engine room boiler but did not spread to the tanker ’ s oil storage area and no leak has been reported , the navy said .
Sri Lankan officials have warned of possible massive environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaks or explodes .
The head of Sri Lanka ’ s Marine Environment Protection Authority , Darshani Lahandapur , had said the Indian Ocean island nation does not have the resources or capacity to combat such a massive disaster and appealed for help from regional countries .
She said her organization plans to take legal action over the fire .
The tanker had 23 crew members — 18 Filipinos and five Greeks .
Twenty-one crew members left the tanker uninjured as the fire burned .
The tanker was transporting crude oil from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Indian port of Paradip , where the state-owned Indian Oil Corp. has a refinery .

Bharatha Mallawarachi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--West Indian Day festivities go virtual, but police remain

NEW YORK - The sights and sounds of one of the world ’ s largest celebrations of Caribbean culture will be virtual this Labor Day , as New York City ’ s West Indian American Day Parade joins the ranks of the other major events turned upside-down by the coronavirus .
But even though there will be no feather-festooned floats and marching steel drum bands , the New York Police Department said officers would continue to be a strong presence on the streets of Brooklyn where the festival usually takes place .
Officers will be on the lookout for large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guarding against more of the upswell in violence that has marred the summer in many American cities .
For decades , the annual parade has featured brightly costumed revelers , steel bands and thumping sound systems in New York City ’ s version of the Carnival celebrations held throughout the Caribbean .
The early morning hours before the parade feature a separate street party known as J ’ Ouvert , meant as a celebration of freedom from slavery .
But organizers of both events have been forced to adapt this year .
J @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the early morning event , is planning a virtual celebration from 7 a.m. to noon , honouring essential workers , Black Lives Matter activists and cultural icons with prerecorded messages and performances .
The West Indian American Day Carnival Association will host a 12-hour event for Monday , starting off at 9 a.m. with messages from speakers and then going into a multi-hour DJ dance party where registered participants can display their masquerade costumes on Zoom .
“ We want people to still be part of the festivities in the best way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual is the only option , “ said Rhea Smith , a vice-president of the carnival association .
While revelers won ’ t be filling the streets , NYPD officers will still be out and about .
The neighbourhoods where the festivals take place have , in past years , have occasionally seen flareups of violence during the celebrations .
At J ’ Ouvert , once only loosely organized and starting in the dark hours before dawn , the height of concern came in 2015 when an aide to Gov .
Andrew Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to a later start time and security measures including more officers , barricades and security checkpoints and light towers that erased the pre-dawn shadow .
Violence is a special concern this year .
After years of crime dropping to lows that made the city one of the safest in the U.S. , shootings spiked in New York this summer , as they have in many other cities .
The NYPD reported earlier this week that there were 242 altercations that involved people being wounded or killed by gunfire in August , up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
Many occurred in a swath of Brooklyn that includes the parade route .
So the department will still flood the area with hundreds of extra uniformed police officers , NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said at a police briefing Thursday .
“ Let me be very clear : Those who cause violence and endangers lives can expect to be arrested by those same officers , ” the chief said .
Police will also be prepared to break up any large gatherings , including house and street parties traditionally associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health risks and the potential for violence , he added .
“ Do I expect people in Brooklyn are still going to be celebrating ?
Sure .
But we ’ re asking to celebrate small , ” he said .
Not being able to do what they normally do is difficult , said Yvette Rennie , president of J ’ Ouvert City International .
“ All of us are feeling , ‘ When will this end so we can go back out ?
When will this end so we can have our normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Deepti Hajela And Tom Hays - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Pandemic hobbles Fredericksburg area museums

FREDERICKSBURG , Va. - In a normal year , the Fredericksburg Area Museum uses funds raised during its summer programming—such as the Sounds of Summer outdoor concert series—to pay staff salaries for the months of October , November and December .
This year , because of COVID-19 , there was no summer programming .
“ Programming is a very big chunk and that ’ s gone , ” said Sara Poore , president and CEO of the museum .
“ We are scheduling fall programming as we can , based on the state guidelines .
“ It is very , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do will by no means cover our costs , but rather hopefully just cover our general operating bills such as utilities.
” The museum reopened Aug. 1 after being closed since mid-March .
Visitors purchase timed tickets—preferably in advance of arriving at the building—and can enter in 15-minute intervals .
Only one floor of the museum is open and masks are required for entry .
During the four-month closure , the museum stepped up its virtual presence , with daily Facebook posts and some virtual programming .
It also held “ Camp in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth of summer camp activities that families could pick up and complete at home—as well as a four-session outdoor archaeology camp with limited space to preserve social distancing .
Poore said the museum received a payroll protection loan to cover staff salaries for April , May and June .
Though none of the “ small and mighty ” staff have had to be let go , Poore said the way forward for the area museum—and all museums—is murky .
“ We have taken a severe financial hit because we were not able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That ’ s four months ’ worth of community outreach that we ’ ve lost .
Our membership is down , our revenues are down .
The local museums really need support.
” According to the results of a July survey conducted by the American Alliance of Museums , one-third of museums are in danger of closing permanently due to coronavirus-related closures and financial disruptions .
More than half of museum directors surveyed said their endowments or other financial reserves would not last more than six months and 87 per cent said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , but not longer .
“ It ’ s mind-boggling , ” American Alliance of Museums President Laura Lott told the Los Angeles Times in July .
“ For hundreds of years , museums have been there to collect , preserve , interpret and share what our culture determines is important for future generations to be able to experience and be inspired by and learn from .
And the prospect of ( so much ) of that going away is really devastating to a culture.
” None of the local museum officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venues are in immediate danger of closing , but all said they are working hard to figure out how to reopen or stay open safely and stay financially viable .
“ Every museum is sort of on the cusp anyway , ” said Meghan Budinger , curator at the George Washington Foundation , which oversees Historic Kenmore and George Washington ’ s Ferry Farm .
“ Even a good year for a museum is not really what most businesses would call financially stable.
” The foundation ’ s sites reopened July 1 after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are encouraged to buy tickets for tours online in advance .
“ We ’ re not going to turn somebody away if they walk up without an online reservation , but we really , really , really , really strongly encourage it , ” Budinger said .
Tour groups are limited to seven people at Kemore and nine people at Ferry Farm , and the amount of time tour groups spend inside buildings has been shortened .
Budinger said admission revenue makes up a “ pretty small component ” of the foundation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closure also affected its fundraising ability .
“ It was rough , ” Budinger said .
“ We definitely took a hit .
Our development office especially took a huge dive into grant applications and did a lot of increased work trying to keep in touch with our donors.
” Anne Darron , executive director of the Washington Heritage Museums—which oversees the Mary Washington House , the Rising Sun Tavern , the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop and the St. James House—said admission proceeds make up a little less than a quarter of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sites are still closed and have been closed since March .
In addition , the organization ’ s largest fundraiser , the Bourbon and Boxwood gala usually held in September , has also been cancelled this year because of COVID-19 .
Though members are continuing to renew , the loss of revenue has “ obviously been detrimental , ” Darron said .
“ It has caused us to reevaluate our budget and make cuts where necessary , and delay some other things we had hoped to take on this year , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtown properties can reopen on Sept. 11 , though she stressed that this is only a hope .
“ The rooms in our properties are very small , ” Darron said .
“ The largest of our rooms can accommodate only six people that aren ’ t related to each other .
So given state guidelines , we ’ ve been having to work hard to figure out exactly how to do all this .
It ’ s not an easy process.
” Docents at the three sites have not worked since mid-March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still employed , checking on the collections and planning for reopening , Darron said .
Washington Heritage Museums , like the Fredericksburg Area Museum , has relied heavily on volunteers in the past to assist at the front desk , help maintain the garden at the Mary Washington House , set up before events and clean up afterwards and assist with programming .
Social distancing requirements and virus fears will limit the number of volunteers available to help with those activities , Poore said .
“ Volunteers make up a very large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Although several volunteers are returning , the impact this loss will also greatly impact what we can do.
” Scott Harris , director of the University of Mary Washington Museums—which oversees the James Monroe Museum and the Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont , as well as the Papers of James Monroe—said the loss of admissions and event revenue since March has been “ a very large financial hit ” for the two museum sites .
“ ( The financial loss ) is only partially offset by savings from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as front desk and interpretive staff , and some other savings of on-site costs , such as catering at events , regular trash service , etc , ” Harris said .
He said membership renewals at both the James Monroe Museum and the Gari Melchers Home and Studio have been “ fairly steady ” and some members have increased their giving levels .
“ It remains to be seen what General Assembly actions will do to our state appropriations , ” Harris said .
Both UMW museums belong to the state of Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both sites have a “ benchmark ” reopening date of Sept. 14 , when UMW students begin their fall semester , he said .
Local National Park sites have had a slightly different experience as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .
John Hennessy , chief historian at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park—which includes the Fredericksburg , Chancellorsville , Spotsylvania and Wilderness battlefields—said that early on in the pandemic , more local people discovered the parks .
Buildings and visitor centres were closed , but trails and landscapes were open and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and June , Hennessy said .
“ Many local people discovered the park as a place of quiet , a place they could just get away to—out of their house , without having to worry about crowds , ” Hennessy said .
“ It was a time that revealed to many people that these places—yes , they ’ re historic , they ’ re important , but they ’ re also quiet places of refuge from the world around us .
And the world around us has been more tumultuous than we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work in June and with fewer out-of-state visitors travelling to the sites than in previous years , rangers have had more time to engage people , he said .
“ So it ’ s been a different summer , but I think lots of the folks who have worked on the landscape interacting with people have said they ’ ve had a great many meaningful conversations with people because it hasn ’ t been as busy , ” Hennessy said .
“ So that ’ s been a boon.
” COVID-19 has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand and diversify their online content in order to continue engaging with visitors while physical sites have been closed .
“ It has definitely made us think about taking our message out rather than waiting for people to come to us , ” Budinger said .
“ I think maybe we have reached a lot more people than we used to .
I guess that ’ s the bright side.
” For local museums , this engagement has meant live Facebook events , such as curator chats ; virtual programs such as upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Washington Heritage Museums titled “ Fabrics of History ; ” and daily Facebook posts .
“ It ’ s been very interesting because when you don ’ t have visitors in , you notice things in your collection or in your buildings—small details , say , on a chair or a chest—that you didn ’ t particularly notice before , ” Darron said .
“ So we ’ ve been sharing that on our Facebook page.
” The UMW museums compiled printable activities , links to videos and other educational resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to these has been “ very positive.
” Both sites also received grants from the Community Foundation for the Rappahanaock Region to create 3D tours .
Kenmore and Ferry Farm did daily social media posts sharing archival images of the sites from the 1920s through World War II , as well as peeks into the collection .
They also asked their social media following to take Flat George Washington and his sister , Flat Betty Lewis , around town and share pictures of them .
“ We got lots of pictures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing different things , ” Budinger said .
“ Our views and interactions and managements on social media really skyrocketed during the closure.
” Darron said the push to find new ways to engage with visitors has been “ a silver lining ” to the COVID-19 crisis , as it may help museums figure out how stay relevant to new audiences .
This work is crucial to museums ’ ability to survive , Poore said .
“ The future of museums is on shaky ground all across the country , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about our future and how to keep ourselves relevant .
How do we come outside of our four walls ?
”

Adele Uphaus-Conner, The Free Lance-Star - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Longtime farmer’s sons donate tractor to Delaware museum

DOVER , Del .
- The Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village received an unexpected , shiny new gift recently when the sons of Newell B. Everett Sr. presented it with a meticulously restored 1953 Massey-Harris Mustang tractor .
Purchased new in 1953 by their father from the W.W. Montague Massey-Harris dealership in Sudlersville , Maryland , the tractor was used on the family ’ s 300-acre dairy and grain farm on the northern Eastern Shore of Kent County , Maryland .
“ The museum is overwhelmed by the generosity , and trust in our organization , shown by the Everett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possession , but a piece of their family history and legacy , ” said Carolyn Claypoole , director of the Delaware Agriculture Museum .
“ The 1953 Massey-Harris Mustang not only adds to the scope of our collection , it provides a valuable interpretive and educational tool that will enable patrons of all ages to imagine and experience ‘ life on the farm ’ on Delmarva in the mid-20th century.
” The addition to the museum is a unique new stop for visitors after it was closed for a couple of months during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 and is now open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday .
During its closure , museum leaders decided to take up several renovation projects .
The museum already planned renovations prior to businesses closing , but museum board president Grier Stayton said the forced closure served as an appropriate time to execute them .
“ We try to make lemonade out of lemons here , because with the shutdown , we were able to get a lot of ( renovations ) done that had been put on hold , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re very happy with what we ’ ve gotten done.
” The Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village , a privately owned non-profit organization in Dover , serves as an important historical landmark memorializing 19th- and 20th-century Delaware .
The 30,000-square-foot facility is home to 10 structures from the mid-to-late 19th century .
Inside the museum , patrons can view multiple informative exhibitions , which include authentic farming equipment .
On the museum grounds are the structures that form the historical village , which hosts private events , such as weddings and educational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facility include multiple major projects , such as installing new flooring inside museum facilities , painting the museum interior and installing new air conditioning and heating units .
The museum has also refurbished its website , agriculturalmuseum.org , which has been improved to be more user-friendly and informational .
Visitors can also expect to see new and improved exhibits , such as a display on rural electrification , which is in development .
The addition of the antique tractor fits right in with the museum ’ s plans to offer more for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facility .
Ms. Claypoole said new attractions like the tractor go a long way toward bringing in first-time visitors along with returning visitors .
“ I hear from a lot of people that they haven ’ t returned since they were below the age of 12 , ” Ms. Claypoole said .
“ We ’ re trying to give people a reason to come back here.
” According to Mr. Everett ’ s sons — Newell Jr. and Spencer Everett — the Mustang was a complement to two Massey-Harris 44s also owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the light work of cultivating and pulling planters , drills , hay rakes and wagons , while the M-H 44s did the typical heavy-duty work of plowing , working ground , baling hay and picking corn with an M-H mounted picker .
With three hardworking Massey-Harrises in their shed , the Everett family was able to expand beyond their farm to do some sharecropping and land-leasing and till a total of 700 acres until deciding to stop farming in 1961 .
With that decision came the sale of almost all the farm equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mustang continued to be used by Newell Everett Sr. on his large garden and truck patch .
However , by the early 1980s , the tractor was in poor running condition and had been committed to storage at the time of his death in 1987 .
From time to time , brothers Newell Jr. and Spencer talked about having the Mustang restored , but it was not until 2002 that they committed to doing it .
Hiring John J. Hill to do the restoration , the brothers pulled the Mustang out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good news that the motor was not frozen , Mr. Hill thought he had something to work with .
Starting the restoration in October 2002 , Mr. Hill went about using his contacts to find the needed replacement parts .
The gas tank came from the Midwest , the side panels came from the West Coast , and the motor and radiator were reconditioned locally .
Dismantling the entire tractor , Mr. Hill sandblasted and painted the parts and put it back together piece by piece .
New tires corresponding to the originals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was returned to its original 6-volt setup .
In less than six months , Mr. Hill returned the fully and beautifully restored 1953 Massey-Harris Mustang to the grateful Everett brothers , who looked with sentimental pride upon the living memory of so much of their family ’ s rich agricultural heritage .
And , now , after 17 years of enjoying the results of their perseverance and Mr. Hill ’ s exquisite workmanship — and of reaping many “ Best in Show ” awards locally , nationally and in Canada — the Everett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village , where it will be prominently displayed for years to come .
Among other renovations , the museum is enforcing new health protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus within its walls .
Crews installed Plexiglas barriers at the admissions counter and placed walking pathways in the exhibit hall to promote social distancing .
Mr. Stayton added that the museum is doing everything it can to follow health protocols in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic .

Mike Finney, Delaware State News - AP Member


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Summer of protest: Chance for change, but obstacles exposed

WASHINGTON - Memorial Day brought the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police , prompting hundreds of thousands of Americans to take to the streets in protest .
President Donald Trump called Floyd ’ s death a “ disgrace “ and momentum built around policing reform .
But by Labor Day , the prospects for federal legislation have evaporated .
And Trump is seeking to leverage the violence that has erupted around some of the protests to scare white , suburban voters and encourage them to back his reelection campaign .
The three-month stretch between the symbolic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer has both galvanized broad public support for the racial justice movement and exposed the obstacles to turning that support into concrete political and policy changes .
It has also clarified the choice for voters in the presidential race between Trump , who rarely mentions Floyd or other Black Americans killed by police anymore , and Democrat Joe Biden , who argues that the summer of protests can become a catalyst for tackling systemic racism .
Polls show Biden has an advantage among Americans when it comes to which candidate can manage the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABC News/Ipsos poll out Friday showed that 55 % of Americans believe Trump is aggravating the situation .
When it comes to reducing violence , Americans favour Biden to Trump , 59 % to 39 % .
“ No matter what he says or what he claims , you are not safer in Donald Trump ’ s America , “ Biden said Friday .
Yet Trump ’ s campaign also sees an opportunity to appeal to some voters who may be turned off by scenes of violence cropping up around some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where police shot Jacob Blake , a Black man , seven times last month .
The president has openly directed his appeals at the “ suburban housewives of America “ — especially white housewives — casting his reelection as the only thing preventing violence in cities from spilling into their neighbourhoods .
Trump travelled to Kenosha this past week , thanked law enforcement for their efforts and met with people whose businesses were destroyed in fires .
He did not meet with Blake ’ s family .
Biden did , on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
A Marquette University Law School poll that came out before the Aug. 23 shooting showed that support for the protests had slipped from 61 % in June to 48 % in August among voters in Wisconsin , one of the most crucial states in the November election .
Among white Wisconsinites , approval of the protests dipped from 59 % in June to 45 % in August .
Approval increased slightly for Black voters , to 78 % from 77 % .
While approval fell among members of both parties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think that there was a lot of optimism surrounding the protests this summer in the wake of George Floyd because for the first time , we were starting to see all of these white people in the United States pay a great deal of attention to police brutality and racial injustice , ” said Ashley Jardina , assistant professor of political science at Duke University , and author of the book “ White Identity Politics.
” “ But white Americans have always had a low tolerance for protests and unrest around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s particularly true when they think that protests become violent or involve the destruction of property , “ Jardina added .
The majority of racial justice protests have been peaceful .
But some , including in Kenosha and Minneapolis , saw vandalism and violence .
Federal officials have arrested more than 300 people since the demonstrations began .
A Trump supporter is charged with homicide in the shooting death of two protesters , and an anti-fascist shot and killed a right-wing protester in Portland , Oregon , and was later killed during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also tried to link the protests to local increases in shootings , murders and other crimes in cities , including Kansas City , Missouri , Detroit , Chicago and New York , even though criminal justice experts say the spike defies easy explanation in a year when with historic unemployment and a pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 people .
Crime overall remains lower than it has been in years past and criminologists also caution against a focus on crime statistics over a short time frame , such as week-to-week or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 51-year-old software engineer in Portland , remains supportive of the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement but fears the vandalism is “ playing into the right ’ s hands.
” “ It makes Portland look bad and it makes it easy for the right to portray the city as being fundamentally lawless when in reality it ’ s this tiny area downtown that ’ s mostly peaceful otherwise , ” he said .
“ A few months ago they started off in a more BLM-focused way .
It does seem like they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit , ” Cooper said of the protests .
Steve DeFeo , a white 49-year-old manager at an insurance company in Edgewater , Florida , shares that concern .
He said that while he supports the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement , he worries that violent protesters allow others to inaccurately portray the movement as dangerous .
“ That message gets amplified when you go out and spray-paint and throw rocks and light fires , ” he said .
“ When you see a burnt building , that is helping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not as effective for the BLM movement and keeping their message for what it should be.
” Black Lives Matter leaders have never asked for , encouraged or condoned looting or fighting with law enforcement or police supporters on the streets , because they are protesting the violent harm done to their communities .
Thenjiwe McHarris , a strategist with the Movement for Black Lives , a coalition of more than 150 organizations , said Trump ’ s effort was a “ desperate tactic to paint our movement a particular kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country and to try to steal this election.
” “ What does it mean for the president of the United States to call the movement violent and dangerous and chaotic ?
It means that he ’ s putting a target and a bull ’ s-eye on thousands and thousands , perhaps even hundreds of thousands , if not millions of people , who are courageous and bold enough to say that Black Lives Matter.
” Leaders say the movement isn ’ t losing steam and the coalition has only begun to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grassroots work , and the majority of people support it “ because they understand that what ’ s happening to Black people is such a grave injustice , ” McHarris said .
Federal police reform stalled on Capitol Hill after an initial burst of movement .
Nationwide , since late May , there have been at least 450 pieces of policing reform proposals introduced in 31 states , according to a count by the National Conference of State Legislatures .
Many states had finished their normal legislative session at the time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address police accountability next year .
Meanwhile , some within the movement have grown frustrated with what they see as outsize attention on the violence — even those accused of endorsing that violence .
“ You think people want to go out and destroy property ?
Absolutely not , ” said Hawk Newsome , a New York activist whose comments about protest violence on Fox News prompted a tweet from Trump .
“ This is a last resort .
People just got so frustrated at a lack of progress , lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of truth.
” Newsome said the way to keep the movement going forward is to educate people about white supremacy and systemic racism and how both are knit into the fabric of America and must be unraveled in order to progress .
But that ’ s not easy to talk about in a sound bite , and Newsome blames both Democrats and Republicans for a lack of nuance and accountability .
Breanna Wright , 24 , of Louisville participated in more than 20 demonstrations in her hometown , where Breonna Taylor , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March .
Wright says she remains focused on turning the protests into action .
“ Everyone is putting Black Lives Matter on the street , Black Lives Matter in their windows , “ she said .
” That changes nothing for me because next week they ’ ll murder me on your Black Lives Matter decorated street.
” “ I mean , it ’ s cute , you ’ ve tried -- thank you !
It ’ s touching that you ’ ve done that !
-- but the system has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rico from Atlanta .
Associated Press writer Emily Swanson contributed to this report .

Colleen Long, Kat Stafford And R.J. Rico - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Jill Biden drawing on classroom time for case against Trump

WAUWATOSA , Wis. - When Jill Biden introduced herself to millions of Americans during last month ’ s Democratic National Convention , she did so from a high school where she once taught English near her Delaware home .
Since then , she ’ s visited a classroom that would otherwise be filled with elementary school children , participated in a health briefing on how to safely resume in-person learning and met with teachers in a Wisconsin backyard .
The emphasis on education is a natural fit for someone who was a public school teacher for more than 20 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then a doctorate in education and continued teaching at a community college when her husband , Joe Biden , was vice-president .
But in an election year where reopening schools shuttered by the coronavirus is emerging as a flashpoint , Jill Biden is increasingly drawing on her classroom experience to empathize with parents struggling to cope with the shift to virtual learning .
She ’ s taking a mostly virtual 10-city tour of schools disrupted by the pandemic and is trying to make the case that President Donald Trump doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
“ I feel if Joe had been president at this time we would not be in the midst of this chaos , ” Jill Biden told a mother and two teachers during a discussion that lasted more than half an hour on the patio of a private home last week in Wauwatosa , outside Milwaukee .
Trump has also tried to seize on schools as an election-year issue , pressuring state and local leaders to resume classroom instruction and threatening to withhold federal dollars for those who don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention has sent mixed signals , saying students should return to the classroom but also noting that virtual classes present the lowest risk of COVID-19 spread .
The public appears more skeptical of reopening than the White House .
Only about 1 in 10 Americans thinks day care centres , preschools or K-12 schools should open this fall without restrictions , according to a poll released in late July from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs .
Roughly 3 in 10 say that teaching kids in classrooms shouldn ’ t happen at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his wife has pledged that his administration will make listening to teachers ’ concerns a priority .
She also could play a role in shaping school reopenings .
Both Bidens listened and took notes during a virtual briefing last week with public health and education experts about how to approach a reopening without exacerbating the pandemic .
“ How many times have we had someone who ’ s wanted to be the education president and is very good on rhetoric but has very little or no idea how to translate that rhetoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , president of the American Federation of Teachers , which has endorsed Biden .
“ She sends a message throughout America , not only of the importance of education , but also the importance of sweating the small stuff.
” Sometimes her message is the contrast between Trump and a Biden administration .
On the same day that the president travelled to Kenosha , Wisconsin , last week to blame protests that sometimes turned violent on “ domestic terror , ” Jill Biden was touring Evan G. Shortlidge Academy , a kindergarten through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where she and her husband live .
When Joe Biden made his own visit to Kenosha two days after Trump , both Bidens also made time for the Wauwatosa meeting a short time later .
“ Joe can talk about his education plan .
I probably know it better than he does , ” Jill Biden said with a laugh .
As part of her multi-city tour , Jill Biden held a virtual North Carolina back-to-school roundtable and has upcoming online events in Florida and Nevada .
She will also travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and teachers .
At Shortlidge , the school year will begin Tuesday , but in the short term , all instruction will be online , which some parents worry is not as effective as traditional instruction .
More than 330 of the school ’ s 369 students are Black or Latino , and 77 % receive federally subsidized lunches .
After walking through several empty classrooms and across freshly polished floors stenciled with paw prints in honour of the school ’ s Wild Cats mascot , Jill Biden spoke to a small , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and administrators outside — near a playground closed during the pandemic and roped off with yellow caution tape .
The thrill of back-to-school has “ turned from excitement into anxiety and the playgrounds are still .
Some classrooms are dark as the bright young faces that used to fill them ; now we just see them on screens , ” Jill Biden said , noting that parents and teachers are “ losing sleep ” over what ’ s in store for youngsters this fall .
“ Americans of all walks of life are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re fighting for each other .
We haven ’ t given up , ” she said .
“ We just need leadership worthy of our nation , and worthy of all of you .
”


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--As pandemic raged, roadways became speedways

COLUMBUS , Ohio - Some drivers took advantage of roads and highways emptied by the coronavirus pandemic by pushing well past the speed limit , a trend that continues even as states try to get back to normal .
The Iowa State Patrol recorded a 101 % increase from January through August over the four-year average in tickets for speeds exceeding 100 mph , along with a 75 % increase in tickets for speeds of 25 mph or more over the posted speed limit .
California Highway Patrol officers issued more than 15,000 tickets from mid-March through Aug. 19 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 100 % increase over the same time period a year ago .
That includes a continuing spike from May on .
The most likely explanation is drivers taking advantage of more open roads because of the pandemic , said Officer Ian Hoey , a spokesman for the California agency .
The patrol planned a heavy presence over the Labor Day weekend , he said .
“ Let ’ s just slow down a bit and enjoy the day !
” the agency ’ s Santa Rosa division tweeted June 21 , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ device recording a car going 127 mph .
In Ohio , state troopers have issued 2,200 tickets since April for driving more than 100 mph , a 61 % increase over the same time period a year ago .
The highest ticketed speed was 147 mph in the Cincinnati area .
While traffic has decreased 15 % from February through July , the number of people driving more than 80 mph on Ohio roads jumped by 30 % , according to sensor data analyzed by the state Department of Transportation .
Columbus resident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month when three cars raced past her on state Route 315 , an expressway through the city .
“ They were flying in the left lane and weaving around cars , ” said Poltor , who estimated their speed at between 90 and 100 mph .
“ It was terrifying to watch.
“ Ohio authorities are especially troubled that speeds not only picked up in the early days of the pandemic when roads were emptier , but they ’ ve also continued even as the state reopened and roads became more congested .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go those speeds even though there now is more traffic , which makes it even more dangerous , ” said Lt. Craig Cvetan , an Ohio patrol spokesman .
July was Ohio ’ s deadliest traffic month since 2007 , with 154 fatalities .
A temporary reduction in traffic enforcement in the early days of the pandemic may have contributed to a sense of invulnerability by some drivers .
Some Ohio police agencies — though not the patrol — eased up on pulling drivers over for minor traffic violations to avoid spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troopers were spread thin for several weeks as they were called on to help distribute food and later provide security as protests over police brutality and racism erupted following the death in May of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
“ When people see less troopers on the roadway or they see less law enforcement out working , there is that tendency for them to start committing traffic violations , ” Cvetan said .
Vermont law enforcement officials believe an increase in the number of traffic fatalities recorded to date this year could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the pandemic .
So far there have been 43 traffic fatality deaths , up from 21 at the same point last year .
Utah state police saw a 23 % jump in tickets issued for going 20 mph or more over the speed limit from March through August compared with the same time period last year .
In Pennsylvania , patrol tickets for drivers exceeding 100 mph climbed in March but then stayed high from June through August , jumping 25 % during that three-month period .
The government warned drivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at pandemic speeding .
“ Less traffic has coincided with a rise in speeding in some areas of the country , and that ’ s a problem because speeding increases the risk of crashes , and can increase crash severity as well , ” said James Owens , deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a public service announcement .
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Ryan Foley in Iowa City ; Don Thompson in Sacramento , California ; Wilson Ring in Montpelier , Vermont ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Andrew Welsh-Huggins - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Officer and 3 assailants killed in Tunisian resort attack

TUNIS , Tunisia - Tunisian forces shot dead three suspected Islamic militants who rammed their vehicle into security officers and attacked them with knives , killing one and injuring another in the coastal resort town of Sousse , authorities said Sunday .
Sousse was the site of Tunisia ’ s deadliest extremist attack in 2015 , when a massacre killed 38 people , most of them British tourists .
An Interior Ministry statement said Sunday that the assailants took refuge in a school after the attack and died in a shootout with security forces .
The North African nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to suggest that the assailants ’ planning may have been faulty .
Speaking in Sousse , at the site of the attack , he announced the arrest of a fourth suspect who had been aboard the vehicle that rammed the National Guard officers .
“ These terrorist groups wanted to signal their presence , ” he said .
“ But they got the wrong address this time .
The clearest proof of that is that the authors of this attack were eliminated in a few minutes.
” He added that “ these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are protecting the country.
” Hatem Zargouni , director of security for Sousse , said the assailants stabbed the officers and then fled with their weapons .
The previous attack in Sousse on June 26 , 2015 , dealt a heavy blow to Tunisia ’ s tourism sector , a pillar of its economy .
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack .
Aymen Rezgui , a Tunisian student who trained with Libyan militants , walked onto the beach of the Imperial Hotel and used an assault rifle to shoot at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued onto the hotel pool before throwing a grenade into the hotel .
He was later killed by police .


thetorontostar--2020-09-06--Hong Kong police arrest 90 at protests over election delay

HONG KONG - At least 90 people were arrested Sunday at protests against the government ’ s decision to postpone elections for Hong Kong ’ s legislature , police and a news report said .
The elections were to have taken place Sunday but Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 31 postponed them for one year .
Lam blamed an upsurge in coronavirus cases , but critics said her government worried the opposition would gain seats if voting went ahead on schedule .
Anti-government protests have been held in Hong Kong almost every weekend since June 2019 .
They erupted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to include demands for greater democracy and criticism of Beijing ’ s efforts to tighten control over the former British colony .
On Sunday , one woman was arrested in the Kowloon district of Yau Ma Tei on charges of assault and spreading pro-independence slogans , the police department said on its Facebook page .
It said such slogans are illegal under the newly enacted National Security Act .
The ruling Communist Party ’ s decision to impose the law in May prompted complaints it was violating the autonomy promised to the territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1997 .
Washington withdrew trading privileges granted to Hong Kong and other governments suspended extradition and other agreements on the grounds that the territory of 7 million people is no longer autonomous .
Also Sunday , police fired pepper balls at protesters in Kowloon ’ s Mong Kok neighbourhood , the South China Morning Post newspaper reported .
At least 90 people were arrested , most of them on suspicion of illegal assembly , the police department said on a separate social media account .
In the Jordan neighbourhood , protesters raised a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post said .
“ I want my right to vote !
” activist Leung Kwok-hung , popularly known as Long Hair , was quoted as saying .
The newspaper said Leung was later arrested .