npr--2020-07-01--Mount Rushmore Fireworks Revival To Feature Trump But No Social Distancing

Mount Rushmore Fireworks Revival To Feature Trump But No Social Distancing A decade after being banned amid concerns about wildfires and groundwater pollution , and despite protests by Native Americans and recommendations from public health officials to avoid public gatherings , fireworks will once again be exploding over Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of western South Dakota on Friday , anticipating July 4 .
President Trump has pushed for the revival of the pyrotechnics display , and he plans to witness the spectacle before 60-foot-tall visages of Presidents Washington , Jefferson , Lincoln , and Theodore Roosevelt carved across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Memorial .
About 7,500 other spectators will be there too , the winners of an online ticket lottery sponsored by South Dakota 's state tourism department .
And despite at least 91 deaths registered in South Dakota from COVID-19 , these visitors will not be told to don face masks or to practice social distancing at the event .
`` We will have a large event July 3rd ; we told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home , '' South Dakota Republican Gov .
Kristi Noem told Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But [ for ] those who want to come and join us , we 'll be giving out free face masks if they choose to wear one , but we wo n't be social distancing . ''
Noem , who became governor last year after serving eight years in the House of Representatives , has refused to order restrictions to protect public health throughout the pandemic .
`` Governor Noem is the only governor in the country who never mandated a single business or church to close , never ordered a shelter-in-place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Ian Fury tells NPR .
`` Governor Noem has trusted her people to exercise their personal responsibility , to keep themselves , their loved ones and their communities safe , to make the right decisions , to do the right thing .
And that 's the approach that we 're taking here at Rushmore . ''
South Dakota currently ranks 11th among the 34 states considered by the Harvard Global Health Institute to be prone to `` potential community spread , '' with an average over the past week of 6.2 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Environmental Concerns No Longer Deemed A Show Stopper Beyond being an implicit repudiation of recommended public health measures , the South Dakota pyrotechnics extravaganza also highlights Trump 's disdain for environmental measures adopted during the Obama administration .
In January , Trump recounted a conversation he said he had with Noem about reversing a 2010 decision by the National Park Service to discontinue an annual tradition begun in 1998 of Fourth of July fireworks displays at Mount Rushmore .
`` I said , 'You mean you ca n't have fireworks because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons . '
I said , 'What can burn ?
It 's stone . '
You know , it 's stone .
It 's granite , '' Trump recalled .
`` So I called up our people .
And within about 15 minutes , we got it approved . ''
Trump 's claim of having settled the matter was made more than a month before the National Park Service began a formal `` evaluation assessment '' and month-long public comment period to decide whether to resume permitting and hosting the Mount Rushmore fireworks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the option of ending the ban on pyrotechnics at Mount Rushmore `` because it best meets the project purpose and need to celebrate the spirit of Independence Day by hosting a fireworks event , while providing for the enjoyment of the public in a manner that ensures safety and resource protection . ''
In a 2017 document made public by The Washington Post , the NPS noted that a minimum of 27 wildfires had been started around Mount Rushmore during annual fireworks displays between 1998 and 2009 , and warned that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to very high '' in the Black Hills area .
A former NPS employee who was in charge of the fire management program at Mount Rushmore and six other Black Hills park sites , and who saw trees set ablaze more than 1,000 feet from the fireworks ' launch point , says shooting fireworks over the national monument 's 1,278 acres of forest is `` insane . ''
`` The president likes to say , 'well , what can burn , it 's rock , right ? '
`` Bill Gabbert , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication Wildfire Today , tells NPR .
`` Yeah , the carving itself is rock , and right below the carving is rock that was carved off in order to make the sculpture , '' Gabbert adds .
`` But beyond that , there 's a Ponderosa pine forest .
The Black Hills generally is a tinder box this time of year , and right now , they 're in a drought . ''
The entire Black Hills area , according to the National Integrated Drought Information System , is currently experiencing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park Service did a controlled burn around the monument in the springtime , according to Noem 's office , in an effort to lessen the chances of the fireworks igniting surrounding forest .
Gabbert questions the utility of such an exercise .
`` Conducting that prescribed fire wo n't reduce the amount of flammable material — the vegetation that is on the ground , '' the veteran fire ranger says .
`` It can not prevent any fire from starting . ''
Environmental concerns raised by the prospect of fireworks go beyond the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geological Service study finds that `` past fireworks displays are the probable cause of elevated concentrations of a contaminant called perchlorate in groundwater and surface water at the national monument . ''
Perchlorate is used as a propellant in fireworks ; it can also impair the ability of the metabolism-regulating thyroid gland to absorb necessary iodine .
In its `` Finding of No Significant Impact '' greenlighting the Mount Rushmore fireworks , the NPS acknowledges such displays in the past have contaminated local water supplies with perchlorates .
Still , it contends that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were well below concentrations that could `` impair thyroid function . ''
`` What they 're saying is that it 's OK to have that amount of perchlorate that may dissipate in the [ surface ] water and can be found in the well water , '' says Cheryl Schreier , who was the Mount Rushmore National Memorial 's superintendent from 2010 until last year .
`` Everything [ in the NPS ' 'Finding of No Significant Impact ' ] was ramped up and really quickly facilitated through , without , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been completed . ''
A Long-Broken Treaty The fireworks will also likely spark demonstrations by Native Americans who accuse the U.S. of breaking the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty recognizing Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills that surround it as part of `` the Great Sioux Reservation , set aside for exclusive use by the Sioux people . ''
`` They call this the Shrine of Democracy at Mount Rushmore , '' says Nick Tilsen , a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation from the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation who is president of NDN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We call it the Shrine of Hypocrisy because this democracy that is talked about has been built on the stolen lands of indigenous people . ''
Tilsen tells NPR he expects that despite roads having been blocked off for miles around Mount Rushmore , there will be protesters there .
`` We 're at a time in this country where there 's a reckoning and a realization that this country has to get right with its history , '' says Tilsen .
`` That 's why this is not just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's illuminating the current injustices that exist today in society . ''
Julian Bear Runner , who 's president of the Oglala Sioux tribal council , says Trump is obliged to honor the 1868 treaty that a 1980 Supreme Court ruling recognized as binding .
`` I have to tell him he does n't have permission from its original sovereign owners to enter the territory at this time , '' Bear Runner is quoted as telling The Guardian .
Trump is not likely to heed such protests .
According to South Dakota 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her in a 2017 Oval Office meeting that he nurtures his own ambitions for the stone-faced monument .
`` I said , 'Mr .
President , you should come to South Dakota sometime .
We have Mount Rushmore . '
And he goes , 'Do you know it 's my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore ? '
`` Noem said in a 2018 interview .
`` I started laughing .
He was n't laughing , so he was totally serious . ''

Revived Mount Rushmore Fireworks Will Feature Trump But No Social Distancing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
A decade after being banned amid concerns about wildfires and groundwater pollution, and despite protests by Native Americans and recommendations from public health officials to avoid public gatherings, fireworks will once again be exploding over Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of western South Dakota on Friday, anticipating the Fourth of July.
President Trump has pushed for the revival of the pyrotechnics display, and he plans to witness the spectacle before 60-foot-tall visages of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt carved across the granite face of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
About 7,500 other spectators will be there, too, having won an online ticket lottery sponsored by South Dakota's state tourism department.
And despite at least 91 deaths registered in South Dakota from COVID-19, these visitors will not be told to don face masks or to practice social distancing at the event.
"We will have a large event July 3rd; we told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home," South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Monday. "But [for] those who want to come and join us, we'll be giving out free face masks if they choose to wear one, but we won't be social distancing."
Noem, who became governor last year after serving eight years in the House of Representatives, has refused to order restrictions to protect public health throughout the pandemic.
"Gov. Noem is the only governor in the country who never mandated a single business or church to close, never ordered a shelter-in-place order for her citizens," Noem spokesman Ian Fury tells NPR.
"Gov. Noem has trusted her people to exercise their personal responsibility, to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe, to make the right decisions, to do the right thing. And that's the approach that we're taking here at Rushmore."
South Dakota currently ranks 11th among the 34 states considered by the Harvard Global Health Institute to be prone to "potential community spread," with an average over the past week of 6.2 new cases daily of COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Environmental concerns no longer a showstopper
Beyond being an implicit repudiation of recommended public health measures, the South Dakota pyrotechnics extravaganza also highlights Trump's disdain for environmental measures adopted during the Obama administration.
In January, Trump recounted a conversation he said he had with Noem about reversing a 2010 decision by the National Park Service to discontinue an annual tradition begun in 1998 of Fourth of July fireworks displays at Mount Rushmore.
"I said, 'You mean you can't have fireworks because of the environment?' 'Yeah, environmental reasons.' I said, 'What can burn? It's stone.' You know, it's stone. It's granite," Trump recalled. "So I called up our people. And within about 15 minutes, we got it approved."
Trump's claim of having settled the matter was made more than a month before the National Park Service began a formal "evaluation assessment" and monthlong public comment period to decide whether to resume permitting and hosting the Mount Rushmore fireworks.
The National Park Service settled in late April on the option of ending the ban on pyrotechnics at Mount Rushmore "because it best meets the project purpose and need to celebrate the spirit of Independence Day by hosting a fireworks event, while providing for the enjoyment of the public in a manner that ensures safety and resource protection."
In a 2017 document made public by The Washington Post, the National Park Service noted that a minimum of 27 wildfires had been started around Mount Rushmore during annual fireworks displays between 1998 and 2009 and warned that "July fire danger risk can be high to very high" in the Black Hills area.
A former National Park Service employee who was in charge of the fire management program at Mount Rushmore and six other Black Hills park sites, and who saw trees set ablaze more than 1,000 feet from the fireworks' launch point, says shooting fireworks over the national monument's 1,278 acres of forest is "insane."
"The president likes to say, 'well, what can burn, it's rock, right?' " Bill Gabbert, who is now managing editor of the online publication Wildfire Today, tells NPR.
"Yeah, the carving itself is rock, and right below the carving is rock that was carved off in order to make the sculpture," Gabbert adds. "But beyond that, there's a Ponderosa pine forest. The Black Hills generally is a tinder box this time of year, and right now, they're in a drought."
The entire Black Hills area, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System, is currently experiencing a "moderate drought."
The National Park Service did a controlled burn around the monument in the springtime, according to Noem's office, in an effort to lessen the chances of the fireworks igniting surrounding forest.
Gabbert questions the utility of such an exercise.
"Conducting that prescribed fire will reduce the amount of flammable material — the vegetation that is on the ground," the veteran fire ranger says. "It cannot prevent any fire from starting."
Environmental concerns raised by the prospect of fireworks go beyond the hazard of wildfires. A 2016 U.S. Geological Service study finds that "past fireworks displays are the probable cause of elevated concentrations of a contaminant called perchlorate in groundwater and surface water at the national monument."
Perchlorate is used as a propellant in fireworks; it can also impair the ability
of the metabolism-regulating thyroid gland to absorb necessary iodine.
In its "Finding of No Significant Impact" greenlighting the Mount Rushmore fireworks, the National Park Service acknowledges that such displays in the past have contaminated local water supplies with perchlorates. Still, it contends that the levels found at the national monument were well below concentrations that could "impair thyroid function."
"What they're saying is that it's OK to have that amount of perchlorate that may dissipate in the [surface] water and can be found in the well water," says Cheryl Schreier, who was the Mount Rushmore National Memorial's superintendent from 2010 until last year. "Everything [in the National Park Service's 'Finding of No Significant Impact'] was ramped up and really quickly facilitated through, without, I think, that in-depth analysis that should have been completed."
A long-broken treaty
The fireworks will also likely spark demonstrations by Native Americans who accuse the U.S. of breaking the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty recognizing Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills that surround it as part of "the Great Sioux Reservation, set aside for exclusive use by the Sioux people."
"They call this the Shrine of Democracy at Mount Rushmore," says Nick Tilsen, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation from the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation who is president of NDN Collective, a Native American activist group. "We call it the Shrine of Hypocrisy because this democracy that is talked about has been built on the stolen lands of Indigenous people."
Tilsen tells NPR he expects that despite roads having been blocked off for miles around Mount Rushmore, there will be protesters there.
"We're at a time in this country where there's a reckoning and a realization that this country has to get right with its history," says Tilsen. "That's why this is not just a historical injustice that has happened — it's illuminating the current injustices that exist today in society."
Julian Bear Runner, who's president of the Oglala Sioux tribal council, says Trump is obliged to honor the 1868 treaty that a 1980 Supreme Court ruling recognized as binding.
"I have to tell him he doesn't have permission from its original sovereign owners to enter the territory at this time," Bear Runner is quoted as telling The Guardian.
Trump is not likely to heed such protests. According to South Dakota's governor, the real estate developer-turned-president told her in a 2017 Oval Office meeting that he nurtures his own ambitions for the stone-faced monument.
"I said, 'Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.' And he goes, 'Do you know it's my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?' " Noem said in a 2018 interview. "I started laughing. He wasn't laughing, so he was totally serious."


npr--2020-07-01--It's 'Our Fault': Nextdoor CEO Takes Blame For Deleting of Black Lives Matter Posts

It 's 'Our Fault ' : Nextdoor CEO Takes Blame For Deleting of Black Lives Matter Posts As protests swept the nation following the police killing of George Floyd , there was a surge of reports that Nextdoor , the hyperlocal social media app , was censoring posts about Black Lives Matter and racial injustice .
In an interview with NPR , Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar said the company should have moved more quickly to protect posts related to Black Lives Matter by providing clearer guidance .
It `` was really our fault '' that moderators on forums across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
People of color have long accused Nextdoor , which serves as a community bulletin board in more than 265,000 neighborhoods across the U.S. , of doing nothing about users ' racist comments and complaints .
But Nextdoor came under especially heavy criticism in May after the company voiced public support for the Black Lives Matter movement .
Unpaid volunteers , known as leads , moderate posts on Nextdoor .
Friar said they were deleting posts about Black Lives Matter because they were following outdated rules stating that national conversations have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have now been revised to state that conversations about racial inequality and Black Lives Matter are allowed on Nextdoor .
`` We did not move quickly enough to tell our leads that topics like Black Lives Matter were local in terms of their relevance , '' Friar said .
`` A lot of our leads viewed Black Lives Matter as a national issue that was happening .
And so , they removed that content , thinking it was consistent with our guidelines . ''
She added that the new rules make one thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local topic . ''
Friar said that Nextdoor is taking several more steps to improve the moderation of comments .
It will soon offer unconscious bias training to all moderators .
It will also launch a campaign to enlist more Black moderators .
And it is ramping up efforts to detect and remove instances of racial profiling .
Apologizing , then asking for help from Black users Neighbors take to Nextdoor to search for a local plumber , find a babysitter or sell a piece of furniture .
But the app also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that carry racist overtones .
In recent weeks , as the national conversation has centered on racial injustice , Black users have shared their stories of abandoning Nextdoor .
One person wrote on Twitter that they stopped using it after reading repeated complaints about `` large groups of black teens walking in their neighborhood . ''
Another tweeted that their neighbors would write messages such as `` Saw a black youth hanging out next door .
Calling the cops . ''
Friar has apologized to Black users who have said they do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , vowing that racism has no place on Nextdoor .
She also announced that Nextdoor was cutting off a tie to law enforcement by ending a `` forward to police '' feature that allowed users to report observed activity to authorities .
But Friar told NPR that Nextdoor 's efforts to combat racism on the app will go even further .
Nextdoor has enlisted Stanford University psychology professor Jennifer Eberhardt to help slow down the speed of comments to tamp down on racial profiling , and it 's working with her to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of moderators .
It is a change that some Nextdoor users have demanded .
In an online petition , they criticized the app 's `` murky '' guidelines for content moderation , which users said led to abuse and the silencing of Black voices .
In response to Nextdoor 's commitments , the Minneapolis-based group Neighbors for More Neighbors , which helped organize the petition , applauded the news but remained cautious .
`` This is a positive step towards creating a true community forum where all people in our neighborhoods feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrea Cervone with the group .
`` We will be keeping an eye on the company to make sure they continue forward and fulfill these public commitments . ''
Friar said Nextdoor has kicked off an effort to recruit more Black leads .
This includes inviting especially active Black users to become moderators and starting outreach campaigns to encourage Black users to join the app .
`` We recognize that is an underrepresented group on Nextdoor , '' Friar said of Black users .
`` There are others of course , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel that the Black Lives Matter movement is so critical and important right now just to the health of our country . ''
Friar described Nextdoor 's content moderation as `` a layered cake , '' saying it involves local moderators , artificial intelligence tools and the company 's human reviewers .
She said that the app 's AI programs are being fine-tuned to better detect both explicit racism and posts that engage in racial profiling , or what she called `` coded racist content . ''
Nextdoor is now dedicating more staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist content on the app .
`` We 're really working hard to make sure racist statements do n't end up in the main news feed , making sure that users that do n't act out the guidelines are n't on the platform anymore , '' Friar said .
`` It is our No .
1 priority at the company to make sure Nextdoor is not a platform where racism survives . ''
Though anecdotal evidence suggests Nextdoor 's user base is largely white , Friar said the company has no internal metrics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The app does not ask about race when users sign up , a decision that Friar said may soon change as the company examines how best to hold itself accountable in its push to diversify the platform .
`` We are debating that , '' she said .
`` Because if we want to measure our success of being a diverse platform , perhaps that 's something we do need to ask . ''
Critics of Nextdoor , including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , have drawn attention to the app 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term that has come to describe a middle-aged , privileged white woman with racist habits , whether overt or subtle .
When asked if Nextdoor has a Karen problem , Friar deflected by saying any intolerance or racism on the app is a snapshot of issues plaguing the entire country , not problems confined to the neighborhood platform .
`` Does the U.S. have that problem ?
Yes , it 's out there , '' Friar said .
`` But I think we 're working as hard as we can to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that they 're being civil , being respectful and that they 're not falling back to calling each other names but rather trying to deeply understand . ''

It's 'Our Fault': Nextdoor CEO Takes Blame For Deleting Of Black Lives Matter Posts
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As protests swept the nation following the police killing of George Floyd, there was a surge of reports that Nextdoor, the hyperlocal social media app, was censoring posts about Black Lives Matter and racial injustice.
In an interview with NPR, Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar said the company should have moved more quickly to protect posts related to Black Lives Matter by providing clearer guidance.
It "was really our fault" that moderators on forums across the country were deleting those posts, she said.
People of color have long accused Nextdoor, which serves as a community bulletin board in more than 265,000 neighborhoods across the U.S., of doing nothing about users' racist comments and complaints. But Nextdoor came under especially heavy criticism in May after the company voiced public support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Unpaid volunteers, known as leads, moderate posts on Nextdoor. Friar said they were deleting posts about Black Lives Matter because they were following outdated rules stating that national conversations have no place in neighborhood forums. Those guidelines have now been revised to state that conversations about racial inequality and Black Lives Matter are allowed on Nextdoor.
"We did not move quickly enough to tell our leads that topics like Black Lives Matter were local in terms of their relevance," Friar said. "A lot of our leads viewed Black Lives Matter as a national issue that was happening. And so, they removed that content, thinking it was consistent with our guidelines."
She added that the new rules make one thing clear: "Black Lives Matter is a local topic."
Friar said that Nextdoor is taking several more steps to improve the moderation of comments. It will soon offer unconscious bias training to all moderators. It will also launch a campaign to enlist more Black moderators. And it is ramping up efforts to detect and remove instances of racial profiling.
Apologizing, then asking for help from Black users
Neighbors take to Nextdoor to search for a local plumber, find a babysitter or sell a piece of furniture. But the app also has gained notoriety for spreading panicked messages that carry racist overtones.
In recent weeks, as the national conversation has centered on racial injustice, Black users have shared their stories of abandoning Nextdoor. One person wrote on Twitter that they stopped using it after reading repeated complaints about "large groups of black teens walking in their neighborhood." Another tweeted that their neighbors would write messages such as "Saw a black youth hanging out next door. Calling the cops."
Mayisha Fruge, 42, a black mother of two in San Diego, Calif., who is active on Nextdoor, said those kinds of post sound familiar.
About 90% of her neighbors come across as good, decent people on the app, she said.
"That other 10 percent? They must be hiding behind the computer. I never would have thought that my neighborhood had those types of people, racist people in it," she told NPR.
In one post, a neighbor was suspicious about a black person who was simply taking a stroll. Another asked: do the Black Lives Matter protesters have jobs?
"I said, what does this have to do with equality and justice?" Fruge said.
Friar has apologized to Black users who have said they do not feel welcomed or respected on the app, vowing that racism has no place on Nextdoor.
She also announced that Nextdoor was cutting off a tie to law enforcement by ending a "forward to police" feature that allowed users to report observed activity to authorities.
But Friar told NPR that Nextdoor's efforts to combat racism on the app will go even further.
Nextdoor has enlisted Stanford University psychology professor Jennifer Eberhardt to help slow down the speed of comments to tamp down on racial profiling, and it's working with her to make unconscious bias training available to hundreds of thousands of moderators.
It is a change that some Nextdoor users have demanded. In an online petition, they criticized the app's "murky" guidelines for content moderation, which users said led to abuse and the silencing of Black voices.
In response to Nextdoor's commitments, the Atlanta-based group Neighbors for More Neighbors, which helped organize the petition, applauded the news but remained cautious.
"This is a positive step towards creating a true community forum where all people in our neighborhoods feel safe to participate," said activist Andrea Cervone with the group. "We will be keeping an eye on the company to make sure they continue forward and fulfill these public commitments."
In Northwest Indiana, Jennifer Jackson-Outlaw had a lukewarm reception to the company's announcements. Jackson, a black woman who became fed up with Nextdoor and deleted the app, said Nextdoor's mostly white executive suite needs a shakeup in order to effect real cultural change at the company.
"It's important to not only have representation as far as those who are the moderator, but also those who are in the leadership of the company who may be more be well-versed on some of the issues," she said.
At Nextdoor, Friar has kicked off an effort to recruit more Black leads. This includes inviting especially active Black users to become moderators and starting outreach campaigns to encourage Black users to join the app.
"We recognize that is an underrepresented group on Nextdoor," Friar said of Black users. "There are others of course, but we want to start there because we really feel that the Black Lives Matter movement is so critical and important right now just to the health of our country."
Friar described Nextdoor's content moderation as "a layered cake," saying it involves local moderators, artificial intelligence tools and the company's human reviewers.
She said that the app's AI programs are being fine-tuned to better detect both explicit racism and posts that engage in racial profiling, or what she called "coded racist content." Nextdoor is now dedicating more staff to focus on attempting to ferret out racist content on the app.
"We're really working hard to make sure racist statements don't end up in the main news feed, making sure that users that don't act out the guidelines aren't on the platform anymore," Friar said. "It is our No. 1 priority at the company to make sure Nextdoor is not a platform where racism survives."
Confronting the 'Karen problem'
Though anecdotal evidence suggests Nextdoor's user base is largely white, Friar said the company has no internal metrics about the race of its users.
The app does not ask about race when users sign up, a decision that Friar said may soon change as the company examines how best to hold itself accountable in its push to diversify the platform.
"We are debating that," she said. "Because if we want to measure our success of being a diverse platform, perhaps that's something we do need to ask."
Critics of Nextdoor, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have drawn attention to the app's so-called Karen problem. It's a term that has come to describe a middle-aged, privileged white woman with racist habits, whether overt or subtle.
When asked if Nextdoor has a Karen problem, Friar deflected by saying any intolerance or racism on the app is a snapshot of issues plaguing the entire country, not problems confined to the neighborhood platform.
"Does the U.S. have that problem? Yes, it's out there," Friar said. "But I think we're working as hard as we can to make sure neighbors are doing right by each other, that they're being civil, being respectful and that they're not falling back to calling each other names but rather trying to deeply understand."


npr--2020-07-01--Pennsylvania Joins The Growing List Of States Mandating Face Masks In Public

Pennsylvania Joins The Growing List Of States Mandating Face Masks In Public Pennsylvania officials announced Wednesday that residents must wear face coverings when outside the home , the latest in a series of mask mandates in various states to combat the spread of COVID-19 .
The Pennsylvania order takes effect immediately and builds on an April directive requiring masks to be worn inside businesses .
Gov .
Tom Wolf called the expanded measure essential to stopping the recent increase in coronavirus cases reported in the state .
`` Those hot spots can be traced to situations where Pennsylvanians were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two practices that must be adhered to if we want to maintain the freedoms we have in place under our reopening , '' he said .
Pennsylvania is not the only state to make such an announcement in recent days .
On Monday , Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown announced that a mandate requiring face coverings in indoor public spaces that previously applied only to certain counties would take effect statewide Wednesday .
And in Kansas , masks must be worn in indoor public spaces as well as in outdoor settings where social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
`` Wearing a mask is not only safe — but it is necessary to avoid another shutdown , '' Kansas Gov .
Laura Kelly said .
The growing list of states with universal mask mandates includes North Carolina , California , Nevada , Rhode Island , New York , Delaware , Connecticut , New Mexico , Illinois and Washington .
Other states have rules in place requiring people to wear masks in certain situations , such as on public transit or in grocery stores .
And in some parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phoenix and Jacksonville , Fla. — have enacted mandates of their own .
Official health guidance recommends wearing cloth face coverings to help prevent the spread of respiratory droplets that travel into the air and onto other people as a result of coughing , sneezing or speaking .
Research supports the efficacy of masks in controlling the spread of the virus .
`` There 's no doubt that wearing masks protects you , '' Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert , told members of Congress on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of partisan debate , leading Republicans such as Vice President Pence , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have been newly vocal in expressing their support for face coverings in recent days .
Other officials , such as presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , are advocating for a federal mask mandate .
`` When you do not wear your face covering , we end up in a situation where you see higher rates of disease spread and you end up having to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at a public briefing Tuesday .
`` This mask , this face covering , actually is an instrument of freedom for Americans if we all use it . ''
According to new research by Goldman Sachs , a national mask mandate could save nearly 5 % of gross domestic product in addition to cutting the daily growth rate of confirmed coronavirus cases to 0.6 % .

Pennsylvania Joins The Growing List Of States Mandating Face Masks In Public
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
Pennsylvania officials announced Wednesday that residents must wear face coverings when outside the home, the latest in a series of mask mandates in various states to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The Pennsylvania order takes effect immediately and builds on an April directive requiring masks to be worn inside businesses. Gov. Tom Wolf called the expanded measure essential to stopping the recent increase in coronavirus cases reported in the state.
"Those hot spots can be traced to situations where Pennsylvanians were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing — two practices that must be adhered to if we want to maintain the freedoms we have in place under our reopening," he said.
Pennsylvania is not the only state to make such an announcement in recent days.
On Monday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced that a mandate requiring face coverings in indoor public spaces that previously applied only to certain counties would take effect statewide Wednesday. And in Kansas, masks must be worn in indoor public spaces as well as in outdoor settings where social distancing cannot be maintained, starting Friday.
"Wearing a mask is not only safe — but it is necessary to avoid another shutdown," Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said.
The growing list of states with universal mask mandates includes North Carolina, California, Nevada, Rhode Island, New York, Delaware, Connecticut, New Mexico, Illinois and Washington.
Other states have rules in place requiring people to wear masks in certain situations, such as on public transit or in grocery stores. And in some parts of the country, local governments — such as Phoenix and Jacksonville, Fla. — have enacted mandates of their own.
Official health guidance recommends wearing cloth face coverings to help prevent the spread of respiratory droplets that travel into the air and onto other people as a result of coughing, sneezing or speaking. Research supports the efficacy of masks in controlling the spread of the virus.
"There's no doubt that wearing masks protects you," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told members of Congress on Tuesday.
While mask usage has been the subject of partisan debate, leading Republicans such as Vice President Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have been newly vocal in expressing their support for face coverings in recent days.
Other officials, such as presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are advocating for a federal mask mandate.
"When you do not wear your face covering, we end up in a situation where you see higher rates of disease spread and you end up having to close places," Surgeon General Jerome Adams said at a public briefing Tuesday. "This mask, this face covering, actually is an instrument of freedom for Americans if we all use it."
According to new research by Goldman Sachs, a national mask mandate could save nearly 5% of gross domestic product in addition to cutting the daily growth rate of confirmed coronavirus cases to 0.6%.


npr--2020-07-01--International Doctors Start Residencies At U.S. Hospitals Amid COVID-19 Surge

Dr. Basim Ali graduated at the top of his medical school class in Pakistan and landed a residency at a renowned teaching hospital in Texas , where he 'll be on the front lines of one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. '' There 's obviously some degree of anxiety about what that 's going to be like , '' Ali said by phone from Karachi before coming here .
`` But there 's also this understanding that this is what we signed up for . ''
More than 4,000 foreign-born doctors officially begin their residencies at hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They 'll confront two historic challenges : the COVID-19 pandemic and some of the most restrictive immigration policies this nation has seen in decades .
The White House has blamed foreigners for the virus , and closed the borders to all kinds of immigrants .
President Trump has referred to coronavirus as `` foreign '' and called it `` kung flu '' at his rallies .
And last week , his administration suspended green cards and visas for many foreign guest workers .
`` Yes , of course , it might be disheartening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — that they 're not welcome , '' Ali said .
`` But right now as far as I 'm concerned , they do not affect me . ''
For now , new Trump administration restrictions on immigration do not affect Ali and other incoming residents .
The administration exempted health care workers from the new restrictions announced last week — as long as they 're needed for the coronavirus response .
The Trump administration says it 's trying to put American workers first .
`` At a time of double-digit unemployment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans are n't facing what domestically feels like unfair competition , '' said Ken Cuccinelli , a top immigration official at the Department of Homeland Security , during a call with reporters this week .
But when it comes to health care , the U.S. depends on foreign labor .
Almost 30 % of doctors are immigrants .
It 's been a symbiotic relationship : doctors come here to get top-notch training , and U.S. hospitals get access to the brightest minds in the world .
`` The teaching programs want to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that the public deserves having the best people caring for them , '' said Dr. William Pinsky , the head of the Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates , which helps vet foreign doctors for residencies in the U.S. Pinsky 's group also helps foreign doctors navigate the U.S. immigration system .
That 's been even harder than usual this year , because the coronavirus disrupted most visa processing at U.S. consulates and embassies overseas .
Pinsky credits the State Department for ensuring that most of these international doctors were still able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to start their residencies .
`` They understand the importance of having these international physicians come here , '' he said .
The pandemic shuttered immigration offices inside the U.S as well , creating enormous challenges for international doctors already working here .
`` The uncertainty has been really stressful the last couple of months , '' said Dr. Chandana Kamireddy , a native of India who was living in Ohio with her husband and their 20 month old child when the pandemic hit .
`` I was actually on the front line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attending physician at my hospital where I was working , '' Kamireddy said .
Kamireddy was supposed to move to Tennessee to start a fellowship in oncology this month .
In order to change jobs , Kamireddy needed to get a different visa .
But the offices U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services , which would typically handle visa changes , were closed to the public .
And time was running out .
Then Kamireddy heard from other foreign doctors on Facebook that the U.S. consulate in Mexico was open for visa interviews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mexico .
`` I 'm not here as a tourist , '' she said in an interview from her hotel room in Mexico City .
`` I 'm just taking a chance right now , like traveling outside of the country and then trying to get my visa as soon as possible . ''
Kamireddy did get her visa .
A few days later , the White House announced its new proclamation limiting foreign guests workers and immigrants .
That proclamation exempted the visa program used by doctors coming here for residency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's unclear if international specialists and doctors who have completed their training will be able to get H-1B visas under the new restrictions unless they are treating patients with COVID , or are involved in research on the coronavirus .
I asked Kamireddy and Basim Ali what it 's like to be treating American patients at a time when the Trump administration is doubling down on its immigration crackdown .
Kamireddy said it was difficult for her family – and the hospital in Tennessee , where she 's starting her fellowship today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , because they did n't know if I was going to be starting on time or not , '' she said .
From his new home in Texas , Ali also said he does n't believe that the president speaks for all Americans .
Ali says his hospital is glad to have him , and he 's eager to get to work .
`` I do still have a lot of hope , '' Ali said , `` because the view of one person does not , at least for me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I get to meet and interact with everyday , like the patients and my co-workers . ''

International Doctors Start Residencies At U.S. Hospitals Amid COVID-19 Surge
Enlarge this image toggle caption smartboy10/DigitalVision Vectors/GettyImages smartboy10/DigitalVision Vectors/GettyImages
Dr. Basim Ali graduated at the top of his medical school class in Pakistan and landed a residency at a renowned teaching hospital in Texas, where he'll be on the front lines of one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S.
"There's obviously some degree of anxiety about what that's going to be like," Ali said by phone from Karachi before coming here. "But there's also this understanding that this is what we signed up for."
More than 4,000 foreign-born doctors officially begin their residencies at hospitals across the United States on Wednesday. They'll confront two historic challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic and some of the most restrictive immigration policies this nation has seen in decades.
The White House has blamed foreigners for the virus, and closed the borders to all kinds of immigrants. President Trump has referred to coronavirus as "foreign" and called it "kung flu" at his rallies. And last week, his administration suspended green cards and visas for many foreign guest workers.
"Yes, of course, it might be disheartening for some to hear statements like that — that they're not welcome," Ali said. "But right now as far as I'm concerned, they do not affect me."
For now, new Trump administration restrictions on immigration do not affect Ali and other incoming residents. The administration exempted health care workers from the new restrictions announced last week — as long as they're needed for the coronavirus response.
The Trump administration says it's trying to put American workers first.
"At a time of double-digit unemployment, the president is seeking to ensure that Americans aren't facing what domestically feels like unfair competition," said Ken Cuccinelli, a top immigration official at the Department of Homeland Security, during a call with reporters this week.
But when it comes to health care, the U.S. depends on foreign labor. Almost 30% of doctors are immigrants. It's been a symbiotic relationship: doctors come here to get top-notch training, and U.S. hospitals get access to the brightest minds in the world.
"The teaching programs want to have the best people. ... because they know that the public deserves having the best people caring for them," said Dr. William Pinsky, the head of the Educational Commission For Foreign Medical Graduates, which helps vet foreign doctors for residencies in the U.S.
Pinsky's group also helps foreign doctors navigate the U.S. immigration system. That's been even harder than usual this year, because the coronavirus disrupted most visa processing at U.S. consulates and embassies overseas. Pinsky credits the State Department for ensuring that most of these international doctors were still able to get to the U.S. in time to start their residencies.
"They understand the importance of having these international physicians come here," he said.
The pandemic shuttered immigration offices inside the U.S as well, creating enormous challenges for international doctors already working here.
"The uncertainty has been really stressful the last couple of months," said Dr. Chandana Kamireddy, a native of India who was living in Ohio with her husband and their 20 month old child when the pandemic hit.
"I was actually on the front line taking care of COVID patients as an attending physician at my hospital where I was working," Kamireddy said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chandana Kamireddy Chandana Kamireddy
Kamireddy was supposed to move to Tennessee to start a fellowship in oncology this month. In order to change jobs, Kamireddy needed to get a different visa. But the offices U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which would typically handle visa changes, were closed to the public. And time was running out.
Then Kamireddy heard from other foreign doctors on Facebook that the U.S. consulate in Mexico was open for visa interviews. So she got on a plane to Mexico.
"I'm not here as a tourist," she said in an interview from her hotel room in Mexico City. "I'm just taking a chance right now, like traveling outside of the country and then trying to get my visa as soon as possible."
Kamireddy did get her visa. A few days later, the White House announced its new proclamation limiting foreign guests workers and immigrants.
That proclamation exempted the visa program used by doctors coming here for residency training. But immigration lawyers say it's unclear if international specialists and doctors who have completed their training will be able to get H-1B visas under the new restrictions unless they are treating patients with COVID, or are involved in research on the coronavirus.
I asked Kamireddy and Basim Ali what it's like to be treating American patients at a time when the Trump administration is doubling down on its immigration crackdown.
Kamireddy said it was difficult for her family – and the hospital in Tennessee, where she's starting her fellowship today. "It was stressful for them as well, because they didn't know if I was going to be starting on time or not," she said.
From his new home in Texas, Ali also said he doesn't believe that the president speaks for all Americans. Ali says his hospital is glad to have him, and he's eager to get to work.
"I do still have a lot of hope," Ali said, "because the view of one person does not, at least for me, color the view of the people that I get to meet and interact with everyday, like the patients and my co-workers."


npr--2020-07-01--A User's Guide To Masks: What's Best At Protecting Others (And Yourself)

A User 's Guide To Masks : What 's Best At Protecting Others ( And Yourself ) So you want to wear a face mask ?
Good call .
A growing body of evidence supports the idea that wearing face masks in public , even when you feel well , can help curb the spread of the coronavirus — since people can spread the virus even without showing symptoms .
That 's the main reason to wear a mask : to protect other people from you .
Face masks can also offer the wearer some protection — though how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mask .
No mask will offer full protection , and they should not be viewed as a replacement for physical distancing of at least 6 feet from others , frequent hand-washing and avoiding crowds .
When you combine masks with those measures , they can make a big difference .
But what kind of mask is best ?
When choosing a mask , experts say focus on the fabric , fit and breathability .
How well a mask protects is a function of both what it 's made of and how well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you ca n't breathe well through it , then you 're less likely to keep it on .
Here 's a look at different kinds of masks you might consider and how effective they are at protecting the people around you — and you as well .
Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people should wear cloth face coverings in public , we 'll talk about fabric masks first .
But if you 've purchased a medical mask or respirator , scroll down for some important notes — like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fake .
First , consider the fabric itself .
`` The tightness of the weave is really important .
That 's the first thing I would ask people to look into , '' says Supratik Guha , a professor of molecular engineering at the University of Chicago and co-author of an oft-cited paper in ACS Nano on the filtration efficiency of common fabrics used in cloth masks .
To check your fabric , hold it up to a light : If you can easily see the outline of the individual fibers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great filter .
Researchers say a thick 100 % cotton weave is a good bet .
That 's because at the microscopic level , the natural fibers in cotton tend to have more three-dimensional structure than synthetic fibers , which are smoother , says Christopher Zangmeister , a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology .
That 3D structure can create more roadblocks that can stop an incoming particle , he explains .
Zangmeister co-authored a new study in ACS Nano that tested how well dozens of different materials filtered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's 100 % polyester , did well , most synthetics ranked near the bottom , he says .
But even a mask made out of synthetic fibers is better than no mask at all , he says .
Think multiple layers .
Guha 's study and other research have found that masks made of multiple layers are more effective at blocking small particles .
A good option : a mask made of two layers of a thick-weave fabric with a built-in pocket where you can place a filter , says May Chu , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health who co-authored a paper published on June 2 in Nano Letters on the filtration efficiency of household mask materials .
The best bet for the material to slip in as a filter is polypropylene , which is derived from plastic , says Chu .
`` If you go to Walmart , you look for Oly-fun , which is the brand name of that fabric .
It 's also called spunbond , '' says Chu , who 's a scientific adviser to the World Health Organization and helped craft its recent detailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polypropylene is great as a physical filter but has another benefit : It holds an electrostatic charge .
In other words , it uses the power of static electricity .
Think of the static cling that can happen when you rub two pieces of fabric together , says Chu .
That 's basically what 's happening with this fabric : That `` cling '' effect traps incoming — and outgoing — droplets .
`` That 's what you want — the cling is what 's important , '' Chu says .
And unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge in the humidity created when you breathe out , says Yi Cui , a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University who co-authored the Nano Letters study with Chu .
Cui and Chu note that polypropylene will lose its electrostatic charge when you wash it , but you can recharge it by ironing it or by rubbing it with a plastic glove for around 20 seconds .
Once you 've got static cling , ka-ching — you 're back in business .
Cui says a two-layer thick-weave cotton mask alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small particles .
But adding a filter made out of two layers of charged polypropylene could boost that filtration efficiency by as much as another 35 % , Cui says .
You still want a cotton layer closest to your face , he says , because it 's a more comfortable material .
If you ca n't get your hands on polypropylene fabric , reach for tissues : Take two sheets of facial tissue , fold them over and put them inside your mask 's pocket so that you end up with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily .
`` Surprisingly , the four layers of paper gives you adequate protection , '' says Chu — though tissues do n't have the added power of electrostatic charge .
If neither of those are options , a mask made of three or more layers of tightly woven cotton will also do a decent job , Chu says .
Though some sites online have suggested that coffee filters might make good mask filters , Chu and Zangmeister both advise against this .
Zangmeister notes that coffee filters are hard to breathe through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the filter rather than through it .
`` Imagine if you have a hose .
You put your thumb over part of it , and the water just goes around it .
In this case , the [ air ] flow will go around that filter , '' which defeats the purpose of using a filter , he explains .
Shape also matters : A mask 's ability to filter out particles depends on not just what it 's made out of but how well it seals to your face .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cup tightly to your face are best , Cui says .
Masks with pleats or folds are also a good choice : The folds expand so that you have more air flowing through the fabric itself instead of leaking out through gaps at the sides of the mask .
Masks with a flat front design are less effective , he says .
Another trick to improve the seal of your mask : Add a layer of pantyhose .
Cut a length of hose about 8 to 10 inches long , from top to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair of hose , and pull it on top of your mask .
This forces particles that might have otherwise gone around the loose edges of the mask and been inhaled to instead go through the mask , which can filter them out , says Loretta Fernandez , a researcher at Northeastern University .
What about neck-gaiter masks ( also known as buffs ) ?
Often made of synthetic fabric , they are designed to cover your face , nose and mouth and wrap around you .
`` There would theoretically be less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the sides like it would from a mask that 's open on the side , '' says Dr. Abraar Karan , a physician at Harvard Medical School who 's working on Massachusetts ' COVID-19 response team .
Avoid masks with exhalation valves .
Some cloth and disposable masks come with an exhalation valve at the front .
The valve makes it easier to breathe out , but it also releases unfiltered air , so it does n't protect others if you 're contagious .
And protecting others is the primary reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean .
Experts say cloth masks should be washed daily with soap or detergent and hot water .
Make sure the mask is completely dry before you reuse it , as a wet mask can make it harder to breathe and can promote the growth of microorganisms .
N95 respirators : N95 respirators are designed to create a tight seal around the nose and mouth .
When worn correctly , they can block at least 95 % of small airborne particles .
These respirators are great at protecting both the wearer and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're so effective : N95s are made out of many layers of fine polypropylene fibers , which , as we 've discussed , use the power of static electricity to trap incoming and outgoing particles and droplets .
But experts say N95s remain in short supply and should still be reserved for health care workers and first responders .
If you do get your hands on an N95 , you should know that some of these respirators out there are fakes .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some tips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
KN95 respirators : A KN95 respirator is regulated by the Chinese government ; like an N95 , it 's supposed to filter out at least 95 % of small airborne particles .
However , testing has revealed that the actual performance of many of the KN95s for sale in the U.S. `` is all over the place , '' and many are counterfeit , says Avilash Cramer , a doctoral candidate at the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program and a volunteer with PanFab , an effort to address shortages of medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
While some counterfeits may indeed filter out at least 95 % of particles , `` some are catastrophically bad .
Some are falling apart in our hands , '' says Cramer , whose recent work with PanFab has focused on spotting and testing fake respirators .
Trying to determine if a KN95 is counterfeit can be hard , he says , but here 's one telltale sign : If the packaging says it 's NIOSH approved , do n't trust it — because a U.S. government agency like NIOSH ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) would not approve a mask made to another country 's standard .
If you 've got a KN95 , Cramer says to check Appendix A of the Food and Drug Administration 's emergency use authorization to see if the model you have is authorized .
Bottom line : If you have a KN95 , just know it 's possible you might not be getting nearly as much protection as you think .
So be sure to keep up with those other habits to help keep you safe , including physical distancing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't make you invincible , so those habits are good no matter what , '' Cramer says .
Surgical masks : Surgical masks are disposable coverings worn loosely around the face .
In short supply at the start of the pandemic , they 're becoming more widely available .
They 're primarily designed to protect other people from the wearer and to block large particle droplets or splashes in the air , although not very small particles .
Many surgical masks are made of paper , though some are made with polypropylene , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the University of Minnesota 's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy .
Research has found that surgical masks can block the vast majority of respiratory droplets emitted by an infected person .
But how well a surgical mask protects you , the wearer , from smaller particles can vary widely when tested with the same methods used to test N95 respirators .
For example , one surgical mask that Cui tested blocked 30 % of small particles , while another filtered out 80 % .
Brosseau says surgical masks that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA tend to have better filtration efficiencies , but most masks sold in the U.S. have n't gone through the FDA approval process .
Regardless of whether you choose a cloth or surgical mask , she says , be aware that this does n't mean you can suddenly be in prolonged close contact with others .
These masks might buy you a few extra minutes of protection , she says , but `` not hours .
Not lengthy periods of time . ''

A User's Guide To Masks: What's Best At Protecting Others (And Yourself)
Enlarge this image toggle caption Photo illustration by Max Posner/NPR Photo illustration by Max Posner/NPR
So you want to wear a face mask? Good call.
A growing body of evidence supports the idea that wearing face masks in public, even when you feel well, can help curb the spread of the coronavirus — since people can spread the virus even without showing symptoms. That's the main reason to wear a mask: to protect other people from you.
Face masks can also offer the wearer some protection — though how much varies greatly, depending on the type of mask. No mask will offer full protection, and they should not be viewed as a replacement for physical distancing of at least 6 feet from others, frequent hand-washing and avoiding crowds. When you combine masks with those measures, they can make a big difference.
But what kind of mask is best?
When choosing a mask, experts say focus on the fabric, fit and breathability. How well a mask protects is a function of both what it's made of and how well it seals to your face. But if you can't breathe well through it, then you're less likely to keep it on.
Here's a look at different kinds of masks you might consider and how effective they are at protecting the people around you — and you as well.
Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people should wear cloth face coverings in public, we'll talk about fabric masks first. But if you've purchased a medical mask or respirator, scroll down for some important notes — like how to spot if you've got a fake.
toggle caption Photo illustration by Max Posner/NPR
Fabric Masks
First, consider the fabric itself. "The tightness of the weave is really important. That's the first thing I would ask people to look into," says Supratik Guha, a professor of molecular engineering at the University of Chicago. To check your fabric, hold it up to a light: If you can easily see the outline of the individual fibers, it's not going to make a great filter.
Researchers say a tight-weave 100% cotton is a good bet. That's because at the microscopic level, the natural fibers in cotton tend to have more three-dimensional structure than synthetic fibers, which are smoother, says Christopher Zangmeister, a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. That 3D structure can create more roadblocks that can stop an incoming particle, he explains.
Zangmeister co-authored a new study in ACS Nano that tested how well dozens of different materials filtered. While two synthetics, including one that's 100% polyester, did well, most synthetics ranked near the bottom, he says. But even a mask made out of synthetic fibers is better than no mask at all, he says.
Think multiple layers. Several studies have found that masks made of multiple layers are more effective at blocking small particles.
A good option: a mask made of two layers of a tight-weave fabric with a built-in pocket where you can place a filter, says May Chu, an epidemiologist at the Colorado School of Public Health who co-authored a paper published on June 2 in Nano Letters on the filtration efficiency of household mask materials.
The best bet for the material to slip in as a filter is polypropylene, which is derived from plastic, says Chu. "If you go to Walmart, you look for Oly-fun, which is the brand name of that fabric. It's also called spunbond," says Chu, who's a scientific adviser to the World Health Organization and helped craft its recent detailed guidance on cloth masks.
Chu says polypropylene is great as a physical filter but has another benefit: It holds an electrostatic charge. In other words, it uses the power of static electricity. Think of the static cling that can happen when you rub two pieces of fabric together, says Chu. That's basically what's happening with this fabric: That "cling" effect traps incoming — and outgoing — droplets. "That's what you want — the cling is what's important," Chu says.
And unlike other materials, polypropylene keeps its electrostatic charge in the humidity created when you breathe out, says Yi Cui, a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University who co-authored the Nano Letters study with Chu.
Cui and Chu note that polypropylene will lose its electrostatic charge when you wash it, but you can recharge it by ironing it or by rubbing it with a plastic glove for around 20 seconds. Once you've got static cling, ka-ching — you're back in business. Cui says a two-layer tight-weave cotton mask alone can filter out about 35% of small particles. But adding a filter made out of two layers of charged polypropylene could boost that filtration efficiency by as much as another 35%, Cui says. You still want a cotton layer closest to your face, he says, because it's a more comfortable material.
If you can't get your hands on polypropylene fabric, reach for tissues: Take two sheets of facial tissue, fold them over and put them inside your mask's pocket so that you end up with a four-layer filter that you can change out daily. "Surprisingly, the four layers of paper gives you adequate protection," says Chu — though tissues don't have the added power of electrostatic charge.
If neither of those are options, a mask made of three or more layers of tightly woven cotton will also do a decent job, Chu says.
Though some sites online have suggested that coffee filters might make good mask filters, Chu and Zangmeister both advise against this. Zangmeister notes that coffee filters are hard to breathe through, so you end up breathing around the filter rather than through it.
"Imagine if you have a hose. You put your thumb over part of it, and the water just goes around it. In this case, the [air] flow will go around that filter," which defeats the purpose of using a filter, he explains.
Shape also matters: A mask's ability to filter out particles depends on not just what it's made out of but how well it seals to your face. When it comes to cloth masks, those that cup tightly to your face are best, Cui says. Masks with pleats or folds are also a good choice: The folds expand so that you have more air flowing through the fabric itself instead of leaking out through gaps at the sides of the mask. Masks with a flat front design are less effective, he says.
Another trick to improve the seal of your mask: Add a layer of pantyhose. Cut a length of hose about 8 to 10 inches long, from top to bottom, from one leg on a pair of hose, and pull it on top of your mask. This forces particles that might have otherwise gone around the loose edges of the mask and been inhaled to instead go through the mask, which can filter them out, says Loretta Fernandez, a researcher at Northeastern University.
What about neck-gaiter masks (also known as buffs)? Often made of synthetic fabric, they are designed to cover your face, nose and mouth and wrap around you. "There would theoretically be less chance for the air to escape laterally out of the sides like it would from a mask that's open on the side," says Dr. Abraar Karan, a physician at Harvard Medical School who's working on Massachusetts' COVID-19 response team.
Avoid masks with exhalation valves. Some cloth and disposable masks come with an exhalation valve at the front. The valve makes it easier to breathe out, but it also releases unfiltered air, so it doesn't protect others if you're contagious. And protecting others is the primary reason to wear a mask.
Keep it clean. Experts say cloth masks should be washed daily with soap or detergent and hot water. Make sure the mask is completely dry before you reuse it, as a wet mask can make it harder to breathe and can promote the growth of microorganisms.
toggle caption Photo illustration by Max Posner/NPR
Medical Masks
N95 respirators: N95 respirators are designed to create a tight seal around the nose and mouth. When worn correctly, they can block at least 95% of small airborne particles. These respirators are great at protecting both the wearer and the people around the wearer. One reason they're so effective: N95s are made out of many layers of fine polypropylene fibers, which, as we've discussed, use the power of static electricity to trap incoming and outgoing particles and droplets.
But experts say N95s remain in short supply and should still be reserved for health care workers and first responders. If you do get your hands on an N95, you should know that some of these respirators out there are fakes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some tips on how to spot a counterfeit respirator.
KN95 respirators: A KN95 respirator is regulated by the Chinese government; like an N95, it's supposed to filter out at least 95% of small airborne particles. However, testing has revealed that the actual performance of many of the KN95s for sale in the U.S. "is all over the place," and many are counterfeit, says Avilash Cramer, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program and a volunteer with PanFab, an effort to address shortages of medical devices and personal protective equipment amid the pandemic.
While some counterfeits may indeed filter out at least 95% of particles, "some are catastrophically bad. Some are falling apart in our hands," says Cramer, whose recent work with PanFab has focused on spotting and testing fake respirators. Trying to determine if a KN95 is counterfeit can be hard, he says, but here's one telltale sign: If the packaging says it's NIOSH approved, don't trust it — because a U.S. government agency like NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) would not approve a mask made to another country's standard. If you've got a KN95, Cramer says to check Appendix A of the Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization to see if the model you have is authorized.
Bottom line: If you have a KN95, just know it's possible you might not be getting nearly as much protection as you think. So be sure to keep up with those other habits to help keep you safe, including physical distancing. "Wearing even a genuine respirator doesn't make you invincible, so those habits are good no matter what," Cramer says.
Surgical masks: Surgical masks are disposable coverings worn loosely around the face. In short supply at the start of the pandemic, they're becoming more widely available. They're primarily designed to protect other people from the wearer and to block large particle droplets or splashes in the air, although not very small particles. Many surgical masks are made of paper, though some are made with polypropylene, says Lisa Brosseau, a research consultant with the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Research has found that surgical masks can block the vast majority of respiratory droplets emitted by an infected person. But how well a surgical mask protects you, the wearer, from smaller particles can vary widely when tested with the same methods used to test N95 respirators. For example, one surgical mask that Cui tested blocked around 30% of small particles, while others filtered out up to 80%.
Brosseau says she's seen some surgical masks that have been cleared for medical use by the FDA and have better filtration efficiencies, but most masks sold in the U.S. haven't gone through the FDA approval process.
Regardless of whether you choose a cloth or surgical mask, she says, be aware that this doesn't mean you can suddenly be in prolonged close contact with others. These masks might buy you a few extra minutes of protection, she says, but "not hours. Not lengthy periods of time."


npr--2020-07-01--Homeland Security Says It Will Secure Historic Landmarks From 'Anarchists'

Homeland Security Says It Will Secure Historic Landmarks From 'Anarchists' The federal agency charged with preventing terrorist attacks and securing the border announced Wednesday that it would deploy personnel across the country to carry out President Trump 's orders to protect statues and monuments from vandalism amid ongoing protests for racial justice .
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the department has established a Protecting American Communities Task Force to secure historic landmarks against `` violent anarchists and rioters . ''
`` DHS is answering the President 's call to use our law enforcement personnel across the country to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
`` We wo n't stand idly by while violent anarchists and rioters seek not only to vandalize and destroy the symbols of our nation , but to disrupt law and order and sow chaos in our communities . ''
`` As we approach the July 4th holiday , I have directed the deployment and pre-positioning of Rapid Deployment Teams ( RDT ) across the country to respond to potential threats to facilities and property , '' he said .
`` While the Department respects every American 's right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest will not be tolerated . ''
The announcement follows Trump 's executive order issued last week after protesters attempted to pull down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House .
`` I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments , Memorials , and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence , '' Trump tweeted Friday afternoon .
Wolf said the task force `` will conduct ongoing assessments of potential civil unrest or destruction and allocate resources to protect people and property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge activity to ensure the continuing protection of critical locations , '' he said , adding that DHS and the Departments of Justice and Interior would share intelligence for the purpose .
Earlier this week , Wolf tweeted that the effort to protect monuments was being coordinated among DHS agencies , including the Federal Protective Service , Secret Service , Immigration and Customs Enforcement , Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration .
Last month , ICE and CBP personnel were dispatched to respond to unrest resulting from the police killing @ @ @ @

Homeland Security Says It Will Secure Historic Landmarks From 'Anarchists'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The federal agency charged with preventing terrorist attacks and securing the border announced Wednesday that it would deploy personnel across the country to carry out President Trump's orders to protect statues and monuments from vandalism amid ongoing protests for racial justice.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the department has established a Protecting American Communities Task Force to secure historic landmarks against "violent anarchists and rioters."
"DHS is answering the President's call to use our law enforcement personnel across the country to protect our historic landmarks," Wolf said in a statement. "We won't stand idly by while violent anarchists and rioters seek not only to vandalize and destroy the symbols of our nation, but to disrupt law and order and sow chaos in our communities."
"As we approach the July 4th holiday, I have directed the deployment and pre-positioning of Rapid Deployment Teams (RDT) across the country to respond to potential threats to facilities and property," he said. "While the Department respects every American's right to protest peacefully, violence and civil unrest will not be tolerated."
The announcement follows Trump's executive order issued last week after protesters attempted to pull down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House.
"I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence," Trump tweeted Friday afternoon.
I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020
Wolf said the task force "will conduct ongoing assessments of potential civil unrest or destruction and allocate resources to protect people and property."
"This may involve potential surge activity to ensure the continuing protection of critical locations," he said, adding that DHS and the Departments of Justice and Interior would share intelligence for the purpose.
Earlier this week, Wolf tweeted that the effort to protect monuments was being coordinated among DHS agencies, including the Federal Protective Service, Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration.
We are taking steps to answer @POTUS's order to make personnel available across the US to assist with the protection of federal monuments, memorials, statues, and property. This effort is coordinated by @DHSgov law enforcement components: #FPS @ICEgov @SecretService @CBP & @TSA — Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) June 29, 2020
Last month, ICE and CBP personnel were dispatched to respond to unrest resulting from the police killing of George Floyd.


npr--2020-07-01--California Halts Many Indoor Businesses In 19 Counties As Coronavirus Cases Spike

California Halts Many Indoor Businesses In 19 Counties As Coronavirus Cases Spike Gov .
Gavin Newsom is ordering 19 counties to shift many business operations outdoors or close them immediately , citing a sharp spike in new coronavirus cases .
The state recorded nearly 6,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday , the governor said .
`` California is seeing the virus spreading at alarming rates in many parts of the state , and we are taking immediate action to slow the spread of the virus in those areas , '' Newsom said .
He added , `` We bent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we will bend the curve again . ''
Ranging from Los Angeles and Riverside to Sacramento and Fresno , the counties account for a third of the state 's total .
But Newsom noted , `` These 19 counties represent over 70 % of the population '' in the state .
The order affects a wide range of businesses .
Restaurants , wineries , zoos and museums in the affected counties are required to shift their operations outdoors .
Bars , which are widely seen as a potential source for new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Bars must close all operations , '' the governor 's office said .
The order comes as service-industry businesses were preparing for the July 4 weekend – seen by many as a potential bright spot in an otherwise dismal economic year .
The governor said the goal is to allow businesses to remain open while also reducing the chance for viral transmission .
`` This does n't mean restaurants shut down , '' Newsom said .
`` It means that we 're trying to take as many activities as we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them outdoors '' to lessen the threat of spreading the virus .
The guidance will remain in place for at least three weeks .
Each of the counties has been on California 's County Monitoring List — which it uses to highlight counties with worsening health trends — for at least three consecutive days .
The spike in cases in California has prompted some counties , such as Los Angeles , to cancel fireworks shows and close their beaches ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend .
The state says it will close state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step .
And in another bid to reduce crowding , the state is closing all parking facilities for beaches in Southern California and the Bay Area over the weekend .
`` Yesterday , we recorded 5,898 new cases of COVID-19 , '' Newsom said .
The state is also hitting record highs in COVID-19 hospitalizations , with more than 5,000 people now hospitalized .
California had marked a new record just last week , when it reported 3,702 coronavirus patients were in the hospital .
Before hitting that mark , the state had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California is in Stage 2 of its reopening , allowing stores , offices and limited personal services to reopen with precautions .
The plan also applies to outdoor museums and child care .
The government is urging residents to stay home when possible and travel only for activities such as health care , outdoor exercise and recreation , and picking up food and other necessities .

California Halts Many Indoor Businesses In 19 Counties As Coronavirus Cases Spike
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jae C. Hong/AP Jae C. Hong/AP
Gov. Gavin Newsom is ordering 19 counties to shift many business operations outdoors or close them immediately, citing a sharp spike in new coronavirus cases. The state recorded nearly 6,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the governor said.
"California is seeing the virus spreading at alarming rates in many parts of the state, and we are taking immediate action to slow the spread of the virus in those areas," Newsom said. He added, "We bent the curve in the state of California once, and we will bend the curve again."
Ranging from Los Angeles and Riverside to Sacramento and Fresno, the counties account for a third of the state's total. But Newsom noted, "These 19 counties represent over 70% of the population" in the state.
The order affects a wide range of businesses. Restaurants, wineries, zoos and museums in the affected counties are required to shift their operations outdoors. Bars, which are widely seen as a potential source for new outbreaks, won't have that option.
"Bars must close all operations," the governor's office said.
YouTube
The order comes as service-industry businesses were preparing for the July 4 weekend – seen by many as a potential bright spot in an otherwise dismal economic year. The governor said the goal is to allow businesses to remain open while also reducing the chance for viral transmission.
"This doesn't mean restaurants shut down," Newsom said. "It means that we're trying to take as many activities as we can ... these concentrated activities, and move them outdoors" to lessen the threat of spreading the virus.
The guidance will remain in place for at least three weeks. Each of the counties has been on California's County Monitoring List — which it uses to highlight counties with worsening health trends — for at least three consecutive days.
The spike in cases in California has prompted some counties, such as Los Angeles, to cancel fireworks shows and close their beaches ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend. The state says it will close state beaches in any county that takes that step. And in another bid to reduce crowding, the state is closing all parking facilities for beaches in Southern California and the Bay Area over the weekend.
California reported a single-day record of 7,149 coronavirus cases last week.
"Yesterday, we recorded 5,898 new cases of COVID-19," Newsom said.
The state is also hitting record highs in COVID-19 hospitalizations, with more than 5,000 people now hospitalized. California had marked a new record just last week, when it reported 3,702 coronavirus patients were in the hospital. Before hitting that mark, the state had reached its previous peak in late April.
California is in Stage 2 of its reopening, allowing stores, offices and limited personal services to reopen with precautions. The plan also applies to outdoor museums and child care. The government is urging residents to stay home when possible and travel only for activities such as health care, outdoor exercise and recreation, and picking up food and other necessities.


npr--2020-07-01--Missing Soldier's Family Lawyer Says They Believe Discovered Remains Are Hers

Missing Soldier 's Family Lawyer Says They Believe Discovered Remains Are Hers More than two months after Pfc .
Vanessa Guillen was last seen at Fort Hood in Texas , her family 's lawyer said they believe `` her remains have been found . ''
Attorney Natalie Khawam revealed the news at a press conference Wednesday in Washington , D.C. , as the Guillen family called for a congressional probe into the U.S. military 's response to her disappearance .
`` This should never have happened , and we will never know what happened — ever — until we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters .
And she called the official response `` evasive , '' adding : `` I do n't know who 's covering up for who , but it does n't matter .
We lost a beautiful young soldier , and it 's time we fix our system . ''
U.S. Army investigators said `` partial human remains '' were found on Tuesday in Leon River , Texas , near where Guillen went missing in April .
They did not confirm the body was Guillen 's or offer a formal timetable for their `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a suspect in Guillen 's case killed himself as law enforcement was closing in .
The Killeen Police Department said the suspect was another soldier stationed at Fort Hood who had left his post overnight .
`` As officers attempted to make contact with the suspect , '' police explained in a statement , `` the suspect produced a weapon and committed suicide by shooting himself . ''
A civilian suspect is in custody in connection to Guillen 's disappearance .
According to Army investigators , she is the `` estranged wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The grim developments represent milestones in a case that has captured attention across Central Texas and beyond .
Since April 22 , when the 20-year-old soldier was last seen alive , her disappearance has inspired allegations of a cover-up , hashtags on social media and statements from other female soldiers who have gone public with their experiences of sexual harassment and assault in the military .
Guillen 's family alleges that she had been the target of sexual harassment prior to her disappearance .
She reportedly told her mother , her friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassment .
But her family lawyer said Guillen , fearing retaliation , never filed a formal complaint on base .
Khawam alleged Wednesday that the dead suspect was the same man who harassed Guillen .
`` How can this happen on a military base ?
How can this happen while she 's on duty ? ''
Lupe Guillen , her sister , told reporters .
`` How can they let this happen and then just let it go under the rug like it was nothing ? ''
U.S. Army officials , for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into the allegations , noting that also they suspect foul play in Guillen 's disappearance .
But the family said it is not satisfied with the efforts of base personnel .
They want to see outside investigators get involved — and they have the backing of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , D-Hawaii , who also attended Wednesday 's news conference .
`` We need to know why she did not get the help that she needed when she needed it and why this family is forced to grieve and mourn her loss here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress needs to do its job .
The Department of Defense needs to do its job , to truly provide justice to the men and women who voluntarily serve our country and put their lives on the line . ''

Missing Soldier's Family Lawyer Says They Believe Discovered Remains Are Hers
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
Updated July 3 at 2 p.m. ET
More than two months after Spc. Vanessa Guillen was last seen at Fort Hood in Texas, her family's lawyer said they believe "her remains have been found."
Attorney Natalie Khawam revealed the news at a press conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C., as the Guillen family called for a congressional probe into the U.S. military's response to her disappearance.
"This should never have happened, and we will never know what happened — ever — until we get a congressional investigation," Khawam told reporters. And she called the official response "evasive," adding: "I don't know who's covering up for who, but it doesn't matter. We lost a beautiful young soldier, and it's time we fix our system."
U.S. Army investigators said "partial human remains" were found on Tuesday in Leon River, Texas, near where Guillen went missing in April. They did not confirm the body was Guillen's or offer a formal timetable for their "identification process."
Just hours later, a suspect in Guillen's case killed himself as law enforcement was closing in. The Killeen Police Department said the suspect was another soldier stationed at Fort Hood who had left his post overnight.
"As officers attempted to make contact with the suspect," police explained in a statement, "the suspect produced a weapon and committed suicide by shooting himself."
A civilian suspect is in custody in connection to Guillen's disappearance. According to Army investigators, she is the "estranged wife of a former Fort Hood Soldier."
The grim developments represent milestones in a case that has captured attention across Central Texas and beyond.
Since April 22, when the 20-year-old soldier was last seen alive, her disappearance has inspired allegations of a cover-up, hashtags on social media and statements from other female soldiers who have gone public with their experiences of sexual harassment and assault in the military.
Guillen's family alleges that she had been the target of sexual harassment prior to her disappearance. She reportedly told her mother, her friends and some fellow service members about the harassment. But her family lawyer said Guillen, fearing retaliation, never filed a formal complaint on base.
Khawam alleged Wednesday that the dead suspect was the same man who harassed Guillen.
"How can this happen on a military base? How can this happen while she's on duty?" Lupe Guillen, her sister, told reporters. "How can they let this happen and then just let it go under the rug like it was nothing?"
U.S. Army officials, for their part, said they have opened an investigation into the allegations, noting that also they suspect foul play in Guillen's disappearance.
But the family said it is not satisfied with the efforts of base personnel. They want to see outside investigators get involved — and they have the backing of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, who also attended Wednesday's news conference.
"We need to know why she did not get the help that she needed when she needed it and why this family is forced to grieve and mourn her loss here today," Gabbard said. "Congress needs to do its job. The Department of Defense needs to do its job, to truly provide justice to the men and women who voluntarily serve our country and put their lives on the line."