npr--2020-02-04--A Top Restaurateur Thinks Single-Payer Health Care Could Boost His Bottom Line

Last winter , James Mark was a 2018 James Beard Award finalist .
A few months later , both GQ and Bon Appétit magazines ranked Big King , Mark 's newest Rhode Island restaurant , as one of the country 's best places to eat .
But in 2018 , the Providence chef and restaurateur spent almost double his personal income on health insurance for his employees : $ 54,000 to cover a dozen or so people , compared with the $ 35,000 he paid himself as a salary .
Mark spends most of his time at Big King , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and strange , '' experimental Asian restaurant in Providence 's trendy West Side .
The handwritten menu changes daily .
At downtown 's Dean Hotel , he also runs the small cocktail bar and the no-reservations restaurant North , which serves dishes like smoked shiitake ice cream and crab and fried kabocha with pumpkin miso .
Mark employs fewer than 50 people , all told , so he is n't required to provide them health benefits .
But he thinks doing so helps with staff retention and is the right thing to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed an emergency appendectomy , the bill for a patient without insurance could be financially devastating .
Offering health benefits , he says , is crucial to treating his employees ' jobs as `` viable , long-term work . ''
That 's why Mark , who studied at nearby Johnson & Wales University and trained at restaurants in Providence and New York City , has joined a growing chorus of small-business owners who are supporting `` Medicare for All , '' or some other type of government-sponsored , universal health plan .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are right now is not just the financial burden he feels in paying for his employees ' benefits , though that 's part of it .
`` I could make a lot more money if I did n't have to pay that , '' he acknowledges .
But the greater burden , he says , are the hours of administrative paperwork he has to deal with — and all the confounding choices from insurers .
Though he tries to pick a good option , he says , `` I have no idea if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan or a bad plan , in comparison to everything else . ''
Restaurant industry groups have largely opposed the idea of a single-payer system , worrying it would mean tax hikes .
But some individual owners are increasingly open to the idea .
Big companies can hire benefits consultants and managers who arrange and administer employee insurance .
Owners of very small businesses and restaurants might otherwise decide to let employees fend for themselves .
( Under the ACA , only employers who have the equivalent of 50 or more full-time workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health benefits . )
But , after weighing their choices , Mark and some other restaurant owners conclude they would accept higher taxes if the government would take over the task of insuring their workers .
As premiums and health costs rise , the broader industry seems to be eyeing the option with a mix of new curiosity and old concerns .
The National Restaurant Association , for instance , opposed the Affordable Care Act and other Democratic reform efforts that were less sweeping than the single-payer approach .
Today , the trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Medicare for All , though a spokesperson points to concerns about the eventual tax burden its members could face .
The National Federation of Independent Business , an advocacy organization that represents small-business owners , raises similar worries about the potential tax hikes .
An internal survey of NFIB members showed 75 % opposed single-payer , often citing payroll tax increases as their concern .
Aaron Frazier , spokesperson for the restaurant association suggests members could get a better health insurance deal by using the organization 's association health plan , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those association health plans — a longtime favorite Republican concept — are a cornerstone of the current White House 's health policy .
But they remain controversial and are often held to less stringent coverage standards than other forms of insurance .
They may have caps on coverage spending , for example , and may not cover some of the Affordable Care Act 's `` essential benefits , '' such as maternity care and prescription drugs .
A middle ground , proposed by many of the Democratic presidential candidates , might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government-run health plan that individuals — or their employers — could pay to join if they did n't like their other options .
That approach could `` go a long way '' toward addressing some of the concerns restaurant owners have , says Linda Blumberg , a health policy fellow at the Urban Institute , a Washington think tank .
On the 2020 campaign trail , presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren talk about how their plans would replace the current , private insurance system with a single , government-run program .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharing , so patients pay very little out-of-pocket , and would be financed through taxes .
Warren , a Massachusetts senator , says she would implement her plan through two legislative steps , while Vermont 's Sanders would do so in one .
Rather than focusing on these details , Mark and other restaurateurs endorsing this approach emphasize the result : having the government step in and guarantee coverage to everyone .
`` We would all , everyone involved , be positively affected , '' argues Daniel Myers , who co-owns Loyal Nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by night , in Cambridge , Mass .
Loyal Nine insures about a dozen employees , who must meet a $ 3,000 deductible before coverage kicks in .
Subsidizing employee coverage makes sense , Myers says — good workers who have health insurance are more likely to stay in the job .
Take Jen Wittlin , who manages Providence 's Dean Bar and has worked on and off with James Mark since 2012 .
She says having good health insurance is non-negotiable , for her .
She was diagnosed and treated for medullary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medication and regular endocrinology checkups .
`` I did n't have the option of working somewhere that did n't offer health care , '' she says .
She used to work a full-time gig at the YMCA ( in addition to her job at North ) , in order to have access to the Y 's employer-sponsored health care .
Signing up for the restaurant 's health benefit instead , she says , enabled her to quit that second job .
`` People are forced to sacrifice their creative abilities and go into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she says of other people she knows .
`` To have it paid for !
That 's the lure of this place . ''
Still , offering insurance can be a big expense for employers .
Myers estimates 10 % of his payroll goes to health care .
His business is too small to bargain with the insurance company .
So each year , the price goes up – and how much it goes up can vary .
`` You 're pushed up against a wall , '' Myers says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our prices .
They are what they are . ''
Bigger businesses have purchasing power to wrangle a favorable deal with an insurance company .
Smaller ones do n't , leaving many restaurateurs in a perilous position , says Paul Ginsburg , an economist who directs the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy .
It 's pressures like these that fuel these restaurateurs ' support for Medicare for All , even though the cost and financing of such a plan are still just pencil sketches .
Mark says he doubts he would pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than he spends on health care now .
Even if he did , he says , it would be a plannable expense .
That — and the knowledge that everyone else shares in the burden — would justify the increase , he believes .
Still , Richard Wall , who owns Both Ways Café and Catering , in Seattle , has questions .
How would Medicare for All 's coverage compare with the insurance he currently gets through his wife 's employer ?
He 's unsure .
And Adam Orman , who co-owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' health care with a direct primary care contract and other additional benefits , worries there would still be `` so many layers of bureaucracy . ''
Still , no longer having to deal with the confusing paperwork of the current system , and knowing his employees are covered , `` sounds really good , '' Wall says .
Orman calls it `` a step in the right direction . ''
The choice between plans and doctors , which is cited as a benefit of the current market-based system , often does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their workers .
Recently , Mark decided to explain to his staff how their insurance works .
In response , he got `` glazed looks , '' he says .
a `` It 's a system that 's really confusing . ''
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit , editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation .
KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

A Top Restaurateur Thinks Single-Payer Health Care Could Boost His Bottom Line
Enlarge this image toggle caption Christine Chitnis for KHN Christine Chitnis for KHN
Last winter, James Mark was a 2018 James Beard Award finalist. A few months later, both GQ and Bon Appétit magazines ranked Big King, Mark's newest Rhode Island restaurant, as one of the country's best places to eat.
But in 2018, the Providence chef and restaurateur spent almost double his personal income on health insurance for his employees: $54,000 to cover a dozen or so people, compared with the $35,000 he paid himself as a salary.
Mark spends most of his time at Big King, which he describes as his "small and strange," experimental Asian restaurant in Providence's trendy West Side. The handwritten menu changes daily. At downtown's Dean Hotel, he also runs the small cocktail bar and the no-reservations restaurant North, which serves dishes like smoked shiitake ice cream and crab and fried kabocha with pumpkin miso.
Mark employs fewer than 50 people, all told, so he isn't required to provide them health benefits. But he thinks doing so helps with staff retention and is the right thing to do.
After all, if a sous-chef needed an emergency appendectomy, the bill for a patient without insurance could be financially devastating. Offering health benefits, he says, is crucial to treating his employees' jobs as "viable, long-term work."
That's why Mark, who studied at nearby Johnson & Wales University and trained at restaurants in Providence and New York City, has joined a growing chorus of small-business owners who are supporting "Medicare for All," or some other type of government-sponsored, universal health plan.
He says his concern with the way things are right now is not just the financial burden he feels in paying for his employees' benefits, though that's part of it.
toggle caption Christine Chitnis for KHN
"I could make a lot more money if I didn't have to pay that," he acknowledges. But the greater burden, he says, are the hours of administrative paperwork he has to deal with — and all the confounding choices from insurers. Though he tries to pick a good option, he says, "I have no idea if it's a good [health] plan or a bad plan, in comparison to everything else."
Restaurant industry groups have largely opposed the idea of a single-payer system, worrying it would mean tax hikes. But some individual owners are increasingly open to the idea.
Big companies can hire benefits consultants and managers who arrange and administer employee insurance. Owners of very small businesses and restaurants might otherwise decide to let employees fend for themselves. (Under the ACA, only employers who have the equivalent of 50 or more full-time workers incur penalties if they don't offer health benefits.)
But, after weighing their choices, Mark and some other restaurant owners conclude they would accept higher taxes if the government would take over the task of insuring their workers.
As premiums and health costs rise, the broader industry seems to be eyeing the option with a mix of new curiosity and old concerns.
The National Restaurant Association, for instance, opposed the Affordable Care Act and other Democratic reform efforts that were less sweeping than the single-payer approach. Today, the trade group doesn't have a specific stance on Medicare for All, though a spokesperson points to concerns about the eventual tax burden its members could face.
The National Federation of Independent Business, an advocacy organization that represents small-business owners, raises similar worries about the potential tax hikes. An internal survey of NFIB members showed 75% opposed single-payer, often citing payroll tax increases as their concern.
Aaron Frazier, spokesperson for the restaurant association suggests members could get a better health insurance deal by using the organization's association health plan, which is collectively negotiated by the trade group.
Those association health plans — a longtime favorite Republican concept — are a cornerstone of the current White House's health policy. But they remain controversial and are often held to less stringent coverage standards than other forms of insurance. They may have caps on coverage spending, for example, and may not cover some of the Affordable Care Act's "essential benefits," such as maternity care and prescription drugs.
A middle ground, proposed by many of the Democratic presidential candidates, might be a "public option," a government-run health plan that individuals — or their employers — could pay to join if they didn't like their other options.
That approach could "go a long way" toward addressing some of the concerns restaurant owners have, says Linda Blumberg, a health policy fellow at the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank.
On the 2020 campaign trail, presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren talk about how their plans would replace the current, private insurance system with a single, government-run program. Their proposed systems would eliminate most cost sharing, so patients pay very little out-of-pocket, and would be financed through taxes. Warren, a Massachusetts senator, says she would implement her plan through two legislative steps, while Vermont's Sanders would do so in one.
Rather than focusing on these details, Mark and other restaurateurs endorsing this approach emphasize the result: having the government step in and guarantee coverage to everyone.
"We would all, everyone involved, be positively affected," argues Daniel Myers, who co-owns Loyal Nine, a cafe by day and restaurant by night, in Cambridge, Mass.
Loyal Nine insures about a dozen employees, who must meet a $3,000 deductible before coverage kicks in. Subsidizing employee coverage makes sense, Myers says — good workers who have health insurance are more likely to stay in the job.
Take Jen Wittlin, who manages Providence's Dean Bar and has worked on and off with James Mark since 2012. She says having good health insurance is non-negotiable, for her. She was diagnosed and treated for medullary thyroid cancer, and still needs daily medication and regular endocrinology checkups.
"I didn't have the option of working somewhere that didn't offer health care," she says.
She used to work a full-time gig at the YMCA (in addition to her job at North), in order to have access to the Y's employer-sponsored health care. Signing up for the restaurant's health benefit instead, she says, enabled her to quit that second job.
"People are forced to sacrifice their creative abilities and go into corporate positions because those are guaranteed benefits," she says of other people she knows. "To have it paid for! That's the lure of this place."
Still, offering insurance can be a big expense for employers. Myers estimates 10% of his payroll goes to health care. His business is too small to bargain with the insurance company. So each year, the price goes up – and how much it goes up can vary.
"You're pushed up against a wall," Myers says. "We have no ability to negotiate our prices. They are what they are."
Bigger businesses have purchasing power to wrangle a favorable deal with an insurance company. Smaller ones don't, leaving many restaurateurs in a perilous position, says Paul Ginsburg, an economist who directs the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy. It's pressures like these that fuel these restaurateurs' support for Medicare for All, even though the cost and financing of such a plan are still just pencil sketches.
Mark says he doubts he would pay more in taxes under Medicare for All than he spends on health care now. Even if he did, he says, it would be a plannable expense. That — and the knowledge that everyone else shares in the burden — would justify the increase, he believes.
Still, Richard Wall, who owns Both Ways Café and Catering, in Seattle, has questions. How would Medicare for All's coverage compare with the insurance he currently gets through his wife's employer? He's unsure.
And Adam Orman, who co-owns Austin-based L'Oca d'Oro and subsidizes his employees' health care with a direct primary care contract and other additional benefits, worries there would still be "so many layers of bureaucracy."
Still, no longer having to deal with the confusing paperwork of the current system, and knowing his employees are covered, "sounds really good," Wall says. Orman calls it "a step in the right direction."
The choice between plans and doctors, which is cited as a benefit of the current market-based system, often doesn't seem an asset to small restaurateurs and their workers.
Recently, Mark decided to explain to his staff how their insurance works. In response, he got "glazed looks," he says. a "It's a system that's really confusing."
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit, editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


npr--2020-02-04--Trump Delivers State Of The Union As Impeachment Vote Looms. So Did Clinton

Trump Delivers State Of The Union As Impeachment Vote Looms .
So Did Clinton When President Trump stands before Congress on Tuesday to deliver his State of the Union address , he will be a president impeached , but not yet acquitted .
Traditionally , the State of the Union address is the most important and most-watched speech of the year for a president .
Doing it in the midst of an impeachment trial adds another political dimension .
President Clinton faced a similar situation in 1999 .
He delivered his State of the Union on the very day his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to senators .
When Clinton entered the House chamber that night , members of Congress stood and applauded .
Dennis Hastert , the Republican speaker of the House who had voted to impeach Clinton , offered a warm greeting .
`` Members of Congress , I have the high privilege and the distinct honor of presenting to you , the president of the United States , '' Hastert said introducing Clinton .
In his speech , which lasted more than an hour , Clinton never once mentioned impeachment , and his speechwriters say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
They stuck to bipartisan and optimistic themes .
`` As he stood up there and was applauded , this did not feel like a president whose presidency actually hung in the balance , '' said Jeff Shesol , a White House speechwriter at the time and now a partner at West Wing Writers , a speechwriting firm .
Similar to Trump 's situation today , there was n't a lot of suspense about whether Clinton ultimately would be removed from office .
He was riding high with near-record job approval .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deficit had been erased .
`` America is working again .
The promise of our future is limitless , '' Clinton said in his speech .
`` But we can not realize that promise if we allow the hum of our prosperity to lull us into complacency . ''
In the speech , Clinton proposed a long-term fix for Social Security , to put it `` on a sound footing for the next 75 years . ''
Which is to say , his policy ambitions were n't constrained by the specter of impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of investigations that preceded it , Clinton had tried to maintain an air of floating above it all .
`` I think it increased our commitment to bipartisan themes that you probably would have seen in any event , '' Shesol said of the 1999 speech .
For Trump , the Senate vote on two articles of impeachment is set for Wednesday .
The outcome is all but certain .
But when he gives his State of the Union address , the vote wo n't yet have happened yet , robbing him of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an interview on Fox over the weekend , Trump said he was n't considering a delay in the address .
`` I 'm going to have it .
It 's going to be done , '' Trump said .
`` We 're going to talk about the achievements that we 've made .
Nobody has made achievements like we 've made , so many different things . ''
To that end , a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the speech on the condition of anonymity said the theme will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The official described it as an optimistic speech that would touch on the economy , trade , paid family leave , immigration and national security .
But he also hinted that Trump would draw contrasts with Democrats , including possible election opponents sitting in the chamber .
`` He will contrast his vision with radical proposals being floated on the left , '' the official said .
`` Clearly , socialism is a rising force in the Democratic party with very specific designs on our healthcare system . ''
If Trump follows through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would be a different tack than Clinton 's aggressively bipartisan message of 21 years ago .
The administration official would n't say whether Trump would mention impeachment .
But last year , with the Russia investigation underway , Trump issued a warning to Democrats that `` if there is going to be peace and legislation , there can not be war and investigation . ''
The line landed with a thud in the House chamber with applause that failed to catch on and audible murmurs .
In the end , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of bipartisan legislative accomplishments .
If Trump delivers the speech his White House has previewed , there could be awkward moments as Democrats who sought to remove him from office and others running to replace him sit and listen as he delivers the themes of his re-election campaign to a national television audience .
Trump will deliver his speech just feet away from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , looking out on a chamber full of senators who will serve as jurors in his trial .
The House impeachment managers who spent hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , too .
There was awkwardness in 1999 , too .
Michael Waldman , then the director of speechwriting for Clinton , described the event as `` a truly miserable experience '' for many of the Republican senators .
`` They had to adjourn the trial and trudge over to the House chamber and sit there while Bill Clinton got up to the rostrum and gave an ebullient , confident , even visionary State of the Union speech on national television , '' Waldman said .

Trump Delivers State Of The Union As Impeachment Vote Looms. So Did Clinton
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gamma Liaison/Pool/Getty Images Gamma Liaison/Pool/Getty Images
When President Trump stands before Congress on Tuesday to deliver his State of the Union address, he will be a president impeached, but not yet acquitted.
Traditionally, the State of the Union address is the most important and most-watched speech of the year for a president. Doing it in the midst of an impeachment trial adds another political dimension.
President Clinton faced a similar situation in 1999. He delivered his State of the Union on the very day his legal team began presenting his impeachment defense to senators.
When Clinton entered the House chamber that night, members of Congress stood and applauded. Dennis Hastert, the Republican speaker of the House who had voted to impeach Clinton, offered a warm greeting.
"Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and the distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States," Hastert said in introducing Clinton.
In his speech, which lasted more than an hour, Clinton never once mentioned impeachment, and his speechwriters say there was never a question of doing so. They stuck to bipartisan and optimistic themes.
"As he stood up there and was applauded, this did not feel like a president whose presidency actually hung in the balance," said Jeff Shesol, a White House speechwriter at the time and now a partner at West Wing Writers, a speechwriting firm.
Similar to Trump's situation today, there wasn't a lot of suspense about whether Clinton ultimately would be removed from office. He was riding high with near-record job approval. The economy was booming, and the budget deficit had been erased.
"America is working again. The promise of our future is limitless," Clinton said in his speech. "But we cannot realize that promise if we allow the hum of our prosperity to lull us into complacency."
In the speech, Clinton proposed a long-term fix for Social Security to put it "on a sound footing for the next 75 years." Which is to say, his policy ambitions weren't constrained by the specter of impeachment.
Throughout his impeachment and the years of investigations that preceded it, Clinton had tried to maintain an air of floating above it all.
"I think it increased our commitment to bipartisan themes that you probably would have seen in any event," Shesol said of the 1999 speech.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
For Trump, the Senate vote on two articles of impeachment is set for Wednesday. The outcome is all but certain. But when he gives his State of the Union address, the vote won't have happened yet, robbing him of the opportunity to tout his acquittal.
In an interview on Fox over the weekend, Trump said he wasn't considering a delay in the address. "I'm going to have it. It's going to be done," Trump said. "We're going to talk about the achievements that we've made. Nobody has made achievements like we've made, so many different things."
To that end, a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the speech on the condition of anonymity said the theme will be "the great American comeback." The official described it as an optimistic speech that would touch on the economy, trade, paid family leave, immigration and national security.
But he also hinted that Trump would draw contrasts with Democrats, including possible election opponents sitting in the chamber. "He will contrast his vision with radical proposals being floated on the left," the official said. "Clearly, socialism is a rising force in the Democratic Party with very specific designs on our health care system."
If Trump follows through with a partisan attack on Democrats, that would be a different tack than Clinton's aggressively bipartisan message of 21 years ago.
The administration official wouldn't say whether Trump would mention impeachment. But last year, with the Russia investigation underway, Trump issued a warning to Democrats that "if there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation."
The line landed with a thud in the House chamber with applause that failed to catch on and audible murmurs. In the end, there were investigations, yet there were also a handful of bipartisan legislative accomplishments.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephen Jaffe/AFP via Getty Images Stephen Jaffe/AFP via Getty Images
If Trump delivers the speech his White House has previewed, there could be awkward moments as Democrats who sought to remove him from office and others running to replace him sit and listen as he delivers the themes of his reelection campaign to a national television audience.
Trump will deliver his speech just feet away from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, looking out on a chamber full of senators who will serve as jurors in his trial. The House impeachment managers who spent hours arguing passionately for his conviction will be there, too.
There was awkwardness in 1999, too. Michael Waldman, then the director of speechwriting for Clinton, described the event as "a truly miserable experience" for many of the Republican senators. "They had to adjourn the trial and trudge over to the House chamber and sit there while Bill Clinton got up to the rostrum and gave an ebullient, confident, even visionary State of the Union speech on national television," Waldman said.


npr--2020-02-04--Nearly 700 People In The U.S. Die From Gun Violence Each Week; A Memorial Honors Them

Nearly 700 People In The U.S .
Die From Gun Violence Each Week ; A Memorial Honors Them One of the first things visitors see as they walk through the ornate ground floor of Chicago 's landmark Cultural Center is a cluster of four glass houses .
Each has 700 glass brick openings — a stark , physical reminder of the average number of people killed by guns each week in the country .
Designers of the Gun Violence Memorial Project say just as the AIDS Memorial Quilt raised awareness about a deadly disease , they want their focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what they consider another epidemic .
Each glass house contains some empty bricks while others are labeled with the names , birthdays and the dates people died .
The spaces hold small pieces of who they were — a hairbrush , pieces of jewelry .
A photograph .
Pam Bosley stands near the space she filled with a diorama and her face lights up as she talks about her 18-year-old son , Terrell Bosley .
`` Terrell loved to go to church so I have a church and he loved family — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a family , '' she says .
Terrell Bosley was a college student who played the bass in church bands and sang in church choirs .
In 2006 , he was gunned down in a church parking lot while he helped a friend unload drums from a car .
Bosley wears pictures of her son on a pendant necklace and a bracelet .
She says the diorama also shows how much he loved music .
`` And it has drums .
His driver 's license — that 's in there .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she says .
`` He wanted to be somebody and he would have been somebody if his life was n't ended . ''
Bosley and another mother who lost her son to gunfire were the inspiration for the exhibit .
The follow-through came from the Mass Design Group and artist Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with gun violence prevention groups including `` Everytown for Gun Safety '' and `` Purpose Over Pain . ''
The exhibit was part of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial and Thomas says the houses are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in what 's often a political and divisive issue .
For him , it 's also personal .
He lost a cousin to gun violence in 2000 .
`` I recognized that there are memorials all over the country for heroes of wars and fallen soldiers , '' Thomas says .
`` But there are no memorials for the tens of thousands of people who die every year in our country . ''
People memorialized in the exhibit are of different ages and races .
Some died by domestic violence , some by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street gun violence .
Jha D Williams , with Mass Design Group , says there 's a reason why their artifacts are in houses .
`` When you understand how many households have guns in them , how many gun violence deaths , how many suicides take place in a household , etc . ''
says Williams .
`` We wanted to be able to metaphorically bring in that information through the form of the houses . ''
In each glass house there are also audio interviews from people affected by gun violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks to her father about the 2016 killing of Philando Castile .
He was the lunchroom manager at a Minnesota school who was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop .
`` He loved kids .
He used to have secret handshakes for people , '' says Ramgren , `` and if you did n't have enough on your tray he 'd pull out graham crackers or something and he did it with his own money . ''
In another interview , Emily Addison talks about her partner , Deonka Drayton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 49 people at Pulse Nightclub in Florida in 2016 .
`` She used to always tell me that as long as she was alive , our son and I would never want for anything and she kept her word , '' Addison says .
Throughout the day , docents lead tour groups through the Cultural Center and many stop to step inside the glass houses to take a look .
Joe Miles from Arkansas was in one group .
`` Oh , I think it 's just heart wrenching is what it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` To think that so many young lives have been lost . ''
Brendan Varilek recently graduated from the University of Michigan 's College of Architecture .
`` Coming here and seeing very , very personal items related to these victims makes it seem closer to home even for strangers .
And 22-year- old security guard Terry Harris says the exhibit makes him introspective .
`` I could n't help but to think what if I was in their shoes ?
What would my family pick for me ?
What would symbolize me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's so powerful . ''
The Gun Violence Memorial closes in Chicago on Feb. 9 , then heads to Washington , D.C. , where in April it will be on display at the National Building Museum .
The memorial 's designers say this exhibit is a work in progress and the first step in creating a national and permanent memorial to gun violence victims .
In two years they hope to have an installation of glass houses memorializing gun victims on the National Mall and later a glass house in every U.S. state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see past statistics and to acknowledge the real lives claimed by gunfire .

Nearly 700 People In The U.S. Die From Gun Violence Each Week; A Memorial Honors Them
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Corley/NPR Cheryl Corley/NPR
One of the first things visitors see as they walk through the ornate ground floor of Chicago's landmark Cultural Center is a cluster of four glass houses. Each has 700 glass brick openings — a stark, physical reminder of the average number of people killed by guns each week in the country. Designers of the Gun Violence Memorial Project say just as the AIDS Memorial Quilt raised awareness about a deadly disease, they want their focus on victims of gunfire to bring widespread attention to what they consider another epidemic.
Each glass house contains some empty bricks, while other bricks are labeled with names, birthdays and the dates people died. The spaces hold small pieces of who they were — a hairbrush, pieces of jewelry, a photograph. Pam Bosley stands near the space she filled with a diorama and her face lights up as she talks about her 18-year-old son, Terrell Bosley.
"Terrell loved to go to church so I have a church, and he loved family — so it's a picture of us as a family," she says.
Terrell Bosley was a college student who played the bass in church bands and sang in church choirs. In 2006, he was gunned down in a church parking lot while he helped a friend unload drums from a car. Bosley wears pictures of her son on a pendant necklace and a bracelet. She says the diorama also shows how much he loved music.
"And it has drums. His driver's license — that's in there. He was somebody who had dreams, hopes," she says. "He wanted to be somebody, and he would have been somebody if his life wasn't ended."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Corley/NPR Cheryl Corley/NPR
Bosley and another mother who lost her son to gunfire were the inspiration for the exhibit. The follow-through came from the Mass Design Group and artist Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with gun violence prevention groups including Everytown for Gun Safety and Purpose Over Pain. The exhibit was part of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, and Thomas says the houses are a poetic and inviting way to engage people in what's often a political and divisive issue. For him, it's also personal. He lost a cousin to gun violence in 2000.
"I recognized that there are memorials all over the country for heroes of wars and fallen soldiers," Thomas says. "But there are no memorials for the tens of thousands of people who die every year in our country."
People memorialized in the exhibit are of different ages and races. Some died by domestic violence, some by suicide, others in random acts of street gun violence. Jha D Williams, with Mass Design Group, says there's a reason why their artifacts are in houses.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Corley/NPR Cheryl Corley/NPR
"When you understand how many households have guns in them, how many gun violence deaths, how many suicides take place in a household, etc. We wanted to be able to metaphorically bring in that information through the form of the houses," Williams says.
In each glass house there are also audio interviews from people affected by gun violence. In one, 10-year-old Leila Ramgren talks to her father about the 2016 killing of Philando Castile. He was the lunchroom manager at a Minnesota school who was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop.
"He loved kids. He used to have secret handshakes for people," she says, "and if you didn't have enough on your tray he'd pull out graham crackers or something and he did it with his own money."
In another interview, Emily Addison talks about her partner, Deonka Drayton, who died when a gunman killed 49 people at Pulse nightclub in Florida in 2016.
"She used to always tell me that as long as she was alive, our son and I would never want for anything, and she kept her word," Addison says.
Docents lead tour groups through the Cultural Center throughout the day, and many stop to step inside the glass houses to take a look. Joe Miles from Arkansas was in one group.
"Oh, I think it's just heart-wrenching is what it is to me," Miles says. "To think that so many young lives have been lost."
Brendan Varilek recently graduated from the University of Michigan's College of Architecture. "Coming here and seeing very, very personal items related to these victims makes it seem closer to home, even for strangers.
And 22-year-old security guard Terry Harris says the exhibit makes him introspective. "I couldn't help but to think what if I was in their shoes? What would my family pick for me? What would symbolize me? It's so sensitive. It's so powerful."
The Gun Violence Memorial closes in Chicago on Feb. 9, then heads to Washington, D.C., where in April it will be on display at the National Building Museum. The memorial's designers say this exhibit is a work in progress and the first step in creating a national and permanent memorial to gun violence victims. In two years they hope to have an installation of glass houses memorializing gun victims on the National Mall and later a glass house in every U.S. state and territory. They want the country to see past statistics and to acknowledge the real lives claimed by gunfire.


npr--2020-02-04--First Death In Hong Kong From Coronavirus

First Death In Hong Kong From Coronavirus Hong Kong confirmed its first death from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday as health workers in the territory were on their second day of a walkout aimed at forcing closure of the border with mainland China — the epicenter of the epidemic .
A 39-year-old man who had visited Wuhan , China , where the virus first appeared , died at Hong Kong 's Princess Margaret Hospital Tuesday morning , the hospital confirmed .
The man , who had been to Wuhan on Jan. 21 and returned to Hong Kong aboard a high-speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underlying health issues , according to the Centre for Health Protection .
His death is only the second attributed to the new virus outside mainland China , where 425 people have died and more than 20,000 others have been infected , according to the latest government figures .
On Sunday , a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan died in the Philippines .
Hong Kong , which was hard hit by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) in 2003 , has stopped nearly all ground transportation links with the mainland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of mainland originating flights .
But the city 's medical staff want the entire border sealed .
Some 2,000 doctors and nurses went on strike Monday and as many as 9,000 more could join the walkout on Tuesday .
Hong Kong 's Hospital Authority said `` a large number of staff members are absent from duty , '' forcing it to curtail some services in the hospital , including some emergency services .
Hong Kong has been wracked by months of often violent protests calling for greater freedom from China that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slump .
The virus outbreak threatens to do further damage .
However , the territory 's response has also fueled further outrage among protesters , many of whom see Chief Executive Carrie Lam as taking orders from Beijing .
She has stopped short of ordering the complete closing of the border , citing the `` unique '' situation of the `` very close relationship '' between people in the territory and mainland China .
The coronavirus death in Hong Kong comes shortly after China 's leadership called the outbreak `` a major test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xinhua .
In a meeting late Monday of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee , Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly warned that anyone who tried to dodge their responsibilities during the crisis would be punished .
`` We have launched a people 's war of prevention of the epidemic , '' Xi said , according to CCTV .
Members of the committee also called for a crackdown on illegal wildlife markets .
The virus is thought to have originated in such a market .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a hastily built 1,000-bed hospital that will act also as a de facto isolation facility .
Another 1,500-bed facility was also under construction and expected to be ready within days .
Meanwhile , other countries have stepped up precautions to try to prevent or limit the number of coronavirus infections making it across their borders .
In Malaysia , a plane carrying 133 people from Wuhan landed in Kuala Lumpur where the passengers were screened and quarantined for 14 days , the longest period the virus is thought to incubate .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that arrived from Wuhan on Monday were being treated for fever and sore throat , but it was not immediately known if the symptoms were the result of the coronavirus .
The remaining passengers on the flight , some 240 of them , were placed in a two-week quarantine .

Hong Kong Reports Its 1st Coronavirus Death
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paul Yeung/Bloomberg via Getty Images Paul Yeung/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 7:58 p.m. ET
Hong Kong confirmed its first death from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday as health workers in the territory were on their second day of a walkout aimed at forcing closure of the border with mainland China — the epicenter of the epidemic.
A 39-year-old man who had visited Wuhan, China, where the virus first appeared, died at Hong Kong's Princess Margaret Hospital on Tuesday morning, the hospital confirmed.
The man, who had been to Wuhan on Jan. 21 and returned to Hong Kong aboard a high-speed train on Jan. 31, had unspecified underlying health issues, according to the Centre for Health Protection.
His death is only the second attributed to the new virus outside mainland China, where 490 people have died and more than 24,000 others have been infected, according to the latest government figures. On Sunday, a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan died in the Philippines.
Hong Kong, which was hard hit by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, has stopped nearly all ground transportation links with the mainland, halted cross-border trains and halved the number of mainland originating flights. But the city's medical staff want the entire border sealed. Some 2,000 doctors and nurses went on strike Monday, and as many as 9,000 more could join the walkout on Tuesday.
Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said, "A large number of staff members are absent from duty," forcing it to curtail some services in the hospital, including some emergency services.
Hong Kong has been wracked by months of often-violent protests calling for greater freedom from China that have caused the financial hub's economy to slump. The virus outbreak threatens to do further damage.
However, the territory's response has also fueled further outrage among protesters, many of whom see Chief Executive Carrie Lam as taking orders from Beijing. She has stopped short of ordering the complete closing of the border, citing the "unique" situation of the "very close relationship" between people in the territory and mainland China.
The coronavirus death in Hong Kong comes shortly after China's leadership called the outbreak "a major test" of the country, according to Xinhua.
In a meeting late Monday of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly warned that anyone who tried to dodge their responsibilities during the crisis would be punished.
"We have launched a people's war of prevention of the epidemic," Xi said, according to CCTV.
Members of the committee also called for a crackdown on illegal wildlife markets. The virus is thought to have originated in such a market.
In Wuhan, patients were being transferred to a hastily built 1,000-bed hospital that will act also as a de facto isolation facility. Another 1,500-bed facility was also under construction and expected to be ready within days.
Meanwhile, other countries have stepped up precautions to try to prevent or limit the number of coronavirus infections making it across their borders.
In Malaysia, a plane carrying 133 people from Wuhan landed in Kuala Lumpur where the passengers were screened and quarantined for 14 days, the longest period the virus is thought to incubate.
In Taiwan, three passengers aboard a flight that arrived from Wuhan on Monday were being treated for fever and sore throat, but it was not immediately known whether the symptoms were the result of the coronavirus. The remaining passengers on the flight, some 240 of them, were placed in a two-week quarantine.


npr--2020-02-04--Daniel Arap Moi, Kenya's Longtime Strongman, Dies At 95

Daniel Arap Moi , who ruled Kenya for nearly a quarter century marked by repression and widespread corruption before he eventually yielded to multiparty democracy and allowed a peaceful transfer of power , has died at age 95 .
His death was announced by current President Uhuru Kenyatta , the son of the country 's founding father and first president , Jomo Kenyatta , whose death in office in 1978 paved the way for Moi 's rise .
`` Our nation and our continent were immensely blessed by the dedication and service of the Late Mzee Moi ; who spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Africa , '' Kenyatta said in a statement , using a Swahili term of respect .
Kenyatta announced that flags would be flown at half staff until Moi 's funeral .
`` Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ran a good race , kept the faith , and now he is enjoying his reward in heaven , '' he said .
There was no immediate word on the cause of death , but Moi had reportedly been in and out of the hospital in recent months with breathing difficulties .
Moi , a school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before being appointed vice president in 1967 .
After assuming the presidency in 1978 , he soon dominated not only politics , but all aspects of Kenyan life .
He was a retail politician , who sought support by doling out favors to supporters .
Moi 's ubiquitous ivory walking stick became a symbol of his one-man rule .
Despite his intolerance of dissent , he long remained popular .
Inexperienced when he assumed the presidency , Moi became increasingly authoritarian as he found his feet in office .
In 1982 , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially legitimized one-party rule .
And after a failed coup against him that same year , he sought to repress critics .
In 1987 , London-based Amnesty International accused Moi 's government of a `` deliberate program to silence or intimidate its political opponents . ''
However , by the early 1990s , Moi had acquiesced to international pressure and begun to loosen his grip , allowing multiparty elections .
Even so , the ruling Kenya African National Union ( KANU ) often ran unopposed and when challenged , was able to manipulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote rigging were common .
Although a leading recipient of Western aid , Kenya under Moi fell ever-deeper into economic stagnation , with low or negative growth and periods of steep inflation .
As corruption progressively ate away at Kenya 's economy , Moi sought to use the West – and even Asia — as a scapegoat for the country 's troubles .
By 2002 , an aging Moi agreed to step down ahead of elections .
In his last speech as president , he reiterated one of his frequent themes , warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` a cancer that has destroyed many nations in Africa . ''
Musalia Mudavadi , who was Moi 's deputy , tells NPR that the long-time leader 's legacy should be his peaceful transfer of power .
`` To me , that is a tribute that we must never forget , '' he said .
But another legacy is just as salient — and perhaps more enduring .
After Moi relinquished the presidency , subsequent investigations documented torture cells at Nyayo House in Nairobi , where his political opponents were imprisoned , beaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenyan lawyer Miguna Miguna said Moi was `` among the world 's most brutal tyrants . ''
`` He detained real and imagined critics without trial , '' Miguna said .

Daniel Arap Moi, Kenya's Longtime Strongman, Dies At 95
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sayyid Abdul Azim/AP Sayyid Abdul Azim/AP
Daniel arap Moi, who ruled Kenya for nearly a quarter century marked by repression and widespread corruption before he eventually yielded to multiparty democracy and allowed a peaceful transfer of power, has died at age 95.
His death was announced by current President Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of the country's founding father and first president, Jomo Kenyatta, whose death in office in 1978 paved the way for Moi's rise.
"Our nation and our continent were immensely blessed by the dedication and service of the Late Mzee Moi; who spent almost his entire adult life serving Kenya and Africa," Kenyatta said in a statement, using a Swahili term of respect.
Kenyatta announced that flags would be flown at half-staff until Moi's funeral.
"Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ran a good race, kept the faith, and now he is enjoying his reward in heaven," he said.
There was no immediate word on the cause of death, but Moi had reportedly been in and out of the hospital in recent months with breathing difficulties.
Moi, a schoolteacher-turned-politician, served as home affairs minister before being appointed vice president in 1967.
After assuming the presidency in 1978, he soon dominated not only politics, but all aspects of Kenyan life.
He was a retail politician who sought support by doling out favors to supporters. Moi's ubiquitous ivory walking stick became a symbol of his one-man rule. Despite his intolerance of dissent, he long remained popular.
Inexperienced when he assumed the presidency, Moi became increasingly authoritarian as he found his feet in office. In 1982, his government pushed through a constitutional amendment that essentially legitimized one-party rule. And after a failed coup against him that same year, he sought to repress critics.
In 1987, London-based Amnesty International accused Moi's government of a "deliberate program to silence or intimidate its political opponents."
However, by the early 1990s, Moi had acquiesced to international pressure and begun to loosen his grip, allowing multiparty elections. Even so, the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) often ran unopposed and, when challenged, was able to manipulate a disorganized opposition. Election violence and vote-rigging were common.
Although a leading recipient of Western aid, Kenya under Moi fell ever deeper into economic stagnation, with low or negative growth and periods of steep inflation. As corruption progressively ate away at Kenya's economy, Moi sought to use the West — and even Asia — as a scapegoat for the country's troubles.
By 2002, an aging Moi agreed to step down ahead of elections. In his last speech as president, he reiterated one of his frequent themes, warning against ethnic conflict, which he called "a cancer that has destroyed many nations in Africa."
Musalia Mudavadi, who was Moi's deputy, tells NPR that the longtime leader's legacy should be his peaceful transfer of power. "To me, that is a tribute that we must never forget," he said.
But another legacy is just as salient — and perhaps more enduring. After Moi relinquished the presidency, subsequent investigations documented torture cells at Nyayo House in Nairobi, where his political opponents were imprisoned, beaten and killed.
Speaking in October, Kenyan lawyer Miguna Miguna said Moi was "among the world's most brutal tyrants."
"He detained real and imagined critics without trial," Miguna said.


npr--2020-02-04--Iowa Caucuses: Results Delayed Over 'Reporting Issue'; Officials Blame Malfunctions

The Iowa caucuses are n't over yet .
A delay in the results meant the state Democratic Party did not call the race Monday night as expected , leaving the candidates and their supporters in limbo .
In a brief statement he read to reporters over the phone shortly after 2 a.m .
ET , Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price said , `` At this point the [ Iowa Democratic Party ] is manually verifying all precinct results .
We expect to have numbers to report later today . ''
`` We are validating every piece of data we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Price said .
`` That system is taking longer than expected but it 's in place to ensure we are eventually able to report results with full confidence . ''
Price said the party is continuing to update the campaigns .
He took no questions .
The Iowa Democratic Party blamed `` inconsistencies '' found in a few results sets , noting it was not `` a hack or intrusion . ''
But multiple county chairs on the ground blamed malfunctions , including on an app used to report results .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sets of results .
In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results , we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confidence and accuracy in the numbers we report , '' Iowa Democratic Party Communications Director Mandy McClure said in a statement .
`` This is simply a reporting issue , the app did not go down and this is not a hack or an intrusion , '' McClure continued .
`` The underlying data and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take time to further report the results . ''
But despite the denials from the IDP that anything was wrong with the app , multiple county chairs on Monday night told NPR that there were , in fact , malfunctions that delayed reporting .
The Iowa Democratic Party and Democratic presidential campaigns held a phone call that sources say became heated at times .
Party officials offered no time estimate on when results will be reported .
But as several candidates went ahead and addressed their restless supporters , there was a mounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dana Remus , campaign general counsel to former Vice President Joe Biden , sent a letter to Price and IDP Executive Director Kevin Geiken demanding `` full explanations and relevant information '' after what the Biden campaign calls `` failed '' systems and `` considerable flaws '' by the IDP deployed for tonight 's caucuses .
`` The app that was intended to relay Caucus results to the Party failed ; the Party 's back-up telephonic reporting system likewise has failed .
Now , we understand that Caucus Chairs are attempting to — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to — report results telephonically to the Party .
These acute failures are occurring statewide , '' Remus said .
NPR 's Miles Parks previously reported on concerns over the new use of a smartphone app for results reporting .
Despite the denials from the IDP that anything was wrong with the app , multiple county chairs on Monday night told NPR that there were , in fact , malfunctions that delayed reporting .
`` The app did n't work .
Things did n't work out right .
I 've been trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results , '' Des Moines County Democratic Party Co-Chairman Tom Courtney told NPR .
`` And I ca n't get through the phone .
It 's a phone number and I ca n't get through .
That number is constantly busy . ''
Instead , Courtney said he 's now going home and will call and report his precinct 's results in the morning .
`` [ The Iowa Democratic Party ] made it seem like this was going to work fine .
They tested it , tested it , '' Courtney said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was skeptical , the whole thing , but I thought it would be better than it is .
There 've been problems .
Little problems with it , right , all along .
Guess I was n't surprised . ''
Kurt Meyer , the chairman of the Tri-County Democrats ( three rural counties in northern Iowa ) , echoed Courtney 's frustrations .
`` There has been a lot of concerns from the get go about the security of the system .
Why ?
Well , because we know that there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon thwart the accurate reporting of results .
So as a result , security has been a major issue , '' Meyer said .
`` And yet the security of the system becomes an issue in part because you have all these volunteers in 1,700 different precincts , a lot of the volunteers are not going to be technologically sophisticated . ''

Iowa Democratic Party: App 'Coding Issue' To Blame For Delay In Caucus Results
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Zamora/NPR Michael Zamora/NPR
Updated at 9:40 a.m. ET Tuesday
The Iowa caucuses aren't over yet. A delay in the results meant the state Democratic Party did not call the race Monday night as expected, leaving the candidates and their supporters in limbo.
State party officials said Tuesday morning they are certain "the underlying data" collected at caucus sites is sound but that an issue arose in reporting that data. Results are expected later Tuesday. Chair Troy Price said though the app was recording data accurately, "it was reporting out only partial data" because of a "coding issue in the reporting system."
NPR's Miles Parks previously reported on concerns over the new use of a smartphone app for reporting results.
As campaigns and caucusgoers anxiously awaited results last night, Price had said the party is "manually verifying all precinct results" and expects to have numbers sometime Tuesday.
"We are validating every piece of data we have against our paper trail," Price said. "That system is taking longer than expected, but it's in place to ensure we are eventually able to report results with full confidence."
The party said "inconsistencies" were found in a few results sets but that the delay was not caused by a "a hack or intrusion." But multiple county chairs on the ground blamed malfunctions, including on the app used to report results.
"We found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results. In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results, we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confidence and accuracy in the numbers we report," Iowa Democratic Party Communications Director Mandy McClure said in a statement.
"This is simply a reporting issue, the app did not go down and this is not a hack or an intrusion," McClure continued. "The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results."
Multiple county chairs on Monday night told NPR that there were, in fact, malfunctions that delayed reporting.
"The app didn't work. Things didn't work out right. I've been trying to call for several hours to report my results," Des Moines County Democratic Party Co-Chairman Tom Courtney told NPR. "And I can't get through the phone. It's a phone number and I can't get through. That number is constantly busy."
Instead, Courtney said he went home and planned to call and report his precinct's results in the morning.
"[The Iowa Democratic Party] made it seem like this was going to work fine. They tested it, tested it," Courtney said. "I'm old enough, I was skeptical, the whole thing, but I thought it would be better than it is. There have been problems. Little problems with it, right, all along. Guess I wasn't surprised."
Kurt Meyer, the chairman of the Tri-County Democrats (three rural counties in northern Iowa), echoed Courtney's frustrations.
"There has been a lot of concerns from the get-go about the security of the system. Why? Well, because we know that there are plenty of interests that would just as soon thwart the accurate reporting of results. So as a result, security has been a major issue," Meyer said. "And yet the security of the system becomes an issue in part because you have all these volunteers in 1,700 different precincts, a lot of the volunteers are not going to be technologically sophisticated."
As several candidates went ahead and addressed their restless supporters overnight, there was a mounting frustration among the campaigns, too. The Iowa Democratic Party and Democratic presidential campaigns held a phone call as the delay became clear that sources say became heated at times.
Dana Remus, campaign general counsel to former Vice President Joe Biden, sent a letter to Price and IDP Executive Director Kevin Geiken demanding "full explanations and relevant information" after what the Biden campaign calls "failed" systems and "considerable flaws" by the IDP deployed for tonight's caucuses.
"The app that was intended to relay Caucus results to the Party failed; the Party's back-up telephonic reporting system likewise has failed. Now, we understand that Caucus Chairs are attempting to — and, in many cases, failing to — report results telephonically to the Party. These acute failures are occurring statewide," Remus said.
NPR’s Juana Summers contributed to this report.


npr--2020-02-03--LISTEN: Iowa Caucuses Live Coverage

LISTEN: Iowa Caucuses Live Coverage

The first U.S. presidential contest of the 2020 election begins Monday night with results from the Iowa caucuses coming in throughout the evening .
Stream NPR 's live audio coverage above and on many public radio stations .
Follow our liveblog coverage and results here .
For nearly half a century , the Iowa caucuses have kicked off the presidential primary and caucus season with the potential to shape the 11-candidate field right as the election enters full swing .
That said , with a population of around 3 million people and only about 16 % of the state population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very small number of people have a significant amount of power tonight .
Looking at the numbers , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders leads in the polls followed closely by former Vice President Joe Biden .
Not far behind Biden trials Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg .
What 's more , Iowans often decide who they are supporting late .
As of mid-Jan. , a Monmouth University poll found that less than half of Iowans planning to caucus had `` firmly '' made up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting .
Be sure to subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast for a post-caucus recap after live coverage ends .

LISTEN: Iowa Caucuses Live Coverage
Enlarge this image Michael Zamora, Caroline Amenabar/NPR; Gage Skidmore/Flickr Michael Zamora, Caroline Amenabar/NPR; Gage Skidmore/Flickr
The first U.S. presidential contest of the 2020 election begins Monday night with results from the Iowa caucuses coming in throughout the evening.
Stream NPR's live audio coverage below and on many public radio stations.
Iowa caucuses special coverage: Part 1
Iowa caucuses special coverage: Part 2
Follow our liveblog coverage and results here.
For nearly half a century, the Iowa caucuses have kicked off the presidential primary and caucus season with the potential to shape the 11-candidate field right as the election enters full swing.
That said, with a population of around 3 million people and only about 16% of the state population coming out to caucus in 2016, a very small number of people have a significant amount of power tonight.
Looking at the numbers, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders leads in the polls followed closely by former Vice President Joe Biden.
Not far behind Biden trials Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
What's more, Iowans often decide who they are supporting late. As of mid-Jan., a Monmouth University poll found that less than half of Iowans planning to caucus had "firmly" made up their mind about how they would be supporting.
Be sure to subscribe to the NPR Politics Podcast for a post-caucus recap after live coverage ends.


npr--2020-02-04--Buttigieg And Sanders Lead After First Batch Of Iowa Results Is Released

Buttigieg And Sanders Lead After First Batch Of Iowa Results Is Released Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Ind.
, is neck and neck with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Iowa caucuses , according to a partial release of results from the state Democratic Party .
With 62 % of results in , Buttigieg has about 27 % of the State Delegate Equivalent count , with Sanders close behind with 25 % of delegate support .
Sanders is actually ahead — ever so slightly — in raw votes , but the delegate count is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner of the caucuses .
The Iowa Democratic Party released the batch of results Tuesday afternoon following reporting issues that resulted in a 20-hour delay in releasing the partial vote totals .
It 's not clear when the full results will be made public .
There remains too many state delegate equivalents undecided to declare a winner .
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is so far carrying third place , according to the partial results , commanding about 18 % of delegate equivalents , followed by former Vice President Joe Biden , whose haul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price called the delay in reporting results in the country 's first presidential nominating contest `` simply unacceptable . ''
`` We were faced with multiple reporting challenges and decided , out of an abundance of caution , to protect the integrity of the Iowa caucuses and their results to take the necessary steps to review and confirm the data , '' he said .
`` A thorough , transparent and independent examination of what occurred [ Monday night ] will follow . ''
Price added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we hit a stumbling block on the back end of the reporting of the data . ''
Questions are swirling about how exactly the state 's Democratic Party bungled the Iowa caucuses .
Precinct captains at some of the state 's nearly 1,700 caucus locations complained that a new app designed to report vote tallies had malfunctioned .
Other precinct officials described hourlong call waits on the party 's backup hotline set up for reporting the night 's results .
Monday night 's issues placed heavy scrutiny on the Iowa Democratic Party and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report results , even after NPR and other outlets highlighted long-standing concerns with the app leading up to caucus night .
Still , speaking to their supporters , the Democratic campaigns aimed to put a positive spin on the caucuses , despite the lack of timely state results .
Some put out their own results , and all talked about the nominating process moving ahead to New Hampshire .
Indeed , that 's where they were Tuesday , looking ahead to next week 's primary there , which is conducted as a standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next nominating contest is on Feb. 22 in Nevada , and the state Democratic Party there is promising that its caucusing process will not be a repeat of Iowa .
`` We will not be employing the same app or vendor used in the Iowa caucus , '' chair William McCurdy II said in a statement .
`` We had already developed a series of backups and redundant reporting systems , and are currently evaluating the best path forward . ''
Asked on Tuesday whether the caucus night meltdown could mean that Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's first presidential nominating contest , Price , the Democratic Party chair , focused on the immediate task at hand .
`` This is a conversation that happens every four years .
There 's no doubt that that conversation will take place again .
But right now , my focus is making sure these results come out , '' Price said .
`` We will have the results out as soon as we can . ''

Buttigieg And Sanders Lead After 1st Batches Of Iowa Results Are Released
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
Updated at 12:04 a.m. ET
Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., is neck and neck with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Iowa caucuses, according to a partial release of results from the state Democratic Party.
With 71% of results in, Buttigieg has about 27% of the State Delegate Equivalent count, with Sanders close behind with 25% of delegate support.
Loading...
Sanders is actually ahead — ever so slightly — in raw votes, but the delegate count is what the state party uses to determine the winner of the caucuses.
The Iowa Democratic Party released the batch of results Tuesday afternoon following reporting issues that resulted in a 20-hour delay in releasing the partial vote totals.
It's not clear when the full results will be made public. There remains too many state delegate equivalents undecided to declare a winner.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is so far carrying third place, according to the partial results, commanding about 18% of delegate equivalents, followed by former Vice President Joe Biden, whose haul is now nearly 16%.
On Tuesday, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price called the delay in reporting results in the country's first presidential nominating contest "simply unacceptable."
"We were faced with multiple reporting challenges and decided, out of an abundance of caution, to protect the integrity of the Iowa caucuses and their results to take the necessary steps to review and confirm the data," he said. "A thorough, transparent and independent examination of what occurred [Monday night] will follow."
Price added: "The bottom line is that we hit a stumbling block on the back end of the reporting of the data."
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said the DNC has staff "working around the clock" to help the IDP count the votes.
"What happened last night should never happen again," he said. Perez added that the app would not be used anywhere else during the primary election process.
"The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong," he said.
Questions are swirling about how exactly the state's Democratic Party bungled the Iowa caucuses. Precinct captains at some of the state's nearly 1,700 caucus locations complained that a new app designed to report vote tallies had malfunctioned. Other precinct officials described hourlong call waits on the party's backup hotline set up for reporting the night's results.
Monday night's issues placed heavy scrutiny on the Iowa Democratic Party and its decision to offer the app to report results, even after NPR and other outlets highlighted long-standing concerns with the app leading up to caucus night.
Still, speaking to their supporters, the Democratic campaigns aimed to put a positive spin on the caucuses, despite the lack of timely state results.
Some put out their own results, and all talked about the nominating process moving ahead to New Hampshire. Indeed, that's where they were Tuesday, looking ahead to next week's primary there, which is conducted as a standard election.
After New Hampshire, the next nominating contest is on Feb. 22 in Nevada, and the state Democratic Party there is promising that its caucusing process will not be a repeat of Iowa.
"We will not be employing the same app or vendor used in the Iowa caucus," chair William McCurdy II said in a statement. "We had already developed a series of backups and redundant reporting systems, and are currently evaluating the best path forward."
Asked on Tuesday whether the caucus night meltdown could mean that Iowa will lose its place holding the country's first presidential nominating contest, Price, the Democratic Party chair, focused on the immediate task at hand.
"This is a conversation that happens every four years. There's no doubt that that conversation will take place again. But right now, my focus is making sure these results come out," Price said. "We will have the results out as soon as we can."
NPR's Benjamin Swasey contributed to this report.


npr--2020-02-04--Prosecutor Drops Charges Against Doctor And Girlfriend Accused Of Serial Rape

Prosecutor Drops Charges Against Doctor And Girlfriend Accused Of Serial Rape The Orange County , Calif. , district attorney says he is dropping charges against a Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend who had been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women .
District Attorney Todd Spitzer said that a review of the case – including thousands of photos and hundreds of videos – found `` no provable evidence '' that Grant Robicheaux , 39 , and Cerissa Riley , 33 , committed any sexual offense .
Robicheaux , an orthopedic surgeon in Newport Beach , had previously appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rituals of the American Male .
The case drew significant attention in 2018 when then-District Attorney Tony Rackauckas held a press conference in which Robicheaux and Riley were accused of multiple felonies .
Authorities said the defendants would meet women , get them intoxicated , and then rape them at Robicheaux 's apartment , often recording video of the encounters .
Robicheaux and Riley deny the allegations .
Rackauckas said then that police were reviewing thousands of videos on Robicheaux 's phone , many of which included Riley .
`` There are several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be highly intoxicated , beyond the ability to consent or resist , and they 're barely responsive to the defendants ' sexual advances , '' Rackauckas said at the time , and he put out a call for other women who may have been victims to contact his office .
Five additional women subsequently came forward , resulting in additional felony charges against Robicheaux and Riley .
But as Spitzer ran for the district attorney post in 2018 , he criticized the pretrial statements made by Rackauckas .
Spitzer 's office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June 2019 to using the case to help his reelection campaign .
A message has been sent to Rackauckas ' law office seeking comment .
Last year , Spitzer requested that the state attorney general 's office consider taking over prosecution of the case over concerns of a perceived conflict of interest , but the state declined .
Spitzer then had two prosecutors in his office reevaluate all of the evidence in the case , including photos , videos , documents , chat messages on dating apps , emails , and transcripts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There is not a single piece of evidence or video or photo that shows an unconscious or incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted .
Not one , '' Spitzer said at a news conference Tuesday , The Associated Press reported .
Spitzer says that finding led to his decision to ask all charges to be dropped in the case .
An attorney for Robicheaux , Philip Kent Cohen , told the AP that the decision was thrilling and he hoped his client could rebuild his life .
But he said , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed irreparably two lives . ''
Michael Fell , an attorney representing one of the alleged victims , said his client would be devastated by the news .
`` My client believes with all of her heart she was sexually assaulted , '' he told the AP .
`` That does n't change what she went through . ''

Prosecutor Drops Charges Against Doctor And Girlfriend Accused Of Serial Rape
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amy Taxin/AP Amy Taxin/AP
The Orange County, Calif., district attorney says he is dropping charges against a Newport Beach doctor and his girlfriend who had been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer said that a review of the case – including thousands of photos and hundreds of videos – found "no provable evidence" that Grant Robicheaux, 39, and Cerissa Riley, 33, committed any sexual offense. Robicheaux, an orthopedic surgeon in Newport Beach, had previously appeared on the Bravo TV show Online Dating Rituals of the American Male.
The case drew significant attention in 2018 when then-District Attorney Tony Rackauckas held a press conference in which Robicheaux and Riley were accused of multiple felonies. Authorities said the defendants would meet women, get them intoxicated, and then rape them at Robicheaux's apartment, often recording video of the encounters. Robicheaux and Riley deny the allegations.
Rackauckas said then that police were reviewing thousands of videos on Robicheaux's phone, many of which included Riley.
"There are several videos where the women in the videos appear to be highly intoxicated, beyond the ability to consent or resist, and they're barely responsive to the defendants' sexual advances," Rackauckas said at the time, and he put out a call for other women who may have been victims to contact his office. Five additional women subsequently came forward, resulting in additional felony charges against Robicheaux and Riley.
But as Spitzer ran for the district attorney post in 2018, he criticized the pretrial statements made by Rackauckas. Spitzer's office says Rackauckas admitted in a sworn deposition in June 2019 to using the case to help his reelection campaign.
A message has been sent to Rackauckas' law office seeking comment.
Last year, Spitzer requested that the state attorney general's office consider taking over prosecution of the case over concerns of a perceived conflict of interest, but the state declined.
Spitzer then had two prosecutors in his office reevaluate all of the evidence in the case, including photos, videos, documents, chat messages on dating apps, emails, and transcripts from victim and witness interviews and depositions.
"There is not a single piece of evidence or video or photo that shows an unconscious or incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted. Not one," Spitzer said at a news conference Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
Spitzer says that finding led to his decision to ask all charges to be dropped in the case.
An attorney for Robicheaux, Philip Kent Cohen, told the AP that the decision was thrilling and he hoped his client could rebuild his life. But he said, "The mere filing of this case has destroyed irreparably two lives."
Michael Fell, an attorney representing one of the alleged victims, said his client would be devastated by the news. "My client believes with all of her heart she was sexually assaulted," he told the AP. "That doesn't change what she went through."


npr--2020-02-04--'Wind Of Madness' Is Sweeping Earth, U.N. Secretary-General Says

'Wind Of Madness ' Is Sweeping Earth , U.N. Secretary-General Says U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid out a sobering view of the current state of the world Tuesday , saying that `` a wind of madness is sweeping the globe '' as instability erupts into unpredictable and violent conflicts .
The problems are made even worse , he said , by faltering economic situations and countries that disrespect U.N. Security Council resolutions `` before the ink is dry . ''
`` Escalation is back , '' Guterres said , referring to violence that has flared in Yemen , Libya and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems between rival groups , the U.N. chief said , the world is also facing the effects of a worsening climate crisis , citing the historic wildfires that brought disaster to Australia and record high temperatures in the world 's oceans .
Guterres made the remarks Tuesday morning in a speech laying out his priorities for the new year .
His chief goal , he said , will be to `` break the vicious circles of suffering and conflict and to push for a strong surge of diplomacy for peace . ''
Noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75th anniversary , he called on its member nations to listen to `` conversations in every corner of the world about the future we want . ''
`` There is no doubt that people have much to say , '' Guterres said , adding , `` The disquiet in streets and squares across the world is proof that people want to be heard .
They want world leaders to answer their anxieties with effective action . ''
The current state of the world is defined by `` cascading challenges '' and `` vicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the U.N. head said .
And the conflicts that emerge , he added , are `` longer , more lethal and more likely to erupt in the first place . ''
The precarious circumstances have slammed the door on recent progress toward comity and peace , Guterres said .
He detailed that sentiment in a striking portion of his speech that was transcribed by the office of his spokesperson : '' Tensions were of course high as the last year ended , but we were moving in the right direction in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs of de-escalation and some measure of progress .
`` I have spoken recently about winds of hope .
But today a wind of madness is sweeping the globe .
`` From Libya to Yemen to Syria and beyond – escalation is back .
Arms are flowing and offensives are increasing .
`` All situations are different but there is a feeling of growing instability and hair-trigger tensions , which makes everything far more unpredictable and uncontrollable , with a heightened risk of miscalculation .
`` Meanwhile , Security Council resolutions are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As we can see , problems feed each other .
`` As future prospects look bleak , populist and ethnic nationalist narratives gain appeal .
`` As instability rises , investment dries up , and development cycles down .
`` And as governance grows weak , terrorists get stronger , seizing on the [ vacuum ] . ''
Devoting a large share of his speech to worsening climate conditions , Guterres noted that the world 's ocean temperatures and the mean sea level had both reached new record highs .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second , '' he said .
Humanity faces other challenges on land , the U.N. head said , listing the shrinking permafrost and thawing tundra as two factors that will send `` vast amounts '' of methane – a greenhouse gas – into the atmosphere .
Applying his central metaphor of a vicious circle to climate , Guterres said the smoke from the massive fires in Australia `` is now itself a literal vicious circle – circling the globe , releasing the equivalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country 's total carbon emissions in 2018 . ''
Referring to the interconnected world 's climate , he added , `` What happens in Australia does n't stay in Australia – and the same can be said about any part of the world . ''
After delivering that dire summary of the world 's state of affairs , Guterres held out a ray of hope .
`` There is some good news , '' he said , adding that more people are now aware of the risks posed by climate change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector are changing their policies and investing money to protect the environment .
Guterres also called on the U.N. 's member nations to `` break the vicious circle of poverty and inequality and to shape a fair globalization leaving no one behind . ''
And he stressed the importance of sustainable development to prevent big problems from growing even larger .
Listing priorities such as improved education , gender equality and health care , Guterres said that making progress on even one goal can have a ripple effect .
It could create , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know is possible and that can point the way toward growth and prosperity for all . ''

'Wind Of Madness' Is Sweeping Earth, U.N. Secretary-General Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid out a sobering view of the current state of the world Tuesday, saying that "a wind of madness is sweeping the globe" as instability erupts into unpredictable and violent conflicts. The problems are made even worse, he said, by faltering economic situations and countries that disrespect U.N. Security Council resolutions "before the ink is dry."
"Escalation is back," Guterres said, referring to violence that has flared in Yemen, Libya and elsewhere. And in the midst of problems between rival groups, the U.N. chief said, the world is also facing the effects of a worsening climate crisis, citing the historic wildfires that brought disaster to Australia and record high temperatures in the world's oceans.
Guterres made the remarks Tuesday morning in a speech laying out his priorities for the new year. His chief goal, he said, will be to "break the vicious circles of suffering and conflict and to push for a strong surge of diplomacy for peace."
Noting that 2020 will bring the U.N.'s 75th anniversary, he called on its member nations to listen to "conversations in every corner of the world about the future we want."
"There is no doubt that people have much to say," Guterres said, adding, "The disquiet in streets and squares across the world is proof that people want to be heard. They want world leaders to answer their anxieties with effective action."
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The current state of the world is defined by "cascading challenges" and "vicious circles" that threaten peace and security, the U.N. head said. And the conflicts that emerge, he added, are "longer, more lethal and more likely to erupt in the first place."
The precarious circumstances have slammed the door on recent progress toward comity and peace, Guterres said. He detailed that sentiment in a striking portion of his speech that was transcribed by the office of his spokesperson:
"Tensions were of course high as the last year ended, but we were moving in the right direction in a number of hotspots. We were seeing signs of de-escalation and some measure of progress. "That's all changed. "I have spoken recently about winds of hope. But today a wind of madness is sweeping the globe. "From Libya to Yemen to Syria and beyond – escalation is back. Arms are flowing and offensives are increasing. "All situations are different but there is a feeling of growing instability and hair-trigger tensions, which makes everything far more unpredictable and uncontrollable, with a heightened risk of miscalculation. "Meanwhile, Security Council resolutions are being disrespected even before the ink is dry. "As we can see, problems feed each other. "As economies falter, poverty remains entrenched. "As future prospects look bleak, populist and ethnic nationalist narratives gain appeal. "As instability rises, investment dries up, and development cycles down. "When armed conflicts persist, societies reach perilous tipping points. "And as governance grows weak, terrorists get stronger, seizing on the [vacuum]."
Devoting a large share of his speech to worsening climate conditions, Guterres noted that the world's ocean temperatures and the mean sea level had both reached new record highs.
"Scientists tell us that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second," he said.
Humanity faces other challenges on land, the U.N. head said, listing shrinking permafrost and thawing tundra as two factors that will send "vast amounts" of methane — a greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere.
Applying his central metaphor of a vicious circle to the climate, Guterres said the smoke from the massive fires in Australia "is now itself a literal vicious circle – circling the globe, releasing the equivalent of as much as six months of the country's total carbon emissions in 2018."
Referring to the interconnectedness of the world's climate, he added, "What happens in Australia doesn't stay in Australia — and the same can be said about any part of the world."
After delivering that dire summary of the world's state of affairs, Guterres held out a ray of hope.
"There is some good news," he said, adding that more people are now aware of the risks posed by climate change and noting that governments and the private sector are changing their policies and investing money to protect the environment.
Guterres also called on the U.N.'s member nations to "break the vicious circle of poverty and inequality and to shape a fair globalization leaving no one behind." And he stressed the importance of sustainable development to prevent big problems from growing even larger.
Listing priorities such as improved education, gender equality and health care, Guterres said that making progress on even one goal can have a ripple effect. It could create, he said, "the virtuous circle we know is possible and that can point the way toward growth and prosperity for all."