npr--2020-10-09--The Many, Maddening Hurdles To Contact Tracing The White House Outbreak

The Many , Maddening Hurdles To Contact Tracing The White House Outbreak The White House 's apparent failures to do thorough contact tracing after its coronavirus outbreak has led local health officers to take matters into their own hands .
The District of Columbia and nine neighboring jurisdictions are calling on White House staff and visitors who might be connected to the recent outbreak there to contact their local health departments .
`` We recommend that if you have worked in the White House in the past two weeks , attended the Supreme Court announcement in the Rose Garden on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and/or have had close contact with others who work in those spaces or attended those events , you should get a test for COVID , '' the health officers wrote in a letter shared by Washington , D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday morning .
The authors noted that this recommendation was made based on `` our preliminary understanding that there has been limited contact tracing performed to date . ''
Thirty-seven White House staff and other contacts have tested positive , according to a website tracking the outbreak , citing public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Eleven of those positive cases are connected to the Amy Coney Barrett nomination event on Sept. 26 in the Rose Garden , according to the tracker , from which many attendees flew home to other states .
Emergency physician Leana Wen said that given the event was nearly two weeks ago it 's likely the outbreak has already sparked other infections .
`` We 're not even talking about first-generation spread or second-generation spread , we 're talking about third-generation spread , '' she said .
In other words , those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have infected others who have since infected still more people .
When it comes to tracking down all the contacts that might be connected to the White House outbreak , there are many daunting challenges , from the country 's fractured public health system to the Trump administration 's approach .
1 .
The White House is on federal land There are reports of an increase in coronavirus tests in D.C. , and some high case numbers in recent days , which has prompted concerns that the outbreak at the White House could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's difficult to know for sure if these things are connected .
But because the White House is federal property , the job of contact tracing an outbreak on its grounds does n't fall to the District 's public health staff , it falls to the White House Medical Unit .
The open letter comes after the mayor sent a formal request to the White House to coordinate the response to the outbreak on Tuesday .
This week , the District 's top health official , Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt , did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to The Washington Post , but the District does n't have the authority to do much more than to offer help .
Because people came to the White House for the Rose Garden event from all over the country , the contact-tracing effort is extremely tricky .
Normally , during a case investigation , if someone mentions close contacts who are out of state , that person 's local health department would notify the health department of that contact .
That system has `` lots of holes , lots of gaps , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at American University .
`` Often what will happen with a major outbreak of a concerning infectious disease is actually the [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] will get involved in coordinating .
But that 's optional — it 's what we call permissive authority . ''
But in this case , CDC 's role seems to be limited .
3 .
CDC has — again — been sidelined by the White House A CDC spokesperson told NPR there are two epidemiologists detailed to the White House but would n't say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CDC sources said there was a team at the agency prepared to help with contact tracing but that it was not mobilized .
As new cases have emerged since President Trump 's diagnosis , his administration has defended its handling of contact tracing .
Deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern told reporters Wednesday : `` The White House medical unit with a CDC epidemiologist embedded in it does contact tracing for the positive cases that they handle — the ones that they identify . ''
He added that they 've already traced all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far and are standing by to do more .
It 's not clear if staff and visitors who get tested at their doctor 's offices or local health departments would be included in this White House effort .
If not , those being contact-traced would represent only a small subset of those potentially at risk .
The Trump administration is also not even trying to trace contacts in the outbreak related to the Rose Garden event , The New York Times reported , arguing it took place more than 48 hours before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC guideline for when to begin tracing contacts .
It 's one instance of many during the pandemic that the White House has sidelined its own public health agency .
Critics said not enlisting the CDC 's help to investigate the outbreak thoroughly is a major misstep .
`` I was shocked when I found out that there were n't extensive contact-tracing efforts underway because the White House right now is the epicenter of what is clearly a large outbreak that involves many jurisdictions across the country , '' Wen said .
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't make sense that the agency 's expertise has been ignored .
`` Contact tracing is something CDC has done since the second world war , starting with contact tracing for syphilis — they 've developed techniques , they 're very good at doing this , '' he told NPR .
`` So if the White House does n't allow them to do this freely , then you have to conclude the White House is trying to hide something . ''
4 .
It 's been nearly 2 weeks since the outbreak began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast — that way , people who 've been exposed and may be infectious know to stay home and not go out into the community where they could infect other people .
That quarantine period for the coronavirus is 14 days — thought to be the outer limit of the virus 's incubation period .
The Rose Garden event is almost outside of that window .
There are still reasons why it 's worth the effort to trace secondary contacts of attendees , Wen said , even though it 's late .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country if we act now , '' she said .
`` And if contact tracing is not done in this case , what is the message going to be to people around the country who may then be reluctant to answer calls from health departments doing contact tracing ?
If it 's not good enough for the president , why should they participate in it ? ''
Health officials surveyed by NPR have noted that the public can be reluctant or scared to share information about their contacts and that has hindered efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extent to which the White House outbreak has driven clusters around the country may never be known , especially because contact tracing was n't done aggressively early on .
One reason is that community spread is happening all over the country .
`` It 's likely that cases came out of [ the Rose Garden ] event because of the number of people who were all in the same place at the same time , '' said Adriane Casalotti , chief of government and public affairs at the National Association of County and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's difficult to address their exposure before they got there and after they got there . ''
When case numbers are high in a community , it makes it much harder to zero in on a particular event or contact that may have sparked infections .
`` I think what draws people 's attention to this particular event is how it shows what happens when you 're not following the public health guidelines , '' Casalotti added , noting it 's clear from photos of the Rose Garden event that social distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unfortunately , the spread here was n't despite best efforts , '' she said .
`` It 's clear that when we 're not using social distancing , when we 're not wearing masks or we 're not following all of those protocols , it makes it much easier for the virus to take hold and spread . ''
Richard Harris and Pien Huang contributed to this report .

The Many, Maddening Hurdles To Contact Tracing The White House Outbreak
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The White House's apparent failures to do thorough contact tracing after its coronavirus outbreak has led local health officers to take matters into their own hands.
The District of Columbia and nine neighboring jurisdictions are calling on White House staff and visitors who might be connected to the recent outbreak there to contact their local health departments.
"We recommend that if you have worked in the White House in the past two weeks, attended the Supreme Court announcement in the Rose Garden on Saturday, September 26, 2020, and/or have had close contact with others who work in those spaces or attended those events, you should get a test for COVID," the health officers wrote in a letter shared by Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday morning.
The authors noted that this recommendation was made based on "our preliminary understanding that there has been limited contact tracing performed to date."
Thirty-seven White House staff and other contacts have tested positive, according to a website tracking the outbreak, citing public information such as media reports and tweets. Eleven of those positive cases are connected to the Amy Coney Barrett nomination event on Sept. 26 in the Rose Garden, according to the tracker, from which many attendees flew home to other states.
Emergency physician Leana Wen said that given the event was nearly two weeks ago it's likely the outbreak has already sparked other infections.
"We're not even talking about first-generation spread or second-generation spread, we're talking about third-generation spread," she said. In other words, those who were exposed at the Rose Garden could have infected others who have since infected still more people.
When it comes to tracking down all the contacts that might be connected to the White House outbreak, there are many daunting challenges, from the country's fractured public health system to the Trump administration's approach.
1. The White House is on federal land
There are reports of an increase in coronavirus tests in D.C., and some high case numbers in recent days, which has prompted concerns that the outbreak at the White House could be driving spread in the local area. It's difficult to know for sure if these things are connected.
But because the White House is federal property, the job of contact tracing an outbreak on its grounds doesn't fall to the District's public health staff, it falls to the White House Medical Unit.
The open letter comes after the mayor sent a formal request to the White House to coordinate the response to the outbreak on Tuesday. This week, the District's top health official, Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, did speak to White House staff, according to The Washington Post, but the District doesn't have the authority to do much more than to offer help.
2. Contact tracing across state lines is tricky
Because people came to the White House for the Rose Garden event from all over the country, the contact-tracing effort is extremely tricky.
Normally, during a case investigation, if someone mentions close contacts who are out of state, that person's local health department would notify the health department of that contact. That system has "lots of holes, lots of gaps," said Lindsay Wiley, health law professor at American University.
"Often what will happen with a major outbreak of a concerning infectious disease is actually the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] will get involved in coordinating. But that's optional — it's what we call permissive authority."
But in this case, CDC's role seems to be limited.
3. CDC has — again — been sidelined by the White House
A CDC spokesperson told NPR there are two epidemiologists detailed to the White House but wouldn't say who they are or explain their roles. CDC sources said there was a team at the agency prepared to help with contact tracing but that it was not mobilized.
As new cases have emerged since President Trump's diagnosis, his administration has defended its handling of contact tracing. Deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern told reporters Wednesday: "The White House medical unit with a CDC epidemiologist embedded in it does contact tracing for the positive cases that they handle — the ones that they identify."
He added that they've already traced all the positive cases that have emerged so far and are standing by to do more.
It's not clear if staff and visitors who get tested at their doctor's offices or local health departments would be included in this White House effort. If not, those being contact-traced would represent only a small subset of those potentially at risk.
The Trump administration is also not even trying to trace contacts in the outbreak related to the Rose Garden event, The New York Times reported, arguing it took place more than 48 hours before the president's diagnosis, which is the CDC guideline for when to begin tracing contacts.
It's one instance of many during the pandemic that the White House has sidelined its own public health agency. Critics said not enlisting the CDC's help to investigate the outbreak thoroughly is a major misstep.
"I was shocked when I found out that there weren't extensive contact-tracing efforts underway because the White House right now is the epicenter of what is clearly a large outbreak that involves many jurisdictions across the country," Wen said.
Former CDC Director William Foege said it doesn't make sense that the agency's expertise has been ignored.
"Contact tracing is something CDC has done since the second world war, starting with contact tracing for syphilis — they've developed techniques, they're very good at doing this," he told NPR. "So if the White House doesn't allow them to do this freely, then you have to conclude the White House is trying to hide something."
4. It's been nearly 2 weeks since the outbreak began
Contact tracing works best when it happens fast — that way, people who've been exposed and may be infectious know to stay home and not go out into the community where they could infect other people.
That quarantine period for the coronavirus is 14 days — thought to be the outer limit of the virus's incubation period. The Rose Garden event is almost outside of that window.
There are still reasons why it's worth the effort to trace secondary contacts of attendees, Wen said, even though it's late.
"We could prevent many clusters around the country if we act now," she said. "And if contact tracing is not done in this case, what is the message going to be to people around the country who may then be reluctant to answer calls from health departments doing contact tracing? If it's not good enough for the president, why should they participate in it?"
Health officials surveyed by NPR have noted that the public can be reluctant or scared to share information about their contacts and that has hindered efforts to curb the spread.
5. Community spread is happening practically everywhere
The true extent to which the White House outbreak has driven clusters around the country may never be known, especially because contact tracing wasn't done aggressively early on.
One reason is that community spread is happening all over the country. "It's likely that cases came out of [the Rose Garden] event because of the number of people who were all in the same place at the same time," said Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs at the National Association of County and City Health Officials. "But it's difficult to address their exposure before they got there and after they got there."
When case numbers are high in a community, it makes it much harder to zero in on a particular event or contact that may have sparked infections.
"I think what draws people's attention to this particular event is how it shows what happens when you're not following the public health guidelines," Casalotti added, noting it's clear from photos of the Rose Garden event that social distancing and mask-wearing were not being practiced.
"Unfortunately, the spread here wasn't despite best efforts," she said. "It's clear that when we're not using social distancing, when we're not wearing masks or we're not following all of those protocols, it makes it much easier for the virus to take hold and spread."
Richard Harris and Pien Huang contributed to this report.


npr--2020-10-09--China Joins WHO-Led Global Coronavirus Vaccine Effort As U.S. Sits It Out

China Joins WHO-Led Global Coronavirus Vaccine Effort As U.S .
Sits It Out China has joined a global effort aimed at fair and equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine once one becomes available — an effort the Trump administration has shunned .
The COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility , known as COVAX , is jointly led by the World Health Organization and Gavi , an alliance promoting access to vaccines .
`` This is an important step China has taken to uphold the concept of a shared community of health for all and to honor its commitment to turn COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference Friday .
The decision casts a spotlight on the different approaches that Beijing and Washington have taken as scientists in both countries sprint toward a vaccine .
The Trump administration has refused to take part in COVAX , partly because the effort is co-led by WHO , which the White House describes as `` corrupt '' and has accused of initially aiding China in covering up the scope of the pandemic .
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has pledged to give developing countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a COVID-19 vaccine .
Companies in both China and the United States have vaccine candidates in the final stages of human trials .
Bruce Aylward , senior adviser to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said the more participants in COVAX , the better .
`` The more countries that participate , the greater the opportunity of being able to roll out vaccines as rapidly and as fairly as possible , '' Aylward told a news conference Friday when asked how China 's involvement might change things .
China had initially declined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not immediately clear why it has now agreed to join the effort .
Other countries that have committed include Germany , France , Brazil and Canada .
In recent years , China has become a major producer of vaccines , but most are used domestically .
Its presence in the global market has been limited , but a COVID-19 vaccine could herald a breakthrough .
Chinese vaccine makers have developed four of the dozen leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates around the world , according to Nature .
The foreign ministry spokeswoman said multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate in the COVAX project .

China Joins WHO-Led Global Coronavirus Vaccine Effort As U.S. Sits It Out
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ng Han Guan/AP Ng Han Guan/AP
China has joined a global effort aimed at fair and equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine once one becomes available — an effort the Trump administration has shunned.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, known as COVAX, is jointly led by the World Health Organization and Gavi, an alliance promoting access to vaccines.
"This is an important step China has taken to uphold the concept of a shared community of health for all and to honor its commitment to turn COVID-19 vaccines into a global public good," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference Friday.
The decision casts a spotlight on the different approaches that Beijing and Washington have taken as scientists in both countries sprint toward a vaccine.
The Trump administration has refused to take part in COVAX, partly because the effort is co-led by WHO, which the White House describes as "corrupt" and has accused of initially aiding China in covering up the scope of the pandemic.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has pledged to give developing countries, especially in Africa, priority access to a COVID-19 vaccine.
Companies in both China and the United States have vaccine candidates in the final stages of human trials.
Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the more participants in COVAX, the better.
"The more countries that participate, the greater the opportunity of being able to roll out vaccines as rapidly and as fairly as possible," Aylward told a news conference Friday when asked how China's involvement might change things.
China had initially declined to participate in COVAX, and it was not immediately clear why it has now agreed to join the effort.
Other countries that have committed include Germany, France, Brazil and Canada.
In recent years, China has become a major producer of vaccines, but most are used domestically. Its presence in the global market has been limited, but a COVID-19 vaccine could herald a breakthrough.
Chinese vaccine makers have developed four of the dozen leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates around the world, according to Nature.
The foreign ministry spokeswoman said multiple Chinese vaccine makers had expressed willingness to participate in the COVAX project.


The Week In Politics

Audio will be available later today .
Ron Elving joins Scott Simon to discuss the concerns over the president 's @ @ @ @ @ the U.S Senate stands on the next coronavirus relief bill and more .

The Week In Politics
Ron Elving joins Scott Simon to discuss the concerns over the president's recovery from COVID-19, where the U.S Senate stands on the next coronavirus relief bill and more.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Another week of volatile news, and I'm running out of adjectives. President Trump, recovering from COVID, insisted that he wasn't so sick after all before saying he was really sick. He pulled out of a virtual debate with Joe Biden, which was canceled last night in any case, and said he wouldn't support a new coronavirus stimulus bill before saying that he would.
We're joined now by NPR senior editor and correspondent Ron Elving. Ron, thanks so much for being with us.
RON ELVING, BYLINE: Good to be with you, Scott.
SIMON: Ron, there is a growing list of people concerned about the president's health right now in all ways, isn't there?
ELVING: Concerned - yes. And it should be a concern for all of us. But among those expressing worry this week was Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She's proposing a commission of health professionals and others to assess future presidents' fitness.
Also, Rick Bright, the former director of government work on a coronavirus vaccine - he told CNN this week that someone who's undergone these therapies - the steroid, the cocktail of experimental drugs that the president has had - would normally still be in the hospital, Scott. He said if the president is, quote, "not in the right sound mind to make decisions rationally, then he could be very reckless for the country and the world."
And yesterday, the president had time to call into Rush Limbaugh's show and, shall we say, stretched the rules on broadcast language when he was talking about Iran.
(SOUNDBITE OF RADIO SHOW, "THE RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW")
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And Iran knows that. And they've been put on notice. If you [expletive] around with us, if you do something bad to us, we are going to do things to you that have never been done before.
ELVING: And, Scott, that was just nine seconds. The call went on for two hours.
SIMON: And, you know, we shouldn't let amazing events fatigue our outlook too much 'cause it's remarkable to hear a president set off an F-bomb on a broadcast show, talking about a volatile international situation. And it raises questions about his health. What do we know about any rallies planned and, for that matter, movement on a coronavirus relief bill, which the president, at this hour, seemed to support?
ELVING: We expect the president to address a crowd from the Truman Balcony of the White House this afternoon and then to deliver a speech at a rally in Sanford, Fla., on Monday. That'll mean he'll have to travel with other people, and we don't know what kind of risk that poses for those other people.
As for the relief bill, the president said one day this week he was cutting off all negotiations until after the election. Then he said he might sign piecemeal efforts. Then on Friday, he said suddenly he wanted a $1.8 trillion bill, tweeting that the Republicans should, quote, "go big," unquote. But, of course, when people asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about it, he had his usual pitcher of ice water ready, saying there wasn't enough time to do a deal and pass a bill in just three weeks.
SIMON: But they're still rushing ahead with Supreme Court nomination hearings for Amy Coney Barrett.
ELVING: Yes, McConnell has another plan for those three weeks. It's all a matter of priorities. The House passed its most recent relief bill for COVID and the economy in May. It has never had a vote in the Senate. But lots of judicial appointments have had votes in the Senate. Barrett is the crowning jewel in that campaign, Trump's third pick for the Supreme Court, with an eye toward overturning the Affordable Care Act in the months ahead, and perhaps Roe v. Wade in the years ahead.
SIMON: Let me ask you about the canceled debate because Joe Biden is apparently going to use that - that was set aside for a town hall debate - as a town hall.
ELVING: That's right. President Trump has actually struggled with the town hall format when he's used it. And let's face it. After the first debate, there were even some Republicans who were relieved not to have two more. Biden may get some mileage from doing a town hall solo. And right now, the debate commission is going ahead with plans for just one more debate on October 22 in Nashville.
SIMON: Quick question - do debates count for what they used to anymore?
ELVING: You know, it was good to see a civil debate between the vice presidential candidates last week, but it was largely a performance by surrogates intended to please their bosses and the party faithful. And those are the people, perhaps, who care most about the debates at this point. We'll see about that last one, though, Scott, on October 22.
SIMON: NPR's Ron Elving, thanks so much.
ELVING: Thank you, Scott.
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-10-10--Following Months Of COVID-19 Restrictions, The Dance Music Scene Is Back In China

Following Months Of COVID-19 Restrictions , The Dance Music Scene Is Back In China Audio will be available later today @ @ @ @ @ epidemic , people in China are once again ready to party , even if it @ @ @ @ @ .

Following Months Of COVID-19 Restrictions, The Dance Music Scene Is Back In China
After facing down an epidemic, people in China are once again ready to party, even if it means taking some safety precautions.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
The electronic dance music scene is back in China with a vengeance after months of COVID-related cancellations. NPR's Emily Feng takes us to a rave attended by thousands of people.
EMILY FENG, BYLINE: Wu Shuang Dong, or DJ ATTACK as he's known in the electronic dance music scene, is raring to get back on stage.
WU SHUANG DONG: (Through interpreter) I had no work at all during the epidemic. All I could do was make new music and work out.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
FENG: ATTACK makes hardstyle EDM, known for its fast-paced beats and bass. He's one of the DJs headlining this festival in the city of Chengdu, one of the first this year after the coronavirus. After more than nine months away from the stage, ATTACK is excited to shock people with his new music.
WU: (Through interpreter). I'm not nervous because on stage, I'm the one scaring people with my music, not the other way around.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
FENG: After facing down an epidemic, people in China are ready to party. But they do have to take some safety precautions, even though China has barely any new cases of the coronavirus. Paul Neuteboom, the CEO of BrotherHood Music, which booked the festival's acts, explains that all ravers and DJs have to first show a digital health certificate.
PAUL NEUTEBOOM: The most important thing that we have here is a sort of corona app, and it just basically shows where you have been over the last 14 days.
FENG: And everyone registers with their ID beforehand for contact-tracing purposes. For the approximately 4,000 people who show up, the wait and the hassle are worth it.
MICHAEL FU: (Speaking Chinese).
FENG: I'm so happy I could die, says Michael Fu, a college student. He's a huge fan of the American DJ Marshmello, so much so that Fu has fashioned the same headpiece the DJ is known for wearing out of a white plastic lampshade. That's why Fu sounds a little muffled. He actually bought tickets for this festival in April, which then was canceled.
FU: (Through interpreter). That was such a shame at the time, but the music today is so good.
FENG: Near Fu, under the shadow of a giant inflatable turd, one of the many props set up across the festival grounds, a group of friends mosh. They're wearing matching neon braids and Hawaiian shirts and throwing themselves at each other in exuberance.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Speaking Chinese).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Speaking Chinese).
FU: The group is comprised of loyal and regular ravers in normal times, so much so they've given the group a name - the suicide squad. Here's Luo Xihan, one of the members.
LUO XIHAN: (Through interpreter). We've been running at a high for a long time. We only took a break from dancing to take pictures next to that big turd prop.
FENG: Festivals in China attract a mixed crowd. A few parents bring their infants. One festivalgoer carries his tiny, fluffy dog. Fu You, a 45-year-old security guard, bops his head appreciatively to ATTACK's furious beats while scanning the crowd for potential troublemakers.
FU YOU: (Through interpreter). Frankly, I'm a little old for this. But if I weren't working, then I would probably be dancing.
FENG: Up near the stage, the mood picks up in joyful intensity. Teenage ravers lock arms and jump up and down to the crescendoing beat.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: Hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey.
FENG: One of them, Zheng Huo, says it took a while to get used to being part of such a big music festival again after the epidemic.
ZHENG HUO: (Through interpreter). But I'm glad I came. At first, I was a little stiff, but slowly I've warmed up to it.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
FENG: By now, the Earth thrums with a bass so intense the breath is knocked out of my lungs. Around me, somehow, thousands of people continue jumping and screaming. They're happy to be here and happy to be alive. Emily Feng, NPR News, Chengdu, China.
(SOUNDBITE OF MARSHMELLO SONG, "DOWN")
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-10-10--Chicago Loses A Beloved Teacher To COVID-19

Audio will be available later today .
Olga Quiroga taught in the city 's public schools for three decades as @ @ @ @ @ known for her patience and passion for teaching immigrant students .

Chicago Loses A Beloved Teacher To COVID-19
Olga Quiroga taught in the city's public schools for three decades as a bilingual educator and was known for her patience and passion for teaching immigrant students.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Chicago has lost a beloved teacher to COVID-19. Olga Quiroga taught in the city's public schools for three decades. She was a bilingual educator known for her patience and her passion for helping immigrant students, a journey she understood personally when she came to the U.S. from Mexico in the 1980s. Olga Quiroga died on October 1, just a day after her 58th birthday.
We're joined now by Giovanna Quiroga, who was one of her three daughters. Ms. Quiroga, thanks so much for being with us.
GIOVANNA QUIROGA: Thank you so much.
SIMON: And today, Saturday, is your mother's memorial - a tough week. How are you planning to say goodbye?
QUIROGA: We will have her services today. And at the end of her services, we will have a deacon and, you know, just give her final blessing and all that. And we'll just speak about her a little bit. But we'll keep it short, you know? It's hard on all of us, so...
SIMON: Yeah. Your mother did not take a conventional path to become a teacher, did she?
QUIROGA: No, she did not (laughter).
SIMON: And it says a lot about her. Could you tell us?
QUIROGA: Absolutely. You know, my mother, she was born in Mexico. She came to this country when she married my dad. When she started her studies here in Chiacgo, she started with GED classes, took English classes and from there, you know, got her associate's and then moved on to Chicago State University where she received her bachelor's. And, you know, she began her career as a teacher, which, for her, was never a job. It was always something that she loved every single day up until her last day that she went to work.
SIMON: What do you think made your mother such a great teacher?
QUIROGA: Her love. My mom referred to each one of her students as one of her kids. I remember times where she would tell my sisters and I to gather old clothing or toys, even bicycles that we no longer used, and she would donate them to families in her school that, you know, had less than we did.
SIMON: Boy.
QUIROGA: She cared about every single person.
SIMON: This must have been an incredibly tough period for you. And I just wonder when you hear someone say people shouldn't fear the virus, when you hear the president say that, how does it make you feel?
QUIROGA: I don't understand it. I don't understand why people, let alone our president, the leader of our country - right? - would make light of such a situation. Not only did I lose my mother to COVID, my mother passed it on to my father, myself and my younger sister. So I personally know what this virus does. I felt that pain and all that.
SIMON: Did you have a chance to talk to your mother in her last days or weeks?
QUIROGA: No. I took my mom to the ER on September 11. And then I didn't - we didn't really talk that day. It was just rushing her to the hospital. And then we didn't see her again until October 1, the day that she passed. So there was no...
SIMON: Oh, my gosh.
QUIROGA: ...Talking to her in that three-week time period.
SIMON: That must be especially rough, too.
QUIROGA: Very much so.
SIMON: What lesson or inspiration do you think your mother might hope others could draw from her life now?
QUIROGA: That anything and everything that you want and you dream of is possible. And that's something that she's always taught us as her daughters. Things get hard, but you never give up. And you keep going. And you do it with lots of love. And that's what people remember about my mom - her smile and her eyes just full of warmth and love.
SIMON: Giovanna Quiroga - her mother Olga Quiroga passed away due to COVID-19 earlier this month. Our thanks to your mother for an extraordinary life and to you for speaking with us. Thank you.
QUIROGA: Thank you so much.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-10-10--Long A Republican Stronghold, Georgia Is Starting To Look Like A Swing State

Long A Republican Stronghold , Georgia Is Starting To Look Like A Swing State Emma Hurt of NPR member station @ @ @ @ @ discuss how voters in Georgia are feeling ahead of Election Day .

Long A Republican Stronghold, Georgia Is Starting To Look Like A Swing State
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Georgia has long been considered a Republican stronghold. But in this unusual election season, it's looking more and more like it could be a swing state. We've been checking in with member station reporters around the country to find out what they say voters are thinking about and saying. We're joined now by Emma Hurt of WABE in Atlanta. Emma, thanks so much for being with us.
EMMA HURT, BYLINE: Thanks for having me.
SIMON: There's been some, what I'll call, neck-and-neck polling out there on the presidential race. But tell us about other - some of the significant statewide races and how they seem to be shaping up.
HURT: Yeah, so Georgia has this special status this year of being the only state with both of our Senate seats up for election in November. So I'll start with the traditional regularly scheduled race for Republican incumbent David Perdue's seat. He's in a tight race, too, with Jon Ossoff, the Democratic nominee. And Perdue is known as a close Trump ally, so he's having to walk a pretty fine line, trying to win over a state that's become competitive.
And then we also have this wild special election race. Senator Kelly Loeffler is a Republican who was appointed about 10 months ago. And according to the Georgia Constitution, that triggers a special election which is a free-for-all, so no party primaries. Everybody's on the same ballot in November. She's got 20 challengers, and one of them is Congressman Doug Collins, who's also a Republican. And that race has just become this bloody intraparty fight for Georgia Republicans that's highly likely to end up in a runoff in January.
SIMON: Probably not what Republicans wanted going into this November - is it? - a bloody intraparty quarrel.
HURT: Definitely not. And, you know, Loeffler has spent millions of her own money - she's independently wealthy - hammering Collins. He's been hammering her back, both questioning each other's Republican, you know, bona fides, trying to establish their own and trying to win over the conservative base. It's fair to say they're trying to out-Trump each other. And it's dividing the base. I was at a conservative conference in Atlanta last week, and a lot of people wouldn't even tell me who they were voting for in front of their friends. But I did meet two friends who would, and they're each voting for the other candidate. They're both from Woodstock, which is a town north of Atlanta. And Katrina Singletary, she's going to go with Loeffler even though she also likes Collins, though.
KATRINA SINGLETARY: I think Collins has a great track record, and I think he's a great Georgian. But Nikki Haley and our governor, Brian Kemp, has asked me to give Kelly a chance, so I'm going to do that. She hasn't let me down yet, but she's only been in there since the beginning of the year. So I'm going to hang in there with Kelly. I'm going to give her a chance to prove herself.
HURT: But then her friend, Maria Murray, said Loeffler feels like the establishment candidate, and she trusts Collins's track record more. That's, of course, the opposite of what Loeffler is trying to say about Collins. It's head-spinning. And as you said, a lot of strategists would say this is the last thing Georgia Republicans need heading to what's likely to be a competitive runoff.
And then there's this other tension, I think, for Republicans in Georgia right now. That's the candidacy of Marjorie Taylor Greene. So she won the Republican primary in a really conservative north Georgia House district and is pretty much guaranteed headed to Congress right now. And she's become controversial as someone who's repeated several Q-Anon conspiracy theories. And her popularity makes things really difficult for Republicans in the state who are trying to appeal statewide to more moderate voters.
SIMON: And you have to ask, in 2020, how do you think the pandemic has affected campaigns in the state and the feelings that many people have towards campaigning in politics?
HURT: There's been a big difference on the ground between Republican and Democratic campaigns. Republican campaigns, some of them almost look normal now - you know, large groups, few masks, sometimes, you know, all indoors. Democratic events are just starting, and they're very masked, very socially distant. I went to one Democratic event for Senate candidates last weekend. They were handing out signs to voters in their cars. And I talked to Imani Marley Husbands. She's from Lithonia. And she's really excited herself, but she sees this exhaustion in her neighbors and peers because of all of that.
IMANI MARLEY HUSBANDS: My neighbors, on a 1-to-10, I'd give them a 6 1/2. I saw a few signs in yards, mostly Biden-Harris. Other than that, there's not a lot of fervor because people are just sick of it. They're overdrawn because of COVID-19. That's draining enough.
HURT: I think we can all relate to that. But I also want to talk about this history for Georgia Democrats. Several election cycles in the past, there's hope the state will flip, and then it doesn't. And that's something that I heard from Judy Barnett. So she is a Democrat who lives in Columbus, decided to get more politically active in 2016. But she's still worried.
JUDY BARNETT: I don't want to even think that because I'm so encouraged. But, you know, I've gotten my hopes built up so many times that - and I've just decided I do think if he wins again, I don't think I can be political anymore. I'm just going to have to step away.
HURT: And I do just want to say, you can't deny that there's a new level of investment from the presidential campaigns and the Senate races on both sides of the aisle as people are fighting for these seats. But there is still this quiet anxiety for Democrats.
SIMON: Emma Hurt at WABE in Atlanta, thanks so much for being with us.
HURT: Thank you for having me. ****
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-10-10--What To Make Of The Plot To Kidnap The Governor Of Michigan

What To Make Of The Plot To Kidnap The Governor Of Michigan Scott Simon speaks to Elizabeth Neumann , formerly @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Homeland Security , about the militia plot to kidnap the governor or @ @

What To Make Of The Plot To Kidnap The Governor Of Michigan
Scott Simon speaks to Elizabeth Neumann, formerly a top counterterrorism official at the Department of Homeland Security, about the militia plot to kidnap the governor or Michigan.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Federal and state officials have charged 13 people in an alleged plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Those charged are reportedly part of a militia group called Wolverine Watchmen. We're joined now by Elizabeth Neumann, who served in the Trump administration from 2016 to 2020 as senior adviser and chief of staff of the Department of Homeland Security and Assistant Secretary for Threat Prevention and Security Policy. She also served in the Bush administration. And we should explain, she has publicly endorsed Joe Biden for president. Thanks very much for being with us.
ELIZABETH NEUMANN: Thank you for having me.
SIMON: There will be trials ahead, of course. But based on your experience, is this extraordinary plot revealed this week to kidnap a governor symptomatic of an isolated threat or something larger?
NEUMANN: I think we're seeing something significantly larger. And sadly, I'm afraid that we will likely see more of this. Maybe the good part would be if we're seeing it the way that we saw this particular case come to light, it's because the FBI was on top of it, and they made arrests and are keeping people safe. And I'm very glad that they do that, but I am concerned that there are a number of groups that - even after the arrests this week, we saw chatter online of people reminding people about operational security, to not communicate on the Internet, to make sure you're using encrypted means to communicate. So that makes it very difficult for law enforcement to keep tabs on what these various violent groups might be up to. So I am concerned we're going to see more violence.
SIMON: Well, and I'm struck by the fact that you say various violent groups, suggesting that there are more than a few, and also the use of the word chatter. Do words rhetoric, including the president's, fuel these movements?
NEUMANN: Sadly, they do. And I want to be really clear here - because we are operating in a political environment and we have both parties trying to take advantage of a situation here, I just want to be really clear; this isn't about politics. It's incumbent upon every leader, anybody that has a platform, to recognize the way that their words get interpreted by threat actors. So even if you say something like Liberate Michigan and your intent is to provide commentary on actions that the government had been taking related to pandemic mitigation that you feel is government overreach and an infringement on your liberties, these fringe extremists interpret that as a call to arms. So we're operating in a very sensitive environment. It's a very difficult time, and it's incumbent upon all leaders to be very careful with their language.
SIMON: And, of course, we will note again, the president says that he is - that he denounces white supremacy. But do you hear something else or discern something else in his words?
NEUMANN: You know, the challenge that we've had with this particular president is that we've asked him time and time again to address domestic terrorism as a rising and growing threat. It started in this administration in 2017. We had multiple secretaries of Homeland Security try to get this as a top priority issue. DHS was rebuffed in those efforts. We've made some progress...
SIMON: That's when you were in DHS. So this is something you saw firsthand.
NEUMANN: Yes, exactly. And we've made some progress among the counterterrorism community. The practitioners have taken this seriously. We have done what we can at that level, which is significant, but there's more that needs to be done. We need to be having conversations about changes in our laws, about making it easier for the FBI to investigate so that we can do a better job of keeping Americans safe. But that opportunity has not been taken up by this particular White House.
The second area of leadership, which is really critical is that of your language and what you're communicating to the American public. If you as a president communicate that we have this enemy, we have this threat, and you clearly articulate what the threat is, it allows Americans to understand with a unified picture. And it might even inoculate people from potential radicalization in the future. But he seems to be doing the opposite. He's actually sowing division. He's sowing and feeding into the grievances. And we know that grievances are a core part of why somebody radicalizes in the first place. So he's actually adding fuel to the fire of extremism.
SIMON: Elizabeth Neumann, former DHS official, thanks so much.
NEUMANN: Thank you.
Copyright © 2020 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-10-10--Amid Trump Turmoil, Sen. Susan Collins Tries To Shift Focus From National Politics

Amid Trump Turmoil , Sen. Susan Collins Tries To Shift Focus From National Politics A version of this story was first published by member station Maine Public .
Over the course of nearly three decades , Republican Sen. Susan Collins has crafted a centrist brand that once made her one of the most popular politicians in the country .
Now , Collins is the last Republican member of Congress from New England .
And a combination of controversial votes and increasingly nationalized politics has her locked in the fight of her political career .
In mid-September , Collins ' campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of appearances with supporters .
She made sure to bring up Height of Land , a pull-off on the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway with spectacular views of the nearby lakes and mountains .
`` You know , I helped get almost $ 3 million for that , '' Collins said .
And earlier this month , Collins toured downtown Waterville , where Portland Pie Co. owner Patrick Mulligan thanked her for co-authoring a coronavirus relief program that provided forgivable loans to small businesses .
`` I 'm trying to get another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardest hit , '' Collins said to Mulligan .
These kind of visits have long been standard for the 67-year-old Collins , but they 've taken on heightened significance in this election .
`` People still look at the impact on their own lives , '' she said .
In Collins ' view , Mainers have benefited from her longevity , her deep roots in Maine and the power she wields as a member of the Appropriations Committee and its transportation subcommittee .
She said all of that will be lost if voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gideon , who she said lacks her experience and connection to the state .
`` Nor would she have the clout and seniority that I have to bring much needed assistance into our state , '' she said .
Collins ' focus on experience is meant to draw a contrast with the 48-year-old Gideon , a two-term speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and Rhode Island native who began the race as a relatively unknown political figure .
But the local focus is also a pivot from the national politics that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now has her running in a virtual dead heat with a Democrat who has never run for statewide office .
Collins attributes her position in the polls to a messaging campaign that she said has distorted her record and attacked her integrity .
`` And I think after two years of that pummeling that unfortunately it has had an impact , '' she said .
It 's true that Democrats and liberal interest groups have unleashed an expensive and sustained campaign against Collins .
But it 's also true that Republican groups have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Gideon is almost equal to that for and against Collins , according to the latest data by the Center for Responsive Politics .
And none of the spending would have much of an effect if there was n't already trouble in Collins ' once dominant coalition of voters .
But there is .
For Democratic voters — and Democratic women in particular — Collins ' announcement on Oct. 5 , 2018 , that she would vote to confirm Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh marked a turning point .
The pressure campaign directed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kavanaugh vote was intense .
She has been a supporter of abortion rights since she first ran for the Senate in 1996 .
Her abortion stance appealed to groups like Planned Parenthood , which sometimes ran ads thanking her for votes in the Senate .
But there 's no more gratitude from Planned Parenthood ; the group has already spent $ 1 million trying to defeat Collins .
And its former director , Cecile Richards , worked alongside an activist group that pulled in nearly $ 4 million in crowdfunding inspired by Collins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collins cast one of the deciding votes to give a man credibly accused of sexual assault a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court , she sent an unmistakable message .
She does n't have the courage to stand up to Donald Trump , '' Richards said during a meeting with activists this summer when the $ 4 million was transferred to Gideon 's campaign — a move that Collins has described as a bribe .
Disenchantment among abortion-rights supporters overshadowed the pressure Collins faced from members of her own party , which had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ install conservative , pro-life judges on the high court .
It resurfaced recently when Collins announced that she will oppose Trump 's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett if the confirmation vote is held before the election .
`` People are calling me and telling me they just ca n't vote for her anymore .
These are all ... Republicans , mostly from the conservative part of the party , '' former Gov .
Paul LePage recently told Portland radio station WGAN .
LePage claims he 's telling disenchanted conservative hardliners that they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key to Republicans holding the U.S. Senate .
His defense of Collins might seem transactional , and it 's definitely a sharp turn from four years ago .
`` I think Susan Collins is done in Maine .
I think her decision to go against the wishes of the Maine Republicans really cooked her goose , '' LePage told WGAN in 2016 , reacting to Collins ' decision to announce she could not support President Trump , which she explained on PBS NewsHour .
`` He lacks the temperament , the judgment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our next president , '' she said .
Collins ' assessment was cheered by Democrats , but it stoked the ire of Maine conservatives with whom she has long had an uneasy alliance .
Those strains were especially acute during the first year the Trump presidency and after Collins cast one of the deciding votes to oppose the GOP repeal of the Affordable Care Act .
Her vote on the ACA appeal made her a temporary hero of the left and the recipient of glowing portraits by liberal columnists , spurring talk that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for governor although she ultimately decided not to .
Collins said she does n't second-guess the decision not to run for governor , and said she is n't dwelling on the halcyon days when her popularity was at its apex .
Instead , she attributes her current situation to the multi-million dollar campaign to unseat her .
`` Tens of millions of dollars in dark money ads that lie about my record , defame my reputation , mislead people about who I am and attack my integrity , '' she said .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president she did n't vote for in 2016 , casting her as an avatar for Republicans ' supine response to Trump 's divisive conduct .
Collins earlier this year voted to acquit the president of impeachment charges .
But she wo n't say whether she supports the president this year and she blasted Democrats for describing her as a `` stooge '' for male leaders of her party .
`` The idea that Mitch McConnell or Donald Trump dictates — or any other man — dictates my vote is the height of sexism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's confident Maine voters will see through it and make a distinction between their feelings about Trump and her .
Her bid for a fifth term might just depend on it .

Amid Trump Turmoil, Sen. Susan Collins Tries To Shift Focus From National Politics
Enlarge this image toggle caption Fred Bever/Maine Public Fred Bever/Maine Public
A version of this story was first published by member station Maine Public.
For more than two decades, Republican Sen. Susan Collins has crafted a centrist brand that once made her one of the most popular politicians in the country.
Now, Collins is the last Republican member of Congress from New England. And a combination of controversial votes and increasingly nationalized politics has her locked in the fight of her political career.
In mid-September, Collins' campaign bus rolled through Rangeley and Farmington for a series of appearances with supporters. She made sure to bring up Height of Land, a pull-off on the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway with spectacular views of the nearby lakes and mountains.
"You know, I helped get almost $3 million for that," Collins said.
And earlier this month, Collins toured downtown Waterville, where Portland Pie Co. owner Patrick Mulligan thanked her for co-authoring a coronavirus relief program that provided forgivable loans to small businesses.
"I'm trying to get another round going for those that are the hardest hit," Collins said to Mulligan.
These kind of visits have long been standard for the 67-year-old Collins, but they've taken on heightened significance in this election.
"People still look at the impact on their own lives," she said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steve Mistler/Maine Public Steve Mistler/Maine Public
In Collins' view, Mainers have benefited from her longevity, her deep roots in Maine and the power she wields as a member of the Appropriations Committee and its transportation subcommittee. She said all of that will be lost if voters elect her leading challenger, Democrat Sara Gideon, who she said lacks her experience and connection to the state.
"Nor would she have the clout and seniority that I have to bring much needed assistance into our state," she said.
Collins' focus on experience is meant to draw a contrast with the 48-year-old Gideon, a two-term speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and Rhode Island native who began the race as a relatively unknown political figure.
But the local focus is also a pivot from the national politics that have damaged Collins' once enviable popularity and now has her running in a virtual dead heat with a Democrat who has never run for statewide office.
Collins attributes her position in the polls to a messaging campaign that she said has distorted her record and attacked her integrity.
"And I think after two years of that pummeling that unfortunately it has had an impact," she said.
It's true that Democrats and liberal interest groups have unleashed an expensive and sustained campaign against Collins. But it's also true that Republican groups have responded in-kind: Outside spending for and against Gideon is almost equal to that for and against Collins, according to the latest data by the Center for Responsive Politics.
And none of the spending would have much of an effect if there wasn't already trouble in Collins' once dominant coalition of voters. But there is.
For Democratic voters — and Democratic women in particular — Collins' announcement on Oct. 5, 2018, that she would vote to confirm Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh marked a turning point.
The pressure campaign directed at Collins by liberal groups before the Kavanaugh vote was intense. She has been a supporter of abortion rights since she first ran for the Senate in 1996.
Her abortion stance appealed to groups like Planned Parenthood, which sometimes ran ads thanking her for votes in the Senate. But there's no more gratitude from Planned Parenthood; the group has already spent $1 million trying to defeat Collins.
And its former director, Cecile Richards, worked alongside an activist group that pulled in nearly $4 million in crowdfunding inspired by Collins' Kavanaugh vote.
"When Sen. Collins cast one of the deciding votes to give a man credibly accused of sexual assault a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, she sent an unmistakable message. She doesn't have the courage to stand up to Donald Trump," Richards said during a meeting with activists this summer when the $4 million was transferred to Gideon's campaign — a move that Collins has described as a bribe.
Disenchantment among abortion-rights supporters overshadowed the pressure Collins faced from members of her own party, which had rallied behind Trump's 2016 vow to install conservative, pro-life judges on the high court. It resurfaced recently when Collins announced that she will oppose Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett if the confirmation vote is held before the election.
"People are calling me and telling me they just can't vote for her anymore. These are all ... Republicans, mostly from the conservative part of the party," former Gov. Paul LePage recently told Portland radio station WGAN.
LePage, a Republican, claims he's telling disenchanted conservative hard-liners that they have to support Collins because she could be key to Republicans holding the U.S. Senate. His defense of Collins might seem transactional, and it's definitely a sharp turn from four years ago.
"I think Susan Collins is done in Maine. I think her decision to go against the wishes of the Maine Republicans really cooked her goose," LePage told WGAN in 2016, reacting to Collins' decision to announce she could not support Trump, which she explained on PBS NewsHour.
"He lacks the temperament, the judgment, the knowledge and the self-restraint to be our next president," she said.
Collins' assessment was cheered by Democrats, but it stoked the ire of Maine conservatives with whom she has long had an uneasy alliance. Those strains were especially acute during the first year the Trump presidency and after Collins cast one of the deciding votes to oppose the GOP repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Her vote on the ACA appeal made her a temporary hero of the left and the recipient of glowing portraits by liberal columnists, spurring talk that she might return to Maine and run for governor although she ultimately decided not to.
Collins said she doesn't second-guess the decision not to run for governor and said she isn't dwelling on the halcyon days when her popularity was at its apex. Instead, she attributes her current situation to the multi-milliondollar campaign to unseat her.
"Tens of millions of dollars in dark money ads that lie about my record, defame my reputation, mislead people about who I am and attack my integrity," she said.
Many of those ads link Collins with the president she didn't vote for in 2016, casting her as an avatar for Republicans' supine response to Trump's divisive conduct.
Collins voted earlier this year to acquit the president of impeachment charges. But she won't say whether she supports the president this year, and she blasted Democrats for describing her as a "stooge" for male leaders of her party.
"The idea that Mitch McConnell or Donald Trump dictates — or any other man — dictates my vote is the height of sexism," she said.
Collins said she's confident Maine voters will see through it and make a distinction between their feelings about Trump and her.
Her bid for a fifth term might just depend on it.


npr--2020-10-10--Despite Surge In Volunteers, Some Swing States Still Need Poll Workers

Despite Surge In Volunteers , Some Swing States Still Need Poll Workers This summer , Pittsburgh resident Jane Hartung heard that the elections division needed help .
Poll workers are typically older , and thus more vulnerable to the coronavirus .
Since she 's 31 , healthy , and has a flexible work schedule , Hartung volunteered to help .
She went through training in late September .
`` It was a lot of information , '' she said .
`` Being somebody who was really into school when I was a kid , I brought my pen , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lots of notes . ''
Hartung is part of a surge of young poll workers volunteering to work this fall 's election for the first time .
Election officials have often relied on older volunteers in the past ( in 2018 , 58 % of poll workers were older than 61 according to the federal Election Assistance Commission ) but many ca n't serve this year for fear of contracting COVID-19 .
Allegheny County , which encompasses Pittsburgh , was easily able to recruit the 6,500 poll workers it needs to fully staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nonpartisan groups like Power The Polls have helped recruit hundreds of thousands of poll workers around the country .
During this spring 's primary elections , Allegheny County had to consolidate polling places because they could n't find enough people to run them .
Officials plan to reopen almost all of those sites for the November election , and now , after an aggressive recruitment program , they have more than enough people to do the job .
But among the challenges these first-time poll workers face is getting up to speed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the first general election Pennsylvania will conduct using new equipment that leaves a paper trail .
So both newcomers like Hartung and veteran poll workers have to learn how to operate the new machines that count and store ballots .
They also learned other important details , like how to make sure someone who voted by mail is n't also trying to vote in person .
`` I feel very prepared , '' she said `` I 'm going to go over my notes on the Monday before election day just to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in the front of my mind . ''
While urban areas like Pittsburgh faced big poll workers shortages in the spring and are now seeing lots of interest , rural parts of Pennsylvania have n't had the same challenges .
`` People will call me up and say , 'You know , I needed two people but I was able to get two of the people from the PTA , or whatever , to join me , ' '' said Thad Hall , elections director for Mercer County , north of Pittsburgh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had any recruiting issues at all , really . ''
But staffing the polls has been much harder in other parts of Pennsylvania , especially Philadelphia .
The city typically needs about 8,500 poll workers on election day , and they 're still short several thousand .
`` We have never had 100 % of our poll workers – not even without the Covid pandemic , '' said Nakea Hurdle , an official with the city commission charged with administering elections .
`` So if we 're able , this will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at a 50 % vacancy . ''
But Hurdle hopes that this year will be different .
The county has had more time to prepare than they did before the primary , and she said she 's seen an overwhelming response from volunteers who want to work the polls .
`` I am feeling very confident that we will do something unprecedented , '' she said .
`` I 'm hoping it 's one for the books . ''
But others worry that even if officials recruit enough people , there could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less of a mad scramble , but there 's even more of a need for poll workers , '' said Bob LaRocca , Executive Director of the Voter Protection Corps , a nonpartisan group working to recruit poll workers in Pennsylvania , North Carolina , Arizona and Texas .
LaRocca the stakes are particularly high in urban areas like Philadelphia , where a poll worker shortage could mean closing polling places in a high turnout election .
`` And this leads to the disenfranchisement of people of color , many of whom live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in general , '' he said .
If the pandemic gets worse , LaRocca worries that volunteers could drop out .
But first-time poll worker Jane Hartung is optimistic .
`` While I was at the poll-working class , I was with a bunch of people who were just like me – who were taking down notes , that were asking their questions , that were really invested in making sure the election was going to run smoothly , '' she said .
`` That inspired a lot of confidence in me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a bunch of people who are just as detail-oriented as me , then this election – at least in Allegheny County – is going to run really smoothly . ''

Despite Surge In Volunteers, Some Swing States Still Need Poll Workers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images
This summer, Pittsburgh resident Jane Hartung heard that the elections division needed help. Poll workers are typically older, and thus more vulnerable to the coronavirus. Since she's 31, healthy and has a flexible work schedule, Hartung volunteered to help. She went through training in late September.
"It was a lot of information," she said. "Being somebody who was really into school when I was a kid, I brought my pen, and was taking down notes – lots and lots of notes."
Hartung is part of a surge of young poll workers volunteering to work this fall's election for the first time. Election officials have often relied on older volunteers in the past (in 2018, 58% of poll workers were older than 61, according to the federal Election Assistance Commission) but many can't serve this year for fear of contracting COVID-19.
Allegheny County, which encompasses Pittsburgh, was easily able to recruit the 6,500 poll workers it needs to fully staff its 1,323 polling places next month. Nonpartisan groups like Power The Polls have helped recruit hundreds of thousands of poll workers around the country.
During this spring's primary elections, Allegheny County had to consolidate polling places because they couldn't find enough people to run them. Officials plan to reopen almost all of those sites for the November election, and now, after an aggressive recruitment program, they have more than enough people to do the job.
But among the challenges these first-time poll workers face is getting up to speed on how to run an election.
This is the first general election Pennsylvania will conduct using new equipment that leaves a paper trail. So both newcomers like Hartung and veteran poll workers have to learn how to operate the new machines that count and store ballots. They also learned other important details, like how to make sure someone who voted by mail isn't also trying to vote in person.
"I feel very prepared," she said. "I'm going to go over my notes on the Monday before election day just to make sure that I have everything clear and in the front of my mind."
While urban areas like Pittsburgh faced big poll workers shortages in the spring and are now seeing lots of interest, rural parts of Pennsylvania haven't had the same challenges.
"People will call me up and say, 'You know, I needed two people but I was able to get two of the people from the PTA, or whatever, to join me,' " said Thad Hall, elections director for Mercer County, north of Pittsburgh. "So, we haven't had any recruiting issues at all, really."
But staffing the polls has been much harder in other parts of Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia. The city typically needs about 8,500 poll workers on election day, and they're still short several thousand.
"We have never had 100% of our poll workers – not even without the COVID pandemic," said Nakea Hurdle, an official with the city commission charged with administering elections. "So if we're able, this will be a great feat, because Philadelphia is generally looking at a 50% vacancy."
But Hurdle hopes that this year will be different. The county has had more time to prepare than they did before the primary, and she said she's seen an overwhelming response from volunteers who want to work the polls.
"I am feeling very confident that we will do something unprecedented," she said. "I'm hoping it's one for the books."
But others worry that even if officials recruit enough people, there could still be problems.
"There's less of a mad scramble, but there's even more of a need for poll workers," said Bob LaRocca, executive director of the Voter Protection Corps, a nonpartisan group working to recruit poll workers in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona and Texas.
LaRocca the stakes are particularly high in urban areas like Philadelphia, where a poll worker shortage could mean closing polling places in a high turnout election.
"And this leads to the disenfranchisement of people of color, many of whom live in urban areas but also urban populations in general," he said.
If the pandemic gets worse, LaRocca worries that volunteers could drop out.
But first-time poll worker Hartung is optimistic.
"While I was at the poll-working class, I was with a bunch of people who were just like me – who were taking down notes, that were asking their questions, that were really invested in making sure the election was going to run smoothly," she said. "That inspired a lot of confidence in me, because I felt like if I'm with a bunch of people who are just as detail-oriented as me, then this election – at least in Allegheny County – is going to run really smoothly."


npr--2020-10-10--Judge Rules Against Texas Limit Of One Drop-Off Site Per County For Absentee Ballots

Judge Rules Against Texas Limit Of One Drop-Off Site Per County For Absentee Ballots A federal judge has blocked a @ @ @ @ @ to one location per county for dropping off absentee ballots in the upcoming election .
@ @ @ @ @ places an undue burden on older and disabled citizens .
The limit was imposed last @ @ @ @ @ surge in requests for absentee ballots , even though most Texans are n't eligible to @ @ @ @ @ .
Greg Abbott announced that he was helping to protect election security by allowing only @ @ @ @ @ .
Democrats accused Abbott of trying to suppress the vote .
Judge Robert Pitman 's @ @ @ @ @ of United Latin American Citizens which sued to get the drop-off limit reversed .
The @ @ @ @ @ forcing absentee voters to travel farther and to more-crowded locations , increasing the risk to @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
The suit also said the Postal Service has warned it might not @ @ @ @ @ in time to be counted .
The state may appeal the ruling .

Judge Rules Against Texas Limit Of One Drop-Off Site Per County For Absentee Ballots
Enlarge this image toggle caption Go Nakamura/Getty Images Go Nakamura/Getty Images
A federal judge has blocked a Texas plan to limit voters to one location per county for dropping off absentee ballots in the upcoming election. The decision says the restriction places an undue burden on older and disabled citizens.
The limit was imposed last week as Texas experienced a surge in requests for absentee ballots, even though most Texans aren't eligible to vote that way.
Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said he was helping to protect election security by allowing only one drop-off site per county. Democrats accused Abbott of trying to suppress the vote.
Judge Robert Pitman's ruling sides with The Texas League of United Latin American Citizens, which sued to get the drop-off limit reversed.
The lawsuit said the governor was forcing absentee voters to travel farther and to more-crowded locations, increasing the risk to populations already especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. The suit also said the Postal Service has warned it might not be able to deliver ballots in time to be counted.
The state may appeal the ruling.


npr--2020-10-10--Judge Blocks Trump Campaign Attempt To Limit Use Of Drop Boxes In Pennsylvania

Judge Blocks Trump Campaign Attempt To Limit Use Of Drop Boxes In Pennsylvania A federal judge in Pennsylvania has thrown out a lawsuit by the Trump campaign that tried to limit the battleground state 's use of drop boxes in the current presidential election .
The lawsuit also challenged the Pennsylvania secretary of state 's guidance that mail-in ballots should n't be rejected if the voter 's signature does n't match the one on file , and a state restriction that poll watchers be residents of the county where they are assigned .
All of these claims turned on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sufficient security measures , people might commit voter fraud .
The campaign argued that that fraud would then `` dilute '' lawfully cast votes , in violation of the state and U.S. constitutions .
In reality , voter fraud is extremely rare , though Trump has repeated baseless claims about it being widespread .
U.S. District Court Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan , who wrote the opinion , was reluctant to second-guess the judgment of the state legislature and election officials .
`` Perhaps Plaintiffs are right that guards should be placed near drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballot , poll watchers should be able to man any poll regardless of location , and other security improvements should be made , '' Ranjan wrote .
`` But the job of an unelected federal judge is n't to suggest election improvements , especially when those improvements contradict the reasoned judgment of democratically elected officials . ''
Ultimately the court found that the election regulations furthered important state interests without significantly burdening any right to vote , and were therefore constitutional .
In his 138-page ruling , the judge — a Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign had offered no hard evidence that voter fraud would actually occur .
Instead , Ranjan wrote , the campaign had simply provided a series of `` speculative '' assumptions : They assume that `` potential fraudsters '' might try to fill drop boxes with forged ballots , and that the election security measures in place wo n't work to prevent that fraud .
`` All of these assumptions could end up being true and these events could theoretically happen , '' Ranjan wrote .
`` But so could many things . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to let the plaintiffs bring their case .
`` Today is another loss for Republicans ' effort to make voting more difficult and a victory for democracy and the millions of Pennsylvania voters who will vote by mail , '' Marc Elias , a Democratic election lawyer , told The New York Times .
`` This court joins a chorus of other courts in rejecting the false claims of fraud Trump and the Republicans continue to advance for cynical political reasons . ''
NPR member station WHYY explains that the drop boxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary , were deployed to keep up with unprecedented demand for mail-in voting .
The Trump campaign sued the state and each county board of elections over the drop boxes and other election rules in June .
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro , a Democrat , called Saturday 's ruling `` a win for voters and our democracy . ''
The Trump campaign plans to appeal the decision .
`` We 've continued the fight against the Democrats ' completely unmonitored , unsecure drop boxes in the federal courts , '' the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Times .
`` Clearly , we disagree with the Western District 's decision on unsecure drop boxes , and President Trump 's team will immediately file an appeal . ''
The decision comes just a day after a federal judge in Texas blocked a plan to limit drop boxes to one per county .
The Republican governor , Greg Abbott , said it was an election security measure to prevent fraud .
Democrats accused him of trying to suppress the vote .

Judge Blocks Trump Campaign Attempt To Limit Use Of Drop Boxes In Pennsylvania
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Rourke/AP Matt Rourke/AP
A federal judge in Pennsylvania has thrown out a lawsuit by the Trump campaign that tried to limit the swing state's use of drop boxes in the current presidential election.
The lawsuit also challenged the Pennsylvania secretary of state's guidance that mail-in ballots shouldn't be rejected if the voter's signature doesn't match the one on file, and a state restriction that poll watchers be residents of the county where they are assigned.
All of these claims turned on a common theme: the idea that without sufficient security measures, people might commit voter fraud. The campaign argued that that fraud would then "dilute" lawfully cast votes, in violation of the state and U.S. constitutions.
In reality, voter fraud is extremely rare, though President Trump has repeated baseless claims about it being widespread.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, who wrote the opinion, was reluctant to second-guess the judgment of the state legislature and election officials.
"Perhaps Plaintiffs are right that guards should be placed near drop boxes, signature-analysis experts should examine every mail-in ballot, poll watchers should be able to man any poll regardless of location, and other security improvements should be made," Ranjan wrote. "But the job of an unelected federal judge isn't to suggest election improvements, especially when those improvements contradict the reasoned judgment of democratically elected officials."
Ultimately the court found that the election regulations furthered important state interests without significantly burdening any right to vote, and were therefore constitutional.
In his 138-page ruling, the judge — a Trump appointee — also noted that the Trump campaign had offered no hard evidence that voter fraud would actually occur. Instead, Ranjan wrote, the campaign had simply provided a series of "speculative" assumptions: They assume that "potential fraudsters" might try to fill drop boxes with forged ballots, and that the election security measures in place won't work to prevent that fraud.
"All of these assumptions could end up being true and these events could theoretically happen," Ranjan wrote. "But so could many things." Speculation, Ranjan concluded, isn't enough to let the plaintiffs bring their case.
"Today is another loss for Republicans' effort to make voting more difficult and a victory for democracy and the millions of Pennsylvania voters who will vote by mail," Marc Elias, a Democratic election lawyer, told The New York Times. "This court joins a chorus of other courts in rejecting the false claims of fraud Trump and the Republicans continue to advance for cynical political reasons."
NPR member station WHYY explains that the drop boxes, first used in this year's primary, were deployed to keep up with unprecedented demand for mail-in voting. The Trump campaign sued the state and each county board of elections over the drop boxes and other election rules in June.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, called Saturday's ruling "a win for voters and our democracy."
The Trump campaign plans to appeal the decision.
"We've continued the fight against the Democrats' completely unmonitored, unsecure drop boxes in the federal courts," the campaign's general counsel, Matthew Morgan, told the Times. "Clearly, we disagree with the Western District's decision on unsecure drop boxes, and President Trump's team will immediately file an appeal."
The decision comes just a day after a federal judge in Texas blocked a plan to limit drop boxes to one per county. The Republican governor, Greg Abbott, said it was an election security measure to prevent fraud. Democrats accused him of trying to suppress the vote.


npr--2020-10-10--Trump Delivers Remarks At 1st Public Event Since Positive Coronavirus Test

President Trump on Saturday delivered remarks at his first public event since testing positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 1 .
Public health experts have questioned the timing so soon after his diagnosis and hospitalization .
From the White House balcony , Trump addressed supporters gathered at the South Lawn for what was billed as a `` peaceful protest for law and order . ''
Often deviating from prepared remarks , Trump hit on his standard campaign rhetoric and political attacks before a mostly masked crowd of several hundred that largely disregarded social distancing .
The president relitigated recent debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political opponents `` radical left '' and attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
`` The other day in the debate , Biden could n't even use the words 'law enforcement , ' `` Trump told the crowd .
Trump said the politics of what he called the `` radical socialist left '' were alienating Latino and Black voters .
`` Black and Latino Americans are rejecting the radical socialist left and they 're embracing our pro-jobs , pro-worker , pro-police — we want law and order .
We have to have law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's remarks Saturday come nine days after he tested positive for the coronavirus .
During his speech , Trump only briefly mentioned health and his COVID-19 diagnosis .
He did tell the crowd he `` was feeling great '' and thanked supporters for their prayers but did not say whether he still had COVID-19 .
The White House said this week that it would update when the president had tested negative for the coronavirus .
But by Saturday 's event , no such announcement had come .
White House physician Sean Conley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he anticipated `` the president 's safe return to public engagements '' on Saturday .
More than two dozen coronavirus cases have been tied to the White House or people who spent time with Trump .
Trump plans to attend a campaign rally in Florida on Monday .

Trump's Doctor Says He's No Longer A 'Transmission Risk'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Updated at 10:05 p.m. ET
President Trump is no longer contagious and is safe to discontinue isolating, his doctor said Saturday evening, nine days after testing positive for the coronavirus.
"This evening I am happy to report that in addition to the President meeting the CDC criteria for the safe discontinuation of isolation, this morning's COVID PCR sample demonstrates, by currently recognized standards, he is no longer considered a transmission risk to others," White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said in a memo.
"Now at day 10 from symptom onset, fever-free for well over 24 hours and all symptoms improved, the assortment of advanced diagnostic tests obtained reveal there is no longer evidence of actively replicating virus," Conley added, stopping short of saying that Trump had tested negative for the coronavirus. He also did not say whether the president was still exhibiting symptoms.
The news comes hours after Trump delivered remarks at his first public event since testing positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 1. The Saturday appearance left public health experts questioning the timing so soon after his diagnosis and hospitalization.
From the White House balcony, Trump addressed supporters gathered at the South Lawn for what was billed as a "peaceful protest for law and order."
Often deviating from prepared remarks, Trump hit on his standard campaign rhetoric and political attacks before a mostly masked crowd of several hundred that largely disregarded social distancing.
The president relitigated recent debate performances, mentioned immigration, called his political opponents "radical left" and attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
"The other day in the debate, Biden couldn't even use the words 'law enforcement,' " Trump told the crowd.
Trump said the politics of what he called the "radical socialist left" were alienating Latino and Black voters.
"Black and Latino Americans are rejecting the radical socialist left and they're embracing our pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-police — we want law and order. We have to have law and order," Trump said.
During his speech, Trump only briefly mentioned health and his COVID-19 diagnosis. He did tell the crowd he "was feeling great" and thanked supporters for their prayers but did not say whether he still had COVID-19.
On Thursday, Dr. Conley had said that he anticipated "the president's safe return to public engagements" by Saturday.
The White House said this week that it would update when the president had tested negative for the coronavirus. But by Saturday evening, no such announcement had come.
More than two dozen coronavirus cases have been tied to the White House or people who spent time with Trump.
Trump plans to attend a campaign rally in Florida on Monday.


npr--2020-10-10--Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power After Hurricane Delta Sweeps Through South

Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power After Hurricane Delta Sweeps Through South Hundreds of thousands of people in the Gulf Coast are without power after Hurricane Delta made landfall in Louisiana on Friday night .
The storm brought high winds and heavy rain to an area that was still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura in August .
More than half a million power outages were reported throughout the state , representing about 25 % of all customers in Louisiana , Gov .
John Bel Edwards said at a press conference on Saturday .
Delta , forecast to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land , ended up weakening to Category 2 by the time it made landfall .
But it still brought winds of 100 mph when it hit the town of Creole and then the waterfront city of Lake Charles , which had already suffered major damage from Laura .
`` There will be damage in southwest Louisiana that will be very difficult to differentiate between what was caused by Hurricane Laura and what was caused by Hurricane Delta , '' Edwards said .
In less than 12 hours , Delta dropped almost a foot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisiana .
`` Lake Charles was already in a world of trouble from that earlier hurricane , '' NPR 's John Burnett told Weekend Edition Saturday .
`` Hundreds of houses had blue tarps on their rooftops , where the earlier storm had blown away pieces of the house .
Those were probably ripped off .
Debris was piled in heaps on the curbs and the wind could have scattered that all over the city . ''
When the eastern edge of the eye passed over Lafayette , La.
, the whipping winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for just a moment , Burnett said .
`` As quickly as the wind stopped , it roared to life again , '' he continued .
`` Then the power went out and the city went dark and all you heard was this relentless wind and things breaking and flailing all around . ''
After making landfall , Delta quickly weakened .
By Saturday morning the National Hurricane Center was characterizing Delta as a tropical depression with winds of about 35 mph .
The depression was expected to bring heavy rain to eastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 to 4 inches , but with isolated storms bringing up to 10 inches and causing flash flooding .
But the remnants of Delta continue to affect the South , leaving hundreds of thousands without power .
According to the Edison Electric Institute , which represents electric companies across the country , about three-quarters of a million people had no electricity service in Louisiana , Texas and Mississippi late Saturday morning .
Workers from at least 18 states were being mobilized to help companies restore power .
The National Guard has activated more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staging supplies and jumping in to help where needed , Edwards said .
They 've got 1.5 million bottles of water , 32,000 tarps and 48,000 bags ready to distribute .
Sixteen aircraft are being used for search and rescue sweeps in southwest Louisiana .
The National Guard has already rescued 10 people in Rapides Parish , Edwards said .
No deaths were reported due to Hurricane Delta , but state officials were still encouraging residents to stay cautious .
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a concern when people run generators , as is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling trees .
`` Thank God , as of right now , we are not reporting any fatalities related to Hurricane Delta , '' the governor said .
`` But as we know , just because the storm system has passed and exited the state , that does n't mean the dangers are over . ''
`` Delta has left hazards like flooded roads , downed power lines and displaced wildlife in our communities that no one should take lightly , '' Edwards said .
`` Everyone needs to remain vigilant , continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe . ''

Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power After Hurricane Delta Sweeps Through South
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gerald Herbert/AP Gerald Herbert/AP
Hundreds of thousands of people in the Gulf Coast are without power after Hurricane Delta made landfall in Louisiana on Friday night. The storm brought high winds and heavy rain to an area that was still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura in August.
More than half a million power outages were reported throughout the state, representing about 25% of all customers in Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a press conference on Saturday.
Delta, forecast to be a Category 3 hurricane as it approached land, ended up weakening to Category 2 by the time it made landfall. But it still brought winds of 100 mph when it hit the town of Creole and then the waterfront city of Lake Charles, which had already suffered major damage from Laura.
"There will be damage in southwest Louisiana that will be very difficult to differentiate between what was caused by Hurricane Laura and what was caused by Hurricane Delta," Edwards said.
In less than 12 hours, Delta dropped almost a foot and a half of rain across southwestern Louisiana.
"Lake Charles was already in a world of trouble from that earlier hurricane," NPR's John Burnett told Weekend Edition Saturday. "Hundreds of houses had blue tarps on their rooftops, where the earlier storm had blown away pieces of the house. Those were probably ripped off. Debris was piled in heaps on the curbs and the wind could have scattered that all over the city."
When the eastern edge of the eye passed over Lafayette, La., the whipping winds and rippling sheets of sideways rain paused for just a moment, Burnett said. "As quickly as the wind stopped, it roared to life again," he continued. "Then the power went out and the city went dark and all you heard was this relentless wind and things breaking and flailing all around."
After making landfall, Delta quickly weakened. By Saturday morning the National Hurricane Center was characterizing Delta as a tropical depression with winds of about 35 mph. The depression was expected to bring heavy rain to eastern Arkansas and northern Mississippi, generally totaling 2 to 4 inches, but with isolated storms bringing up to 10 inches and causing flash flooding.
But the remnants of Delta continue to affect the South, leaving hundreds of thousands without power. According to the Edison Electric Institute, which represents electric companies across the country, about three-quarters of a million people had no electricity service in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi late Saturday morning. Workers from at least 18 states were being mobilized to help companies restore power.
The National Guard has activated more than 3,000 guardsmen, who are already staging supplies and jumping in to help where needed, Edwards said. They've got 1.5 million bottles of water, 32,000 tarps and 48,000 bags ready to distribute. Sixteen aircraft are being used for search and rescue sweeps in southwest Louisiana. The National Guard has already rescued 10 people in Rapides Parish, Edwards said.
No deaths were reported due to Hurricane Delta, but state officials were still encouraging residents to stay cautious. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a concern when people run generators, as is the risk of people being hurt by falling trees.
"Thank God, as of right now, we are not reporting any fatalities related to Hurricane Delta," the governor said. "But as we know, just because the storm system has passed and exited the state, that doesn't mean the dangers are over."
"Delta has left hazards like flooded roads, downed power lines and displaced wildlife in our communities that no one should take lightly," Edwards said. "Everyone needs to remain vigilant, continue to listen to local officials and be safe."


npr--2020-10-10--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak On Sept. 28 , the world marked a tragic milestone : 1 million deaths from COVID-19 .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
While the number of cases has slowed in many countries that were hit hard early on by coronavirus , the number of new cases continues to increase .
Since early July , new daily cases averaged over 200,000 worldwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
At over 6 million cases , the United States leads the world 's COVID-19 crisis .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have risen swiftly since June , without signs of slowing down .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.