npr--2020-09-27--In Affluent Maryland County, Pandemic Exacerbates Food Insecurity

An hour before the food distribution event began in Bethesda , Md.
, on a recent Friday , a long line of cars was already winding through the parking lot .
Volunteers from St. John 's Episcopal Church worked to unpack boxes of bread , prepared meals and coffee — enough for the first 200 people to arrive .
Nourish Now , a Maryland-based nonprofit food bank , provides food for the weekly events .
Waiting in his car , Peter Warner was sure to arrive early this time .
Last week , the group ran out of meals within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortunate to get a spot , and they had almost run out of food 20 minutes after the starting bell , '' he said .
`` Anyone who got here after 1:30 p.m. was totally out of luck . ''
Nearly all of the people who had lined up for those meals said they lacked reliable access to safe , nutritious food as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .
Since March , food insecurity has grown throughout the U.S. , including in Montgomery County , one of the wealthiest counties in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 35 million people in the U.S. were unable to get enough food or were uncertain where their next meal might come from .
That number is projected to go up by at least 17 million for this year , according to the nonprofit Feeding America ; researchers at Northwestern University say food insecurity has actually doubled from before the pandemic .
In Montgomery County , Feeding America projects food insecurity to go up from 8 % in 2018 to 13 % this year .
Warner relies on a $ 1,000 monthly disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including food and shelter .
`` I also am now getting $ 194 a month in SNAP food stamps , which is invaluable , '' he said , but it was n't quite enough to cover his food for this month .
`` Today is the 18th , my food stamp award comes in on the 22nd — I have to eat for the next four days . ''
The line of cars eventually spilled into the busy street outside the parking lot of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad , a volunteer firefighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event .
For some , being food insecure is a source of shame .
Many of the people in line did n't want to provide their last names .
Linda , who was laid off from her housekeeping job in May , hoped to pick up food for her daughter and five grandchildren .
Her unemployment application has n't gotten approved yet , and five months without work or any financial aid is taking its toll .
`` It 's too difficult really — I 'm struggling , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's finished soon .
It 's so difficult , but we are still blessed to have somebody to provide some food for us . ''
Adam and his wife , parents of two children , are both collecting unemployment and seeking food assistance for the first time in their lives , after they were each furloughed in March .
`` Any little bit helps now , because you never know what 's going to happen tomorrow , or the next day , so it 's good just to be prepared because you never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last , '' he said .
Until last month , there was no food distribution in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area , located just outside of Washington , D.C. That 's when Andrew Friedson , the Montgomery County council member for the area , pulled together a coalition of nonprofit , commercial and faith-based groups to help distribute food .
He said the pandemic has only increased an existing need for food assistance in the area .
`` It has always been needed , '' Friedson said .
`` I think there is more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places like Bethesda — than people realize in normal time , '' he said .
`` And during COVID , it has just gone through the roof , the challenges that we face . ''
Since the start of the pandemic , Friedson said , rental assistance and food security are the two biggest issues his office hears about from constituents .
Even with local grant programs , he said , the county ca n't keep up .
`` We desperately need federal government support . ''
In late April , Montgomery County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds after Congress passed the $ 2 trillion Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act that Congress passed a month earlier .
A portion of that money has gone toward small businesses , rent relief , child care , public transportation and food assistance programs , including Nourish Now .
Still , Friedson said , `` it 's nowhere near enough . ''
While feeding the food insecure is the goal of Nourish Now 's distribution event , volunteer John Ross said it 's about more than just the food — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with this too . ''
`` COVID and the economic disruption is an equal across-the-board disruptor of people 's lives , '' said Ross .
`` What we want to do out here , too , is show people that people care ... that we 're all together in this and we all need to be part of that . ''
NPR 's Kira Wakeam , Eliza Dennis and Natalie Friedman Winston produced and edited this story for broadcast .
Emma Bowman produced it for the Web .

In Affluent Maryland County, Pandemic Exacerbates Food Insecurity
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xueying Chang/NPR Xueying Chang/NPR
An hour before the food distribution event began in Bethesda, Md., on a recent Friday, a long line of cars was already winding through the parking lot.
Volunteers from St. John's Episcopal Church worked to unpack boxes of bread, prepared meals and coffee — enough for the first 200 people to arrive. Nourish Now, a Maryland-based nonprofit food bank, provides food for the weekly events.
Waiting in his car, Peter Warner was sure to arrive early this time. Last week, the group ran out of meals within a half hour.
"I was fortunate to get a spot, and they had almost run out of food 20 minutes after the starting bell," he said. "Anyone who got here after 1:30 p.m. was totally out of luck."
Nearly all of the people who had lined up for those meals said they lacked reliable access to safe, nutritious food as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Since March, food insecurity has grown throughout the U.S., including in Montgomery County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country.
Before the pandemic, at least 35 million people in the U.S. were unable to get enough food or were uncertain where their next meal might come from. That number is projected to go up by at least 17 million for this year, according to the nonprofit Feeding America; researchers at Northwestern University say food insecurity has actually doubled from before the pandemic.
In Montgomery County, Feeding America projects food insecurity to go up from 8% in 2018 to 13% this year.
Warner relies on a $1,000 monthly disability check for all of his expenses, including food and shelter.
"I also am now getting $194 a month in SNAP food stamps, which is invaluable," he said, but it wasn't quite enough to cover his food for this month. "Today is the 18th, my food stamp award comes in on the 22nd — I have to eat for the next four days."
The line of cars eventually spilled into the busy street outside the parking lot of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, a volunteer firefighting group that loaned out its space for the event.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xueying Chang/NPR Xueying Chang/NPR
For some, being food insecure is a source of shame. Many of the people in line didn't want to provide their last names.
Linda, who was laid off from her housekeeping job in May, hoped to pick up food for her daughter and five grandchildren.
Her unemployment application hasn't gotten approved yet, and five months without work or any financial aid is taking its toll.
"It's too difficult really — I'm struggling," she said. "I hope the pandemic, it's finished soon. It's so difficult, but we are still blessed to have somebody to provide some food for us."
Adam and his wife, parents of two children, are both collecting unemployment and seeking food assistance for the first time in their lives, after they were each furloughed in March.
"Any little bit helps now, because you never know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, so it's good just to be prepared because you never know how long this is going to last," he said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xueying Chang/NPR Xueying Chang/NPR
Until last month, there was no food distribution in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area, located just outside of Washington, D.C. That's when Andrew Friedson, the Montgomery County council member for the area, pulled together a coalition of nonprofit, commercial and faith-based groups to help distribute food. He said the pandemic has only increased an existing need for food assistance in the area.
"It has always been needed," Friedson said. "I think there is more poverty in Montgomery County — and even places like Bethesda — than people realize in normal time," he said. "And during COVID, it has just gone through the roof, the challenges that we face."
Since the start of the pandemic, Friedson said, rental assistance and food security are the two biggest issues his office hears about from constituents.
Even with local grant programs, he said, the county can't keep up. "We desperately need federal government support."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xueying Chang/NPR Xueying Chang/NPR
In late April, Montgomery County received about $183 million in federal funds after Congress passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act that Congress passed a month earlier. A portion of that money has gone toward small businesses, rent relief, child care, public transportation and food assistance programs, including Nourish Now.
Still, Friedson said, "it's nowhere near enough."
While feeding the food insecure is the goal of Nourish Now's distribution event, volunteer John Ross said it's about more than just the food — "it's the care that comes along with this too."
"COVID and the economic disruption is an equal across-the-board disruptor of people's lives," said Ross. "What we want to do out here, too, is show people that people care ... that we're all together in this and we all need to be part of that."
NPR's Kira Wakeam, Eliza Dennis and Natalie Friedman Winston produced and edited this story for broadcast. Emma Bowman produced it for the Web.


npr--2020-09-27--In Rural Nebraska, Combating Hunger From The Pandemic Is A Community Effort

In Rural Nebraska , Combating Hunger From The Pandemic Is A Community Effort Lexington , Neb.
, is just one of the many rural communities that has long dealt with food insecurity , but the global pandemic both intensified need in the town of 11,000 residents and presented new challenges in getting people food .
The nationwide hunger rate among small towns was 12.7 % in 2018 compared to 10.8 % in urban areas .
And according to the national nonprofit Feeding America , 87 % of U.S counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are rural .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 's arrival in town — and its closures of local schools and businesses — would trigger a sharp spike in hunger .
Nearly 16 % of residents live below the poverty line .
Responding to the crisis presented its own series of logistical wildcards , but you would n't know it by stopping at the town 's weekly USDA Farmers to Families Food Box distribution .
Since starting in June , the event has become a well-oiled machine .
Each Thursday , local police cordon off several blocks near the edge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line up on their way to a white tent in the parking lot of St. Ann 's Parish .
On a sweltering day in late August , Michaela Kopf of Lexington Community Foundation conducted traffic .
She says the boxes have been a hit within the community .
In just two months , the foundation has distributed 18,000 .
Most weeks , the food is gone within an hour .
`` Sometimes it 's all lined up all the way to highway 30 , '' she remarked .
`` So there is definitely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID . ''
The good thing , she says , is how nutritionally diverse the boxes are .
`` They get one box of produce , a box of dairy , sometimes we get milk , and then one box of proteins , '' Kopf said .
`` And it 's different every week . ''
It 's not always easy to offer that in pantries , where refrigeration can be scarce .
Martha Draskovic , who 's managed the town 's pantry for a decade , says keeping any food stocked was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Her troubles started when local schools closed .
Children at home and a sudden increase in unemployment made the perfect storm for a surge in demand .
`` It became clear when my shelves started going empty , so we kind of had to do a new game plan , '' she said .
People who did n't typically use the pantry or receive food stamps were suddenly in need .
`` They were n't eligible for the benefit , '' she said .
`` But once they were home for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they were still out of income , but yet no food . ''
Empty shelves were n't the only hurdle .
At the time , grocery supply chains across the country were faltering .
The ripple effect reached Lexington in shortages of pantry staples .
`` We were finding that different items are , like , the hot item of the week , '' said Tammy Jeffs , who manages the Community Action Partnership of Nebraska 's community services division .
`` We had to figure out a way to get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the town suffers . ''
Jeffs says it 's common for rural grocers to have limited restocking schedules , and get just one truck per week for the entire town .
`` If we go in and buy 40 packs of something and all the grocery store 's getting is 50 packs , you can definitely tip the need scale ... you 've now just sent everybody to your pantry because you bought everything , '' she said .
Her team ended up on a wild goose chase across central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pasta .
At one point , Jeffs says she purchased $ 4,000 in food from Amazon .
They also needed to rethink how they typically distribute items .
Unlike previous local disasters like the floods of 2019 , it was no longer safe to have residents come into the pantry .
Some groups were especially struggling to keep themselves fed , like seniors and workers at the local Tyson Foods meatpacking plant .
According to the Two Rivers Public Health District , over 300 food processing workers in Dawson County have contracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's outbreak in April and May , Draskovic says families were being quarantined with no way to feed themselves .
She started delivering the food herself .
`` At the beginning , I was like , 'Well , I 'm not gon na make a person come out , even though it is curbside , '' she said .
`` So I just started taking them to their doorstep . ''
Draskovic eventually needed to hire a part-time delivery driver to keep up with orders .
The peak in demand has dropped off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been able to save a backstock in food in case Lexington is hit with another large outbreak .
That 's due in no small part , she says , to an outpouring of support for the pantry by residents .
`` We started getting different financial donations , items , businesses started reaching out , '' she said .
`` And now we kind of have a backstock , so we 're kind of prepared to see if we get that second roundabout . ''
Orthman Manufacturing , an agriculture equipment company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the local companies that helped get food to families in need .
Plant manager Scott McKelvey says many local nonprofit leaders or community advocates form a close-knit community .
That worked in Lexington 's favor when organizations needed to mobilize quickly .
In late spring , McKelvey called a friend at the local rotary club to bring Hot Meals USA to town , which has since served 18,000 meals to residents .
`` I think with everything else that 's going on in the United States right now , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` There 's these moments that are going on all over the country to help feed families in need . ''
Plus , food distributions have never lacked volunteers .
Sarah Mariel , who moved from Los Angeles to Lexington two years ago , felt she needed to help .
`` As a community , we 're one , '' she reflected .
`` And if anyone in our community is hurting , then it 's the responsibility of the ones who are not to step up . ''
Mariel recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that landed her in the hospital .
After months in isolation , she says she missed her community .
`` It needs to be taken seriously , but it does n't mean that it 's easy ... in isolation , you 're obviously not connected , '' she said .
`` This is a safe way to be connected , not just to people that I love that are volunteering with me , but also people that I do n't know . ''
A version of this story was first published by Harvest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Follow Christina Stella on Twitter : @ c_c_stella

In Rural Nebraska, Combating Hunger From The Pandemic Is A Community Effort
Enlarge this image toggle caption Christina Stella/Harvest Public Media Christina Stella/Harvest Public Media
Lexington, Neb., is just one of the many rural communities that has long dealt with food insecurity, but the global pandemic both intensified need in the town of 11,000 residents and presented new challenges in getting people food.
The nationwide hunger rate among small towns was 12.7% in 2018 compared to 10.8% in urban areas. And according to the national nonprofit Feeding America, 87% of U.S counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are rural.
It was no surprise to local nonprofits that COVID-19's arrival in town — and its closures of local schools and businesses — would trigger a sharp spike in hunger. Nearly 16% of residents live below the poverty line.
Responding to the crisis presented its own series of logistical wildcards, but you wouldn't know it by stopping at the town's weekly USDA Farmers to Families Food Box distribution.
Since starting in June, the event has become a well-oiled machine. Each Thursday, local police cordon off several blocks near the edge of town, where roughly 700 cars will line up on their way to a white tent in the parking lot of St. Ann's Parish.
On a sweltering day in late August, Michaela Kopf of Lexington Community Foundation conducted traffic.
She says the boxes have been a hit within the community. In just two months, the foundation has distributed 18,000. Most weeks, the food is gone within an hour.
"Sometimes it's all lined up all the way to highway 30," she remarked. "So there is definitely a need and it has increased since COVID."
The good thing, she says, is how nutritionally diverse the boxes are. "They get one box of produce, a box of dairy, sometimes we get milk, and then one box of proteins," Kopf said. "And it's different every week."
It's not always easy to offer that in pantries, where refrigeration can be scarce.
Rethinking the pantry playbook
Martha Draskovic, who's managed the town's pantry for a decade, says keeping any food stocked was a challenge at the start of the pandemic.
Her troubles started when local schools closed. Children at home and a sudden increase in unemployment made the perfect storm for a surge in demand. "It became clear when my shelves started going empty, so we kind of had to do a new game plan," she said.
People who didn't typically use the pantry or receive food stamps were suddenly in need.
"They weren't eligible for the benefit," she said. "But once they were home for two to three weeks, I mean, they were still out of income, but yet no food."
Empty shelves weren't the only hurdle. At the time, grocery supply chains across the country were faltering. The ripple effect reached Lexington in shortages of pantry staples.
"We were finding that different items are, like, the hot item of the week," said Tammy Jeffs, who manages the Community Action Partnership of Nebraska's community services division. "We had to figure out a way to get the quantity we need without making it so the rest of the town suffers."
Jeffs says it's common for rural grocers to have limited restocking schedules, and get just one truck per week for the entire town.
"If we go in and buy 40 packs of something and all the grocery store's getting is 50 packs, you can definitely tip the need scale ... you've now just sent everybody to your pantry because you bought everything," she said.
Her team ended up on a wild goose chase across central Nebraska for bulk items like peanut butter and pasta. At one point, Jeffs says she purchased $4,000 in food from Amazon.
They also needed to rethink how they typically distribute items. Unlike previous local disasters like the floods of 2019, it was no longer safe to have residents come into the pantry.
Some groups were especially struggling to keep themselves fed, like seniors and workers at the local Tyson Foods meatpacking plant. According to the Two Rivers Public Health District, over 300 food processing workers in Dawson County have contracted COVID-19.
At the peak of Lexington's outbreak in April and May, Draskovic says families were being quarantined with no way to feed themselves. She started delivering the food herself.
"At the beginning, I was like, 'Well, I'm not gonna make a person come out, even though it is curbside," she said. "So I just started taking them to their doorstep."
Draskovic eventually needed to hire a part-time delivery driver to keep up with orders.
A town comes together
The peak in demand has dropped off, she said, and the pantry has been able to save a backstock in food in case Lexington is hit with another large outbreak. That's due in no small part, she says, to an outpouring of support for the pantry by residents.
"We started getting different financial donations, items, businesses started reaching out," she said. "And now we kind of have a backstock, so we're kind of prepared to see if we get that second roundabout."
Orthman Manufacturing, an agriculture equipment company with a plant down the road, is one of the local companies that helped get food to families in need.
Plant manager Scott McKelvey says many local nonprofit leaders or community advocates form a close-knit community. That worked in Lexington's favor when organizations needed to mobilize quickly. In late spring, McKelvey called a friend at the local rotary club to bring Hot Meals USA to town, which has since served 18,000 meals to residents.
"I think with everything else that's going on in the United States right now, this is a feel-good moment," he said. "There's these moments that are going on all over the country to help feed families in need."
Plus, food distributions have never lacked volunteers. Sarah Mariel, who moved from Los Angeles to Lexington two years ago, felt she needed to help.
"As a community, we're one," she reflected. "And if anyone in our community is hurting, then it's the responsibility of the ones who are not to step up."
Mariel recently recovered from her own experience with COVID-19 that landed her in the hospital. After months in isolation, she says she missed her community.
"It needs to be taken seriously, but it doesn't mean that it's easy ... in isolation, you're obviously not connected," she said.
"This is a safe way to be connected, not just to people that I love that are volunteering with me, but also people that I don't know."
A version of this story was first published by Harvest Public Media on Sept. 14, 2020. Follow Christina Stella on Twitter: @c_c_stella


npr--2020-09-27--For One Food Insecure Family, The Pandemic Leaves 'No Wiggle Room'

For One Food Insecure Family , The Pandemic Leaves 'No Wiggle Room' Ja Nelle Pleasure never used to think twice about putting food on the table for her family .
In fact , the Pleasure family revolved around food .
One of their favorite activities was to spin a globe , put a finger down and cook a dish from the country where it lands .
`` It was a lot of fun because we got to eat all over the place , stuff that none of us would have dared try before , like silkworms , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scary .
...
But when you eat it , it tastes like popcorn . ''
They have n't done that since the start of the pandemic , when Pleasure lost her job .
`` There 's not a belt to tighten there .
There 's no wiggle room here , '' she says .
`` I 'm unemployed , and there are limited things that I can do . ''
This is increasingly becoming the reality for millions of Americans , and people of color are much worse off .
According to July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 % of white families with children reported struggling to afford food .
Meanwhile , nearly 40 % of Black families with children reported food insecurity .
Those numbers are more than double what they were before the pandemic .
For Pleasure , the struggle to afford food is n't new .
She suffered a stroke two years ago , and focusing on her career as an artist became increasingly difficult .
When her husband left soon after that , she was left with a single stream of income to feed her three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years old .
`` You do n't plan for things like that to happen in your life , '' she says .
`` So for me , it really pulled the rug from under me , and I did n't know what to do . ''
The pandemic , she says , has made things worse .
Almost immediately , she lost the remaining income she was earning as an artist .
Meanwhile , when schools shut down , her kids lost access to school meals .
She currently receives $ 125 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded program for families whose children qualify for free or reduced-price meals when school is in session .
`` The $ 125 , literally , I can spend in like a week , because my kids eat like grown men , like a football team .
I do n't know where they put it , '' she says .
Pleasure does n't waste anything .
Her kitchen counter is lined with jars of pickled vegetables from the garden , and her freezer is stacked with leftovers .
She calls herself a `` coupon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good sale at the grocery store , she adds to the stockpile of pantry items lining the walls of her garage .
For fresh fruits and vegetables , the Pleasure family relies upon their garden .
Their plot sits on the edge of a community garden near their house , where they grow everything from herbs to leafy greens and strawberries .
`` I 'm cooking literally every day with something that I 've grown , '' Pleasure says .
`` It helped save a lot of money because vegetables are expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet , sometimes it 's not enough .
That 's when Pleasure pays a visit to the local food pantry , which she says was difficult at first .
`` [ I ] was very adamant in letting people know , ' I 'm just helping a family .
I 'm helping a friend , ' when really it was for me and my family , '' she says .
`` I was just very embarrassed and ashamed that I had to go through this . ''
At first , she brought her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to volunteer .
`` When we actually had to be participants in it , I think maybe there was a little bit of confusion for them .
Like , 'Why are we here ?
Why do we have to do this ? '
`` she says .
`` So I stopped bringing them , because looking at that and looking at them , it made me feel like less of a parent . ''
The Pleasure family is far from alone in the struggle to afford food , and the COVID-19 pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons .
`` Families make ends meet by being employed .
And when there 's a big shock to employment , it 's not entirely surprising that food insecurity rates go up , '' says Diane Schanzenbach , director of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University .
In August , the unemployment rate among white people stood at about 7 % .
For Black people , it was 13 % .
And as unemployment shot up , so did prices at the grocery store , with the highest single-month increase seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , millions of students lost access to school meals once the pandemic set in .
`` When that went away , that left holes in families ' budgets that were really quite deep , '' Schanzenbach says .
This highlights the importance of food benefit programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( SNAP ) , formerly known as food stamps , says Schanzenbach .
It 's also proven that programs like P-EBT , upon which Pleasure relies , really work , she adds .
Schanzenbach says increasing funding to these programs is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's grateful for programs like P-EBT .
`` That took a huge weight off my shoulders , '' she says .
`` Now I just have to worry about , will the power be on ?
As opposed to , power or food ?
I 'd rather my kids eat than have lights .
Like , we can get candles .
Not a big deal . ''
After all , even if it was in the dark , she says she 's always been able to put some kind of food on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story was first published by Harvest Public Media on Sept. 11 , 2020 .
Follow Dana Cronin on Twitter : @ DanaHCronin

For One Food Insecure Family, The Pandemic Leaves 'No Wiggle Room'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dana Cronin/Harvest Public Media Dana Cronin/Harvest Public Media
Ja Nelle Pleasure never used to think twice about putting food on the table for her family.
In fact, the Pleasure family revolved around food. One of their favorite activities was to spin a globe, put a finger down and cook a dish from the country where it lands.
"It was a lot of fun because we got to eat all over the place, stuff that none of us would have dared try before, like silkworms," she says. "They really look disgusting and scary. ... But when you eat it, it tastes like popcorn."
They haven't done that since the start of the pandemic, when Pleasure lost her job.
"There's not a belt to tighten there. There's no wiggle room here," she says. "I'm unemployed, and there are limited things that I can do."
This is increasingly becoming the reality for millions of Americans, and people of color are much worse off. According to July data from the Census Bureau, nearly 25% of white families with children reported struggling to afford food. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of Black families with children reported food insecurity. Those numbers are more than double what they were before the pandemic.
For Pleasure, the struggle to afford food isn't new. She suffered a stroke two years ago, and focusing on her career as an artist became increasingly difficult. When her husband left soon after that, she was left with a single stream of income to feed her three kids — now 16, 14 and 10 years old.
"You don't plan for things like that to happen in your life," she says. "So for me, it really pulled the rug from under me, and I didn't know what to do."
The pandemic, she says, has made things worse. Almost immediately, she lost the remaining income she was earning as an artist. Meanwhile, when schools shut down, her kids lost access to school meals.
She currently receives $125 per month through Pandemic-EBT, a federally funded program for families whose children qualify for free or reduced-price meals when school is in session.
"The $125, literally, I can spend in like a week, because my kids eat like grown men, like a football team. I don't know where they put it," she says.
toggle caption Dana Cronin/Harvest Public Media
Pleasure doesn't waste anything. Her kitchen counter is lined with jars of pickled vegetables from the garden, and her freezer is stacked with leftovers. She calls herself a "coupon queen," and whenever there's a good sale at the grocery store, she adds to the stockpile of pantry items lining the walls of her garage.
For fresh fruits and vegetables, the Pleasure family relies upon their garden. Their plot sits on the edge of a community garden near their house, where they grow everything from herbs to leafy greens and strawberries.
"I'm cooking literally every day with something that I've grown," Pleasure says. "It helped save a lot of money because vegetables are expensive in the grocery store."
And yet, sometimes it's not enough. That's when Pleasure pays a visit to the local food pantry, which she says was difficult at first.
"[I] was very adamant in letting people know, 'I'm just helping a family. I'm helping a friend,' when really it was for me and my family," she says. "I was just very embarrassed and ashamed that I had to go through this."
At first, she brought her kids to the pantry where they used to volunteer.
"When we actually had to be participants in it, I think maybe there was a little bit of confusion for them. Like, 'Why are we here? Why do we have to do this?' " she says. "So I stopped bringing them, because looking at that and looking at them, it made me feel like less of a parent."
The Pleasure family is far from alone in the struggle to afford food, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem for a number of reasons.
"Families make ends meet by being employed. And when there's a big shock to employment, it's not entirely surprising that food insecurity rates go up," says Diane Schanzenbach, director of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University.
In August, the unemployment rate among white people stood at about 7%. For Black people, it was 13%.
And as unemployment shot up, so did prices at the grocery store, with the highest single-month increase seen in the past 50 years.
Meanwhile, millions of students lost access to school meals once the pandemic set in.
"When that went away, that left holes in families' budgets that were really quite deep," Schanzenbach says.
This highlights the importance of food benefit programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, says Schanzenbach. It's also proven that programs like P-EBT, upon which Pleasure relies, really work, she adds. Schanzenbach says increasing funding to these programs is a "no-brainer."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Dana Cronin/Harvest Public Media Dana Cronin/Harvest Public Media
Pleasure says she's grateful for programs like P-EBT.
"That took a huge weight off my shoulders," she says. "Now I just have to worry about, will the power be on? As opposed to, power or food? I'd rather my kids eat than have lights. Like, we can get candles. Not a big deal."
After all, even if it was in the dark, she says she's always been able to put some kind of food on the table.
A version of this story was first published by Harvest Public Media on Sept. 11, 2020. Follow Dana Cronin on Twitter: @DanaHCronin


npr--2020-09-27--Food Insecurity In The U.S. By The Numbers

Food Insecurity In The U.S. By The Numbers With COVID-19 continuing to spread , and millions of Americans still out of work , one of the nation 's most urgent problems has only grown worse : hunger .
In communities across the country , the lines at food pantries are stretching longer and longer , and there 's no clear end in sight .
Before the pandemic , the number of families experiencing food insecurity — defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active , healthy life — had been steadily falling .
But now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis takes over , new estimates point to some of the worst rates of food insecurity in the United States in years .
`` COVID has just wreaked havoc on so many things : on public health , on economic stability and obviously on food insecurity , '' said Luis Guardia , the president of the Food , Research and Action Center .
It 's a crisis that 's testing families , communities and the social safety net in ways that may have seemed unthinkable before the pandemic began .
Here 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 in 4 households have experienced food insecurity this year Even before the pandemic hit , some 13.7 million households , or 10.5 % of all U.S. households , experienced food insecurity at some point during 2019 , according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture .
That works out to more than 35 million Americans who were either unable to acquire enough food to meet their needs , or uncertain of where their next meal might come from , last year .
For about a third of these households , access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eating patterns were disrupted and food intake was reduced .
The rest were able to obtain enough food to avoid completely disrupting their eating patterns , but had to cope by eating less varied diets or utilizing food assistance programs .
The coronavirus pandemic has only worsened the problem .
According to one estimate by researchers at Northwestern University , food insecurity more than doubled as a result of the economic crisis brought on by the outbreak , hitting as many as 23 % of households earlier this year .
In non-pandemic times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times more likely to experience food insecurity than households without children , according to the USDA , which reported that 13.6 % of households with children experienced food insecurity last year .
More than 5 million children lived in these homes .
Then came the coronavirus .
An analysis by the Brookings Institution conducted earlier this summer found that in late June , 27.5 % of households with children were food insecure — meaning some 13.9 million children lived in a household characterized by child food insecurity .
A separate analysis by researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tripled among households with children to 29.5 % .
School lunch programs were already struggling to meet rising demand before the pandemic .
With COVID-19 now keeping children out of school , many do n't have access to school lunches at all .
`` The other thing that COVID has done is it 's really affected kids a lot in terms of food insecurity , '' Guardia said .
`` One of the things we 've noticed across the board is that households with children are more food insecure .
And we believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closures .
So a lot of kids get their nutrition from school meals , and that 's been disrupted . ''
Black families are twice as likely as whites to face food insecurity The data shows that food insecurity is more likely to wreak havoc on some communities than others .
Black and Hispanic Americans are particularly disproportionately affected .
According to USDA data , 19.1 % of Black households and 15.6 % of Hispanic households experienced food insecurity in 2019 .
White Americans fell below the national average , with 7.9 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food insecurity at a rate of just 5 % last year .
For those without a high school degree , the rate skyrocketed to 27 % .
Adults who have a disability — in particular adults who have a disability and are not in the work force — also experience more than two times the rate of food insecurity as adults who do not have a disability .
Location is another factor at play .
People who live in food deserts are often more likely to experience food insecurity because food is harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 million people , or roughly 6 % of the population , lived in a food desert and 2.1 million households both lived in a food desert and lacked access to a vehicle in 2015 , according to the USDA .
Food can also be costlier where they live .
A 2010 estimate from the USDA found that groceries sold in food deserts can cost significantly more than groceries sold in suburban markets , meaning people in low-income communities impacted by food insecurity often pay more money for their food .
Milk prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % more in some spots while prices for cereal were sometimes 25 % higher .
The definition of food desert can change depending on where you live .
In urban settings , you need to live more than a mile away from a supermarket to be considered inside a food desert .
For rural areas , it 's greater than 10 miles .
Rural areas are slightly more likely to be food deserts than urban areas and , according to Feeding America , and while they make up just 63 % of counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 87 % of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity .
One in nine people in the U.S. used SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( also known as food stamps ) — in 2019 , according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities .
SNAP benefits vary depending on the need of the participant , but the average SNAP benefit for each member of a household is $ 129 per month .
SNAP is the largest food assistance program for low-income Americans in the nation , and because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been growing .
In March , when the Families First Act passed as part of the government 's emergency response to the pandemic , the maximum benefit for SNAP recipients was temporarily expanded by an estimated 40 % .
An analysis from the New York Times shows that SNAP grew by 17 % from February 2020 to May 2020 , three times faster than in any previous three-month period .
Yet even with that expanded food aid , the program has n't managed to meet the nation 's food security needs .
Expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite many continuing to struggle .
Congressional Democrats have sought to increase funding for SNAP and other nutrition assistance benefits , but prospects appear uncertain .
COVID-19 could double the number of people experiencing food insecurity globally The problem is hardly unique to the U.S .
According to the United Nations World Food Program , the global pandemic has the chance to double the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity , from 135 million in 2019 to 265 million in 2020 .
`` COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the program 's chief economist , Arif Husain said in a statement published this spring .
`` It is a hammer blow for millions more who can only eat if they earn a wage .
Lockdowns and global economic recession have already decimated their nest eggs .
It only takes one more shock — like COVID-19 — to push them over the edge .
We must collectively act now to mitigate the impact of this global catastrophe . ''

Food Insecurity In The U.S. By The Numbers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Food Bank for New York City Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Food Bank for New York City
With COVID-19 continuing to spread, and millions of Americans still out of work, one of the nation's most urgent problems has only grown worse: hunger.
In communities across the country, the lines at food pantries are stretching longer and longer, and there's no clear end in sight. Before the pandemic, the number of families experiencing food insecurity — defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life — had been steadily falling. But now, as economic instability and a health crisis takes over, new estimates point to some of the worst rates of food insecurity in the United States in years.
"COVID has just wreaked havoc on so many things: on public health, on economic stability and obviously on food insecurity," said Luis Guardia, the president of the Food, Research and Action Center.
It's a crisis that's testing families, communities and the social safety net in ways that may have seemed unthinkable before the pandemic began. Here's a closer look at the landscape:
Nearly 1 in 4 households have experienced food insecurity this year
Even before the pandemic hit, some 13.7 million households, or 10.5% of all U.S. households, experienced food insecurity at some point during 2019, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That works out to more than 35 million Americans who were either unable to acquire enough food to meet their needs, or uncertain of where their next meal might come from, last year.
For about a third of these households, access to food was so limited that their eating patterns were disrupted and food intake was reduced. The rest were able to obtain enough food to avoid completely disrupting their eating patterns, but had to cope by eating less varied diets or utilizing food assistance programs.
The coronavirus pandemic has only worsened the problem. According to one estimate by researchers at Northwestern University, food insecurity more than doubled as a result of the economic crisis brought on by the outbreak, hitting as many as 23% of households earlier this year.
Millions more children are experiencing food insecurity
In non-pandemic times, households with children were nearly 1.5 times more likely to experience food insecurity than households without children, according to the USDA, which reported that 13.6% of households with children experienced food insecurity last year. More than 5 million children lived in these homes.
Then came the coronavirus. An analysis by the Brookings Institution conducted earlier this summer found that in late June, 27.5% of households with children were food insecure — meaning some 13.9 million children lived in a household characterized by child food insecurity. A separate analysis by researchers at Northwestern found insecurity has more than tripled among households with children to 29.5%.
School lunch programs were already struggling to meet rising demand before the pandemic. With COVID-19 now keeping children out of school, many don't have access to school lunches at all.
"The other thing that COVID has done is it's really affected kids a lot in terms of food insecurity," Guardia said. "One of the things we've noticed across the board is that households with children are more food insecure. And we believe that also has to do with school closures. So a lot of kids get their nutrition from school meals, and that's been disrupted."
Black families are twice as likely as whites to face food insecurity
Source: USDA, Economic Research Service, using Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement data
The data shows that food insecurity is more likely to wreak havoc on some communities than others.
Black and Hispanic Americans are particularly disproportionately affected. According to USDA data, 19.1% of Black households and 15.6% of Hispanic households experienced food insecurity in 2019. White Americans fell below the national average, with 7.9% experiencing food insecurity.
College graduates experienced food insecurity at a rate of just 5% last year. For those without a high school degree, the rate skyrocketed to 27%. Adults who have a disability — in particular adults who have a disability and are not in the work force — also experience more than two times the rate of food insecurity as adults who do not have a disability.
19 million Americans live in food deserts
Location is another factor at play. People who live in food deserts are often more likely to experience food insecurity because food is harder to obtain where they live. About 19 million people, or roughly 6% of the population, lived in a food desert and 2.1 million households both lived in a food desert and lacked access to a vehicle in 2015, according to the USDA.
Food can also be costlier where they live. A 2010 estimate from the USDA found that groceries sold in food deserts can cost significantly more than groceries sold in suburban markets, meaning people in low-income communities impacted by food insecurity often pay more money for their food. Milk prices, for example, were about 5% more in some spots while prices for cereal were sometimes 25% higher.
The definition of food desert can change depending on where you live. In urban settings, you need to live more than a mile away from a supermarket to be considered inside a food desert. For rural areas, it's greater than 10 miles. Rural areas are slightly more likely to be food deserts than urban areas and, according to Feeding America, and while they make up just 63% of counties in the country, they make up 87% of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity.
38 million people used SNAP in 2019
One in nine people in the U.S. used SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps) — in 2019, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. SNAP benefits vary depending on the need of the participant, but the average SNAP benefit for each member of a household was $129 per month in fiscal year 2019.
SNAP is the largest food assistance program for low-income Americans in the nation, and because of COVID-19, demand for the program has been growing. In March, when the Families First Act passed as part of the government's emergency response to the pandemic, the maximum benefit for SNAP recipients was temporarily expanded by an estimated 40%. An analysis from the New York Times shows that SNAP grew by 17% from February 2020 to May 2020, three times faster than in any previous three-month period.
Yet even with that expanded food aid, the program hasn't managed to meet the nation's food security needs. Congressional Democrats have sought to increase funding for SNAP and other nutrition assistance benefits, but prospects appear uncertain.
COVID-19 could double the number of people experiencing food insecurity globally
The problem is hardly unique to the U.S. According to the United Nations World Food Program, the global pandemic has the chance to double the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity, from 135 million in 2019 to 265 million in 2020.
"COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are already hanging by a thread," the program's chief economist, Arif Husain said in a statement published this spring. "It is a hammer blow for millions more who can only eat if they earn a wage. Lockdowns and global economic recession have already decimated their nest eggs. It only takes one more shock — like COVID-19 — to push them over the edge. We must collectively act now to mitigate the impact of this global catastrophe."


npr--2020-09-27--Woman Charged With Attempted Murder After Driving Into Pro-Trump Protesters

Woman Charged With Attempted Murder After Driving Into Pro-Trump Protesters A prolonged confrontation between Black Lives Matter and pro-Trump demonstrators outside Los Angeles turned violent Saturday , as someone drove a car through the pro-Trump group .
The driver has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon .
One man suffered two broken legs , and a woman was moderately injured , Orange County Sheriff 's officials said .
It was the second time since Thursday that Southern California protesters have been injured by a vehicle and it 's just the latest vehicle attack of dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began in May .
But while experts see a rise in vehicle attacks coming from right-wing extremists , police say the driver in Saturday 's incident was a member of the so-called `` Caravan for Justice , '' which organized the Black Lives Matter protest .
The alleged assault happened during a protest called by the Urban Organizers Coalition to `` rise against police BRUTALITY , social injustice , and systemic RACISM , '' a flyer ahead of the event proclaimed .
But as the BLM protesters marched along a six-lane highway in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flags and Trump 2020 banners began taunting them from across the street , the Orange County Register reported .
Then the Trump supporters crossed the highway and confronted the BLM group , according to the Register .
About 30 minutes into the protests , Orange County Sheriff 's Department officials say they began to get reports of physical altercations between the two groups — including at least one person pepper sprayed by another protester .
Police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered everyone to leave the area .
Video of the incident showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of demonstrators .
The car then suddenly accelerated through the crowd , ramming into the group carrying Trump signs and American flags .
Someone smashed its rear window as it tried to speed away .
Police detained and arrested the driver , identified as 40-year-old Tatiana Turner of Long Beach .
Police say Turner was believed to be part of the Caravan for Justice .
According to the Associated Press , Turner is being held on $ 1 million bail , and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday .

Woman Charged With Attempted Murder After Driving Into Pro-Trump Protesters
A prolonged confrontation between Black Lives Matter and pro-Trump demonstrators outside Los Angeles turned violent Saturday, as someone drove a car through the pro-Trump group. The driver has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
One man suffered two broken legs, and a woman was moderately injured, Orange County Sheriff's officials said. It was the second time since Thursday that Southern California protesters have been injured by a vehicle and it's just the latest vehicle attack of dozens that have been reported since nationwide protests began in May.
But while experts see a rise in vehicle attacks coming from right-wing extremists, police say the driver in Saturday's incident was a member of the so-called "Caravan for Justice," which organized the Black Lives Matter protest.
The alleged assault happened during a protest called by the Urban Organizers Coalition to "rise against police BRUTALITY, social injustice, and systemic RACISM," a flyer ahead of the event proclaimed.
But as the BLM protesters marched along a six-lane highway in downtown Yorba Linda, counter-protesters carrying American flags and Trump 2020 banners began taunting them from across the street, the Orange County Register reported. Then the Trump supporters crossed the highway and confronted the BLM group, according to the Register.
"U-S-A!" the American-flag waving group chanted.
"Black lives matter!" the BLM protesters responded.
About 30 minutes into the protests, Orange County Sheriff's Department officials say they began to get reports of physical altercations between the two groups — including at least one person pepper sprayed by another protester. Police declared an unlawful assembly and ordered everyone to leave the area.
Video of the incident showed a white car surrounded by a crowd of demonstrators. The car then suddenly accelerated through the crowd, ramming into the group carrying Trump signs and American flags. Someone smashed its rear window as it tried to speed away.
Police detained and arrested the driver, identified as 40-year-old Tatiana Turner of Long Beach. Police say Turner was believed to be part of the Caravan for Justice.
According to the Associated Press, Turner is being held on $1 million bail, and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.


npr--2020-09-27--Violence Erupts Between Armenia And Azerbaijan Over Long-Disputed Region

Violence Erupts Between Armenia And Azerbaijan Over Long-Disputed Region Fighting broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday , causing casualties on both sides and prompting the Armenian government to declare martial law and mobilize its military .
The conflict is the latest eruption of violence in a decades-long dispute over the region , which lies within the borders of Azerbaijan but is controlled by ethnic Armenian forces .
Both countries have reported military and civilian deaths as of Sunday afternoon .
Armenian officials said Azerbaijani forces launched a `` missile and aerial attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , targeting peaceful settlements and shelling civilian infrastructures , while Azerbaijan 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its armed forces were responding to Armenian shelling .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a tweet that the aggression seemed to be pre-planned , and `` constitutes large-scale provocation against regional peace & security . ''
Azerbaijan 's president , Ilham Aliyev , countered that `` the first fire , including artillery fire , was opened by Armenia , and the first victims were Azerbaijani servicemen . ''
Officials in both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as tensions rose on Sunday morning .
The human rights ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh said that a woman and child were killed and two civilians were wounded in the Martuni region as a result of Azerbaijani shelling .
The region 's deputy defense minister later said that 16 Armenian forces were killed and more than 100 were wounded .
Aliyev , Azerbaijan 's president , said enemy fire had killed and wounded both servicemen and civilians , and that `` shedding of their blood will not go unpunished . ''
`` Armenia is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this occupation must and will be put , '' Aliyev added .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , whose nation shares a border with Armenia , reinforced his country 's support for longtime ally Azerbaijan in a series of tweets , in which he called Armenia `` the biggest threat to peace and tranquility in the region . ''
`` The Turkish Nation stands by its Azerbaijani brothers with all its means , as always , '' he wrote .
In response , Armenian prime minister Pashinyan issued a statement calling on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its influence to halt any possible interference by Turkey , '' which he said would have devastating consequences for the region .
The renewed conflict threatens the stability of the southern Caucasus , which is crisscrossed by numerous oil and gas pipelines .
Reactions from the international community poured in on Sunday , with foreign leaders calling on the long-time adversaries to de-escalate the conflict and restart dialogue .
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 's Minsk Group , co-chaired by the United States , Russia and France , has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijan and Armenia since 1994 .
Its leaders issued a joint statement expressing concern about the reports of military actions and condemning the use of force and `` senseless loss of life . ''
`` The Co-Chairs call on the sides to take all necessary measures to stabilize the situation on the ground and reiterate that there is no alternative to a peaceful negotiated solution of the conflict , '' they added .
Separately , officials in Russia and France urged the countries to cease fire and begin negotiations immediately .
Charles Michel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also called for a halt to military action and a return to negotiations `` without preconditions . ''
Similar hopes were expressed at the Vatican , where Pope Francis urged leaders to find a solution `` not through the use of force and arms , but through the means of dialogue and negotiation . ''
Azerbaijan and Armenia have clashed periodically in the wake of the 1994 ceasefire that left Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenian control .
Notably , a wave of violence in 2016 killed at least 30 troops on both sides .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed at least 16 people in July .

Violence Erupts Between Armenia And Azerbaijan Over Long-Disputed Region
Enlarge this image toggle caption Melik Baghdasaryan/TASS via Getty Images Melik Baghdasaryan/TASS via Getty Images
Fighting broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, causing casualties on both sides and prompting the Armenian government to declare martial law and mobilize its military.
The conflict is the latest eruption of violence in a decades-long dispute over the region, which lies within the borders of Azerbaijan but is controlled by ethnic Armenian forces. Both countries have reported military and civilian deaths as of Sunday afternoon.
Armenian officials said Azerbaijani forces launched a "missile and aerial attack" in the region on Sunday morning, targeting peaceful settlements and shelling civilian infrastructures, while Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its armed forces were responding to Armenian shelling.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a tweet that the aggression seemed to be pre-planned, and "constitutes large-scale provocation against regional peace & security."
Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, countered that "the first fire, including artillery fire, was opened by Armenia, and the first victims were Azerbaijani servicemen."
Officials in both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh declared martial law and dispatched armed forces as tensions rose on Sunday morning.
The human rights ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh said that a woman and child were killed and two civilians were wounded in the Martuni region as a result of Azerbaijani shelling. The region's deputy defense minister later said that 16 Armenian forces were killed and more than 100 were wounded.
Aliyev, Azerbaijan's president, said enemy fire had killed and wounded both servicemen and civilians, and that "shedding of their blood will not go unpunished."
"Armenia is an occupying state, and an end to this occupation must and will be put," Aliyev added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose nation shares a border with Armenia, reinforced his country's support for longtime ally Azerbaijan in a series of tweets, in which he called Armenia "the biggest threat to peace and tranquility in the region."
"The Turkish Nation stands by its Azerbaijani brothers with all its means, as always," he wrote.
In response, Armenian prime minister Pashinyan issued a statement calling on the international community to "use all of its influence to halt any possible interference by Turkey," which he said would have devastating consequences for the region.
The renewed conflict threatens the stability of the southern Caucasus, which is crisscrossed by numerous oil and gas pipelines.
Reactions from the international community poured in on Sunday, with foreign leaders calling on the long-time adversaries to de-escalate the conflict and restart dialogue.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, has been working to permanently settle the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia since 1994. Its leaders issued a joint statement expressing concern about the reports of military actions and condemning the use of force and "senseless loss of life."
"The Co-Chairs call on the sides to take all necessary measures to stabilize the situation on the ground and reiterate that there is no alternative to a peaceful negotiated solution of the conflict," they added.
Separately, officials in Russia and France urged the countries to cease fire and begin negotiations immediately.
Charles Michel, president of the European Council, also called for a halt to military action and a return to negotiations "without preconditions."
Similar hopes were expressed at the Vatican, where Pope Francis urged leaders to find a solution "not through the use of force and arms, but through the means of dialogue and negotiation."
Azerbaijan and Armenia have clashed periodically in the wake of the 1994 ceasefire that left Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenian control. Notably, a wave of violence in 2016 killed at least 30 troops on both sides. And more recently, fighting along the border killed at least 16 people in July.


npr--2020-09-27--'Summon Your Conscience': Biden Implores GOP Senators To Wait On SCOTUS Nomination

'Summon Your Conscience ' : Biden Implores GOP Senators To Wait On SCOTUS Nomination Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Sunday implored Senate Republicans not to act on President Trump 's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court until after the American people finish selecting their next president .
`` There are Senate Republicans out there who know in their hearts that if they shut out the voices of those during a voting period , during an election , they 're closing the door on American democracy thereafter , '' Biden said during a speech in his hometown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urge every senator to take a step back from the brink , take off the blinders of politics for just one critical moment , and stand up for the Constitution you swore to uphold , '' said Biden , a longtime former senator himself .
`` Just because you have the power to do something does n't absolve you of your responsibility to do right by the American people .
Uphold your constitutional duty , summon your conscience . ''
Biden argued that since voters have already begun participating in the democratic process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's crucial to hold off on any consideration of a Supreme Court nominee until the election results are known .
`` If we 're going to call ourselves a democracy , their voices must be heard , '' Biden said .
The Democratic nominee also emphasized the proximity of Barrett 's nomination to an upcoming case before the Supreme Court that challenges the Affordable Care Act .
Barrett could cast a pivotal vote in that decision , as she has previously criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for his reasoning in upholding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Party has been trying to eliminate [ the ACA ] for a decade .
Twice already , the Supreme Court has upheld that law .
And the Congress , expressing the popular will of the American people , has rejected President Trump 's efforts as well , '' Biden said .
`` It should come as no surprise that on Saturday , President Trump would nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett and on Sunday lay out clearly what is objective is : to terminate Obamacare . ''
Trump tweeted Sunday morning that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be replaced with a `` cheaper alternative if it is terminated in the Supreme Court . ''
This is n't the first time Biden has asked Republican lawmakers to respect the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's dying wish that she `` not be replaced until a new president is installed . ''
Speaking in Philadelphia two days after Ginsburg 's death , Biden called on a `` handful '' of Republicans to `` follow your conscience . ''
On Sunday , Biden told reporters he has n't reached out directly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't want to put them in a compromising position .
`` I concluded that that would put them in a position if they were to vote the right way that they 'd be compromised because I called them .
I have great respect for a number of my former Republican colleagues and I 'm hoping they will do the right thing . ''

'Summon Your Conscience': Biden Implores GOP Senators To Wait On SCOTUS Nomination
Enlarge this image toggle caption Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Sunday implored Senate Republicans not to act on President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court until after the American people finish selecting their next president.
"There are Senate Republicans out there who know in their hearts that if they shut out the voices of those during a voting period, during an election, they're closing the door on American democracy thereafter," Biden said during a speech in his hometown of Wilmington, Del.
"I urge every senator to take a step back from the brink, take off the blinders of politics for just one critical moment, and stand up for the Constitution you swore to uphold," said Biden, a longtime former senator himself. "Just because you have the power to do something doesn't absolve you of your responsibility to do right by the American people. Uphold your constitutional duty, summon your conscience."
Biden argued that since voters have already begun participating in the democratic process through early-voting and casting their mail-in ballots, it's crucial to hold off on any consideration of a Supreme Court nominee until the election results are known.
"If we're going to call ourselves a democracy, their voices must be heard," Biden said.
The Democratic nominee also emphasized the proximity of Barrett's nomination to an upcoming case before the Supreme Court that challenges the Affordable Care Act.
Barrett could cast a pivotal vote in that decision, as she has previously criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for his reasoning in upholding the health care law.
"The Republican Party has been trying to eliminate [the ACA] for a decade. Twice already, the Supreme Court has upheld that law. And the Congress, expressing the popular will of the American people, has rejected President Trump's efforts as well," Biden said. "It should come as no surprise that on Saturday, President Trump would nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett and on Sunday lay out clearly what is objective is: to terminate Obamacare."
Trump tweeted Sunday morning that the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, would be replaced with a "cheaper alternative if it is terminated in the Supreme Court."
This isn't the first time Biden has asked Republican lawmakers to respect the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dying wish that she "not be replaced until a new president is installed."
Speaking in Philadelphia two days after Ginsburg's death, Biden called on a "handful" of Republicans to "follow your conscience."
On Sunday, Biden told reporters he hasn't reached out directly to any Senate Republicans, saying he didn't want to put them in a compromising position.
"I concluded that that would put them in a position if they were to vote the right way that they'd be compromised because I called them. I have great respect for a number of my former Republican colleagues and I'm hoping they will do the right thing."


npr--2020-09-27--'We Can't Stop The Outcome,' No. 2 Senate Democrat Says Of Barrett Confirmation

'We Ca n't Stop The Outcome , ' No .
2 Senate Democrat Says Of Barrett Confirmation The second-highest ranking Senate Democrat conceded Sunday that his side ca n't halt Judge Amy Coney Barrett 's confirmation to the nation 's high court .
President Trump on Saturday nominated the 48-year-old Barrett to fill the vacancy left by the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
`` We can slow it down , perhaps a matter of hours , maybe days at the most .
But we ca n't stop the outcome , '' Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Republican aide has told NPR that confirmation hearings for Barrett are set to begin on Oct. 12 .
Barrett 's nomination and the resulting political repercussions dominated the Sunday political talk shows .
Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J. , a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , told NBC 's Meet the Press he sees the Republicans scheduling a vote for Barrett as the `` height of hypocrisy . ''
In 2016 , Senate Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , successfully blocked then-President Barack Obama 's nominee for the Supreme Court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
`` Which precedent do you really believe in ? ''
Booker asked .
`` Because you ca n't say one thing and then do another .
Barack Obama was putting up a nominee 269 days before an election and now we see Donald Trump doing it while people are voting in the midst of an election . ''
But Sen. Tom Cotton , R-Ark.
, does n't see it that way .
`` In 2018 , we had about as clear a national referendum as we could , '' he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican majority in the Senate , while neglecting the Democrats ' victories in the House .
`` It was a clear mandate for a Republican Senate to continue confirming this president 's outstanding judicial nominees — and that 's what we 're going to do to Judge Barrett next month . ''
Barrett is Trump 's third Supreme Court nominee in three-plus years .
A new poll from The New York Times and Siena College on Sunday found that a majority of likely voters in this year 's presidential election said that whoever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Senate Judiciary Committee member John Kennedy , R-La.
, also defended the decision to proceed with Barrett 's nomination , telling Fox News Sunday that the Constitution 's provisions on Supreme Court vacancies are `` unaffected by the electoral calendar . ''
`` When the Democrats are in charge of the process , they do what they think is right , consistent with the Constitution , '' Kennedy said .
`` When the Republicans are in charge of the process , they do what they think is right . ''
He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have a Republican Senate .
If the shoe were on the other foot , I can assure you Sen. [ Minority Leader Chuck ] Schumer would do what the Republicans are doing right now . ''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , told CNN 's State of the Union that she 's concerned about a case scheduled to be heard before the Supreme Court a week after the Nov. 3 election , on the Affordable Care Act .
`` Anyone that President Trump would have appointed was there to undo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` That is why he was in such a hurry , so he could have someone in place for the oral arguments , which begin Nov .
10 . ''
Barrett has previously criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for his reasoning in upholding the Affordable Care Act .
If confirmed , Barrett 's vote on the upcoming challenge to the ACA could be pivotal .
Durbin , the Senate minority whip who 's also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , said he believes Barrett should recuse herself on any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the results of the 2020 election .
`` I certainly wish she would ; it would really help matters and it would evidence the fact that she wants to be fair in addressing this , '' Durbin said .
`` To think that [ Trump ] would not accept the verdict of the election , and that he would make it clear that he 's filling this vacancy on the Supreme Court to make sure it tips his way if there 's any election contest , that is an outrage . ''

'We Can't Stop The Outcome,' No. 2 Senate Democrat Says Of Barrett Confirmation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Andrew Harnik/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
The second-highest ranking Senate Democrat conceded Sunday that his side can't halt Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the nation's high court.
President Trump on Saturday nominated the 48-year-old Barrett to fill the vacancy left by the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
"We can slow it down, perhaps a matter of hours, maybe days at the most. But we can't stop the outcome," Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said on ABC's This Week.
A Senate Republican aide has told NPR that confirmation hearings for Barrett are set to begin on Oct. 12.
Barrett's nomination and the resulting political repercussions dominated the Sunday political talk shows.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told NBC's Meet the Press he sees the Republicans scheduling a vote for Barrett as the "height of hypocrisy."
In 2016, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., successfully blocked then-President Barack Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland, eight months before the election.
"Which precedent do you really believe in?" Booker asked. "Because you can't say one thing and then do another. Barack Obama was putting up a nominee 269 days before an election and now we see Donald Trump doing it while people are voting in the midst of an election."
But Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., doesn't see it that way.
"In 2018, we had about as clear a national referendum as we could," he told CNN, referencing the expansion of the Republican majority in the Senate, while neglecting the Democrats' victories in the House. "It was a clear mandate for a Republican Senate to continue confirming this president's outstanding judicial nominees — and that's what we're going to do to Judge Barrett next month."
Barrett is Trump's third Supreme Court nominee in three-plus years.
A new poll from The New York Times and Siena College on Sunday found that a majority of likely voters in this year's presidential election said that whoever wins the contest should nominate a justice.
Senate Judiciary Committee member John Kennedy, R-La., also defended the decision to proceed with Barrett's nomination, telling Fox News Sunday that the Constitution's provisions on Supreme Court vacancies are "unaffected by the electoral calendar."
"When the Democrats are in charge of the process, they do what they think is right, consistent with the Constitution," Kennedy said. "When the Republicans are in charge of the process, they do what they think is right."
He added: "We have a Republican president. We have a Republican Senate. If the shoe were on the other foot, I can assure you Sen. [Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer would do what the Republicans are doing right now."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told CNN's State of the Union that she's concerned about a case scheduled to be heard before the Supreme Court a week after the Nov. 3 election, on the Affordable Care Act.
"Anyone that President Trump would have appointed was there to undo the Affordable Care Act," Pelosi said. "That is why he was in such a hurry, so he could have someone in place for the oral arguments, which begin Nov. 10."
Barrett has previously criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for his reasoning in upholding the Affordable Care Act. If confirmed, Barrett's vote on the upcoming challenge to the ACA could be pivotal.
Durbin, the Senate minority whip who's also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he believes Barrett should recuse herself on any case brought before the court dealing with the results of the 2020 election.
"I certainly wish she would; it would really help matters and it would evidence the fact that she wants to be fair in addressing this," Durbin said. "To think that [Trump] would not accept the verdict of the election, and that he would make it clear that he's filling this vacancy on the Supreme Court to make sure it tips his way if there's any election contest, that is an outrage."


npr--2020-09-27--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Since the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan , China , in December , the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and to neighboring countries and beyond .
The first confirmed coronavirus cases outside China occurred on Jan. 20 , in Japan , Thailand and South Korea .
On Jan. 21 , the first case in the U.S. was identified in Washington state .
On Jan. 24 , the first two European cases were confirmed in France .
By Feb. 1 , eight European nations had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month later that count had risen to 24 countries with at least 2,200 cases , most of them in Italy .
On March 11 , Italy eclipsed 10,000 cases and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic — the first since H1N1 in 2009 .
That 's also when China , the original epicenter , began seeing drops in daily counts of new cases .
March also saw exponential spread of the virus throughout the U.S. , with all 50 states reporting cases by March 17 .
This particular virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause severe symptoms in humans .
The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

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


npr--2020-09-28--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak


npr--2020-09-28--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 7 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 200,000 have died .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each state based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visualization highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 800 per day in late September .
Explore the map above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid August , California , Florida and Texas have surpassed New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in shades of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolves anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
In early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers until the JHU team was able to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited this story .

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-09-28--Meet The Trump Campaign Lawyer Who Got His Start Working For Al Gore

Meet The Trump Campaign Lawyer Who Got His Start Working For Al Gore Justin Clark 's path to the top of the Trump campaign started in an unlikely place : 20 years ago , between college and law school , Clark did accounting work for Democrat Al Gore 's presidential campaign .
Republican candidate George W. Bush ended up winning that election , after legal battles over the recount in Florida went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court .
Clark 's work on the Gore campaign seems to have fallen off his résumé .
But his work then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's deputy campaign manager and senior counsel for a year when legal battles are being waged over voting rules in more than a dozen states — and when the president himself has speculated that the election results could end up in the courts .
Clark , who declined comment for this story , grew up a moderate Democrat in Connecticut .
After the Gore campaign , he went to law school and , in 2006 , applied for a clerkship with Peter Zarella , then a justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was in this thoughtful period , this transition period in the political sense , '' Zarella recalled in an interview .
Zarella liked that Clark was able to look at things from all sides .
But there was something else .
He says Clark is probably the most affable person he has met .
`` That affability really hides , or hid at the time , his intensity and his hard work and his thoroughness , '' Zarella said .
Clark spent time in private legal practice and volunteering in local Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with that same intensity and thoroughness that Zarella remembered .
Those who have worked with him say Clark is a political tactician who immerses himself in the details .
Clark managed the 2010 and 2014 gubernatorial races for Republican Tom Foley in Connecticut .
`` He has a system that I do n't think he shares with anybody but himself , but in both of my campaigns , he got the delegate count at the convention within three or four delegates , and that 's not that easy to do , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the blue state , and he said Clark took it hard — though he does n't blame Clark .
`` I did n't win the election , but I think we had an emotional victory because we came so close , '' Foley said .
In 2016 , Clark played a role in lining up delegates for Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention , staving off rumblings about a possible contested convention .
After the election , he was involved in the recounts .
And in 2020 , Clark 's work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nowhere for those who wanted to challenge Trump to get a foothold .
`` The process is different in every state .
There 's a lot of rules to keep them all straight .
You need a good lawyer who understands that .
But then you also need someone who 's actually kind of done it , '' said Mike DuHaime , who has known Clark for a decade , working on multiple Republican campaigns with him .
Clark has mostly flown under the radar .
But late last year , a speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers in Wisconsin was caught on tape and distributed by a liberal opposition research group .
In the speech , he praised the state 's voter ID laws , which voting rights advocates and Democrats say suppress the vote , especially of people of color .
Clark also outlined a major difference in how Republicans are approaching Election Day in 2020 , after a consent decree was lifted that had prevented the Republican Party from doing poll watching and other Election Day operations .
The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lawyers on hand in key precincts .
`` Traditionally , it 's always been Republicans suppressing votes in places , '' Clark said on the tape .
`` And let 's start protecting our voters .
We know where they are now .
We know where they are .
They 're all in one part of the state .
And all their voters are in one part of the state .
So let 's start playing offense a little bit . ''
It sounded like he was saying Republicans work to suppress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign have insisted that his remarks were misunderstood and that he was just talking about false allegations leveled against the Republican Party .
Regardless , as Clark said , Republicans are going on legal offense this year when it comes to Election Day operations and beyond .

Meet The Trump Campaign Lawyer Who Got His Start Working For Al Gore
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rich Pedroncelli/AP Rich Pedroncelli/AP
Justin Clark's path to the top of the Trump campaign started in an unlikely place: 20 years ago, between college and law school, Clark did accounting work for Democrat Al Gore's presidential campaign.
Republican candidate George W. Bush ended up winning that election, after legal battles over the recount in Florida went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Clark's work on the Gore campaign seems to have fallen off his résumé. But his work then and since has armed the Trump campaign's deputy campaign manager and senior counsel for a year when legal battles are being waged over voting rules in more than a dozen states — and when the president himself has speculated that the election results could end up in the courts.
Clark, who declined comment for this story, grew up a moderate Democrat in Connecticut. After the Gore campaign, he went to law school and, in 2006, applied for a clerkship with Peter Zarella, then a justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court.
"When he came to me, he was in this thoughtful period, this transition period in the political sense," Zarella recalled in an interview.
Zarella liked that Clark was able to look at things from all sides. But there was something else. He says Clark is probably the most affable person he has met.
"That affability really hides, or hid at the time, his intensity and his hard work and his thoroughness," Zarella said.
Clark spent time in private legal practice and volunteering in local Republican politics, then started working on campaigns, with that same intensity and thoroughness that Zarella remembered. Those who have worked with him say Clark is a political tactician who immerses himself in the details.
Clark managed the 2010 and 2014 gubernatorial races for Republican Tom Foley in Connecticut.
"He has a system that I don't think he shares with anybody but himself, but in both of my campaigns, he got the delegate count at the convention within three or four delegates, and that's not that easy to do," Foley said.
Foley lost both races in the blue state, and he said Clark took it hard — though he doesn't blame Clark. "I didn't win the election, but I think we had an emotional victory because we came so close," Foley said.
In 2016, Clark played a role in lining up delegates for Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention, staving off rumblings about a possible contested convention. After the election, he was involved in the recounts.
And in 2020, Clark's work on state party rules meant there was nowhere for those who wanted to challenge Trump to get a foothold.
"The process is different in every state. There's a lot of rules to keep them all straight. You need a good lawyer who understands that. But then you also need someone who's actually kind of done it," said Mike DuHaime, who has known Clark for a decade, working on multiple Republican campaigns with him.
Clark has mostly flown under the radar. But late last year, a speech he gave to a group of Republican lawyers in Wisconsin was caught on tape and distributed by a liberal opposition research group. In the speech, he praised the state's voter ID laws, which voting rights advocates and Democrats say suppress the vote, especially of people of color. Clark also outlined a major difference in how Republicans are approaching Election Day in 2020, after a consent decree was lifted that had prevented the Republican Party from doing poll watching and other Election Day operations. The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee now plan to have an army of volunteers and lawyers on hand in key precincts.
"Traditionally, it's always been Republicans suppressing votes in places," Clark said on the tape. "And let's start protecting our voters. We know where they are now. We know where they are. They're all in one part of the state. And all their voters are in one part of the state. So let's start playing offense a little bit."
It sounded like he was saying Republicans work to suppress the vote, but Clark and the campaign have insisted that his remarks were misunderstood and that he was just talking about false allegations leveled against the Republican Party.
Regardless, as Clark said, Republicans are going on legal offense this year when it comes to Election Day operations and beyond.