thetorontostar--2020-04-04--Virus outbreak threatens old-school business in Dells

LAKE DELTON , Wis. - There are places in this enclave of water parks , fudge shops and endless restaurants that offer nostalgia .
Boat and Duck tours come to mind , along with horse-drawn wagon rides through Lost Canyon and afternoons on the southwestern shore of Lake Delton for the Tommy Bartlett Show , which has been thrilling crowds since 1952 .
But even before there were Stanton ’ s Palm Garden , which opened in 1907 and later became the Showboat Saloon , Storybook Gardens ( 1956-2010 ) and Fort Dells ( 1959-1985 ) with its 335-foot-tall Totem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was Parson ’ s Indian Trading Post .
It ’ s not as old as the H.H .
Bennett Studio , which opened in 1865 , but when the trading post began operating 20 years later , it was located on the east side of the Wisconsin River when Wisconsin Dells was known as Kilbourn City .
And when it moved to what is now Wisconsin Dells Parkway in 1919 , the roadway was gravel with no inkling of traffic jams , rubber-necking tourists , escape rooms , zip lines and Noah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future of Parson ’ s , home to a Native American museum and souvenirs , is uncertain .
Business has been down the past four years , according to owners Henry and Candice Lukasavage .
The coronavirus pandemic has only added to the worry as tourists remain home with no clear idea of when they ’ ll be able to return , the Wisconsin State Journal reported .
“ We don ’ t know how the summer traffic will be once ( the pandemic ) subsides , ” said Candice , 67 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , very uneasy feeling because nobody knows what ’ s going to happen.
” Candice could be speaking for just about every business owner in the country .
Millions have been left unemployed , a vaccine could be a year away , and while President Donald Trump signed into law Friday a $ 2.2 trillion economic rescue plan , the Lukasavages are unclear when or how much they ’ ll receive or even if they ’ ll apply to get part of the funds earmarked for small businesses .
The couple was forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tony Evers ordered all nonessential businesses shut down .
They had three customers the previous week , and one of them showed up that Wednesday when Henry had stepped out of the building to pick up the mail .
“ I had to turn them down , ” said Henry , as he rested on his cane behind a display case filled with jewelry .
“ It ’ s a no-win situation.
” Parson ’ s stands out because of its old-school appearance among Norway pines and its offerings .
The business has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was opened in 1885 .
In 1919 , Glenn Parsons , a riverboat captain , and Kenneth Counsell moved the business to its current spot to serve the Woodland tribes of the area who used the trading post as a general store that supplied them food , clothing and craft materials , and a place to sell their finished baskets , beadwork and buckskin products .
The spot also became home for tribal dances and is where each June the Lac-Del-Ton Indian Festival was held for three days of dancing , visiting and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the oldest tourism businesses in the state , has remained a throwback and is divided into two sections .
One building , constructed in the early 1970s , is typically open seven days a week and is home to a museum filled with Native American artifacts but also has space to sell beading supplies , jewelry and moccasins .
There are bags of wild rice , leather pouches , bracelets , necklaces and postcards for sale , too .
The museum includes copper arrowheads , war hammers , historic pieces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxidermied animals and a belt made with porcupine quills from 1856 .
The displays include items from Ho-Chunk , Sioux , Chippewa and Oneida tribes .
“ This case has got fully beaded vests , the middle one is dentalium shells from off the coast of Washington state , ” Henry said as he pointed out the collection , much of it from the 1800s .
“ The other one is an elk-tooth dress.
” A neighbouring building was constructed in 1927 and is home to four sections of retail .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and scores of trinkets and other vacation souvenir staples .
The inventory is neatly organized , while the ceiling shows the original wooden beams used in the building ’ s construction , two years before the Great Depression .
Woven baskets , made by Native Americans , line the shelves .
“ There ’ s a lot of work in those baskets , ” Candice said as she showed off the retail space .
“ We ’ ve lost a lot of basket makers over the years .
A lot of ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to learn it.
” There ’ s also a log cabin on the property , which is next door to Tommy Bartlett and near the bridge that offers views of Lake Delton .
The cabin , constructed in the 1800s , is now used for storage but has been used over the years as a gas station and an ice cream shop .
Now a Subway and a Citgo are located across the street with the Liquor Expo a few blocks to the south .
On a recent Thursday , they were only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Wisconsin Dells area , along with only a smattering of hotels , fast-food restaurants , and convenience and grocery stores , although Pizza Pub was open for carry-outs .
All four of the major indoor water park resorts — Mt .
Olympus , Wilderness , Kalahari and Chula Vista — were closed , along with all the T-shirt , souvenir and fudge shops .
JustAGame Fieldhouse was dark and absent basketball and volleyball players , while the nearby sidewalks of the historic downtown Wisconsin Dells were virtually void of people .
Tourism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 billion in direct spending each year , but the Lukasavages ordered the majority of their inventory for the summer last fall .
They normally don ’ t have to pay their vendors until July , but now they worry about paying them at all , unsure they ’ ll be able to sell enough to cover their costs .
“ We have shipments coming almost every day now and we don ’ t know if we ’ re going to be able to pay for them .
Is there going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked .
“ I had a vendor call the other day .
We have a shipment scheduled for April 1st and they wanted to know if we still wanted it .
And it ’ s one of those things where you don ’ t know .
I ’ ll take it , but I can ’ t guarantee 60 days to pay for it.
” Besides missing out on the spring break crowds and the annual Safety Patrol Congress convention , which has been cancelled due to COVID-19 , they fear field trips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be lost , as schools will be closed in Wisconsin at least through April 24 .
Unlike 2008 , when the country was mired in a recession and Lake Delton drained in the midst of record flooding , the pandemic has affected every single aspect of life and the bottom line of businesses across the state .
“ Even if you do have a summer , how many people are going to travel , ” Candice said .
“ It ’ s scary .
It ’ s such an uncertainty .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-04--Military recruiting struggles as enlistment stations close

WASHINGTON - Marine Gunnery Sgt .
Kevin Meyer does his best recruiting face-to-face .
He can look people in the eye , read their body language and get insight into whether they would make a good Marine .
But coronavirus quarantines have shut down most recruiting stations .
So Meyer and other recruiters have turned increasingly to social media .
And that has its drawbacks .
“ They usually won ’ t run away if you ’ re talking to them in person , ” said Meyer , noting that if they are online or on the phone , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just stop responding , and the conversation just ends without a conclusion.
” As the coronavirus pandemic worsens and the country turns increasingly to the military for help , America ’ s armed services are struggling to get new recruits as families and communities hunker down .
Recruiters scrounging for recruits online are often finding people too consumed with their own financial and health care worries to consider a military commitment right now .
The services , as a result , could fall thousands short of their enlistment goals if the widespread lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current troops to stay on in order to maintain military readiness .
“ This is going to have somewhat of a corrosive effect on our ability to have the numbers of people that we really need , ” said Maj. Gen. Lenny Richoux , director for personnel for the Joint Chiefs of Staff .
“ The concern , it is growing.
” He said the military is watching this day-to-day and knows that it could take “ a very long time ” to rebuild the force .
To entice prospects , recruiters are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more broadly about service to the nation in difficult times .
And they ’ re hoping to get a recruiting surge during the peak summer months .
They may also benefit from the exposure the military has gotten as Navy hospital ships , Army field hospitals and National Guard troops roll into communities to provide aid and health care during the crisis .
And the military could be a popular option for those facing lingering unemployment because of the pandemic .
But shutting recruiting stations is a problem .
And the lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corps particularly hard .
The Corps has long excelled in what it calls the kneecap-to-kneecap sales pitch that keeps new Marines linked with their recruiters as they head to boot camp .
“ The heart of our recruiting effort is sending handpicked Marine sergeants and staff sergeants out there to go recruit their own image , ” said Maj. Gen. James Bierman , commander of Marine Corps Recruiting Command .
“ And we ’ re never more comfortable than we are when we ’ re sitting down face-to-face with a young man or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached about 40 % of his roughly 37,000-recruit goal this year .
The key problem is that the 4,000 Marine recruiters now can ’ t get into high schools to meet students and woo recruits , said Meyer , who ’ s in charge of recruiting at a Seattle substation .
Army leaders who struggled in recent years to get recruits had already moved to social media , e-sports tournaments and other online recruiting over the past year .
So they had a bit of an advantage .
“ We were well ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is good because it gave us some manoeuvr room , ” said Maj. Gen. Frank Muth , head of Army Recruiting Command .
He said some recruiting stations had gotten double or triple the number of recruit leads compared to the previous year .
Now , he said , they ’ re changing their pitch , posting information on sites like Instagram and YouTube that focus on what the Army can do .
“ Let ’ s go in softer , ” he said he told recruiters .
“ Start a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to service , a call to the nation .
Your nation needs you now .
More of that .
And then let them come to us.
” Bierman agreed , saying he doesn ’ t want Marine recruiters “ trying to force a meeting or try to force a sale while families are dealing with really , really , tough , challenging circumstances.
” Muth , whose enlistment goal for the year is 69,000 , and Bierman said they ’ ll need to transition back to regular recruiting as soon as possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , recruiters said they ’ ve seen some successes — even some fueled by the virus outbreak .
Army Staff Sgt .
Bradley Martin , a recruiter in Tampa , said he spoke to a young man who , like many , got laid off because of the pandemic ’ s economic impact .
“ He was sitting around thinking about his future and said he wanted to do something to be successful , ” said Martin , who spoke to the prospect through FaceTime about Army careers and the tuition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a great conversation.
” Meyer said he had two successful online interviews .
One was referred by a Marine recruit who had signed up earlier this year , and another was referred by his own mother .
“ They want to be Marines , ” Meyer said .
“ The challenge is what happens next.
” Most military movement stalled when the Defence Department froze nonessential moves several weeks ago .
But the Army and Marine Corps have continued to send recruits to initial or follow-on training .
New Marines are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast , but not to Parris Island , South Carolina , where there have been several cases of the virus at the base .
Those finishing boot camp are immediately going to their follow-on infantry training at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , or Camp Pendleton , California , without getting the usual 10-day break at home .
Just last week , the Army chartered 32 buses to carry 812 new soldiers from Fort Jackson , South Carolina , where they had finished basic combat training , to Fort Lee , Virginia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A similar caravan will take medic trainees from Oklahoma to Texas .
Maj. Gen. Lonnie Hibbard , commanding general of the Army Center for Initial Military Training , said people ask why the Army is still recruiting and training during a pandemic .
“ We have to , ” he said , adding it can be done with minimal risk to health and safety .
“ It ’ s our responsibility to America right now .
”

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thetorontostar--2020-04-04--Trump admin tries to narrow stockpile’s role for states

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration has abruptly changed its description of the Strategic National Stockpile and put forward a narrower vision of the role the federal government ’ s repository of life-saving medicines and equipment should play in supplying states ’ needs .
The change comes as the White House already is facing growing anger and worry from governors over federal assistance to fight the coronavirus outbreak .
But it conforms with President Donald Trump ’ s insistence that the stockpile is only a short-term backup for states , not a commitment to ensure supplies get quickly to those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest front in a concerted White House effort to try to put the onus for battling the crisis on the states , with Washington meant to play more of a supporting role .
Trump angrily defended the approach in his Friday news conference , his early sunny demeanour darkening as he was pressed on expected death rates and his son-in-law Jared Kushner ’ s comments suggesting the national stockpile is not intended for states .
He sparred with reporters and insisted his administration was “ doing our best for New York , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as Governor Andrew Cuomo warns the state is in danger of not having enough ventilators to help patients stricken with coronavirus in a matter of days .
The alteration of the language describing the stockpile was reflected on government websites on Friday , a day after Kushner , a White House senior adviser who has taken a larger role in the coronavirus response , offered a new argument about the supplies .
After saying that states should use their own stockpiles first , Kushner on Thursday said , “ And the notion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s supposed to be our stockpile .
It ’ s not supposed to be states ’ stockpiles that they then use.
” And asked what Kushner meant by “ our stockpile , ” Trump snapped at a reporter , “ You know what our means : United States of America ... our .
Our .
It means the United States of America.
” Trump on Friday touted the number of supplies it was sending to the states , including 8.1 million masks to New York .
The president also directed FEMA to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defence Production Act .
In new guidance , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to wear masks in crowded areas , particularly in hot spots , but Trump immediately said that he would not personally follow the recommendation .
Until Friday , the federal Health and Human Services website had described the stockpile as “ the nation ’ s largest supply of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out .
“ When state , local , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance to support their response efforts , the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency.
“ But the changed version available Friday morning said the stockpile ’ s “ role is to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies .
Many states have products stockpiled , as well .
The supplies , medicines , and devices for life-saving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of adequate amounts of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic senators , including Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , demanded an immediate investigation into the stockpile .
Rep. Diana DeGette , D-Colo. , called the website alteration “ despicable ” and said the administration “ should be spending every waking moment getting life-saving supplies to our health care providers on the frontlines .
Instead , they ’ re spending valuable time editing the Strategic National Stockpile website.
” Officials at the agency said the change had been in the works for weeks , downplaying any connection to Kushner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim during his first appearance at the daily White House briefing , a moment meant to highlight his growing role in managing the federal response to the pandemic , particularly in delivering vital supplies .
Trump has long insisted that the primary responsibility lies with the states in managing the pandemic .
He has resisted calls to issue a national stay-at-home order and said that he didn ’ t want to overly use his authority to mobilize private companies for the effort , because he believed the states should take the lead in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to the governors , ” Trump said Friday about whether every state should have a stay-at-home order .
“ I like that from the standpoint of governing.
” But in statehouses across the nation , there has been increasing frustration at the lack of assistance from Washington .
Trump scoffed at New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s request for 30,000 ventilators for the state , a virus hotbed .
In neighbouring Connecticut , Gov .
Ned Lamont told CNN on Tuesday that the state couldn ’ t get personal protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only able to get 50 ventilators from the federal supply .
He said he was told that he ’ ll have to secure the rest on his own .
States have also reported multiple issues with the equipment the federal government has managed to send .
Illinois was supposed to receive a federal shipment of 300,000 N95 masks in March , but instead received less-effective surgical masks , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker revealed during a Tuesday briefing .
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Twitter last week that he had received 170 broken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than the 10,000 breathing machines he ’ s seeking .
Trump said the mask export ban was necessary to assure that the supplies are available for domestic medical use .
The move came a day after the White House announced Trump invoked the DPA to compel Minnesota-based 3M to make as many N95 masks as FEMA determines are needed .
Meanwhile , the White House on Friday stepped up precautions to protect Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence from contracting the new coronavirus .
Anyone who is expected to be in “ close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be given a new , quick COVID-19 test , White House spokesman Judd Deere said .
All visitors to the White House complex already have their temperatures taken when entering the building and if they will be near either Trump or Pence .
Trump took the new test on Thursday and the White House doctor said results were back in 15 minutes .
He tested negative .
Lemire reported from New York .
Seitz reported from Chicago .
Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed from Washington .

Jonathan Lemire, Amanda Seitz And Jill Colvin - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-04--Face coverings recommended, but Trump says he won’t wear one

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines Friday recommending that Americans wear face coverings when in public to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus .
The president immediately said he had no intention of following that advice himself , saying , “ I ’ m choosing not to do it.
“ The new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people , especially in areas hit hard by the spread of the coronavirus , to use rudimentary coverings like T-shirts , bandannas and non-medical masks to cover their faces while outdoors .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s own guidelines , saying he could not envision himself covering his face while sitting in the Oval Office greeting world leaders .
“ It ’ s a recommendation , they recommend it , “ Trump said .
“ I just don ’ t want to wear one myself.
” The new guidance , announced as states are bracing for critical shortfalls like those that other parts of the world have experienced , raises concern that it could cause a sudden run on masks .
Trump and other administration officials sought to minimize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not amount to requirements and that a variety of homemade coverings were acceptable .
Federal officials said that surgical masks and N95 respirator masks should be left for those on the front lines of fighting the spread of the infection .
Friday ’ s announcement capped an evolution in guidance from the White House that officials acknowledged has at times been inconsistent and confusing , with the administration insisting over the last month that masks were not necessary or even helpful .
“ I want to unpack the evolution of our guidance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people , ” Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Friday .
Adams said that although and he other public health experts initially believed wearing a mask would not have a substantial impact on curbing the spread , the latest evidence makes clear that people who don ’ t show any symptoms can nonetheless pass on the virus .
“ We ’ re looking at the data , we ’ re evolving our recommendations , and new recommendations will come as the evidence dictates , ” Adams said .
First lady Melania Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsing the new guidance even as her husband chooses to disregard it .
“ As the weekend approaches I ask that everyone take social distancing & wearing a mask/face covering seriously , “ she tweeted .
The administration has said states should have done more to stockpile medical supplies , but it ’ s not clear if anyone is prepared for the potential rush that could ensue if people try to obtain medical masks for themselves from private industry .
In rural Florida , Okeechobee Discount Drugs has been sold out of face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ we don ’ t know where you can find any masks at this point , ” said Stacey Nelson , one of the pharmacy ’ s owners .
“ It ’ s very hard to get these products , but people want them , ” Nelson said .
“ They ’ ve been getting mixed messages and people aren ’ t sure if they should be wearing masks in our daily lives .
It ’ s very confusing .
Wear them , or don ’ t wear them ?
” For most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
In fashioning the recommendations , the administration appeared to be striving to balance political concerns about wanting to preserve as much normalcy as possible with public health concerns that some infections are being spread by people who seem to be healthy .
The White House has faced pushback against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lesser rates of infection .
For the hardest-hit areas , where social distancing has already been in place for some time , the White House coronavirus task force thought there would be less risk of people ignoring the other guidance if they covered their faces .
The CDC is recommending that people wearing cloth face coverings in public places , such as grocery stores and pharmacies , where “ other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
“ The guidance especially applies “ in areas of significant community-based transmission.
” The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final language of the CDC guidance .
CDC scientists wanted to make it national guidance , believing that would do more to slow the spread of the virus .
White House advisers , including Dr. Deborah Birx , wanted to limit the guidance to virus hot spots .
Birx said Thursday that she feared wider guidance would lead to a false sense of security for Americans and cause them to back away from more critical social distancing .
In the end , they found a middle ground : a national advisory with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should wear masks .
Two people familiar with the discussions outlined the internal debate , speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren ’ t authorized to describe it publicly .
As with other public health guidance , the recommendation on face covering has been a moving target for the administration .
Under the previous guidance , only the sick or those at high risk of complications from the respiratory illness were advised to wear masks .
Adams wrote on Twitter at the end of February that people should “ STOP BUYING MASKS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in protecting the general public .
On Monday , he noted that the World Health Organization does not recommend masks for healthy members of the population .
Three days later , he tweeted that though there remains “ scant “ evidence that wearing a mask , especially improperly , can protect the wearer , “ emerging data suggests facial coverings may prevent asymptomatic disease transmission to others.
” Dr. Michael Ryan , the WHO ’ s emergencies chief , on Friday acknowledged a “ very important and very healthy debate ” about how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe the main driver of this pandemic is symptomatic ( transmission ) , ” he said , not people who may be infected but aren ’ t showing symptoms .
“ We can certainly see circumstances in which the use of masks — but homemade or cloth masks — at the community level may help in an overall comprehensive response to this disease , ” Ryan said .
Schneider reported from Orlando , Florida .
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Washington and Jamey Keaton in Geneva , Switzerland , contributed to this @ @

Eric Tucker, Zeke Miller And Mike Schneider - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-04--Russia to the rescue? US, Moscow spar over aid deliveries

WASHINGTON - An odd new front in the U.S.-Russian rivalry has emerged as a Russian military cargo plane bearing a load of urgently needed medical supplies landed this week at New York ’ s JFK airport .
Russia cast it as a magnanimous aid contribution to a struggling country in need – its old Cold War rival .
The State Department insisted that Wednesday ’ s shipment was a mere commercial transaction : that the US had paid Russia for the supplies it needed and they were certainly not a gift .
Yet President Donald Trump on Thursday referred to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said the United States had accepted “ a very nice offer ” from Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Hours later , the State Department clarified its initial statement , saying the supplies were purchased — but at a discount .
But even then there was a twist : The discount came because the supplies had been channeled through the Russian Direct Investment Fund — a government sovereign wealth fund that has been subject to U.S. sanctions for Ukraine-related activities since 2015 .
Amid the contradictory claims and vague explanations , the details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cost — were not immediately clear , although a case could be made that both sides ’ versions have an element of truth .
Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry says the supplies , which were turned over to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency , are part of humanitarian assistance shipments Moscow is sending to countries in need .
Russia has touted the shipment on social media as evidence of its generosity in a time of global crisis with the hashtag “ # RussiaHelps.
” It said Thursday that half of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators and personal protective gear , was paid for by the Russian Direct Investment Fund .
Despite that , Trump welcomed the shipment , which followed a phone call he had with Putin this week .
“ We ’ re accepting it , ” Trump said .
“ It was a very nice offer from President Putin .
I spoke to him the other night , as I told you .
And they had access to medical equipment , things , and I ’ ll take it .
I ’ ll take it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice.
” Shortly after the supplies arrived , however , the State Department had stressed that the shipment was bought and paid for .
The department has been pushing a message that despite domestic needs , the U.S. remains committed to helping other nations .
It announced last week that the U.S. is providing $ 274 million in coronavirus assistance to 64 countries .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated that message in a tweet .
“ We have to work together to defeat # COVID19 , ” he said .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgently needed personal protective equipment from # Russia to help # FEMA respond in New York City .
This is a time to work together to overcome a common enemy that threatens the lives of all.
” After Trump ’ s comments on Thursday , however , the State Department allowed that the Russian medical supplies had been purchased at a discount .
“ The United States is purchasing the supplies and equipment outright , as with deliveries from other countries , ” it said .
“ We appreciate Russia selling these items @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clarification suggested that at least some of the supplies were indeed provided as aid , and from a Russian government entity under U.S. sanctions .
The department acknowledged the role of the Russian Direct Investment Fund in the shipment , but said the sanctions against it “ would not apply to transactions for the provision of medical equipment and supplies.
” Treasury added RDIF ’ s management company to its sanctions list in 2015 because of its links to the Russian bank Vnesheconombank , which has been active in Crimea , the Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The U.S. and most other countries still consider the Black Sea peninsula to be part of Ukraine .
Treasury warned Americans about evasive practices that companies linked to the fund might undertake related to Ukraine .
Treasury ’ s Office of Foreign Assets Control said the evasive practices included “ the omission or obfuscation of references to Crimea and locations within Crimea in documentation underlying transactions involving U.S. persons or the United States.
” Americans or those with strong U.S. links have held senior positions at the fund .


thetorontostar--2020-04-04--Some states receive masks with dry rot, broken ventilators

MONTGOMERY , Ala. - Some states and cities that have been shipped masks , gloves , ventilators and other essential equipment from the nation ’ s medical stockpile to fight the coronavirus have gotten an unwelcome surprise : the material is unusable .
Nearly 6,000 medical masks sent to Alabama had dry rot and a 2010 expiration date .
More than 150 ventilators sent to Los Angeles were broken and had to be repaired .
In Oregon , it was masks with faulty elastic that could cause the straps to snap , exposing medical workers to the disease .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the strategic national stockpile contained ( personal protective equipment ) well past expiration dates and , while we are being told much of the expired equipment is capable of being used for COVID-19 response , they would not be suitable for use in surgical settings , “ Charles Boyle , a spokesman for Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown , said in an email .
He said some of the equipment had been purchased during the H1N1 outbreak more than a decade ago and that the masks with the fragile elastic had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The state did not distribute them to medical workers .
A shortage of protective gear has imperiled doctors , nurses and other front-line medical workers .
Life-saving ventilators have been in short supply as more and more states experience outbreaks of the COVID-19 disease , which typically causes mild or moderate symptoms but can be especially perilous for older adults and people with existing health problems .
Many younger adults and medical workers also have succumbed to the disease .
Numerous governors have complained about delays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stockpile or receiving amounts of gear far below what they had requested .
That frustration is compounded when equipment arrives , but can ’ t be used .
Dr. Don Williamson , president of the Alabama Hospital Association and the former top public health official in the state , said he received multiple emails from hospitals about stockpile shipments of N95 masks in which the rubber bands that hold the mask tight around the user ’ s face had dry rot .
They couldn ’ t be used unless the bands were replaced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks of a different type that had dry rot , a shipment that was replaced about a week later .
“ It ’ s really alarming because those masks are desperately needed , “ said U.S. Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama .
“ When our national stockpile is not monitored enough to know that you ’ ve got expired masks and rotted masks out there and not replenished , that is a real problem.
” Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado on Friday requested a probe into the management of the supply and distribution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among other things , he cited reports that maintenance failures were contributing to the lack of operational ventilators “ at a time our country desperately needs them.
” Los Angeles received about 170 ventilators from the national stockpile that were in disrepair .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said they were sent to a company to be fixed .
In New Hampshire , the congressional delegation wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services saying many of the supplies the state received were expired .
In addition , more than 16,000 latex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a medical setting because of latex allergies .
The CDC acknowledged late last month that some items in the U.S. stockpile have exceeded their manufacturer-designated shelf life .
They were nevertheless being sent to hospitals “ due to the potential urgent demand caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency , ” the CDC said .
Associated Press writers Adam Beam in Sacramento , California ; Holly Ramer in Concord , New Hampshire ; and Andrew Selsky in Salem , Oregon , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-03--Pandemic hurts ability of nations to face natural disasters

WELLINGTON , New Zealand - Before New Zealand began its four-week lockdown to fight the coronavirus , a reporter asked Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern what would happen if an earthquake struck while everybody was sequestered in their homes .
“ Why on earth would your mind go there ?
” Ardern quipped back .
Every year , the world contends with devastating typhoons , wildfires , tsunamis and earthquakes .
The dynamic doesn ’ t change just because the globe also happens to be fighting a pandemic .
What has changed for the worse , however , is the ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to natural disasters .
Not only that , but experts also fear the usual protocols for coping with the aftermath of such disasters could further spread the virus , compounding the death toll from both .
Carlos Valdés , who dealt with two major earthquakes during five years until 2018 as Mexico ’ s disaster response director , said that during his tenure , the Mexican government did not have any protocols for dealing with simultaneous disasters like an earthquake and a pandemic .
“ That is a scenario that we hadn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Valdés , a seismologist who now works in Costa Rica , said he has since sent Mexican authorities his thoughts on how to handle such a situation .
Among other things , he said , is the need to reserve one hospital for earthquake victims to separate them from infectious coronavirus patients .
But whether Mexico has taken action on such ideas remains unclear .
Xyoli Pérez , the head of the National Seismological Service , said experts who monitor quakes can work from home during the pandemic but she didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a dual disaster .
Some natural disasters are predictable , like the wildfires that scorch California most summers .
But already , the virus has hindered preparations there after a particularly dry winter .
The U.S. Forest Service has cancelled its planned seasonal burns .
The hundreds of firefighters who come to assist each year from other countries may not be able to travel .
And the camps that usually house thousands of firefighters from across the U.S. pose a big risk of spreading the virus .
“ Picture several hundred tents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ porta potties , shared kitchens , and crews of 15 people getting on a bus with all their equipment , ” said Michael Wara , the director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University .
“ Well , with this virus , you can ’ t put 15 people on a bus .
They ’ re really trying to do a rethink , and they have not yet gotten to the end of that process.
” Earthquakes are also an ever-present risk in California , Wara says , but officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their evacuation plans , which typically involve sheltering hundreds of people together in places like school gymnasiums , another situation primed to spread the virus .
Perhaps most concerning , Wara says , is that hospitals and medical staff swamped with virus patients may not be able to cope with additional victims from a natural disaster .
Japan is prone to devastating earthquakes and tsunamis .
But a disaster management official in the Cabinet Office headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that while they have protocols for infectious diseases , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disaster plan to account for the coronavirus .
In Japan , schools and community centres are often used as shelters during disasters .
Hundreds of people cram into confined spaces with little ventilation and questionable hygiene .
The disaster official said one option to slow the spread of the new virus in such situations might be to use easy-to-assemble cardboard beds and partitions .
The Cabinet Office is also considering new ways to spread out evacuees , into places like hotels , or corporate gyms .
One of the world ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is typically lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms each year and has regular volcanic eruptions and earthquakes .
Often entire villages are moved to emergency shelters such as gyms or basketball courts .
Even without a pandemic , the shelters can be troubled by overcrowding , inadequate sanitation , and poor medical services .
“ It will complicate the situation , ” Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said of the virus .
“ But whatever disaster comes , we ’ ll face it.
” He said they would try to maintain social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible.
” Even some of the top disaster officials in the Philippines remain in quarantine because they ’ ve contracted the virus or have been exposed to it .
It ’ s a problem playing out around the world , with the virus afflicting leaders like British Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
One of the first natural disasters during the pandemic occurred on March 22 when a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Croatia ’ s capital , Zagreb .
The quake killed a 15-year-old girl , injured at least 27 other people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People fleeing their shaking homes had little choice but to ignore the official advice of avoiding public areas like parks and squares .
In the end , the city ’ s preparedness for the pandemic helped them deal quickly with the quake .
The military was mobilized to evacuate damaged hospitals .
Some Zagreb residents said the quake took priority over the virus : get out of your home first , worry about grabbing a mask later .
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic noted that “ we have two parallel crises that contradict each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an earthquake-prone country sometimes called the Shaky Isles , she is always planning for the possibility of earthquakes .
She said social distancing protocols would clearly need to be sacrificed by any crews who responded to a big quake .
“ Of course , at that point , you ’ re in a position of wanting to make sure that you are saving lives , ” she said .
But saving lives from a natural disaster that requires people working shoulder-to-shoulder and protecting people from a virus by requiring them to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries are only just beginning to contemplate .
Associated Press writers Mark Stevenson in Mexico City , Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo , Jim Gomez in Manila , Philippines , and Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade , Serbia , contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-03--Alaska health officials recommend face coverings in public

JUNEAU , Alaska - State health officials on Friday recommended Alaskans wear cloth face coverings in certain public areas to help limit the spread of the coronavirus .
Use of face coverings was not mandated , and the state ’ s chief medical officer , Dr. Anne Zink , said the best thing residents can do is stay a minimum of 6 feet ( 1.8 metres ) away from others .
But she said if they must go out in public — to the grocery store , for example — they should consider wearing a covering over their nose and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , which said studies indicate that many people with the virus lack symptoms .
Alaska ’ s health alert says the main purpose of the coverings is to reduce the release of respiratory droplets into the air when a person speaks , coughs or sneezes .
The state cautions against developing a “ false sense of security ” through use of the coverings , which it says are not meant as substitutes for social distancing , washing hands and staying home when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says cloth coverings may be helpful along with those steps .
The alert recommends wearing the coverings in public areas where other social distancing measures are hard to maintain .
Alaskans should not wear medical or surgical masks needed by health care workers and first responders , the alert states .
For many people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms .
But for some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received 60 ventilators from the national stockpile and was working with Providence Health and Services Alaska to test them .
Zink said Providence verified 20 of those .
Officials are working through the remaining 40 and “ a couple ” so far appear to have issues , Zink said .
Work is under way to see how well the ventilators “ work or don ’ t work , “ she said .
Nationally , some states and cities have reported problems with supplies shipped to them from the nation ’ s medical stockpile @