npr--2020-08-25--'Will I Have A Place To Live?' Scrambling To Survive After $600 Benefits End

'Will I Have A Place To Live ? '
Scrambling To Survive After $ 600 Benefits End Jane Courcy was living in San Diego doing IT consulting work for colleges and universities when the pandemic hit .
Suddenly , her work dried up completely .
With the extra $ 600 a week in federal unemployment money she was able to get by .
But with that gone now , she says the state benefits wo n't cover her rent and other bills .
`` I 'm concerned — will I have a place to live , '' Courcy says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New England and we 're strong people and we take care of ourselves , but we also need government to help us a little bit .
When the money runs out , what do I do ? ''
Right now , there are millions of Americans asking that question .
The expanded federal unemployment benefits are gone with no extension from Congress in sight .
Eviction moratoriums are expiring even as large numbers of people continue to lose jobs .
And so this sudden , deep recession is forcing many people to upend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and after living in San Diego for a decade , she 's moving all the way across the country to Portland , Maine .
She 's from there and still has family nearby .
`` I just really this past week decided I can do this , '' she says .
`` I can get back to Maine . ''
She just rented an apartment in her home state .
It 's cheaper than California .
She 's applying for all kinds of jobs , from more professional ones to working in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else fails , she can move in with her parents .
But they 're in their 90s and live an hour and a half away from Portland .
`` They have a very small house , '' she says .
To make the cross-country move , get into a new place and pay rent for a while , Courcy pulled everything out of her retirement account — about $ 25,000 .
`` It 's really disheartening , '' she says .
`` You grieve your loss of your financial future and your resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option to defer mortgage payments for up to a year .
But there 's no help like that for renters .
So they do n't get that breathing room .
And many feel they have no choice but to spend down their life savings .
Of course , many others barely have any savings at all .
Pam Gunner lives in Rapid City , S.D .
She 's a teacher but was between jobs when the coronavirus pandemic hit so she did n't qualify for unemployment .
The school system she 'd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But she kept looking and found a job teaching on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation .
She 's excited about that , but the school has n't started yet and she 's had no income for two months .
That 's left her with very few options .
`` I was able to make a payment arrangement with the electric company , '' she says .
`` But I could not pay the phone bill . ''
She has no phone connection now — that got cut off .
She 'll need Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remotely .
So she 's made sure to keep paying that bill .
Like many other Americans who worked their whole lives and never thought they would n't be able to afford groceries , Gunner stands in line at a local food pantry .
And this month she could n't make her full rent payment .
`` I got home and hanging on my door was an eviction notice , a three-day notice to vacate — to either pay it or get out . ''
She says she was completely caught off guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or phone calls or anything else you know , that , 'Hey , you need to make sure you get this other half of rent in . '
`` Gunner was able to convince the landlord to be more flexible since she 's starting a new job and will soon earn money again .
But for people who are still out of work , both landlord groups and housing advocates are warning of a wave of evictions if Congress does n't approve more help .
They 'd like to see a rental assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another round of those expanded federal unemployment benefits that were helping millions of people stay afloat .

'Will I Have A Place To Live?' Scrambling To Survive After $600 Benefits End
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stockbyte/Getty Images Stockbyte/Getty Images
Jane Courcy was living in San Diego doing IT consulting work for colleges and universities when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, her work dried up completely.
With the extra $600 a week in federal unemployment money she was able to get by. But with that gone now, she says the state benefits won't cover her rent and other bills.
"I'm concerned — will I have a place to live," Courcy says. "You know, I come from New England and we're strong people and we take care of ourselves, but we also need government to help us a little bit. When the money runs out, what do I do?"
Right now, there are millions of Americans asking that question.
The expanded federal unemployment benefits are gone with no extension from Congress in sight. Eviction moratoriums are expiring even as large numbers of people continue to lose jobs. And so this sudden, deep recession is forcing many people to upend their lives.
Courcy is 63, and after living in San Diego for a decade, she's moving all the way across the country to Portland, Maine. She's from there and still has family nearby. "I just really this past week decided I can do this," she says. "I can get back to Maine."
She just rented an apartment in her home state. It's cheaper than California. She's applying for all kinds of jobs, from more professional ones to working in a warehouse for L.L.Bean.
toggle caption Jane Courcy
And if all else fails, she can move in with her parents. But they're in their 90s and live an hour and a half away from Portland. "They have a very small house," she says.
To make the cross-country move, get into a new place and pay rent for a while, Courcy pulled everything out of her retirement account — about $25,000.
"It's really disheartening," she says. "You grieve your loss of your financial future and your resources."
Congress gave most struggling homeowners the option to defer mortgage payments for up to a year. But there's no help like that for renters. So they don't get that breathing room. And many feel they have no choice but to spend down their life savings.
Of course, many others barely have any savings at all.
Pam Gunner lives in Rapid City, S.D. She's a teacher but was between jobs when the coronavirus pandemic hit, so she didn't qualify for unemployment. The school system she'd been applying to froze new hiring. But she kept looking and found a job teaching on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
She's excited about that, but school hasn't started yet and she's had no income for two months. That's left her with very few options.
"I was able to make a payment arrangement with the electric company," she says. "But I could not pay the phone bill."
She has no phone connection now — that got cut off. She'll need Internet access because her new school is starting remotely. So she's made sure to keep paying that bill.
Like many other Americans who worked their whole lives and never thought they wouldn't be able to afford groceries, Gunner stands in line at a local food pantry. And this month she couldn't make her full rent payment.
toggle caption Pam Gunner
"I got home and hanging on my door was an eviction notice, a three-day notice to vacate — to either pay it or get out," Gunner says. She says she was completely caught off guard. "I hadn't gotten emails or phone calls or anything else you know, that, 'Hey, you need to make sure you get this other half of rent in.' "
Gunner was able to persuade the landlord to be more flexible since she's starting a new job and will soon earn money again.
But for people who are still out of work, both landlord groups and housing advocates are warning of a wave of evictions if Congress doesn't approve more help. They'd like to see a rental assistance plan. And they're calling for another round of those expanded federal unemployment benefits that were helping millions of people stay afloat.


npr--2020-08-25--Veteran's Appendectomy Launches Excruciating, Months-Long Battle Over Bill

In late August 2019 , Shannon Harness awoke to serious pain in the lower right side of his abdomen — a telltale sign of appendicitis .
Harness booked it to the emergency room of the only hospital in the county : Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center in Salida , Colo. After a CT scan , doctors told Harness he had acute appendicitis and required immediate surgery .
A surgeon performed an appendectomy that night and released Harness the next day .
But a couple of days later , Harness felt sharp pains where his appendix had been .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the floor screaming .
`` It was disturbing , '' says his partner Eliza Novick-Smith .
`` He has a pretty high pain tolerance , '' given previous injuries from military service and mountain biking .
Harness went back to the hospital , where another CT scan revealed a blood clot the size of a brick floating in his pelvic area , a rare complication that most likely came from clipping and stapling the appendix tissue in the first surgery , his surgeon says .
Harness would need another operation to check for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clot .
After four more days in the hospital , he went home .
It took him a couple of months to fully recover .
Then the bill came .
Patient : Shannon Harness , 39 , a Marine Corps veteran and an operations manager for a company that builds mountain bike trails across the United States .
At the time of this incident , Harness had no insurance .
Total owed : The original hospital bill was $ 80,232 for both surgeries : The first surgery cost $ 35,906 and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount does not include payments to the surgeon , anesthesiologist , pathologist or radiologist .
Service provider : Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center , a nonprofit critical access hospital in Colorado , where the surgeries were performed .
Anesthesia , radiology and pathology were performed by other providers .
Medical services : Laparoscopic appendectomy , followed by a second surgery a few days later , to resolve complications .
What gives : Uninsured patients are extremely vulnerable to exorbitant hospital bills .
It 's difficult to negotiate with a hospital without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance company .
Worse , uninsured patients are often billed three or four times what an insurer or government program would pay for the same service , says Anthony Wright , executive director of Health Access California , an organization advocating for affordable health care in California .
`` As somebody who 's uninsured , you are getting an unnegotiated rate , '' Wright says — a rate derived from the hospital 's master price list .
Insurers typically pay a rate that is a tiny fraction of that cost .
Harness was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Though he now has VA Health Care , he had initially avoided looking into VA Health Care because he felt `` other vets needed it more . ''
) His employer did n't offer insurance , and the Affordable Care Act plan he qualified for cost $ 350 a month — money he did n't have .
One option for uninsured patients is a hospital 's financial assistance program , a requirement in some states .
In Colorado , every hospital is supposed to have a comprehensive charity care program for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the federal poverty level .
Heart of the Rockies hospital determines financial assistance on a sliding scale of family size and income .
They also offer a self-pay discount of 15 % to uninsured patients .
Harness said the hospital 's financial services office initially told him he was ineligible for their assistance program as well as the Colorado Indigent Care Program .
Harness had worked overtime the previous month and missed the qualification by around $ 200 .
The hospital would use only his past two pay stubs to verify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital would n't answer any questions about Harness ' care or bills , even though he gave it permission to do so .
Another quirk of the U.S. health care system that Harness encountered is that when surgeries do n't go as planned , and need revision with another operation , the patient ( or his insurer ) typically pays again .
Medicare and some insurers have experimented with `` bundled payments , '' through which the hospital gets a set fee for the surgery and any follow-up care for 90 days thereafter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the hospital with the help of Novick-Smith , who is a lawyer , to push back on the bills for the two surgeries — $ 35,906 for the first and $ 44,326 more for the second —and express concerns with the quality of care .
Healthcare Bluebook , which estimates costs based on insurers ' claims data , says a fair price for an appendectomy in Salida is around $ 12,600 .
Dr. Gina Adrales , director of minimally invasive surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore , says the complication Harness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate for an appendectomy is fairly low , she says .
In November , the hospital decided to give Harness a 30 % discount for both surgeries — leaving him with a still hefty bill of $ 56,162.40 .
The couple followed up repeatedly with the hospital for months , often finding representatives `` hard to reach . ''
More than six months later , in March , the hospital told Harness he would have to pay for the second surgery because it was a risk he accepted by agreeing to the appendectomy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engagement at Colorado Consumer Health Initiative , says it 's `` especially important '' to push back on bills resulting from surgical complications .
`` It usually indicates that something did n't go right in the first surgery and at least that second surgery should be provided at a substantially reduced cost to the individual , '' he says .
By May , the hospital gave in .
Lesley Fagerberg , Heart of the Rockies ' vice president of financial services , wrote a response to Harness ' grievance , reducing the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second surgery .
But she did n't explain how the hospital had come to that decision .
`` Unfortunately , there was a complication in your appendectomy surgery , '' Fagerberg wrote .
`` As explained in the consent to treat , a surgery/procedure has inherent risk .
Your case has been reviewed and the total bill has been reduced by $ 31,218.60 . ''
Harness ' final bill from the hospital , Fagerberg wrote , stands at $ 22,304.17 after adjustments that included a self-pay discount .
Harness and Novick-Smith said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and after some research , offered to pay the hospital $ 12,000 upfront .
The hospital rejected this offer .
Now , Harness is working out a payment plan with the hospital .
The hospital offers an interest-free payment plan if he can pay it off in two years , but for Harness , those monthly payments would be more than his rent .
`` I would not be able to do it by myself — I would n't have another choice other than taking out a loan , '' Harness says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was looking for property and homes to purchase and that is pretty much completely off the table right now . ''
Novick-Smith says she 's glad the hospital ultimately wrote off the bill for the second surgery .
But she still feels angry with the hospital .
`` What feels particularly hard is that the hospital markets itself in our community as this vital community resource , '' she says , `` and they provide a lot of jobs .
Their lack of transparency and lack of communication with us made this all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's nowhere else to go . ''
The takeaway : The United States health care system is not forgiving to the uninsured , who , paradoxically , often face the highest bills of all patients .
The benefit of having insurance is in part that your plan pays much of the bill , but also that you get the benefit of being charged the plan 's highly discounted rates .
If your employer does n't provide health insurance , check whether you 're eligible for a public program , says Wright .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge bill , Fox says , the first step is to ask for an itemized bill to ensure it reflects the actual service you received .
The next step is to check the hospital 's charity care policy .
Another resource uninsured patients can turn to are organizations like the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative .
`` It 's by no means a perfect solution because there 's only so much that we can do to help consumers advocate for themselves in these cases , but we do our best , '' Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wright says , it 's best to put pressure on the hospital before they sell the bill to a collections agency .
There 's less room for negotiation once a bill goes to collections , Wright says .
And if all else really fails , you could try calling the press .
Dan Weissman , founder , reporter and producer of the Arm and A Leg podcast produced the radio version of this story .
Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by Kaiser Health News and NPR that analyzes medical bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill you want to share with us ?
Tell us about it .

Veteran's Appendectomy Launches Excruciating, Months-Long Battle Over Bill
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rachel Woolf for KHN Rachel Woolf for KHN
In late August 2019, Shannon Harness awoke to serious pain in the lower right side of his abdomen — a telltale sign of appendicitis.
Harness booked it to the emergency room of the only hospital in the county: Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center in Salida, Colo. After a CT scan, doctors told Harness he had acute appendicitis and required immediate surgery.
A surgeon performed an appendectomy that night and released Harness the next day.
But a couple of days later, Harness felt sharp pains where his appendix had been. The pain grew until he was on the floor screaming.
"It was disturbing," says his partner Eliza Novick-Smith. "He has a pretty high pain tolerance," given previous injuries from military service and mountain biking.
Harness went back to the hospital, where another CT scan revealed a blood clot the size of a brick floating in his pelvic area, a rare complication that most likely came from clipping and stapling the appendix tissue in the first surgery, his surgeon says. Harness would need another operation to check for the source of bleeding and to remove the clot.
After four more days in the hospital, he went home. It took him a couple of months to fully recover.
Then the bill came.
Patient: Shannon Harness, 39, a Marine Corps veteran and an operations manager for a company that builds mountain bike trails across the United States. At the time of this incident, Harness had no insurance.
Total owed: The original hospital bill was $80,232 for both surgeries: The first surgery cost $35,906 and the clot surgery cost $44,326. This amount does not include payments to the surgeon, anesthesiologist, pathologist or radiologist.
Service provider: Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, a nonprofit critical access hospital in Colorado, where the surgeries were performed. Anesthesia, radiology and pathology were performed by other providers.
Medical services: Laparoscopic appendectomy, followed by a second surgery a few days later to resolve complications.
What gives: Uninsured patients are extremely vulnerable to exorbitant hospital bills. It's difficult to negotiate with a hospital without the leverage and bargaining power of an insurance company. Worse, uninsured patients are often billed three or four times what an insurer or government program would pay for the same service, says Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, an organization advocating for affordable health care in California.
"As somebody who's uninsured, you are getting an unnegotiated rate," Wright says — a rate derived from the hospital's master price list. Insurers typically pay a rate that is a tiny fraction of that cost.
Harness was uninsured for seven years before this incident. (Though he now has VA Health Care, he had initially avoided looking into VA Health Care because he felt "other vets needed it more.")
His employer didn't offer insurance, and the Affordable Care Act plan he qualified for cost $350 a month — money he didn't have.
One option for uninsured patients is a hospital's financial assistance program, a requirement in some states. In Colorado, every hospital is supposed to have a comprehensive charity care program for uninsured patients that earn less than 250% of the federal poverty level.
Heart of the Rockies hospital determines financial assistance on a sliding scale of family size and income. They also offer a self-pay discount of 15% to uninsured patients. Harness said the hospital's financial services office initially told him he was ineligible for their assistance program as well as the Colorado Indigent Care Program. Harness had worked overtime the previous month and missed the qualification by around $200. The hospital would use only his past two pay stubs to verify his income, he says.
toggle caption Rachel Woolf for KHN
The hospital wouldn't answer any questions about Harness' care or bills, even though he gave it permission to do so.
Another quirk of the U.S. health care system that Harness encountered is that when surgeries don't go as planned, and need revision with another operation, the patient (or his insurer) typically pays again. Medicare and some insurers have experimented with "bundled payments," through which the hospital gets a set fee for the surgery and any follow-up care for 90 days thereafter.
Resolution: Harness filed a grievance with the hospital with the help of Novick-Smith, who is a lawyer, to push back on the bills for the two surgeries — $35,906 for the first and $44,326 more for the second —and express concerns with the quality of care.
Healthcare Bluebook, which estimates costs based on insurers' claims data, says a fair price for an appendectomy in Salida is around $12,600. Dr. Gina Adrales, director of minimally invasive surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, says the complication Harness experienced is not common. The complication rate for an appendectomy is fairly low, she says.
In November, the hospital decided to give Harness a 30% discount for both surgeries — leaving him with a still hefty bill of $56,162.40.
toggle caption Rachel Woolf for KHN
The couple followed up repeatedly with the hospital for months, often finding representatives "hard to reach." More than six months later, in March, the hospital told Harness he would have to pay for the second surgery because it was a risk he accepted by agreeing to the appendectomy.
Adam Fox, director of strategic engagement at Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, says it's "especially important" to push back on bills resulting from surgical complications. "It usually indicates that something didn't go right in the first surgery and at least that second surgery should be provided at a substantially reduced cost to the individual," he says.
By May, the hospital gave in. Lesley Fagerberg, Heart of the Rockies' vice president of financial services, wrote a response to Harness' grievance, reducing the total bill by roughly the amount charged for the second surgery. But she didn't explain how the hospital had come to that decision.
"Unfortunately, there was a complication in your appendectomy surgery," Fagerberg wrote. "As explained in the consent to treat, a surgery/procedure has inherent risk. Your case has been reviewed and the total bill has been reduced by $31,218.60."
Harness' final bill from the hospital, Fagerberg wrote, stands at $22,304.17 after adjustments that included a self-pay discount.
Harness and Novick-Smith said that still seemed too high to them, and after some research, offered to pay the hospital $12,000 upfront. The hospital rejected this offer.
Now, Harness is working out a payment plan with the hospital. The hospital offers an interest-free payment plan if he can pay it off in two years, but for Harness, those monthly payments would be more than his rent.
"I would not be able to do it by myself — I wouldn't have another choice other than taking out a loan," Harness says. "Before the appendectomy, I was looking for property and homes to purchase and that is pretty much completely off the table right now."
Novick-Smith says she's glad the hospital ultimately wrote off the bill for the second surgery. But she still feels angry with the hospital.
"What feels particularly hard is that the hospital markets itself in our community as this vital community resource," she says, "and they provide a lot of jobs. Their lack of transparency and lack of communication with us made this all a whole lot worse, especially because there's nowhere else to go."
The takeaway: The United States health care system is not forgiving to the uninsured, who, paradoxically, often face the highest bills of all patients. The benefit of having insurance is in part that your plan pays much of the bill, but also that you get the benefit of being charged the plan's highly discounted rates. If your employer doesn't provide health insurance, check whether you're eligible for a public program, says Wright.
If you're uninsured and stuck with a huge bill, Fox says, the first step is to ask for an itemized bill to ensure it reflects the actual service you received. The next step is to check the hospital's charity care policy. Another resource uninsured patients can turn to are organizations like the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.
"It's by no means a perfect solution because there's only so much that we can do to help consumers advocate for themselves in these cases, but we do our best," Fox says.
If all else fails, Wright says, it's best to put pressure on the hospital before they sell the bill to a collections agency. There's less room for negotiation once a bill goes to collections, Wright says. And if all else really fails, you could try calling the press.
Dan Weissmann, founder, reporter and producer of the Arm And A Leg podcast produced the radio version of this story.
Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by Kaiser Health News and NPR that analyzes medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it.


npr--2020-08-25--4 Takeaways From The 1st Night Of The Republican National Convention

4 Takeaways From The 1st Night Of The Republican National Convention Follow live coverage of the RNC all week at NPR.org/conventions .
The first night of the Republican National Convention was a little scattershot .
It seemed to be partially about counter-programming the Democratic National Convention last week , partially intended to fire up the base and partially aimed at winning back some of those 2016 Trump voters who are having second thoughts .
Trump had promised an `` uplifting '' convention , but aside from an opening video and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott 's closing speech , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , the night painted an image of a liberal dystopia that would take hold if Democrat Joe Biden is elected .
Here are four takeaways from Monday night of the Republican National Convention : 1 .
Republicans tried to appeal to their base and retain soft Trump voters When Republicans are surveyed , they show little to no slippage in their support of President Trump .
And more Trump supporters than Biden supporters say they are voting out of enthusiasm for their candidate rather than in opposition to his rival .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same voters he won in 2016 , from suburbanites and seniors to men — to white voters overall .
For a while , Trump 's support in head-to-head surveys with Biden was higher than his approval rating .
In other words , there was a slice of voters who disapproved of the job Trump was doing but said they would still vote for him .
But now that 's not the case .
Trump is pulling in 42 % of the vote against Biden in an average of the polls .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an average of the polls .
The convention 's first night projected a heavy fear factor .
At times , it presented an almost apocalyptic message of what would happen if Democrats take control of the country — an attempt to excite the base , but also to try to shake up those voters who pulled the lever for Trump four years ago but might now be wavering .
2 .
Speakers focused on trying to fix Trump 's vulnerabilities Whether it was his handling of the coronavirus pandemic or the view that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were efforts Monday night to change the narrative .
Most of the early program dealt with COVID-19 and tried to sell that Trump has done a lot to fight it and has saved lives — despite the president having dismissed the gravity of the virus early on and been resistant to wearing a mask .
There was a video with regular people talking to the president at the White House .
( There was even a postal worker . )
He was smiling and asking questions and listening — not something you generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hoping that for the sliver of people who are still undecided , that portrait of Trump can help .
3 .
Republicans so wanted to run against socialism , but instead they got Joe Biden You get the sense that Republicans began scripting this convention during the Democratic primary , when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was the front-runner , and never changed the playbook .
They 'd like to run against socialism , and they 'd like to paint Biden as being beholden to what Republicans call the radical left .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hashtag promoted by AOC and the socialists , '' said Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz , referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York .
`` The Woketopians will settle for Biden , because they will make him an extra in a movie written , produced and directed by others . ''
But Biden 's Democratic opponents criticized him during the primary for working with Southern segregationists .
And now Republicans want to paint him as a puppet of `` The Squad , '' the group of liberal congresswomen who conservative media love to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make stick to Biden , because he 's a known quantity — in the public eye for nearly half a century , and no radical .
If you do n't buy the socialism label though , Gaetz implied in the last part of his statement that Biden 's not the same guy he used to be .
Like President Trump has insinuated , Gaetz 's implication is that Biden 's mental acuity has slipped .
But Biden 's convention speech probably did well to dispel that notion for anyone genuinely considering voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , no one except South Carolina 's Tim Scott — who focused on the specifics of Biden 's record — really went after him in a way that was more than a generic anti-liberal caricature .
4 .
Tim Scott stood out — and may have given wavering Republicans a reason to vote for Trump There were plenty of speeches made by high-profile conservatives Monday night , including Donald Trump Jr. and former U.S .
Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley .
But the speech that stood out was the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican in the U.S. Senate ( there are two Black Democrats in the Senate ) .
He went beyond promoting Trump .
`` Our family went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime , '' Scott said , `` and that 's why I believe the next American century can be better than the last . ''
Scott 's address was policy-driven , and it was hopeful , and maybe did more to vault him to the presidential conversation in 2024 or 2028 than make a case for why Trump should be reelected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wavering Republican voters , reminding them of why they 're Republicans and why they are against the Democratic alternative .
Scott granted permission — and a reason — for why they should vote for Trump in this election .
`` While this election is between Donald Trump and Joe Biden , '' Scott said , `` it is not solely about Donald Trump and Joe Biden .
It 's about the promise of America . ''
In other words : You might not love Trump , but fight for conservative policies and the @ @ @ @ @ @

4 Takeaways From The 1st Night Of The Republican National Convention
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Follow live coverage of the RNC all week at NPR.org/conventions.
The first night of the Republican National Convention was a little scattershot. It seemed to be partially about counter-programming the Democratic National Convention last week, partially intended to fire up the base and partially aimed at winning back some of those 2016 Trump voters who are having second thoughts.
Trump had promised an "uplifting" convention, but aside from an opening video and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott's closing speech, which largely wasn't about President Trump at all, the night painted an image of a liberal dystopia that would take hold if Democrat Joe Biden is elected.
Here are four takeaways from Monday night of the Republican National Convention:
NPR YouTube
1. Republicans tried to appeal to their base and retain soft Trump voters
When Republicans are surveyed, they show little to no slippage in their support of President Trump. And more Trump supporters than Biden supporters say they are voting out of enthusiasm for their candidate rather than in opposition to his rival.
But Trump is struggling to keep some of the same voters he won in 2016, from suburbanites and seniors to men — to white voters overall.
For a while, Trump's support in head-to-head surveys with Biden was higher than his approval rating. In other words, there was a slice of voters who disapproved of the job Trump was doing but said they would still vote for him.
But now that's not the case. Trump is pulling in 42% of the vote against Biden in an average of the polls. And his approval rating is 42% in an average of the polls.
The convention's first night projected a heavy fear factor. At times, it presented an almost apocalyptic message of what would happen if Democrats take control of the country — an attempt to excite the base, but also to try to shake up those voters who pulled the lever for Trump four years ago but might now be wavering.
2. Speakers focused on trying to fix Trump's vulnerabilities
Whether it was his handling of the coronavirus pandemic or the view that Trump is not empathetic enough, there were efforts Monday night to change the narrative.
Most of the early program dealt with COVID-19 and tried to sell that Trump has done a lot to fight it and has saved lives — despite the president having dismissed the gravity of the virus early on and been resistant to wearing a mask.
There was a video with regular people talking to the president at the White House. (There was even a postal worker.) He was smiling and asking questions and listening — not something you generally see out of President Trump.
Organizers are hoping that for the sliver of people who are still undecided, that portrait of Trump can help.
3. Republicans so wanted to run against socialism, but instead they got Joe Biden
You get the sense that Republicans began scripting this convention during the Democratic primary, when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was the front-runner, and never changed the playbook. They'd like to run against socialism, and they'd like to paint Biden as being beholden to what Republicans call the radical left.
"Settle for Biden. That's the hashtag promoted by AOC and the socialists," said Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. "The Woketopians will settle for Biden, because they will make him an extra in a movie written, produced and directed by others."
But Biden's Democratic opponents criticized him during the primary for working with Southern segregationists. And now Republicans want to paint him as a puppet of "The Squad," the group of liberal congresswomen who conservative media love to attack.
That's a tough argument to make stick to Biden, because he's a known quantity — in the public eye for nearly half a century, and no radical.
If you don't buy the socialism label though, Gaetz implied in the last part of his statement that Biden's not the same guy he used to be. Like President Trump has insinuated, Gaetz's implication is that Biden's mental acuity has slipped.
But Biden's convention speech probably did well to dispel that notion for anyone genuinely considering voting for him or Trump.
What's more, no one except South Carolina's Tim Scott — who focused on the specifics of Biden's record — really went after him in a way that was more than a generic anti-liberal caricature.
4. Tim Scott stood out — and may have given wavering Republicans a reason to vote for Trump
There were plenty of speeches made by high-profile conservatives Monday night, including Donald Trump Jr. and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
But the speech that stood out was the one made by Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate (there are two Black Democrats in the Senate). He went beyond promoting Trump.
"Our family went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime," Scott said, "and that's why I believe the next American century can be better than the last."
Scott's address was policy-driven, and it was hopeful, and maybe did more to vault him to the presidential conversation in 2024 or 2028 than make a case for why Trump should be reelected.
He was almost pleading with those wavering Republican voters, reminding them of why they're Republicans and why they are against the Democratic alternative.
Scott granted permission — and a reason — for why they should vote for Trump in this election.
"While this election is between Donald Trump and Joe Biden," Scott said, "it is not solely about Donald Trump and Joe Biden. It's about the promise of America."
In other words: You might not love Trump, but fight for conservative policies and the kind of country you want.


npr--2020-08-24--Florida Judge Rules State Order Requiring Schools To Reopen 'Unconstitutional'

A Florida judge on Monday ruled against the state 's order requiring schools to open for in-person instruction by the end of August , calling parts of it `` unconstitutional . ''
He granted a temporary injunction , putting the decision-making power in the hands of individual districts .
The emergency order was issued by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran in early July as the state 's coronavirus cases surged , and mandated that all districts open `` brick and mortar schools '' at least five days a week for families who want to send their students back , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with teachers and parents , the Florida Education Association — the state 's largest teachers ' union — quickly filed a lawsuit , alleging the order violated a provision in Florida 's constitution requiring the state to ensure schools operate safely .
They were joined by the NAACP and the NAACP Florida State Conference last week .
In a 16-page decision , Circuit Judge Charles Dodson said the order is `` unconstitutional to the extent that it arbitrarily disregards safety , denies local school boards ' decision making with respect to reopening brick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an approved reopening plan with a start date in August . ''
`` Schools should reopen when the local decision makers determine upon advice of medical experts that it is safe to do so , '' he wrote .
On Monday evening , a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education told NPR that the department had appealed the decision .
This automatically placed a stay on the judge 's order , blocking it from taking effect until the appeal is over or unless the court rules otherwise .
An FEA spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday to ask the judge to reinstate his order .
In a statement shared with NPR , Corcoran said he is `` 100 % confident '' the state will win the lawsuit .
`` This fight has been , and will continue to be , about giving every parent , every teacher and every student a choice , regardless of what educational option they choose , '' Corcoran said .
`` If you are one of the 1.6 million students who have chosen to return to the classroom , a parent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educate their student in person , we strongly encourage you to call the Florida Education Association and tell them to drop this frivolous lawsuit . ''
Corcoran defended the state 's aggressive approach to reopening schools in an interview on All Things Considered last week , saying transmission rates had dropped significantly and that the educational and developmental consequences of keeping kids home outweigh the risk posed to them by the virus .
Dodson wrote that while it is not entirely clear to what extent children transmit the virus to adults , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no easy decision and opening schools will most likely increase COVID-19 cases in Florida . ''
He added that the order did not take into consideration community transmission rates , the varying ages of students or proper precautions .
Dodson pointed to the case of Hillsborough County earlier this month , where the local school board voted to delay the start of in-person learning by three weeks based on the advice of medical experts , but walked that decision back after getting a letter from Corcoran that said they would not otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritized reopening schools statewide in August over safety and the advice of health experts , '' Dodson wrote .
`` And all school districts complied in order to avoid a drastic loss of state funding . ''
In an exception to the order , the state did allow three South Florida counties hard-hit by COVID-19 — Miami-Dade , Broward and Palm Beach — to begin the year with distance learning .
Andrew Spar , vice president of the FEA , said at a press conference that the `` overwhelming majority '' of districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are set to open on Monday .
Before the appeal was announced , educators and legal experts said at the FEA press conference that the injunction would allow schools to make their own decisions about remaining open , moving to virtual learning or further delaying opening based on local conditions without having to submit a plan for state approval .
According to the FEA , several counties are struggling with confirmed cases and quarantines soon after reopening for in-person instruction .
It said Martin County , the most populous county to open in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to quarantine nearly 300 students and several educators .
Dodson also acknowledged that teachers overwhelmingly want to be back in school , but many may not be able to stay in the classroom or even in the profession due to unsafe conditions in school buildings that have opened .
For example , he said , some classrooms may not provide enough space for proper social distancing , and teachers may lack adequate personal protective equipment or time to thoroughly sanitize their classrooms .
Those safety concerns are exacerbated if teachers or members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could make them more vulnerable to the virus .
`` They chose to teach because they have a passion for teaching our children , '' Dodson wrote .
`` They want to be in the classroom interacting with their students .
But the evidence was clear that there are teachers falling hard through the cracks because of this order . ''
The FEA praised the court 's ruling on Monday .
`` This is only a temporary injunction , but we plan to press ahead in court , '' President Fedrick Ingram said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have the freedom to make the best decisions for reopening or keeping open local schools .
Our districts should not be ruled by reckless edicts from on high .
Safety must come before politics . ''
Randi Weingarten , president of the American Federation of Teachers , called the injunction a relief and said `` safety has to come first . ''
She also said an appeal was expected .
Earlier on Monday , DeSantis said that Florida had just reported its lowest number of COVID-19 cases since June 14 .

Florida Judge Rules State Order Requiring Schools To Reopen 'Unconstitutional'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images
A Florida judge on Monday ruled against the state's order requiring schools to open for in-person instruction by the end of August, calling parts of it "unconstitutional." He granted a temporary injunction, putting the decision-making power in the hands of individual districts.
The emergency order was issued by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran in early July as the state's coronavirus cases surged, and mandated that all districts open "brick and mortar schools" at least five days a week for families who want to send their students back, or else risk losing already-allocated funding.
Along with teachers and parents, the Florida Education Association — the state's largest teachers' union — quickly filed a lawsuit, alleging the order violated a provision in Florida's constitution requiring the state to ensure schools operate safely. They were joined by the NAACP and the NAACP Florida State Conference last week.
In a 16-page decision, Circuit Judge Charles Dodson said the order is "unconstitutional to the extent that it arbitrarily disregards safety, denies local school boards' decision making with respect to reopening brick and mortar schools, and conditions funding on an approved reopening plan with a start date in August."
"Schools should reopen when the local decision makers determine upon advice of medical experts that it is safe to do so," he wrote.
On Monday evening, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education told NPR that the department had appealed the decision. This automatically placed a stay on the judge's order, blocking it from taking effect until the appeal is over or unless the court rules otherwise. An FEA spokesperson said the union will return to court on Tuesday to ask the judge to reinstate his order.
In a statement shared with NPR, Corcoran said he is "100% confident" the state will win the lawsuit.
"This fight has been, and will continue to be, about giving every parent, every teacher and every student a choice, regardless of what educational option they choose," Corcoran said. "If you are one of the 1.6 million students who have chosen to return to the classroom, a parent, or a classroom teacher that wanted to educate their student in person, we strongly encourage you to call the Florida Education Association and tell them to drop this frivolous lawsuit."
Corcoran defended the state's aggressive approach to reopening schools in an interview on All Things Considered last week, saying transmission rates had dropped significantly and that the educational and developmental consequences of keeping kids home outweigh the risk posed to them by the virus.
Dodson wrote that while it is not entirely clear to what extent children transmit the virus to adults, "what has been clearly established is there is no easy decision and opening schools will most likely increase COVID-19 cases in Florida." He added that the order did not take into consideration community transmission rates, the varying ages of students or proper precautions.
Dodson pointed to the case of Hillsborough County earlier this month, where the local school board voted to delay the start of in-person learning by three weeks based on the advice of medical experts, but walked that decision back after getting a letter from Corcoran that said they would not otherwise receive financial flexibility.
"Defendants arbitrarily prioritized reopening schools statewide in August over safety and the advice of health experts," Dodson wrote. "And all school districts complied in order to avoid a drastic loss of state funding."
In an exception to the order, the state did allow three South Florida counties hard-hit by COVID-19 — Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — to begin the year with distance learning.
Andrew Spar, vice president of the FEA, said at a press conference that the "overwhelming majority" of districts have already started school, and more are set to open on Monday.
Before the appeal was announced, educators and legal experts said at the FEA press conference that the injunction would allow schools to make their own decisions about remaining open, moving to virtual learning or further delaying opening based on local conditions without having to submit a plan for state approval.
According to the FEA, several counties are struggling with confirmed cases and quarantines soon after reopening for in-person instruction. It said Martin County, the most populous county to open in the first half of August, has had to quarantine nearly 300 students and several educators.
Dodson also acknowledged that teachers overwhelmingly want to be back in school, but many may not be able to stay in the classroom or even in the profession due to unsafe conditions in school buildings that have opened.
For example, he said, some classrooms may not provide enough space for proper social distancing, and teachers may lack adequate personal protective equipment or time to thoroughly sanitize their classrooms. Those safety concerns are exacerbated if teachers or members of their household have pre-existing conditions that could make them more vulnerable to the virus.
"They chose to teach because they have a passion for teaching our children," Dodson wrote. "They want to be in the classroom interacting with their students. But the evidence was clear that there are teachers falling hard through the cracks because of this order."
The FEA praised the court's ruling on Monday.
"This is only a temporary injunction, but we plan to press ahead in court," President Fedrick Ingram said in a statement. "Local communities should have the freedom to make the best decisions for reopening or keeping open local schools. Our districts should not be ruled by reckless edicts from on high. Safety must come before politics."
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called the injunction a relief and said "safety has to come first." She also said an appeal was expected.
Earlier on Monday, DeSantis said that Florida had just reported its lowest number of COVID-19 cases since June 14.


npr--2020-08-24--Liberty University Doubles Down After Falwell Denies Reports Of His Resignation

Liberty University Doubles Down After Falwell Denies Reports Of His Resignation Officials at Liberty University , one of the nation 's largest and most well-known Christian universities , are doubling down after Jerry Falwell Jr. denied reports he 'd agreed to step down as president following allegations of sexual behavior at odds with the school 's honor code .
A statement released late Monday evening by Liberty 's spokesman Scott Lamb said that `` matters came to light that made it clear that it would not be in the best interest of the University for him to return from leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been on an indefinite leave of absence from the university since earlier this month , after he posted a controversial vacation photo to social media .
The statement said that Falwell initially had agreed to resign immediately as Liberty 's president , but then `` instructed his attorneys to not tender the letter for immediate resignation . ''
It said board members plan to meet Tuesday morning to discuss the matter .
In a text message to NPR late Monday , Falwell said only that things were `` still up in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Falwell and the university founded by his father , the late Rev .
Jerry Falwell , comes on the heels of an investigation published by Reuters in which Falwell 's former business partner , Giancarlo Granda , claimed he had a multiyear sexual relationship with Falwell 's wife , Becki , which involved Falwell looking on while the pair engaged in sex acts .
That report was published a day after Falwell released a statement to the Washington Examiner in which he claimed that he had suffered emotional distress over his wife 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described it as a `` fatal attraction '' situation that included attempts to extort the high-profile couple financially .
Falwell has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent years , including questionable business dealings , accusations of racial insensitivity , complaints about his management style and allegations of other behavior considered inappropriate for the leader of a conservative religious institution .
Previous reporting by news outlets , including BuzzFeed , has described a complicated business entanglement and close friendship between the Falwells and Granda .
The couple met Granda in Miami @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his early 20s , working as a pool attendant , according to the reports .
The BuzzFeed report also claimed that Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen – who has since been convicted of federal campaign violations and of lying to Congress – helped arrange Falwell 's endorsement of Trump .
Separately , Reuters has reported that Cohen helped the Falwells arrange to keep private a set of potentially embarrassing photographs .
Falwell agreed to the indefinite leave of absence on Aug. 7 after he posted a photo to Instagram that showed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around a woman who is not his wife , whose pants also were unzipped .
In an interview with a local radio station , he said the photo was taken `` in good fun '' at a costume party and the woman , his wife 's assistant , could not zip her pants because she is pregnant .
Liberty , whose campus is in Lynchburg , Va. , holds its students to a strict moral code , which includes prohibitions on sex outside of marriage and same-sex relationships .
Some evangelical Christians critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have objected to Falwell Jr. 's vocal support for the president since early on in the 2016 Republican primary .
His endorsement was seen as an important step toward helping Trump coalesce support from this important Republican voting bloc .
In an interview with NPR in 2017 , Falwell was asked for his thoughts about Trump 's moral character .
Falwell said evangelical Christian theology is about recognizing that everyone is a sinner in need of forgiveness .
`` You ca n't go by who 's sinned and who has n't , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` The ones that you think are so perfect and sinless – it 's just you do n't know about it .
They 're all just as bad .
We all are .
And that 's the bottom line . ''

Liberty University Doubles Down After Falwell Denies Reports Of His Resignation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Alex Wong/Getty Images
Updated at 11:03 p.m. ET
Officials at Liberty University, one of the nation's largest and most well-known Christian universities, are doubling down after Jerry Falwell Jr. denied reports he'd agreed to step down as president following allegations of sexual behavior at odds with the school's honor code.
A statement released late Monday evening by Liberty's spokesman Scott Lamb said that "matters came to light that made it clear that it would not be in the best interest of the University for him to return from leave and serve as President." Falwell had been on an indefinite leave of absence from the university since earlier this month, after he posted a controversial vacation photo to social media.
The statement said that Falwell initially had agreed to resign immediately as Liberty's president, but then "instructed his attorneys to not tender the letter for immediate resignation." It said board members plan to meet Tuesday morning to discuss the matter.
In a text message to NPR late Monday, Falwell said only that things were "still up in the air."
The latest breech between Falwell and the university founded by his father, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, comes on the heels of an investigation published by Reuters in which Falwell's former business partner, Giancarlo Granda, claimed he had a multiyear sexual relationship with Falwell's wife, Becki, which involved Falwell looking on while the pair engaged in sex acts.
That report was published a day after Falwell released a statement to the Washington Examiner in which he claimed that he had suffered emotional distress over his wife's affair with his business partner. Falwell described it as a "fatal attraction" situation that included attempts to extort the high-profile couple financially.
Falwell has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent years, including questionable business dealings, accusations of racial insensitivity, complaints about his management style and allegations of other behavior considered inappropriate for the leader of a conservative religious institution.
Previous reporting by news outlets, including BuzzFeed, has described a complicated business entanglement and close friendship between the Falwells and Granda. The couple met Granda in Miami several years ago while he was in his early 20s, working as a pool attendant, according to the reports. The BuzzFeed report also claimed that Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen – who has since been convicted of federal campaign violations and of lying to Congress – helped arrange Falwell's endorsement of Trump. Separately, Reuters has reported that Cohen helped the Falwells arrange to keep private a set of potentially embarrassing photographs.
Falwell agreed to the indefinite leave of absence on Aug. 7 after he posted a photo to Instagram that showed him with his pants unzipped and his arm around a woman who is not his wife, whose pants also were unzipped. In an interview with a local radio station, he said the photo was taken "in good fun" at a costume party and the woman, his wife's assistant, could not zip her pants because she is pregnant.
Liberty, whose campus is in Lynchburg, Va., holds its students to a strict moral code, which includes prohibitions on sex outside of marriage and same-sex relationships.
Some evangelical Christians critical of Trump, including some Liberty students, have objected to Falwell Jr.'s vocal support for the president since early on in the 2016 Republican primary. His endorsement was seen as an important step toward helping Trump coalesce support from this important Republican voting bloc.
In an interview with NPR in 2017, Falwell was asked for his thoughts about Trump's moral character. Falwell said evangelical Christian theology is about recognizing that everyone is a sinner in need of forgiveness.
"You can't go by who's sinned and who hasn't, because we all have," Falwell said. "The ones that you think are so perfect and sinless – it's just you don't know about it. They're all just as bad. We all are. And that's the bottom line."


npr--2020-08-27--'Change Doesn't Happen With Just Talk': NBA Playoffs Return. But Athletes Fight On

'Change Does n't Happen With Just Talk ' : NBA Playoffs Return .
But Athletes Fight On But not before a second day of postponed games .
In a statement , the league said Thursday 's playoff games wo n't be played as scheduled .
`` We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday . ''
The decision came after lengthy and sometimes angry discussions Wednesday night and Thursday morning , in which players debated the merits of starting back up versus cancelling the season entirely .
Initially , two championship-contending teams , the Los Angeles Lakers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the L.A. Clippers and their star Kawhi Leonard , favored calling off the season , which restarted in July in a pandemic-protected bubble near Orlando , Fla. after being shut down in March because of the coronavirus outbreak .
But according to reports , the Lakers and Clippers realized the consensus among players and teams was to finish the season .
And they agreed .
James was one of many players however , who made it clear the dramatic work stoppage that grabbed so much attention , was simply a start .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
! ''
James tweeted .
`` It happens with action and needs to happen NOW !
For my @ IPROMISESchool kids , kids and communities across the country , it 's on US to make a difference .
Together .
That 's why your vote is @ morethanavote .
# BlackLivesMatter . ''
A video conference call meeting was scheduled for late Thursday between a group of players and team , league and union officials to discuss next steps in the player 's quest to affect social change .
The Milwaukee Bucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues forward , when they released a statement Wednesday following the decision to not play Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic .
That decision prompted the NBA postponements that spread to other pro sports leagues , and continued Thursday .
The WNBA , a longtime leader in speaking out on social issues , postponed games for a second day in a row .
Several NFL teams called off practices and the league and its players union released a joint statement .
`` We are proud that our players and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking time to have the difficult conversations about these issues that affect the Black community and other communities of color in America . ''
The NFL 's Baltimore Ravens went even farther , with a forceful and detailed statement calling for action .
`` Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation 's foundation , '' the statement read , `` and is a blemish on our country 's history .
If we are to change course and make our world a better place , we must face this problem head-on and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The Ravens called for a number of actions , including : • The arrest and charging of police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor 's killing in Louisville , Ky. and the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wi .
• Demanding Senator Mitch McConnell brings the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the Senate floor for vote .
• Supporting state- and federally-mandated CALEA ( Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies ) Accreditation and national standards of care in policing .
• Encouraging every citizen to act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police .
If you feel there has been an abuse of power , we encourage you to contact your police department 's internal affairs unit .
The National Hockey League was criticized for being the only major North American sports league not to postpone any games Wednesday night as part of the protest .
But late Thursday , the NHL announced it was postponing playoff games that night and Friday , saying `` we pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society . ''
And then there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similarly criticized MLB , which traditionally has lagged behind other pro sports leagues when it comes to speaking out on social issues .
Three games were cancelled Wednesday as part of the Jacob Blake protest – but critics said it was an uneven response , with some teams playing and some not .
And some players sitting out while their teams played .
`` Why is it so hard to do something unified for 1 day just 1 day ? ''
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty tweeted .
Then late Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversy .
Video emerged of New York Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen criticizing MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for suggesting what appeared to be a protest publicity stunt .
In the leaked video , Van Wagenen says it was Manfred 's idea to have the Mets and their Thursday opponents , the Miami Marlins , take the field as if they were going to play but then walk off together in protest .
Then , they 'd return an hour later to play .
`` He just does n't get it , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to the story by releasing an apology ... .by Van Wagenen .
That may , or may not , quiet criticism of Manfred and MLB 's piecemeal approach in the current climate of protest .
Baseball 's defenders will note the league has been dealing with a number of COVID-19 postponements that it 's trying to reschedule , and more postponements will further complicate an already difficult , truncated regular season .
Even though the Jacob Blake postponements are meant to transcend games and schedules .
In the end , perhaps a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescue MLB from its embarrassing incident .
In the Mets-Marlins game , players from both teams did take the field .
But then they removed their hats , bowed their heads , and had a 42-second moment of silence , a day before baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson .
Robinson wore number 42 .
Then they laid a black , Black Lives Matter shirt on homeplate , and walked off .

'Change Doesn't Happen With Just Talk': NBA Playoffs Return. But Athletes Fight On
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin C. Cox/AP Kevin C. Cox/AP
The NBA playoffs will resume.
But not before a second day of postponed games.
In a statement, the league said Thursday's playoff games won't be played as scheduled.
"We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday."
The decision came after lengthy and sometimes angry discussions Wednesday night and Thursday morning, in which players debated the merits of starting back up versus cancelling the season entirely. Initially, two championship-contending teams, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by superstar LeBron James, and the L.A. Clippers and their star Kawhi Leonard, favored calling off the season, which restarted in July in a pandemic-protected bubble near Orlando, Fla. after being shut down in March because of the coronavirus outbreak.
But according to reports, the Lakers and Clippers realized the consensus among players and teams was to finish the season. And they agreed.
James was one of many players however, who made it clear the dramatic work stoppage that grabbed so much attention, was simply a start.
"Change doesn't happen with just talk!!" James tweeted. "It happens with action and needs to happen NOW! For my @IPROMISESchool kids, kids and communities across the country, it's on US to make a difference. Together. That's why your vote is @morethanavote. #BlackLivesMatter."
A video conference call meeting was scheduled for late Thursday between a group of players and team, league and union officials to discuss next steps in the player's quest to affect social change.
The Milwaukee Bucks laid out their ideas for moving the issues forward, when they released a statement Wednesday following the decision to not play Game 5 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic.
That decision prompted the NBA postponements that spread to other pro sports leagues, and continued Thursday.
The WNBA, a longtime leader in speaking out on social issues, postponed games for a second day in a row.
Several NFL teams called off practices and the league and its players union released a joint statement.
"We are proud that our players and clubs, League and Union, are taking time to have the difficult conversations about these issues that affect the Black community and other communities of color in America."
The NFL's Baltimore Ravens went even farther, with a forceful and detailed statement calling for action.
"Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation's foundation," the statement read, "and is a blemish on our country's history. If we are to change course and make our world a better place, we must face this problem head-on and act now to enact positive change."
The Ravens called for a number of actions, including:
The arrest and charging of police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor's killing in Louisville, Ky. and the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wi.
Demanding Senator Mitch McConnell brings the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 to the Senate floor for vote.
Supporting state- and federally-mandated CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) Accreditation and national standards of care in policing.
Encouraging every citizen to act with respect and compliance when engaging with the police. If you feel there has been an abuse of power, we encourage you to contact your police department's internal affairs unit.
The National Hockey League was criticized for being the only major North American sports league not to postpone any games Wednesday night as part of the protest. But late Thursday, the NHL announced it was postponing playoff games that night and Friday, saying "we pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society."
And then there's Major League Baseball.
Some players similarly criticized MLB, which traditionally has lagged behind other pro sports leagues when it comes to speaking out on social issues. Three games were postponed Wednesday as part of the Jacob Blake protest – but critics said it was an uneven response, with some teams playing and some not. And some players sitting out while their teams played. Thursday was the same – seven games postponed, eight played.
"Why is it so hard to do something unified for 1 day just 1 day?" St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty tweeted.
Then late Thursday, MLB found itself embroiled in a protest-related controversy.
Video emerged of New York Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen criticizing MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for suggesting what appeared to be a protest publicity stunt. In the leaked video, Van Wagenen says it was Manfred's idea to have the Mets and their Thursday opponents, the Miami Marlins, take the field as if they were going to play but then walk off together in protest. Then, they'd return an hour later to play.
"He just doesn't get it," Van Wagenen said of Manfred.
MLB responded to the story by releasing an apology....by Van Wagenen.
That may, or may not, quiet criticism of Manfred and MLB's piecemeal approach in the current climate of protest. Baseball's defenders will note the league has been dealing with a number of COVID-19 postponements that it's trying to reschedule, and more postponements will further complicate an already difficult, truncated regular season.
Even though the Jacob Blake postponements are meant to transcend games and schedules.
In the end, perhaps a pitch perfect moment by the players will rescue MLB from its embarrassing incident.
In the Mets-Marlins game, players from both teams did take the field. But then they removed their hats, bowed their heads, and had a 42-second moment of silence, a day before baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson. Robinson wore number 42.
Then they laid a black, Black Lives Matter shirt on homeplate, and walked off.
For the night.


npr--2020-08-27--FEMA Assesses Hurricane Damage, Taking COVID-19 Precautions

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that while the impact of Hurricane Laura was less catastrophic than initially predicted , the storm significantly damaged many communities and remains a threat to parts of several Southern states still in its path .
FEMA officials said on a call with reporters that it is working to assess the damage and distribute aid to people in need — while taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
Hurricane Laura slammed into the Texas-Louisiana border early Thursday as a Category 4 storm , bringing extreme winds and high waters to coastal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The storm flooded roadways , scattered debris , sent thousands of people scrambling to shelters and left hundreds of thousands of customers without power .
National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Goldstein said that Louisiana was `` fortunate in one way but less fortunate in another '' as the state faced a smaller-than-expected storm surge but some of the strongest winds in recent memory .
That 's because the center of the storm was slightly east of where forecasters had predicted .
Goldstein said if it had been just 10 to 12 miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would have had `` extremely serious inundation . ''
MaryAnn Tierney , a FEMA administrator on the ground in southwest Louisiana , stressed that it could be another day or so until officials get a full picture of the destruction and decide how best to support affected communities .
More than 10,000 people sought shelter Wednesday in Texas and Louisiana , according to Charley English , a national emergency management liaison for the American Red Cross .
He said the vast majority of those people took shelter in hotel rooms and college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of spreading COVID-19 .
Officials said responders are working on the ground to distribute food , water and other supplies .
FEMA has also deployed several types of federal response teams , including search and rescue , to help with relief efforts in parts of Texas and Louisiana .
David Bibo , FEMA acting associate administrator for the Office of Response and Recovery , said first responders are wearing masks , practicing social distancing , washing their hands frequently and following other public health guidance to protect themselves and the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administering that relief has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic .
FEMA is modifying some of its practices to assess damage in light of the pandemic .
Bibo said responders are using photographs and phone calls to get a sense of damage rather than sending an in-person inspector , and delivering aid with minimal contact .
There will likely be additional requests for federal assistance to support both individuals and public infrastructure as communities rebuild , Bibo said .
Amid a worse than average hurricane season , a pandemic and a slew of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some lawmakers have questioned whether FEMA 's resources may be enough — especially after President Trump cut billions of dollars from its disaster fund to help extend some COVID-19 unemployment benefits earlier this summer .
When asked how the pandemic is affecting relief funding , officials on the call said FEMA has `` sufficient resources to handle the response to Hurricane Laura as well as deliver other assistance that has been authorized and directed by the president . ''
Trump has approved emergency declarations for Louisiana , Texas , Mississippi and Arkansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weakened to a tropical storm Thursday afternoon , but officials warn the threat is not over .
Forecasters said the storm will veer to the right , moving over northeast Arkansas by Friday morning and gaining speed into Kentucky on Friday evening .
Goldstein said it will move across the Central Appalachians on Saturday morning as a nontropical system on its way toward the Mid-Atlantic .
Goldstein warned of heavy rainfall at the center of the storm , which could lead to isolated flash flooding until it reaches post-tropical status .
And Bibo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio valleys to heed the instructions of local officials as Laura heads their way .
As of 8 p.m .
ET , the storm was about 35 miles south of Little Rock , Ark.
, with noticeably weakened sustained winds of 40 mph .
The National Hurricane Center said it is drenching parts of that state with flooding and rainfall .
Tropical storm warnings are in effect for portions of southern and central Arkansas .

FEMA Assesses Hurricane Damage, Taking COVID-19 Precautions
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Thayer/Getty Images Eric Thayer/Getty Images
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that while the impact of Hurricane Laura was less catastrophic than initially predicted, the storm significantly damaged many communities and remains a threat to parts of several Southern states still in its path.
FEMA officials said on a call with reporters that it is working to assess the damage and distribute aid to people in need — while taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Hurricane Laura slammed into the Texas-Louisiana border early Thursday as a Category 4 storm, bringing extreme winds and high waters to coastal and inland communities, particularly in Louisiana. The storm flooded roadways, scattered debris, sent thousands of people scrambling to shelters and left hundreds of thousands of customers without power.
National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Goldstein said that Louisiana was "fortunate in one way but less fortunate in another" as the state faced a smaller-than-expected storm surge but some of the strongest winds in recent memory.
That's because the center of the storm was slightly east of where forecasters had predicted. Goldstein said if it had been just 10 to 12 miles farther west, St. Charles, La., would have had "extremely serious inundation."
MaryAnn Tierney, a FEMA administrator on the ground in southwest Louisiana, stressed that it could be another day or so until officials get a full picture of the destruction and decide how best to support affected communities.
More than 10,000 people sought shelter Wednesday in Texas and Louisiana, according to Charley English, a national emergency management liaison for the American Red Cross. He said the vast majority of those people took shelter in hotel rooms and college dormitories instead of mass shelters to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Officials said responders are working on the ground to distribute food, water and other supplies. FEMA has also deployed several types of federal response teams, including search and rescue, to help with relief efforts in parts of Texas and Louisiana.
David Bibo, FEMA acting associate administrator for the Office of Response and Recovery, said first responders are wearing masks, practicing social distancing, washing their hands frequently and following other public health guidance to protect themselves and the people they are assisting.
The process of administering that relief has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.
FEMA is modifying some of its practices to assess damage in light of the pandemic. Bibo said responders are using photographs and phone calls to get a sense of damage rather than sending an in-person inspector, and delivering aid with minimal contact.
There will likely be additional requests for federal assistance to support both individuals and public infrastructure as communities rebuild, Bibo said.
Amid a worse than average hurricane season, a pandemic and a slew of natural disasters in the West and Midwest, some lawmakers have questioned whether FEMA's resources may be enough — especially after President Trump cut billions of dollars from its disaster fund to help extend some COVID-19 unemployment benefits earlier this summer.
When asked how the pandemic is affecting relief funding, officials on the call said FEMA has "sufficient resources to handle the response to Hurricane Laura as well as deliver other assistance that has been authorized and directed by the president."
Trump has approved emergency declarations for Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas to assist with hurricane response.
Laura weakened to a tropical storm Thursday afternoon, but officials warn the threat is not over.
Forecasters said the storm will veer to the right, moving over northeast Arkansas by Friday morning and gaining speed into Kentucky on Friday evening. Goldstein said it will move across the Central Appalachians on Saturday morning as a nontropical system on its way toward the Mid-Atlantic.
Goldstein warned of heavy rainfall at the center of the storm, which could lead to isolated flash flooding until it reaches post-tropical status.
And Bibo urged people in the Tennessee and Lower Ohio valleys to heed the instructions of local officials as Laura heads their way.
As of 8 p.m. ET, the storm was about 35 miles south of Little Rock, Ark., with noticeably weakened sustained winds of 40 mph. The National Hurricane Center said it is drenching parts of that state with flooding and rainfall. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for portions of southern and central Arkansas.


npr--2020-08-27--Postmaster General Vows To Election Officials He'll Treat Ballots 'Like Gold'

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy promised some of the nation 's top election officials on Thursday that mailed ballots would be the U.S .
Postal Service 's top priority this autumn .
DeJoy and the Postal Service have been engulfed in a political firestorm following operational changes he ordered — and now has paused — which slowed the throughput of mail and raised some fears that they might constrain voting by mail .
On Thursday , DeJoy told the election officials that he is forming a task force to look at each mail processing plant and assess what it might need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipated this year , said New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver , a Democrat , who is the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State , or NASS .
DeJoy alluded to such a task force in a public statement earlier this month .
`` Over and over again , both [ DeJoy ] and his senior staff reiterated that the election is their highest priority , '' Toulouse Oliver said in an interview with NPR after the call .
`` And they are actively putting into place processes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece of election mail , especially ballots , are going to be treated like gold . ''
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose , a Republican ; Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat ; and Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft , a Republican , were also on the call with DeJoy .
Ashcroft took the place of Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin , who missed the call due to Hurricane Laura .
Because of the decentralized nature of the U.S. election system , these state officials , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interests of the highest-ranking election officials in the nation .
As NPR reported , the officials requested the meeting more than two weeks ago but did not hear back from DeJoy 's office immediately .
A month to forget for the USPS The postmaster general has been battling controversy as anger about nationwide mail delays turned into fears about an election in which as many as half of all ballots could be received or delivered by mail .
In congressional hearings Aug 21. and Monday , Democrats accused DeJoy of attempting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in service around the country , some called for his resignation .
`` If any other CEO had this kind of plummeting record , I ca n't imagine why he would be kept on , '' said House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. DeJoy has defended himself and the Postal Service , calling the allegations about sabotage outrageous .
He has sought to assure questioners that the Postal Service has enough capacity to accommodate even a scenario in which every single American voted by mail — which is not expected — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes that have slowed the mail so far until after Election Day .
The Postal Service processes and delivers more than 470 million pieces of mail per day , and so DeJoy argues that a theoretical surge of even 150 million ballots ahead of Election Day would be possible to incorporate into normal service .
On Thursday , Toulouse Oliver said DeJoy seemed surprised in the call by the intensity of the backlash and the level of scrutiny his agency is receiving in general .
She told him that comes with the territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us who 've been running elections for years , we understand that as we go into an election , often there will be brand-new scrutiny on a process that we do regularly , that that really raises the level of attention to that issue , '' Toulouse Oliver told NPR .
One reason for critics ' antipathy toward DeJoy is the rhetoric used by President Trump about voting by mail , which he disparages often even as he also uses it .
DeJoy is a Republican fundraiser and supporter of Trump 's , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president kneecap the Postal Service — which the postmaster general denies .
Trump also has said that states ' expansion of voting by mail in response to the coronavirus disaster will lead to increased fraud or even foreign nation ballot counterfeiting — ideas the FBI flatly rejected on Wednesday .
Trump 's remarks were n't discussed specifically on DeJoy 's call with state elections leaders , but the participants did talk about the politicization of mail voting generally .
DeJoy also testified before the House Oversight Committee on Monday that he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's campaign team that attacks on the Postal Service are `` not helpful . ''
If the postmaster general has stabilized the immediate political situation by stopping the operational changes he ordered earlier this year , he also has drawn newfound scrutiny given the repeated assurances he has made about the Postal Service 's intentions and capacity .
On Thursday 's call , the election officials requested a consistent line of communication with Postal Service leadership as Election Day draws nearer .
`` In this time of really toxic partisan rhetoric , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that conversation , '' Toulouse Oliver said .
`` We all agreed that that it 's really important for the highest levels of the Postal Service , and those of us that are chief election officials , to be able to cut through that rhetoric and have that one-on-one direct communication , even if the communication is tense or challenging . ''

Postmaster General Vows To Election Officials He'll Treat Ballots 'Like Gold'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy promised some of the nation's top election officials on Thursday that mailed ballots would be the U.S. Postal Service's top priority this autumn.
DeJoy and the Postal Service have been engulfed in a political firestorm following operational changes he ordered — and now has paused — which slowed the throughput of mail and raised some fears that they might constrain voting by mail.
On Thursday, DeJoy told the election officials that he is forming a task force to look at each mail processing plant and assess what it might need to process the quantity of election mail anticipated this year, said New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, who is the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, or NASS.
DeJoy alluded to such a task force in a public statement earlier this month.
"Over and over again, both [DeJoy] and his senior staff reiterated that the election is their highest priority," Toulouse Oliver said in an interview with NPR after the call. "And they are actively putting into place processes and procedures to make sure every single piece of election mail, especially ballots, are going to be treated like gold."
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican; Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat; and Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Republican, were also on the call with DeJoy.
Ashcroft took the place of Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, who missed the call due to Hurricane Laura.
Because of the decentralized nature of the U.S. election system, these state officials, who hold leadership positions within NASS, represent the interests of the highest-ranking election officials in the nation. As NPR reported, the officials requested the meeting more than two weeks ago but did not hear back from DeJoy's office immediately.
A month to forget for the USPS
The postmaster general has been battling controversy as anger about nationwide mail delays turned into fears about an election in which as many as half of all ballots could be received or delivered by mail.
In congressional hearings Aug 21. and Monday, Democrats accused DeJoy of attempting to sabotage the election. Citing the delays in service around the country, some called for his resignation.
"If any other CEO had this kind of plummeting record, I can't imagine why he would be kept on," said House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.
DeJoy has defended himself and the Postal Service, calling the allegations about sabotage outrageous.
He has sought to assure questioners that the Postal Service has enough capacity to accommodate even a scenario in which every single American voted by mail — which is not expected — and said he was freezing the operational changes that have slowed the mail so far until after Election Day.
The Postal Service processes and delivers more than 470 million pieces of mail per day, and so DeJoy argues that a theoretical surge of even 150 million ballots ahead of Election Day would be possible to incorporate into normal service.
On Thursday, Toulouse Oliver said DeJoy seemed surprised in the call by the intensity of the backlash and the level of scrutiny his agency is receiving in general.
She told him that comes with the territory in election administration.
"Those of us who've been running elections for years, we understand that as we go into an election, often there will be brand-new scrutiny on a process that we do regularly, that that really raises the level of attention to that issue," Toulouse Oliver told NPR.
Presidential criticism not discussed
One reason for critics' antipathy toward DeJoy is the rhetoric used by President Trump about voting by mail, which he disparages often even as he also uses it. DeJoy is a Republican fundraiser and supporter of Trump's, and some critics alleged he was helping the president kneecap the Postal Service — which the postmaster general denies.
Trump also has said that states' expansion of voting by mail in response to the coronavirus disaster will lead to increased fraud or even foreign nation ballot counterfeiting — ideas the FBI flatly rejected on Wednesday.
Trump's remarks weren't discussed specifically on DeJoy's call with state elections leaders, but the participants did talk about the politicization of mail voting generally.
DeJoy also testified before the House Oversight Committee on Monday that he had tried to relay to members of the president's campaign team that attacks on the Postal Service are "not helpful."
If the postmaster general has stabilized the immediate political situation by stopping the operational changes he ordered earlier this year, he also has drawn newfound scrutiny given the repeated assurances he has made about the Postal Service's intentions and capacity.
On Thursday's call, the election officials requested a consistent line of communication with Postal Service leadership as Election Day draws nearer.
"In this time of really toxic partisan rhetoric, the Postal Service is now a part of that conversation," Toulouse Oliver said. "We all agreed that that it's really important for the highest levels of the Postal Service, and those of us that are chief election officials, to be able to cut through that rhetoric and have that one-on-one direct communication, even if the communication is tense or challenging."


npr--2020-08-27--Historic Gulf Coast Hurricanes: How Does Laura Compare?

Hurricane Laura , which hit the coast of Louisiana early Thursday as a Category 4 storm packing winds of 150 mph , is one of the most powerful storms in decades to hit the area .
How does it compare to other Gulf Coast hurricanes ?
That depends on how you define the question and how far back you go .
Using 1900 as a starting point , here 's a look at some of the most intense and destructive hurricanes in the last 120 years .
Hurricane Camille , which made landfall on Aug. 17 , 1969 near Waveland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm to strike the Gulf Coast , based on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale , commonly used by meteorologists .
Camille is one of only four hurricanes ever to make U.S. landfall as a Category 5 storm , the others being the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane ; Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Michael in 2018 .
According to the National Weather Service , `` The actual maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Camille are not known as the hurricane destroyed all the wind-recording instruments in the landfall area .
Re-analysis data found peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mph ) along the coast . ''
Until Hurricane Katrina surpassed it , Camille 's more than 24-foot storm surge in Pass Christian , Miss.
, held the record .
Katrina 's storm surge along the Mississippi coast reached 30 feet .
The Great Galveston Hurricane hit the Texas coast with little warning on Sept. 8 , 1900 and is estimated to have been a Category 4 storm when it made landfall .
It pushed a 16-foot storm surge and winds of 150 mph .
`` Forecasting was primitive in those days — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Gulf of Mexico .
Citizens of Galveston could see that a storm was brewing offshore , but had no idea that it was a monster , '' NPR 's John Burnett reported in 2017 .
Estimates of the death toll range from 6,000 to 12,000 people on Galveston Island and the mainland .
It remains the deadliest weather disaster in U.S. history , according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .
In a 2008 remembrance of the devastating storm , The Associated Press spoke with Bonnie Rice , then 74 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and raised on Galveston Island .
`` My grandmother 's family went in two boats to safety — one made it , the other did n't , '' she told the news agency .
`` My grandfather 's family lived down the island and they tied themselves down to two trees .
One blew away , the other did n't . ''
Hurricane Katrina ranks as not only the costliest-ever U.S. hurricane , but as the most expensive natural disaster in the country 's history , according to NOAA .
Not only did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and leave millions of people homeless , but it left behind an estimated $ 160 billion worth of damage .
Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29 , 2005 as a Category 3 .
Although New Orleans initially believed it had been spared the worst , the hurricane 's record storm surge overwhelmed levees and other flood control measures , eventually submerging 80 % of the city .
Hurricane Harvey , which hit Texas and Louisiana in 2017 as a Category 4 storm , ranks as the second most costly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in damage .

Historic Gulf Coast Hurricanes: How Does Laura Compare?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jack Thornell/AP Jack Thornell/AP
Hurricane Laura, which hit the coast of Louisiana early Thursday as a Category 4 storm packing winds of 150 mph, is one of the most powerful storms in decades to hit the area.
How does it compare to other Gulf Coast hurricanes? That depends on how you define the question and how far back you go. Using 1900 as a starting point, here's a look at some of the most intense and destructive hurricanes in the last 120 years.
Most intense
Hurricane Camille, which made landfall on Aug. 17, 1969 near Waveland, Miss, is the most powerful storm to strike the Gulf Coast, based on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, commonly used by meteorologists.
Camille is one of only four hurricanes ever to make U.S. landfall as a Category 5 storm, the others being the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane; Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Michael in 2018.
According to the National Weather Service, "The actual maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Camille are not known as the hurricane destroyed all the wind-recording instruments in the landfall area. Re-analysis data found peak winds of 150 knots (roughly 175 mph) along the coast."
Until Hurricane Katrina surpassed it, Camille's more than 24-foot storm surge in Pass Christian, Miss., held the record. Katrina's storm surge along the Mississippi coast reached 30 feet.
Deadliest
The Great Galveston Hurricane hit the Texas coast with little warning on Sept. 8, 1900 and is estimated to have been a Category 4 storm when it made landfall. It pushed a 16-foot storm surge and winds of 150 mph.
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
"Forecasting was primitive in those days — they relied on spotty reports from ships in the Gulf of Mexico. Citizens of Galveston could see that a storm was brewing offshore, but had no idea that it was a monster," NPR's John Burnett reported in 2017.
Estimates of the death toll range from 6,000 to 12,000 people on Galveston Island and the mainland.
It remains the deadliest weather disaster in U.S. history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In a 2008 remembrance of the devastating storm, The Associated Press spoke with Bonnie Rice, then 74, a retired caterer who was born and raised on Galveston Island.
"My grandmother's family went in two boats to safety — one made it, the other didn't," she told the news agency. "My grandfather's family lived down the island and they tied themselves down to two trees. One blew away, the other didn't."
Costliest
Enlarge this image toggle caption David J. Phillip/AP David J. Phillip/AP
Hurricane Katrina ranks as not only the costliest-ever U.S. hurricane, but as the most expensive natural disaster in the country's history, according to NOAA. Not only did it cost as many as 1,836 lives and leave millions of people homeless, but it left behind an estimated $160 billion worth of damage. Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005 as a Category 3. Although New Orleans initially believed it had been spared the worst, the hurricane's record storm surge overwhelmed levees and other flood control measures, eventually submerging 80% of the city.
Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas and Louisiana in 2017 as a Category 4 storm, ranks as the second most costly U.S. storm, at $125 billion in damage.