npr--2020-04-20--After Inmate Deaths, Mississippi Faces Pressure To Reform Its Prisons

After Inmate Deaths , Mississippi Faces Pressure To Reform Its Prisons At the end of a workday , Cheryl Porter pulls into the gravel drive of her one-bedroom travel trailer in Brandon , Mississippi .
`` I actually want to get rid of this one and get a bigger one , '' Porter says .
`` I want a two bedroom 'cause when Michael gets home , Lord willing . ''
Michael , her 29-year-old son , has been incarcerated since he was a teenager on several felony charges , including burglary .
He 's due for release in 2022 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home alive , '' she says .
Her son was in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman when deadly riots broke out at the end of last year – the result of gang warfare , according to state officials , and accounts from inside the prison .
`` It was a bloodbath , '' Porter says , showing cell phone images of her son 's head wrapped in a bandage .
`` This is where they hit him with the pipe .
They stabbed him twelve times . ''
Since Dec. 29 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state custody .
According to news releases from the Mississippi Department of Corrections , eight of those deaths are are attributed to prisoners attacking each other , three are apparent suicides , four are from natural causes , three are from illnesses , one is drug-related , and one is an inmate who tested positive for COVID-19 .
The rest are classified as unknown , pending autopsy reports , but with no foul play suspected .
The state is facing lawsuits and a federal probe into rampant violence , decrepit conditions , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has plagued Mississippi prisons for decades .
It 's an incarceration crisis , says Alesha Judkins , Mississippi state director for FWD.us , a criminal justice advocacy group .
She blames chronic underfunding , and sentencing laws that have left the system overcrowded , understaffed , and in a state of disrepair .
`` Because of the sheer number of people in the state 's care and custody , they ca n't safely house or manage the population that they have , '' says Judkins .
The uptick in deaths has drawn national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cell phones to share dramatic video from inside the lockups of stabbings and inmates setting fires .
In one social media post , an inmate said no one was coming to their rescue .
`` We need some help man , '' he said .
`` Police wo n't even come in here and get us out of here , bro . ''
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation .
And the rappers Jay-Z and Yo Gotti are funding a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the incarcerated — the latest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970 's that have sought to address inhumane conditions in Mississippi prisons , some of which resulted in federal control of the system over the years .
Attorney Jordan Siev says the lawsuit alleges both civil rights and constitutional violations .
`` This is simply a matter of how we treat people in jail , '' Siev says .
`` They have constitutional rights .
The pictures and the stories that have come out are absolutely horrifying . ''
Being locked up in Mississippi is about pure survival says John Knight , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been out of prison for seven years , and now volunteers to curtail violence in his hometown of Jackson .
He was first sentenced to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman when he was 18 years old .
`` They still treat you like a common day slave because you have committed a crime , '' he says .
`` They 're sentencing you to prison first and foremost , and then sentence you to death if you do n't survive because of the deplorable conditions . ''
Knight is part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressuring the state to address the long-documented problems .
`` Brown water , bugs , rats coming out , '' Knight says .
`` Could you imagine how that would mentally mess a person up ?
And they expect you to act like a model citizen ? ''
The Mississippi Department of Corrections , or MDOC , declined to comment , and Republican Governor Tate Reeves was unavailable for an interview with NPR .
But as the crisis worsened shortly after he took office in January , Reeves acknowledged problems .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` In a lot of places , they 're not good .
There 's no other word for it .
They 're terrible . ''
The state took immediate steps , including deploying maintenance crews , putting a state criminal investigator at Parchman , and requiring a warden to be on site at all times .
Initially some inmates were moved out of what was considered the worst housing unit at Parchman , and non-violent offenders were moved to other prisons .
But amid the coronavirus pandemic , transfers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitation .
`` The spread within our prisons could be a worst-case scenario , '' he said .
Since then , MDOC has reported at least one death of an inmate who tested positive for COVID-19 .
Advocates are calling for high-risk inmates to be released .
They say inadequate medical care and unsanitary conditions make prisoners vulnerable – especially at Parchman , where health inspections detail the lack of clean water and power in numerous cells .
But some say the inmates are responsible for conditions inside prisons .
`` They 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided , '' says Jimmy Anthony , a retired police officer from Batesville , Mississippi .
`` I understand how people are concerned about prisons and the unfair conditions , '' he says referring to the widely available pictures of clogged toilets , busted sinks , and holes torn in walls .
`` Well , if they tear the sinks out , and they pull the piping loose to make tools to kill each other , who 's at fault for that ? ''
Anthony was shot by a suspected gang member in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislature to pass a bill that would add extra prison time for gang-related crimes , including behind bars .
`` Gangs run the prisons , '' Anthony says .
`` If they wanted to take that prison , they 'll take it because we 're so understaffed .
And of course , just like any army , there 's strength in numbers . ''
The state has struggled to hire enough guards – about half of those jobs were open according to the 2019 annual report from the Mississippi Department of Corrections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum age to work as a correctional officer from 21 to 19 in an effort to attract more applicants .
`` We do n't have enough officers to stop anything , '' says Jennifer White , who worked as a correctional officer at Parchman for 15 years .
She says at times , there would be two officers overseeing more than 200 prisoners .
And inmates took advantage of that .
`` They knew we would be short of staff , '' she says .
`` That 's when the assaults on officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after repeated attacks on the largely female staff .
`` They would throw stuff on you like feces , urine , water , '' she says .
`` It became bad . ''
White says she had mace to protect herself .
But it was n't enough to fight back against one reported gang leader who severely injured her .
White , who has a degree in criminal justice , says she made about $ 25,000 a year as a lieutenant .
The low pay was an issue , she says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bribe , or threaten some guards to smuggle in contraband .
`` They bring in cell phones , all kind of stuff , drugs , '' she says .
`` Anything you want . ''
Corruption has also been an issue at the top .
In 2015 , a longtime prison commissioner , Christopher Epps , pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme involving prison contracts .
A movement has been growing to pressure the state to address the longstanding problems .
At a rally outside the state capital earlier this year , protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a call to close Parchman .
`` Parchman is a prison farm plantation , '' said civil rights lawyer Jaribu Hill .
`` Shut it down ! ''
The notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman has long been a focal point for prison reform .
It 's a sprawling 18-thousand acre working farm in the Mississippi Delta – a former plantation converted to a prison to lease convicts after the Civil War .
`` Mississippi prisons have always had a history of existing on the backs of human capital , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the minority leader in the Mississippi House .
He remembers when Parchman operated as a `` teaming little city '' with industries and a working farm .
`` But it was a city of locked up people in chains , '' Johnson says .
`` For African-Americans in this state , it feels like a continuation of slavery . ''
There are no chain gangs at Parchman today .
Critics say the bondage is now in the form of gang leaders and the corrupt guards who help them .
Johnson says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do n't have the personnel or the facilities to maintain a humane environment for people incarcerated , '' he says .
Prisons have long been on the legislative back burner when it comes to money in this poor state , says journalist Jerry Mitchell , founder of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting .
`` Over the past six years , they 've cut funding over $ 200 million for the Department of Corrections , '' Mitchell says .
`` They 're not even replacing light bulbs . ''
Over time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` just pretty much everything going to hell . ''
That 's despite warnings from former prison commissioners that without additional funding , the system faced a mounting crisis .
Now it 's reality , and state leaders are talking about reforms .
`` We have the obligation and responsibility to , once we place people in custody , to see that they 're treated fairly , humanely , '' says Republican Kevin Horan , chairman of the Mississippi House Corrections Committee .
Gov .
Reeves has publicly acknowledged the state needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
`` We know that there are people in prison today who do not need to be there , '' he said .
`` We want to fix that . ''
The question is how , and whether there 's political will to address the funding issue .
Reeves has said he 's not looking to invest more in prisons right now .
Johnson warns if the state does n't pay up now , it may be forced to later by federal mandate .
`` What we do now in getting it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expensive than if we wait for the Justice Department to come in and tell us what to do , '' Johnson says .
Advocates fear solving the prison crisis will again be pushed aside , as the nation and the state confront the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout .
Before adjourning to abide by a stay-at-home order , legislative committees were looking at reforms , including revising mandatory sentencing , adding workforce training programs , and providing transitional housing .
Hundreds of inmates are eligible for parole , but ca n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a physical address to get out of prison .
Horan says since the mid-90 's , the state has relied too heavily on incarceration , and not invested enough in programs with incentives for reducing time , and helping prisoners transition safely back into society .
He says when you tell someone with a 20-year sentence that there 's nothing they can do to reduce their sentence , it 's easy to lose hope .
`` Then quite naturally , that individual is not going to be programmed to be a productive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Horan .
It 's the same question posed by former prisoner turned advocate John Knight .
`` What do they have to be good for ? ''
he asks .
On January 26 , the Mississippi Department of Corrections sent out a news release that 26-year-old Joshua Norman had been found dead on a Sunday morning , hanging in his one-man cell at Parchman .
`` Supposedly , he committed suicide , '' says his aunt , Janice Sherman .
`` I do n't believe that happened to him . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence and brutality since he first entered the Mississippi Department of Corrections at age 16 .
`` He had no idea the trauma that awaited him , '' says Sherman .
`` It 's just a very sad story . ''
He wrote to her that a gang was pressuring him to stab another inmate , but he was resisting , and had been beaten .
`` If he did commit suicide , he may have been under duress to do it , '' she says .
`` There were just unanswered questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything to bring him back , but there are lots of people 's sons and grandsons that are still in there , '' Sherman says .
`` You ca n't live every day knowing that you might die the same day . ''
Sherman says a prison sentence should not be a death sentence .

After Inmate Deaths, Mississippi Faces Pressure To Reform Its Prisons
Enlarge this image toggle caption Debbie Elliott/NPR Debbie Elliott/NPR
At the end of a workday, Cheryl Porter pulls into the gravel drive of her one-bedroom travel trailer in Brandon, Mississippi.
"I actually want to get rid of this one and get a bigger one," Porter says. "I want a two bedroom 'cause when Michael gets home, Lord willing."
Michael, her 29-year-old son, has been incarcerated since he was a teenager on several felony charges, including burglary. He's due for release in 2022.
"If he gets to come home alive," she says.
Her son was in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman when deadly riots broke out at the end of last year – the result of gang warfare, according to state officials, and accounts from inside the prison.
"It was a bloodbath," Porter says, showing cell phone images of her son's head wrapped in a bandage.
"This is where they hit him with the pipe. They stabbed him twelve times."
Since Dec. 29, more than 30 inmates have died in state custody. According to news releases from the Mississippi Department of Corrections, eight of those deaths are are attributed to prisoners attacking each other, three are apparent suicides, four are from natural causes, three are from illnesses, one is drug-related, and one is an inmate who tested positive for COVID-19. The rest are classified as unknown, pending autopsy reports, but with no foul play suspected.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
The state is facing lawsuits and a federal probe into rampant violence, decrepit conditions, and a culture of neglect and corruption that has plagued Mississippi prisons for decades.
It's an incarceration crisis, says Alesha Judkins, Mississippi state director for FWD.us, a criminal justice advocacy group.
She blames chronic underfunding, and sentencing laws that have left the system overcrowded, understaffed, and in a state of disrepair.
"Because of the sheer number of people in the state's care and custody, they can't safely house or manage the population that they have," says Judkins.
The uptick in deaths has drawn national attention, along with inmates using contraband cell phones to share dramatic video from inside the lockups of stabbings and inmates setting fires. In one social media post, an inmate said no one was coming to their rescue. "We need some help man," he said. "Police won't even come in here and get us out of here, bro."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mississippi State Department of Health Mississippi State Department of Health
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation. And the rappers Jay-Z and Yo Gotti are funding a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the incarcerated — the latest in a string of lawsuits dating to the 1970's that have sought to address inhumane conditions in Mississippi prisons, some of which resulted in federal control of the system over the years.
Attorney Jordan Siev says the lawsuit alleges both civil rights and constitutional violations.
"This is simply a matter of how we treat people in jail," Siev says. "They have constitutional rights. The pictures and the stories that have come out are absolutely horrifying."
Being locked up in Mississippi is about pure survival says John Knight, a former drug dealer and gang member who's been out of prison for seven years, and now volunteers to curtail violence in his hometown of Jackson. He was first sentenced to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman when he was 18 years old.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Debbie Elliott/NPR Debbie Elliott/NPR
"They still treat you like a common day slave because you have committed a crime," he says. "They're sentencing you to prison first and foremost, and then sentence you to death if you don't survive because of the deplorable conditions."
Knight is part of the Mississippi Prison Reform Coalition – groups pressuring the state to address the long-documented problems.
"Brown water, bugs, rats coming out," Knight says. "Could you imagine how that would mentally mess a person up? And they expect you to act like a model citizen?"
The Mississippi Department of Corrections, or MDOC, declined to comment, and Republican Governor Tate Reeves was unavailable for an interview with NPR. But as the crisis worsened shortly after he took office in January, Reeves acknowledged problems.
"We're working to improve the conditions," he said. "In a lot of places, they're not good. There's no other word for it. They're terrible."
The state took immediate steps, including deploying maintenance crews, putting a state criminal investigator at Parchman, and requiring a warden to be on site at all times.
Initially some inmates were moved out of what was considered the worst housing unit at Parchman, and non-violent offenders were moved to other prisons. But amid the coronavirus pandemic, transfers were halted. Reeves also stopped all visitation.
"The spread within our prisons could be a worst-case scenario," he said. Since then, MDOC has reported at least one death of an inmate who tested positive for COVID-19.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
Advocates are calling for high-risk inmates to be released. They say inadequate medical care and unsanitary conditions make prisoners vulnerable – especially at Parchman, where health inspections detail the lack of clean water and power in numerous cells.
But some say the inmates are responsible for conditions inside prisons.
"They're not taking care of what they were provided," says Jimmy Anthony, a retired police officer from Batesville, Mississippi.
"I understand how people are concerned about prisons and the unfair conditions," he says referring to the widely available pictures of clogged toilets, busted sinks, and holes torn in walls. "Well, if they tear the sinks out, and they pull the piping loose to make tools to kill each other, who's at fault for that?"
Anthony was shot by a suspected gang member in 1996. He's been lobbying the legislature to pass a bill that would add extra prison time for gang-related crimes, including behind bars.
"Gangs run the prisons," Anthony says. "If they wanted to take that prison, they'll take it because we're so understaffed. And of course, just like any army, there's strength in numbers."
The state has struggled to hire enough guards – about half of those jobs were open according to the 2019 annual report from the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Earlier this month, MDOC lowered the minimum age to work as a correctional officer from 21 to 19 in an effort to attract more applicants.
"We don't have enough officers to stop anything," says Jennifer White, who worked as a correctional officer at Parchman for 15 years. She says at times, there would be two officers overseeing more than 200 prisoners. And inmates took advantage of that.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Debbie Elliott/NPR Debbie Elliott/NPR
"They knew we would be short of staff," she says. "That's when the assaults on officers started."
She left in 2017, after repeated attacks on the largely female staff.
"They would throw stuff on you like feces, urine, water," she says. "It became bad."
White says she had mace to protect herself. But it wasn't enough to fight back against one reported gang leader who severely injured her.
White, who has a degree in criminal justice, says she made about $25,000 a year as a lieutenant. The low pay was an issue, she says, and made it easier for inmates to bribe, or threaten some guards to smuggle in contraband.
"They bring in cell phones, all kind of stuff, drugs," she says. "Anything you want."
Corruption has also been an issue at the top. In 2015, a longtime prison commissioner, Christopher Epps, pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme involving prison contracts.
A movement has been growing to pressure the state to address the longstanding problems. At a rally outside the state capital earlier this year, protesters chanted "shut it down," in a call to close Parchman.
"Parchman is a prison farm plantation," said civil rights lawyer Jaribu Hill. "Shut it down!"
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History
The notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman has long been a focal point for prison reform. It's a sprawling 18-thousand acre working farm in the Mississippi Delta – a former plantation converted to a prison to lease convicts after the Civil War.
"Mississippi prisons have always had a history of existing on the backs of human capital," says Democratic state representative Robert Johnson of Natchez, the minority leader in the Mississippi House.
He remembers when Parchman operated as a "teaming little city" with industries and a working farm.
"But it was a city of locked up people in chains," Johnson says. "For African-Americans in this state, it feels like a continuation of slavery."
There are no chain gangs at Parchman today. Critics say the bondage is now in the form of gang leaders and the corrupt guards who help them.
Johnson says it's a recipe for disaster.
"We don't have the personnel or the facilities to maintain a humane environment for people incarcerated," he says.
Prisons have long been on the legislative back burner when it comes to money in this poor state, says journalist Jerry Mitchell, founder of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting.
"Over the past six years, they've cut funding over $200 million for the Department of Corrections," Mitchell says. "They're not even replacing light bulbs."
Over time, he says, that has the effect of "just pretty much everything going to hell."
That's despite warnings from former prison commissioners that without additional funding, the system faced a mounting crisis. Now it's reality, and state leaders are talking about reforms.
"We have the obligation and responsibility to, once we place people in custody, to see that they're treated fairly, humanely," says Republican Kevin Horan, chairman of the Mississippi House Corrections Committee.
Gov. Reeves has publicly acknowledged the state needs to bring its prison population to manageable levels.
"We know that there are people in prison today who do not need to be there," he said. "We want to fix that."
The question is how, and whether there's political will to address the funding issue. Reeves has said he's not looking to invest more in prisons right now.
Johnson warns if the state doesn't pay up now, it may be forced to later by federal mandate.
"What we do now in getting it fixed will be a whole lot less expensive than if we wait for the Justice Department to come in and tell us what to do," Johnson says.
Advocates fear solving the prison crisis will again be pushed aside, as the nation and the state confront the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.
Before adjourning to abide by a stay-at-home order, legislative committees were looking at reforms, including revising mandatory sentencing, adding workforce training programs, and providing transitional housing. Hundreds of inmates are eligible for parole, but can't be released because the state requires them to have a physical address to get out of prison.
Horan says since the mid-90's, the state has relied too heavily on incarceration, and not invested enough in programs with incentives for reducing time, and helping prisoners transition safely back into society.
He says when you tell someone with a 20-year sentence that there's nothing they can do to reduce their sentence, it's easy to lose hope.
"Then quite naturally, that individual is not going to be programmed to be a productive inmate, a rule abiding inmate," says Horan.
It's the same question posed by former prisoner turned advocate John Knight.
"What do they have to be good for?" he asks.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Debbie Elliott/NPR Debbie Elliott/NPR
On January 26, the Mississippi Department of Corrections sent out a news release that 26-year-old Joshua Norman had been found dead on a Sunday morning, hanging in his one-man cell at Parchman.
"Supposedly, he committed suicide," says his aunt, Janice Sherman. "I don't believe that happened to him."
She says he had been running from violence and brutality since he first entered the Mississippi Department of Corrections at age 16.
"He had no idea the trauma that awaited him," says Sherman. "It's just a very sad story."
He wrote to her that a gang was pressuring him to stab another inmate, but he was resisting, and had been beaten.
"If he did commit suicide, he may have been under duress to do it," she says. "There were just unanswered questions."
She's looking for accountability.
"We can't do anything to bring him back, but there are lots of people's sons and grandsons that are still in there," Sherman says. "You can't live every day knowing that you might die the same day."
Sherman says a prison sentence should not be a death sentence.


npr--2020-04-20--School Counselors Have A Message For Kids: 'It's OK To Not Be OK'

School Counselors Have A Message For Kids : 'It 's OK To Not Be OK' The high school senior sitting across from Franciene Sabens was in tears over the abrupt amputation of her social life and turmoil at home .
Because of the coronavirus , there will be no prom , no traditional send-off or ceremony for the graduates of Carbondale Community High School in Carbondale , Ill. And Sabens , one of the school 's counselors , could not give the girl the one thing Sabens ' gut told her the teen needed most .
`` I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to hug that one , '' Sabens remembers .
Instead of a desk between counselor and student , there were miles of Internet cable and a computer screen .
No hug .
No private office .
This is Sabens ' new normal .
`` Zoom is just not gon na ever bridge that gap , '' she says .
`` That one was pretty rough . ''
The job of the school counselor has evolved over the years , from academic guide to something deeper : the adult in a school tasked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth , a mental health first responder and a confidant for kids , especially teens , who often need a closed door and a sympathetic ear .
But the closure of nearly all U.S. schools has forced counselors like Sabens to reimagine how they can do their jobs .
And the stakes have never been higher .
Why students need counselors now more than ever Between closed schools , social isolation , food scarcity and parental unemployment , the coronavirus pandemic has so destabilized kids ' support systems that the result , counselors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kirk , an elementary school counselor in Tulsa , Okla. , is especially worried about her students who were already at-risk , whose families `` really struggle day to day in their homes with how they 're going to pay the next bill and how they 're going to get food on the table .
Being home for this extended period of time is definitely a trauma for them . ''
For so many children , Kirk says , `` school is their safe place .
They look forward to coming .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day is over .
And to take that away from them , I do worry about the traumatic experience that will cause for many of our students . ''
Counselors say part of the trauma comes from students being isolated from each other .
`` In a middle school , that social piece is so important , '' says Laura Ross , a middle school counselor in Lawrenceville , Ga .
Yes , they do a lot of connecting via social media , and that 's still happening , `` but that face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're missing that . ''
Students are also experiencing a kind of grief `` over what they 've lost , '' Sabens says , especially seniors .
`` Losing out on the end of their senior years — something that they 've dreamed about their whole life ... has really been overwhelming for them .
So there have been a lot of tears .
There have been a lot of questions ... 'What did we ever do to deserve this ? '
'' Unfortunately , there are no easy answers .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students know `` that it 's OK to not be OK .
I mean , most of the world is not OK right now ...
It 's OK to grieve about what you 're losing because it is tragic . ''
Brian Coleman , a high school counselor in Chicago , says trauma is nothing new to many of his students , but he hopes awareness of the potentially traumatic effects of school closures means `` trauma-informed care is going to really , really explode in ideally healthy , meaningful ways . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be planning for the future , asking how they can best support students when they come back to school , Ross says , `` making sure that we 're prepared to deal with some of those feelings that are going to increase — of anxiousness , of grief , of that disconnect that they had for so long . ''
Not only are many students grieving and struggling with new trauma , it 's also harder now for school counselors to help them .
That 's because counselors have lost one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed : access .
Before , counselors could speak to entire classrooms about bullying and how to manage their feelings , plus they enjoyed office space where students could drop in for a quick visit or schedule a tough conversation .
`` I think about my eighth graders , '' says Laura Ross in Lawrenceville .
`` My office is in their hallway .
I mean , they just stop by to say hello .
They stop by when they 're upset , just to come in and talk and , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But all of that has changed .
Today , a face-to-face video meeting is the closest a counselor can get to the old ideal .
Before that can happen , though , Sabens says she has to find her students .
`` Email , email , email , email — lots of emails , '' she says , calling it her `` primary mode of communication with the students . ''
Connecting is even more complicated for elementary school counselors whose students generally do n't have cell phones or email addresses .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak directly with children is `` exactly what keeps me up at night . ''
So far , Kirk has mostly been in contact with parents and caregivers .
`` That 's whose [ phone ] number I have ...
But it 's really up to the parent if they want to hand the phone over [ to the student ] . ''
She worries that , if a child is not OK at home and needs help , she wo n't know .
Kirk 's focus on these calls has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic needs of our kids ... making sure they have enough food .
We 're making sure they 're safe . ''
Evelyn Ramirez , a first-year middle school counselor in rural Redwood Valley , Calif. , agrees : `` Our main priority right now is just to check the welfare of each student . ''
Ramirez , a first-generation Mexican-American , says online learning can put additional strain on immigrant and low-income families .
`` I feel for the students whose parents do n't know English or do n't really know how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke with counselors across the country , from California to Georgia , Oklahoma to Ohio , and nearly all said they worry about even the best-case scenario — when they 're able to connect with a student face-to-face using video chat technology .
Their fear : privacy .
At school , `` we have some sort of office space ... where students can feel like they 're having a private conversation with counselors , '' says Coleman in Chicago .
`` Now we 're asking them to be vulnerable in some capacity at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , home is a space where they 're triggered or they do n't feel comfortable sharing ... because it 's no longer private . ''
Yes , the student 's bedroom door may be closed , says Ramirez in Redwood Valley , but `` at any given point , someone can walk in or , you know , mom 's down in the living room .
She can probably hear [ our ] conversation . ''
And that might keep students from really opening up about things like basic stress or even abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elementary school counselors .
`` We do small group counseling for kids [ who ] are adjusting to a variety of changes , and there 's an element of confidentiality that 's built into that group , '' says Marie Weller , an elementary school counselor in Delaware , Ohio .
`` So I ca n't do a group online .
I ca n't use Canvas or Zoom or Google Hangouts for a group because I ca n't get the confidentiality .
So [ I 'm ] trying to figure out , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawrenceville , Laura Ross admits : These have been trying times .
But there 's also a surprising upside , she says .
The distance from students has forced her to get creative about how she uses technology to build a bridge back to them .
Before the outbreak , Ross helped create an after-school club for students who identify as LGBTQ+ .
When school closed , Ross set up a Google Classroom and asked if the club 's members wanted to continue to meet virtually .
`` They definitely did .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were still going to have the support of that club ... the place that they could truly be themselves . ''
Ross says they even meet at the same time each week , just on Zoom .
On her last day in the office , before Ohio closed its schools , Marie Weller remembers starting to leave — then hesitating beside the childlike puppets she sometimes uses in her classroom counseling presentations .
`` Huh , '' she thought .
`` Maybe I 'll be able to use these . ''
Weller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one important part of their job is making sure all students have the social-emotional skills and coping strategies they 'll need to navigate a complex world .
How can they do that now , from home ?
She set up a smartphone camera in her house , surrounded by those puppets — a kind of surrogate classroom audience — and set about recording mini counseling lessons from her kitchen .
Instead of the chime she normally uses to begin a lesson , she rings a mixing bowl with a red spatula .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should filter what they say , leaving hurtful thoughts unspoken , she opens the coffee maker to show them how a real , paper filter works .
Weller does her own editing and even got permission from folk music favorites The Irish Rovers to use their song `` What 's Cooking In The Kitchen '' as her opening theme .
The resulting videos are brief , rich and charming , with lines like , `` Your brain 's amygdala acts like a guard dog . ''
And in Tulsa , Sarah Kirk is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's sitting on the floor of her house , surrounded by colorful pennants and stuffed animals .
Her dog , Crew , a cuddly 80-pound sheepadoodle ( nearly as big as Kirk ) , even makes a camera-blocking cameo .
In her first episode , Kirk read a story meant to reassure children she can no longer hug .
It 's about how we all have an invisible string that connects us , even when we 're far apart .

Closed Schools Are Creating More Trauma For Students
Enlarge this image Janice Chang for NPR Janice Chang for NPR
The high school senior sitting across from Franciene Sabens was in tears over the abrupt amputation of her social life and turmoil at home. Because of the coronavirus, there will be no prom, no traditional send-off or ceremony for the graduates of Carbondale Community High School in Carbondale, Ill. And Sabens, one of the school's counselors, could not give the girl the one thing Sabens' gut told her the teen needed most.
"I want to hug them all, but I really wanted to hug that one," Sabens remembers.
Instead of a desk between counselor and student, there were miles of Internet cable and a computer screen. No hug. No private office. This is Sabens' new normal.
"Zoom is just not gonna ever bridge that gap," she says. "That one was pretty rough."
The job of the school counselor has evolved over the years, from academic guide to something deeper: the adult in a school tasked with fostering students' social and emotional growth, a mental health first responder and a confidant for kids, especially teens, who often need a closed door and a sympathetic ear. But the closure of nearly all U.S. schools has forced counselors like Sabens to reimagine how they can do their jobs. And the stakes have never been higher.
Why students need counselors now more than ever
Between closed schools, social isolation, food scarcity and parental unemployment, the coronavirus pandemic has so destabilized kids' support systems that the result, counselors say, is genuinely traumatic.
Sarah Kirk, an elementary school counselor in Tulsa, Okla., is especially worried about her students who were already at-risk, whose families "really struggle day to day in their homes with how they're going to pay the next bill and how they're going to get food on the table. Being home for this extended period of time is definitely a trauma for them."
For so many children, Kirk says, "school is their safe place. They look forward to coming. They don't want to leave when the day is over. And to take that away from them, I do worry about the traumatic experience that will cause for many of our students."
Counselors say part of the trauma comes from students being isolated from each other.
"In a middle school, that social piece is so important," says Laura Ross, a middle school counselor in Lawrenceville, Ga. Yes, they do a lot of connecting via social media, and that's still happening, "but that face-to-face and being with their friends... they're missing that."
Students are also experiencing a kind of grief "over what they've lost," Sabens says, especially seniors. "Losing out on the end of their senior years — something that they've dreamed about their whole life... has really been overwhelming for them. So there have been a lot of tears. There have been a lot of questions... 'What did we ever do to deserve this?'"
It's OK to not be OK. I mean, most of the world is not OK right now... It's OK to grieve about what you're losing because it is tragic.
Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. Instead, Sabens says, she tries to let students know "that it's OK to not be OK. I mean, most of the world is not OK right now... It's OK to grieve about what you're losing because it is tragic."
Brian Coleman, a high school counselor in Chicago, says trauma is nothing new to many of his students, but he hopes awareness of the potentially traumatic effects of school closures means "trauma-informed care is going to really, really explode in ideally healthy, meaningful ways."
That means school leaders should right now be planning for the future, asking how they can best support students when they come back to school, Ross says, "making sure that we're prepared to deal with some of those feelings that are going to increase — of anxiousness, of grief, of that disconnect that they had for so long."
Broken connections
Not only are many students grieving and struggling with new trauma, it's also harder now for school counselors to help them. That's because counselors have lost one of the most powerful tools they had before schools closed: access. Before, counselors could speak to entire classrooms about bullying and how to manage their feelings, plus they enjoyed office space where students could drop in for a quick visit or schedule a tough conversation.
"I think about my eighth graders," says Laura Ross in Lawrenceville. "My office is in their hallway. I mean, they just stop by to say hello. They stop by when they're upset, just to come in and talk and, you know, figure out their feelings."
But all of that has changed. Today, a face-to-face video meeting is the closest a counselor can get to the old ideal. Before that can happen, though, Sabens says she has to find her students.
"Email, email, email, email — lots of emails," she says, calling it her "primary mode of communication with the students."
Connecting is even more complicated for elementary school counselors whose students generally don't have cell phones or email addresses. In Tulsa, Sarah Kirk says this inability to speak directly with children is "exactly what keeps me up at night."
So far, Kirk has mostly been in contact with parents and caregivers. "That's whose [phone] number I have... But it's really up to the parent if they want to hand the phone over [to the student]." She worries that, if a child is not OK at home and needs help, she won't know.
Kirk's focus on these calls has also shifted away from academics toward "the basic needs of our kids... making sure they have enough food. We're making sure they're safe."
Evelyn Ramirez, a first-year middle school counselor in rural Redwood Valley, Calif., agrees: "Our main priority right now is just to check the welfare of each student."
Ramirez, a first-generation Mexican-American, says online learning can put additional strain on immigrant and low-income families. "I feel for the students whose parents don't know English or don't really know how to help their students."
"It's no longer private"
NPR spoke with counselors across the country, from California to Georgia, Oklahoma to Ohio, and nearly all said they worry about even the best-case scenario — when they're able to connect with a student face-to-face using video chat technology. Their fear: privacy.
At school, "we have some sort of office space... where students can feel like they're having a private conversation with counselors," says Coleman in Chicago. "Now we're asking them to be vulnerable in some capacity at home. And for so many students, home is a space where they're triggered or they don't feel comfortable sharing ... because it's no longer private."
Yes, the student's bedroom door may be closed, says Ramirez in Redwood Valley, but "at any given point, someone can walk in or, you know, mom's down in the living room. She can probably hear [our] conversation." And that might keep students from really opening up about things like basic stress or even abuse.
The same holds true for many elementary school counselors.
"We do small group counseling for kids [who] are adjusting to a variety of changes, and there's an element of confidentiality that's built into that group," says Marie Weller, an elementary school counselor in Delaware, Ohio. "So I can't do a group online. I can't use Canvas or Zoom or Google Hangouts for a group because I can't get the confidentiality. So [I'm] trying to figure out, how can I check in?"
Getting creative
In Lawrenceville, Laura Ross admits: These have been trying times. But there's also a surprising upside, she says. The distance from students has forced her to get creative about how she uses technology to build a bridge back to them.
Before the outbreak, Ross helped create an after-school club for students who identify as LGBTQ+. When school closed, Ross set up a Google Classroom and asked if the club's members wanted to continue to meet virtually. "They definitely did. And the reactions were just a relief that they were still going to have the support of that club... the place that they could truly be themselves."
Ross says they even meet at the same time each week, just on Zoom.
On her last day in the office, before Ohio closed its schools, Marie Weller remembers starting to leave — then hesitating beside the childlike puppets she sometimes uses in her classroom counseling presentations. "Huh," she thought. "Maybe I'll be able to use these."
Weller and her fellow elementary school counselors say one important part of their job is making sure all students have the social-emotional skills and coping strategies they'll need to navigate a complex world. How can they do that now, from home?
Weller improvised.
She set up a smartphone camera in her house, surrounded by those puppets — a kind of surrogate classroom audience — and set about recording mini counseling lessons from her kitchen. Instead of the chime she normally uses to begin a lesson, she rings a mixing bowl with a red spatula. To teach kids about how and why they should filter what they say, leaving hurtful thoughts unspoken, she opens the coffee maker to show them how a real, paper filter works.
Weller does her own editing and even got permission from folk music favorites The Irish Rovers to use their song "What's Cooking In The Kitchen" as her opening theme. The resulting videos are brief, rich and charming, with lines like, "Your brain's amygdala acts like a guard dog."
And in Tulsa, Sarah Kirk is doing something similar, posting videos where she's sitting on the floor of her house, surrounded by colorful pennants and stuffed animals. Her dog, Crew, a cuddly 80-pound sheepadoodle (nearly as big as Kirk), even makes a camera-blocking cameo.
In her first episode, Kirk read a story meant to reassure children she can no longer hug. It's about how we all have an invisible string that connects us, even when we're far apart.


npr--2020-04-20--In Boston, April's Marathon Monday Is Moved To September

In Boston , April 's Marathon Monday Is Moved To September Every third Monday of April , Boston and its western suburbs transform into a racecourse .
The city shuts down as the Boston Marathon , maybe the most prestigious long-distance foot race on the planet , takes over .
Road shoulders and sidewalks become a 26.2 mile-long grandstand stretching from Hopkinton to Copley Square .
The Marathon has been a part of the city 's lore since 1897 .
Since then , there has always been a race in April commemorating Patriots ' Day .
But not this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race has been postponed and , for the first time in over a century , there will be no running in Boston in the spring .
The race has only been altered once , in 1918 , when a military relay race was held to honor those serving in World War I .
But even then , a race still happened in April .
Amanda Nurse , a runner and coach who has ran in multiple Boston Marathons and Olympic trials , compares Marathon Monday to another holiday people hold with reverence : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were n't going to be able to run , most people were hitting their max mileage .
They 're getting into the best shape of their lives and it 's almost time to taper and then they find out it 's going to be canceled , '' she said .
`` So that 's devastating . ''
For Chaz Davis , this year 's race was supposed to have special significance .
For the first time ever , the Marathon is including competitive divisions for para runners , making it the first major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 2016 Rio Paralympics and is a favorite to make it again .
`` I knew that this was a really big moment for para athletes , '' he said .
`` It was going to be on TV .
I think we would have had the opportunity to showcase disabled sport to not only the Boston community , but even larger than that . ''
But just because the Marathon wo n't happen in April does n't necessarily mean it wo n't happen at all .
September 14 , the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already burned into runner 's minds .
In an event named after a legend that pre-dates Jesus , it 's a chance to do something new .
`` It just will mean that much more to people to take part in an event that really will be different than any other Marathon in 124 years , '' Davis said .
`` So I look at that as something special that we hope no one else has to ever deal with . ''

In Boston, April's Marathon Monday Is Moved To September
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meredith Nierman/Meredith NIerman Meredith Nierman/Meredith NIerman
Every third Monday of April, Boston and its western suburbs transform into a racecourse.
The city shuts down as the Boston Marathon, maybe the most prestigious long-distance foot race on the planet, takes over. Road shoulders and sidewalks become a 26.2 mile-long grandstand stretching from Hopkinton to Copley Square.
The marathon has been a part of the city's lore since 1897. Since then, there has always been a race in April commemorating Patriot's Day.
But not this year. Because of the coronavirus, the race has been postponed and, for the first time in over a century, there will be no running in Boston in the spring. The race has only been altered once, in 1918, when a military relay race was held to honor those serving in World War I. But even then, a race still happened in April.
Amanda Nurse, a runner and coach who has run in multiple Boston Marathons and Olympic trials, compares Marathon Monday to another holiday people hold with reverence: Christmas.
"When people found out they weren't going to be able to run, most people were hitting their max mileage. They're getting into the best shape of their lives and it's almost time to taper and then they find out it's going to be canceled," she said. "So that's devastating."
For Chaz Davis, this year's race was supposed to have special significance. For the first time ever, the Marathon is including competitive divisions for para runners, making it the first major marathon to do so. Davis ran in the 2016 Rio Paralympics and is a favorite to make it again.
"I knew that this was a really big moment for para athletes," he said. "It was going to be on TV. I think we would have had the opportunity to showcase disabled sport to not only the Boston community, but even larger than that."
But just because the marathon won't happen in April doesn't necessarily mean it won't happen at all. Sept. 14, the new planned date, is already burned into runners' minds.
In an event named after a legend that pre-dates Jesus, it's a chance to do something new.
"It just will mean that much more to people to take part in an event that really will be different than any other [Boston] Marathon in 124 years," Davis said. "So I look at that as something special that we hope no one else has to ever deal with."


npr--2020-04-20--Trump Often Picks Fights With Governors, But Americans Like Them More

Trump Often Picks Fights With Governors , But Americans Like Them More President Trump 's guidelines for `` reopening '' the country put the onus on governors across the country .
After the president falsely claimed he had `` total '' authority over the states regarding when to reopen , he is now set up , politically , to take the credit if all goes well and to blame the governors if something goes wrong .
He has vacillated between praising and criticizing governors .
At times he 's downplayed their sometimes-pointed appeals for more resources , dismissing Democrats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda and not being `` appreciative . ''
Trump , though , has praised allies , including governors who have gotten criticism from health experts for their handling of the pandemic , like Florida 's Ron DeSantis .
Trump has a feisty , cat-and-mouse-like relationship with New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo .
The Democrat Cuomo has gotten a lot of attention during this crisis , holding daily news conferences , where sometimes he disagrees with the president .
For example , after Trump said he had `` total '' authority to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said America never signed up to have a `` king . ''
On Friday , Trump criticized Cuomo on Twitter , saying he `` should spend more time 'doing ' and less time 'complaining . '
`` Cuomo responded in real time : `` If he is sitting home watching TV , maybe he should get up and go to work . ''
On Sunday , the script flipped , with Trump devoting part of his task force briefing to airing a video clip of Cuomo praising the federal government response .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just with Cuomo , but with many of the other governors across the country : They 're far more popular than he is .
Trump has seen a rally-around-the-flag bump that 's smaller than other presidents have in times of national crisis .
His average approval rating , according to RealClearPolitics , is just 46 % , with 51 % disapproving .
Compare that to Cuomo .
The latest Siena College Research poll shows 87 % of New Yorkers approve of the job he 's doing in handling the coronavirus , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had .
Just 41 % of New Yorkers approve of Trump 's handling of the pandemic .
Cuomo has made his mark with sober , blunt and personal press conferences .
He does n't sugarcoat what 's coming , and he does n't make the kind of confidently optimistic predictions Trump has become known for .
The numbers tell which strategy is working better politically .
It 's a similar story in the rest of the country , FiveThirtyEight found .
Governors have a 69 % approval for their handling of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to an average of the national polls FiveThirtyEight uses .
What 's more , the governors who have shown the most improvement in their approval ratings from before the pandemic to after are many of the Democratic governors he 's picked fights with and Republicans who have been most aggressive with stay-at-home orders .
DeSantis , who was slow to close down , has seen a decline : SOURCE : FiveThirtyEight , RealClearPolitics average of the polls .
For governors , FiveThirtyEight used fourth-quarter ratings from Morning Consult as a baseline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 as his baseline .
Here are highlights from the news from the weekend , including the White House coronavirus task force 's briefings and the Sunday shows : • Greatest hits : During this weekend 's briefings , it was a series of greatest hits from Trump .
He complained about a broken system , touted the federal government 's response ( `` We did n't miss a trick '' ) , and complained again about taking the coronavirus test itself — and unnamed sources in the White House who continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his back .
The fact is : These were less news briefings and more self-promotion and public relations .
• Past the apex ?
Cuomo said in a Sunday press conference , referring to hospitalizations , that `` all indications , at this point , are that we are on a descent . ''
But he warned not to get `` cocky '' or `` arrogant . ''
`` Whether or not the descent continues , '' he said , `` depends on what we do . ''
• New York 's testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state next week will begin the most aggressive antibody testing of anywhere in the country to see what percentage of New Yorkers actually have had the virus .
Any decision to `` un-pause '' the restrictions , he said , will have to be based on that data .
`` I get the political pressure people are under , '' Cuomo said , `` but we have to be smart . ''
• `` Absolutely false '' : Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan , a Republican who 's chair of the National Governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states have testing capacity that is `` fully sufficient to begin reopening the country totally . ''
• Hogan on CNN 's State of the Union said : `` I think this is probably the No .
1 problem in America and has been from the beginning of this crisis — the lack of testing .
...
The administration , I think , is trying to ramp up testing .
They are doing some things with respect to private labs , but to try to push this off to say that the governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should just get to work on testing , somehow we are n't doing our jobs is just absolutely false . ''
• Fight over `` reopening '' coming ?
Asked by Fox News ' Chris Wallace about protesters demonstrating against Trump 's own guidelines , Vice President Pence largely did not answer , but did say that `` no one in America wants to reopen this country more than President Donald Trump '' and that Trump is going to `` find ways to encourage '' governors to reopen their states again .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( again ) during Saturday 's briefing , saying he did n't believe China 's death toll from coronavirus and said it 's much higher than China has led on .
The Trump reelection campaign has also gone after presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden on China , saying if he were president China would `` own '' America .
But the Biden campaign put together a video of times Trump has praised China , its leaders and their `` transparency '' during this pandemic .
Quote of the weekend : '' In this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But even if you do n't like the boyfriend , the answer can only be , ' I like the boyfriend . '
'' — New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo on his 25-year-old daughter Mariah 's boyfriend , who is now quarantined with them .
- Mnuchin 'Hopeful ' On Imminent Deal For New Coronavirus Relief Funding : Congress and the White House may be nearing a deal to replenish coronavirus stimulus funds .
There could be a vote in the Senate Monday and a House vote Tuesday .
- Shortage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In New York ICUs : Many hospital workers on the front lines in the metro area have been sounding the alarm that a different piece of lifesaving equipment is in short supply and high demand : dialysis machines .
- Star-Studded 'One World ' Concert To Rally Support For Health Care Workers : Aside from the entertainers and the novelty of all three major broadcast networks airing the same program at the same time , politically , notice who participated in this event to support the World Health Organization — and who did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Michelle Obama were in it ; no one from the Trump White House participated .
- Coronavirus Fears Have Produced A Lot Of New Gun Owners — And Safety Concerns - 'We 'll Get Through This , ' Pence Tells Air Force Academy Graduates

Coronavirus Latest: Trump's Fight With Governors Is One He Can't Win
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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President Trump's guidelines for "reopening" the country put the onus on governors across the nation. After the president falsely claimed he had "total" authority over the states regarding when to reopen, he is now set up, politically, to take the credit if all goes well and to blame the governors if something goes wrong.
He has vacillated between praising and criticizing governors. At times he's downplayed their sometimes-pointed appeals for more resources, dismissing Democrats, in particular, as having a political agenda and not being "appreciative." Trump, though, has praised allies, including governors who have gotten criticism from health experts for their handling of the pandemic, like Florida's Ron DeSantis.
Trump has a feisty, cat-and-mouse-like relationship with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Democrat Cuomo has gotten a lot of attention during this crisis, holding daily news conferences where sometimes he disagrees with the president. For example, after Trump said he had "total" authority to tell the states what to do, Cuomo said America never signed up to have a "king."
On Friday, Trump criticized Cuomo on Twitter, saying he "should spend more time 'doing' and less time 'complaining.' " Cuomo responded in real time: "If he is sitting home watching TV, maybe he should get up and go to work."
On Sunday, the script flipped, with Trump devoting part of his task force briefing to airing a video clip of Cuomo praising the federal government response.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
The episodes highlight a real disadvantage Trump has not just with Cuomo, but with many of the other governors across the country: They're far more popular than he is.
Trump has seen a rally-around-the-flag bump that's smaller than other presidents have in times of national crisis. His average approval rating, according to RealClearPolitics, is just 46%, with 51% disapproving.
Compare that to Cuomo. The latest Siena College Research poll shows 87% of New Yorkers approve of the job he's doing in handling the coronavirus, despite the large number of cases New York has had. Just 41% of New Yorkers approve of Trump's handling of the pandemic.
Cuomo has made his mark with sober, blunt and personal press conferences. He doesn't sugarcoat what's coming, and he doesn't make the kind of confidently optimistic predictions Trump has become known for.
The numbers tell which strategy is working better politically.
It's a similar story in the rest of the country, FiveThirtyEight found. Governors have a 69% approval for their handling of the coronavirus, while Trump is at 44%, according to an average of the national polls FiveThirtyEight uses.
What's more, the governors who have shown the most improvement in their approval ratings from before the pandemic to after are many of the Democratic governors he's picked fights with and Republicans who have been most aggressive with stay-at-home orders. DeSantis, who was slow to close down, has seen a decline:
Gavin Newsom , D-Calif.: 83% (+41)
, D-Calif.: 83% (+41) Cuomo , D-N.Y.: 79% (+32)
, D-N.Y.: 79% (+32) Mike DeWine , R-Ohio: 80% (+31)
, R-Ohio: 80% (+31) Tony Evers , D-Wis.: 72% (+24)
, D-Wis.: 72% (+24) Gretchen Whitmer , D-Mich.: 66% (+24)
, D-Mich.: 66% (+24) Jay Inslee , D-Wash.: 67% (+23)
, D-Wash.: 67% (+23) Asa Hutchinson , R-Ark.: 80% (+22)
, R-Ark.: 80% (+22) Roy Cooper , D-N.C.: 63% (+16)
, D-N.C.: 63% (+16) John Bel Edwards , D-La.: 68% (+14)
, D-La.: 68% (+14) Chris Sununu , R-N.H.: 73% (+14)
, R-N.H.: 73% (+14) Kevin Stitt , R-Okla.: 69% (+13)
, R-Okla.: 69% (+13) Mark Gordon , R-Wyo.: 82% (+13)
, R-Wyo.: 82% (+13) Tom Wolf , D-Pa.: 66% (+13)
, D-Pa.: 66% (+13) Charlie Baker , R-Mass.: 80% (+11)
, R-Mass.: 80% (+11) TRUMP, 46% (+1)
DeSantis, R-Fla: 51% (-7)
SOURCE: FiveThirtyEight, RealClearPolitics average of the polls. For governors, FiveThirtyEight used fourth-quarter ratings from Morning Consult as a baseline. For Trump, we used Jan. 1 as his baseline.
Weekend highlights in brief:
Here are highlights from the news from the weekend, including the White House coronavirus task force's briefings and the Sunday shows:
Greatest hits: This weekend's briefings were a series of greatest hits from Trump. He complained about a broken system, touted the federal government's response ("We didn't miss a trick") and complained again about taking the coronavirus test itself — and unnamed sources in the White House who continue to talk to reporters questioning his fitness behind his back. The fact is: These were less news briefings and more self-promotion and public relations.
Past the apex? Cuomo said in a Sunday press conference, referring to hospitalizations, that "all indications, at this point, are that we are on a descent." But he warned not to get "cocky" or "arrogant." "Whether or not the descent continues," he said, "depends on what we do."
New York's testing: Cuomo said Sunday that New York State next week will begin the most aggressive antibody testing of anywhere in the country to see what percentage of New Yorkers actually have had the virus. Any decision to "un-pause" the restrictions, he said, will have to be based on that data. "I get the political pressure people are under," Cuomo said, "but we have to be smart."
"Absolutely false": Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who's chair of the National Governors Association, called out Trump for saying states have testing capacity that is "fully sufficient to begin reopening the country totally."
Hogan on CNN's State of the Union said: "I think this is probably the No. 1 problem in America and has been from the beginning of this crisis — the lack of testing. ... The administration, I think, is trying to ramp up testing. They are doing some things with respect to private labs, but to try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing, and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren't doing our jobs is just absolutely false."
Fight over "reopening" coming? Asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace about protesters demonstrating against Trump's own guidelines, Vice President Pence largely did not answer, but did say that "no one in America wants to reopen this country more than President Donald Trump" and that Trump is going to "find ways to encourage" governors to reopen their states again.
China calling: Trump swatted at China (again) during Saturday's briefing, saying he didn't believe China's death toll from the coronavirus and said it's much higher than China has led on. The Trump reelection campaign has also gone after presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden on China, saying if he were president China would "own" America. But the Biden campaign put together a video of times Trump has praised China, its leaders and their "transparency" during this pandemic.
Quote of the weekend:
"In this case, I actually like the boyfriend. But even if you don't like the boyfriend, the answer can only be, 'I like the boyfriend.' "
— New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on his 25-year-old daughter Mariah's boyfriend, who is now quarantined with them.
Other headlines from NPR:
- Mnuchin 'Hopeful' On Imminent Deal For New Coronavirus Relief Funding: Congress and the White House may be nearing a deal to replenish coronavirus stimulus funds. There could be a vote in the Senate Monday and a House vote Tuesday.
- Shortage Of Dialysis Equipment Leads To Difficult Decisions In New York ICUs: Many hospital workers on the front lines in the metro area have been sounding the alarm that a different piece of lifesaving equipment is in short supply and high demand: dialysis machines.
- Star-Studded 'One World' Concert To Rally Support For Health Care Workers: Aside from the entertainers and the novelty of all three major broadcast networks airing the same program at the same time, politically, notice who participated in this event to support the World Health Organization — and who didn't. Former first ladies Laura Bush and Michelle Obama were there; no one from the Trump White House participated.
- Coronavirus Fears Have Produced A Lot Of New Gun Owners — And Safety Concerns
- 'We'll Get Through This,' Pence Tells Air Force Academy Graduates


npr--2020-04-20--10 Years After Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Industry Says It's Better Prepared

10 Years After Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , Industry Says It 's Better Prepared On April 20 , 2010 , while drilling oil giant BP 's Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico , the crew lost control of the well .
There was a `` blowout '' that released gas and oil , leading to an explosion that killed 11 workers .
The Deepwater Horizon rig was destroyed and sank two days later .
Over the next nearly three months , 210 million gallons of oil flowed from the well into the Gulf .
It was one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years later , the offshore drilling industry says it 's better prepared to respond to a similar event .
But critics still want stronger regulation to decrease the risk of such an accident happening again .
'When they give us the word , 'go '' In 2010 , some of the equipment needed to stop the flow of oil — including the capping stack that eventually accomplished that — had to be built from scratch .
Today , the oil industry has that equipment standing by , waiting for an emergency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ drill .
Rather than each company developing their own response teams , they subscribe to one of two companies .
Marine Well Containment Company ( MWCC ) covers big firms with names you likely recognize : BP , Shell , ExxonMobil , Chevron and Conoco .
HWCG serves smaller independent oil companies .
While oil was still flowing in the Gulf back in 2010 , four companies put up $ 1 billion to create MWCC .
Six more have joined since then and hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility near Corpus Christi , Texas , there are five capping stacks sitting in a gravel yard .
They are about two-stories tall and the heaviest weighs as much as 40 full-sized SUVs .
Each is intended for different uses , ocean depths , pressures and temperatures .
`` When they give us the word 'go , ' we can get offshore with a capping stack [ and ] hopefully get the well capped off within the matter of a week , '' says MWCC CEO David Nickerson .
That 's about ten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off flow during the Deepwater Horizon accident .
If crews ca n't stop the oil right away MWCC has a fleet of equipment designed to capture it , put it in tankers , and bring it on shore until a relief well can be drilled to stop the flow .
`` Ten years ago absolutely none of this existed .
All of this has been built directly in response to the Deepwater Horizon incident , '' says Nickerson .
Changes also have been made to prevent such an accident from happening , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was created called the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement ( BSEE ) .
Last month BSEE Director Scott Angelle offered members of Congress a positive view of what the bureau has accomplished .
`` We 've made our regulations safer .
When comparing the past six years of inspection data we 've increased the number of inspections by 26 percent , increased the number of inspections per facility by 86 percent , increased the numbers of inspectors by 12 percent , '' Angelle told lawmakers as he ticked through a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angelle was a regulator of the offshore oil and gas industry he was a cheerleader for it .
As Louisiana 's lieutenant governor in 2010 he spoke at a rally praising the oil industry .
Remarking on the renewable energy business , he told a cheering crowd , `` America is not ready to get all of its fuel from the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees ! ''
Among environmental groups , and those who want the U.S. to transition to cleaner energy more quickly , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was appointed by then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in 2017 .
`` We 've seen the Trump administration rolling back some of the far too few safeguards that were put in place as a response to the BP Deepwater Horizon , '' says Diane Hoskins , offshore drilling campaign director at the non-profit Oceana .
Hoskins points specifically to something called the Well Control Rule , a complex collection of regulations designed to prevent future blowouts .
It gives drillers detailed requirements they must follow to safely drill an offshore well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
After much industry criticism the Trump administration modified it three years later .
`` We really see those changes as a modernization of the regulatory requirements , '' says Debra Phillips , senior vice president at the American Petroleum Institute .
Phillips says much of the original rule was left in place .
She says other parts of it were overly prescriptive and did n't take into account that individual deep water wells can have very different characteristics .
She says the rule changes give drillers more flexibility .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on the realities of the drilling situation which , at the end of the day , can actually make the site safer , '' says Phillips .
`` When they drill , they spill '' A lot of the regulatory changes were made in consultation with industry groups , such as API .
That alone generates skepticism among critics , especially now that President Trump has expanded the areas available for offshore drilling .
`` We know that when they drill , they spill , '' says Hoskins .
Her group opposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's worth noting that in the past decade there has n't been another major offshore spill in the U.S. like the Deepwater Horizon .
In fact , the two companies standing by to cap a well blowout have never even deployed their billions of dollars ' worth of equipment for anything other than drills .
And not all offshore drilling accidents are the same .
A 2004 spill happened when Hurricane Ivan toppled a rig in the Gulf of Mexico and underground wells were buried in a mudslide .
It took 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've gotten the question over the years , 'Is it safe to drill ? '
'' says retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen , who was the national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response .
`` My answer is that 's not the question , because there is no risk-free way to extract fossil fuels from the earth . ''
He says the question is whether the value of the resource is worth the risk of another disaster .
Allen says offshore drilling is safer now than it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we wo n't know if regulators and the industry are adequately prepared until the next accident happens .

10 Years After Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Industry Says It's Better Prepared
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Brady/NPR Jeff Brady/NPR
On April 20, 2010, while drilling oil giant BP's Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico, the crew lost control of the well. There was a "blowout" that released gas and oil, leading to an explosion that killed 11 workers.
The Deepwater Horizon rig was destroyed and sank two days later. Over the next nearly three months, 210 million gallons of oil flowed from the well into the Gulf.
It was one of the biggest environmental disasters in U.S. history.
Ten years later, the offshore drilling industry says it's better prepared to respond to a similar event. But critics still want stronger regulation to decrease the risk of such an accident happening again.
"When they give us the word, 'go' "
In 2010, some of the equipment needed to stop the flow of oil — including the capping stack that eventually accomplished that — had to be built from scratch.
Today, the oil industry has that equipment standing by, waiting for an emergency. Regulators require this before a company can drill.
Rather than each company developing their own response teams, they subscribe to one of two companies. Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) covers big firms with names you likely recognize: BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Conoco. HWCG serves smaller independent oil companies.
While oil was still flowing in the Gulf back in 2010, four companies put up $1 billion to create MWCC. Six more have joined since then, and hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on equipment and training workers.
At MWCC's facility near Corpus Christi, Texas, there are five capping stacks sitting in a gravel yard. They are about two stories tall and the heaviest weighs as much as 40 full-sized SUVs. Each is intended for different uses, ocean depths, pressures and temperatures.
"When they give us the word 'go,' we can get offshore with a capping stack [and] hopefully get the well capped off within the matter of a week," says MWCC CEO David Nickerson. That's about 10 times faster than it took to shut off flow during the Deepwater Horizon accident.
If crews can't stop the oil right away, MWCC has a fleet of equipment designed to capture it, put it in tankers and bring it on shore until a relief well can be drilled to stop the flow.
"Ten years ago absolutely none of this existed. All of this has been built directly in response to the Deepwater Horizon incident," says Nickerson.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Brady/NPR Jeff Brady/NPR
New regulations and rollbacks
Changes also have been made to prevent such an accident from happening, including stricter regulations. An entire new agency was created called the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).
Last month BSEE Director Scott Angelle offered members of Congress a positive view of what the bureau has accomplished.
"We've made our regulations safer. When comparing the past six years of inspection data we've increased the number of inspections by 26 percent, increased the number of inspections per facility by 86 percent, increased the numbers of inspectors by 12 percent," Angelle told lawmakers as he ticked through a series of his agency's accomplishments.
But before Angelle was a regulator of the offshore oil and gas industry, he was a cheerleader for it.
As Louisiana's lieutenant governor in 2010, he spoke at a rally praising the oil industry. Remarking on the renewable energy business, he told a cheering crowd, "America is not ready to get all of its fuel from the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees!"
Among environmental groups, and those who want the U.S. to transition to cleaner energy more quickly, there is a lot of criticism of Angelle, who was appointed by then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in 2017.
There is no risk-free way to extract fossil fuels from the earth.
"We've seen the Trump administration rolling back some of the far too few safeguards that were put in place as a response to the BP Deepwater Horizon," says Diane Hoskins, offshore drilling campaign director at the nonprofit Oceana.
Hoskins points specifically to something called the Well Control Rule, a complex collection of regulations designed to prevent future blowouts. It gives drillers detailed requirements they must follow to safely drill an offshore well.
The Obama administration issued the rule in 2016. After much industry criticism the Trump administration modified it three years later.
"We really see those changes as a modernization of the regulatory requirements," says Debra Phillips, senior vice president at the American Petroleum Institute.
Phillips says much of the original rule was left in place. She says other parts of it were overly prescriptive and didn't take into account that individual deep water wells can have very different characteristics. She says the rule changes give drillers more flexibility.
"You've got opportunities to customize your technology based on the realities of the drilling situation which, at the end of the day, can actually make the site safer," says Phillips.
"When they drill, they spill"
A lot of the regulatory changes were made in consultation with industry groups, such as API. That alone generates skepticism among critics, especially now that President Trump has expanded the areas available for offshore drilling.
"We know that when they drill, they spill," says Hoskins. Her group opposes expanding offshore drilling to new areas.
It's worth noting that in the past decade there hasn't been another major offshore spill in the U.S. like the Deepwater Horizon. In fact, the two companies standing by to cap a well blowout have never even deployed their billions of dollars' worth of equipment for anything other than drills.
And not all offshore drilling accidents are the same. A 2004 spill happened when Hurricane Ivan toppled a rig in the Gulf of Mexico and underground wells were buried in a mudslide. It took 14 years to contain that leak.
"I've gotten the question over the years, 'Is it safe to drill?'" says retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who was the national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response. "My answer is that's not the question, because there is no risk-free way to extract fossil fuels from the earth."
He says the question is whether the value of the resource is worth the risk of another disaster.
Allen says offshore drilling is safer now than it was 10 years ago. But he says we won't know if regulators and the industry are adequately prepared until the next accident happens.


npr--2020-04-20--Discharging COVID-19 Patients To Nursing Homes Called A 'Recipe For Disaster'

In some parts of the U.S. , the desperate need to slow the spread of the coronavirus is coming into conflict with the scramble to find more hospital beds .
Nursing homes have been the sites of some of the earliest — and deadliest — outbreaks of COVID-19 .
Some people who run such facilities are understandably leery of accepting new patients who might spread the virus .
Nonetheless , some of the largest states are now ordering nursing homes to accept patients who have been discharged from the hospital but are still recovering from COVID-19 .
These state directives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine .
Dr. Sabine von Preyss , chief medical officer for Avalon Health Care Group and president of the society 's Washington state chapter , says that a distinction must be made between nursing homes that have suffered COVID-19 outbreaks and those that are still virus free .
`` The question is , should we be forced to introduce a disease with such deadly potential into a population that has been sheltered ? ''
says von Preyss .
`` And my experience tells me that would be ill-advised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even help overcrowded hospitals , says Dr. Michael Wasserman , who heads the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine .
`` If you push folks out of the hospitals to make space and you push them into nursing homes a couple weeks later , '' Wasserman says , `` for every one of those you send to the nursing home , you may get 20 back in the hospital . ''
New York and New Jersey both have ordered nursing homes to admit patients regardless of their COVID-19 status .
California had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as of March 30 , it did n't .
After a couple of days of outcry from the medical community , the state softened its instruction .
It now says that a nursing home `` can be expected '' to receive residents who test positive for the virus if it is able to follow the infection control guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Tony Chicotel , a staff attorney with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform , is n't satisfied with the change .
That 's because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow nursing homes to temporarily expand capacity and reduce staff .
`` We 're going to have , potentially , a lot more residents crammed into nursing homes , '' says Chicotel .
`` You 're going to cut the staffing minimums at the same time .
And then you 're going to introduce perhaps the most efficient killer of older adults into the building ?
You 've got a recipe for disaster in nursing homes . ''
Despite requests from NPR , neither New York nor California officials made themselves available for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other states are taking a different approach .
Some are reviving closed nursing homes or empty wings to exclusively treat coronavirus-positive patients .
In Louisiana , which has clusters of COVID-19 patients in more than 60 nursing homes , a facility is prohibited from admitting people who have tested positive for the virus or who were treated for respiratory problems , unless it can show it has the capacity to care for them .
`` What we were looking at is really what makes the most sense for the patients themselves and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Billioux , the assistant secretary for Louisiana 's Office of Public Health .
Louisiana has what he calls Tier 2 hospitals , as well as new care facilities , such as the one at the convention center in New Orleans .
( Tier 2 facilities do n't have emergency room capabilities and are more likely to be specialized facilities , such as psychiatric or rehabilitation hospitals . )
`` Individuals who were still too ill to return back to a nursing home could be sent to those Tier 2 facilities — where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Billioux .
`` And we know that the majority of these individuals will recover and then be able to be moved back to a nursing facility . ''
That 's the ultimate goal , say public health officials , because those skilled nursing facilities are n't just where patients receive medical care .
They 're often also the place patients call home .

Discharging COVID-19 Patients To Nursing Homes Called A 'Recipe For Disaster'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
In some parts of the U.S., the desperate need to slow the spread of the coronavirus is coming into conflict with the scramble to find more hospital beds.
Nursing homes have been the sites of some of the earliest — and deadliest — outbreaks of COVID-19. Some people who run such facilities are understandably leery of accepting new patients who might spread the virus.
Nonetheless, some of the largest states are now ordering nursing homes to accept patients who have been discharged from the hospital but are still recovering from COVID-19.
These state directives have been strongly condemned by the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Dr. Sabine von Preyss, chief medical officer for Avalon Health Care Group and president of the society's Washington state chapter, says that a distinction must be made between nursing homes that have suffered COVID-19 outbreaks and those that are still virus-free.
"The question is, should we be forced to introduce a disease with such deadly potential into a population that has been sheltered?" says von Preyss. "And my experience tells me that would be ill-advised."
Also, it won't even help overcrowded hospitals, says Dr. Michael Wasserman, who heads the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine.
"If you push folks out of the hospitals to make space and you push them into nursing homes a couple weeks later," Wasserman says, "for every one of those you send to the nursing home, you may get 20 back in the hospital."
New York and New Jersey both have ordered nursing homes to admit patients regardless of their COVID-19 status. California had a similar directive. And then suddenly, as of March 30, it didn't. After a couple of days of outcry from the medical community, the state softened its instruction.
It now says that a nursing home "can be expected" to receive residents who test positive for the virus if it is able to follow the infection control guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tony Chicotel, a staff attorney with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, isn't satisfied with the change. That's because the state let stand the emergency waivers that allow nursing homes to temporarily expand capacity and reduce staff.
"We're going to have, potentially, a lot more residents crammed into nursing homes," says Chicotel. "You're going to cut the staffing minimums at the same time. And then you're going to introduce perhaps the most efficient killer of older adults into the building? You've got a recipe for disaster in nursing homes."
Despite requests from NPR, neither New York nor California officials made themselves available for interviews to discuss the policies.
Some other states are taking a different approach. Some are reviving closed nursing homes or empty wings to exclusively treat coronavirus-positive patients.
In Louisiana, which has clusters of COVID-19 patients in more than 60 nursing homes, a facility is prohibited from admitting people who have tested positive for the virus or who were treated for respiratory problems, unless it can show it has the capacity to care for them.
"What we were looking at is really what makes the most sense for the patients themselves and the other residents," says Dr. Alex Billioux, the assistant secretary for Louisiana's Office of Public Health.
Louisiana has what he calls Tier 2 hospitals, as well as new care facilities, such as the one at the convention center in New Orleans. (Tier 2 facilities don't have emergency room capabilities and are more likely to be specialized facilities, such as psychiatric or rehabilitation hospitals.)
"Individuals who were still too ill to return back to a nursing home could be sent to those Tier 2 facilities — where they're still getting nursing care and attention," says Billioux. "And we know that the majority of these individuals will recover and then be able to be moved back to a nursing facility."
That's the ultimate goal, say public health officials, because those skilled nursing facilities aren't just where patients receive medical care. They're often also the place patients call home.


npr--2020-04-20--Nursing Home COVID-19 Reporting Rules To Be Strengthened

After shocking instances of nursing homes failing to disclose the existence and extent of COVID-19 cases within their facilities , the federal government will require nursing homes to inform residents , their families and representatives when residents or staff contract the illness .
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) announced Sunday night that notification must come within 12 hours of a confirmed single case of COVID-19 .
Residents , families and representatives must also be told when three or more individuals develop respiratory symptoms within a 72-hour period .
The new rules also require nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the CDC works to build a nationwide database of the occurrence of the illness .
Nursing homes are already required to report such data to state and local public health officials .
`` Nursing homes have been ground zero for COVID-19 , '' CMS Administrator Seema Verma said in a statement announcing the new rules , which she described as an effort to provide `` transparent and timely information to residents and their families . ''
The new rules also require nursing homes to detail measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of the disease .
Outbreaks and deaths due to COVID-19 have occurred at nursing homes across the country , which house among the most vulnerable of high-risk individuals .
In Virginia , for example , more than half of the outbreaks have been in long-term care facilities .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis has ordered the National Guard to test for the virus in nursing homes and assisted living facilities .
DeSantis has declined to say which facilities have residents who tested positive .

Nursing Home COVID-19 Reporting Rules To Be Strengthened
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nam Y. Huh/AP Nam Y. Huh/AP
Updated at 11 a.m. ET
After shocking instances of nursing homes failing to disclose the existence and extent of COVID-19 cases within their facilities, the federal government will require nursing homes to inform residents, their families and representatives when residents or staff contract the illness.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Sunday night that notification must come within 12 hours of a confirmed single case of COVID-19. Residents, families and representatives must also be told when three or more individuals develop respiratory symptoms within a 72-hour period.
The new rules also require nursing homes to report COVID-19 cases directly to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the CDC works to build a nationwide database of the occurrence of the illness. Nursing homes are already required to report such data to state and local public health officials.
"Nursing homes have been ground zero for COVID-19," Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma said in a statement announcing the new rules, which she described as an effort to provide "transparent and timely information to residents and their families."
The new rules also require nursing homes to detail measures the facility is taking to mitigate the spread of the disease.
Outbreaks and deaths from COVID-19 have occurred at nursing homes across the country, which house among the most vulnerable of high-risk individuals. In Virginia, for example, more than half of the outbreaks have been in long-term-care facilities.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered the National Guard to test for the virus in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. DeSantis had declined to say which facilities have residents who tested positive but reversed course over the weekend, ordering state authorities to release names of facilities that have reported cases of COVID-19.


npr--2020-04-19--At Least 16 Killed, Including Police Officer, In Nova Scotia Shootings

At Least 16 Killed , Including Police Officer , In Nova Scotia Shootings At least 16 people , including a police officer , are dead following a 12-hour shooting rampage in Nova Scotia , according to Canadian authorities .
The suspected shooter is also dead .
It 's thought to be Canada 's deadliest mass shooting in recent history .
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police ( RCMP ) identified the alleged gunman as Gabriel Wortman , 51 .
They believe he acted alone , leading police on a chase across the northern part of the Canadian province that began Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning .
RCMP identified the deceased officer as Constable Heidi Stevenson , who had been with the force for 23 years .
Another officer is receiving treatment after he was injured , but is expected to recover , authorities said .
`` The impact of this incident will extend from one end of this province to the other , '' said Lee Bergerman , assistant commissioner of the Nova Scotia RCMP , in a statement .
`` As Nova Scotians , we have to do what we are known for .
And come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one another . ''
The shooting began Saturday night in the small rural community of Portapique , where police responded to reports of gunfire .
The chase ended around 11:40 a.m. local time on Sunday outside of a gas station in the community of Enfield , the RCMP confirmed .
During a news conference Sunday , RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said police arrived to a `` chaotic scene , '' describing `` several casualties '' both inside and outside of a residence .
At one point , officials said , the suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police uniform .
They also saw him driving a car with the likeness of an RCMP police cruiser .
Leather says there was at least one incident during the evening in which police exchanged gunfire with the suspect .
`` There are several locations across the province where persons have been killed , '' he said without giving additional details .
He added that there may be more victims police have not located yet .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended his condolences to the people affected by the shooting .
`` To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of you in our thoughts , '' he said on Twitter .
`` And on behalf of all Canadians , I want you to know that we 're here for you - and we 'll be here for you in the days and weeks ahead . ''
In a Sunday afternoon address , Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil called the shootings `` one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province 's history . ''
`` To the families of the victims , and to those who are still feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
Know that all Nova Scotians are with you , '' McNeil said .
In Canada , which has tighter gun ownership restrictions than the U.S. , mass shootings are relatively uncommon .
Before this weekend , the nation 's worst mass shooting happened in 1989 , when a gunman in Quebec killed 14 women after opening fire at a college .
This is a developing story .
Some things that get reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong .
We will focus on reports from police officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reporters who are at the scene .
We will update as the situation develops .

At Least 16 Killed, Including Police Officer, In Nova Scotia Shootings
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tim Krochak/AFP via Getty Images Tim Krochak/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 11:44 p.m. ET
At least 16 people, including a police officer, are dead following a 12-hour shooting rampage in Nova Scotia, according to Canadian authorities. The suspected shooter is also dead. It's thought to be Canada's deadliest mass shooting in recent history.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) identified the alleged gunman as Gabriel Wortman, 51. They believe he acted alone, leading police on a chase across the northern part of the Canadian province that began Saturday and came to an end on Sunday morning.
RCMP identified the deceased officer as Constable Heidi Stevenson, who had been with the force for 23 years. Another officer is receiving treatment after he was injured, but is expected to recover, authorities said.
"The impact of this incident will extend from one end of this province to the other," said Lee Bergerman, assistant commissioner of the Nova Scotia RCMP, in a statement. "As Nova Scotians, we have to do what we are known for. And come together in times of need and support one another."
The shooting began Saturday night in the small rural community of Portapique, where police responded to reports of gunfire. The chase ended around 11:40 a.m. local time on Sunday outside of a gas station in the community of Enfield, the RCMP confirmed.
During a news conference Sunday, RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said police arrived to a "chaotic scene," describing "several casualties" both inside and outside of a residence.
At one point, officials said, the suspect dressed in what appeared to be a police uniform. They also saw him driving a car with the likeness of an RCMP police cruiser.
Leather says there was at least one incident during the evening in which police exchanged gunfire with the suspect.
"There are several locations across the province where persons have been killed," he said without giving additional details. He added that there may be more victims police have not located yet.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended his condolences to the people affected by the shooting.
"To the Portapique community, we're keeping all of you in our thoughts," he said on Twitter. "And on behalf of all Canadians, I want you to know that we're here for you - and we'll be here for you in the days and weeks ahead."
In a Sunday afternoon address, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil called the shootings "one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province's history."
"To the families of the victims, and to those who are still feeling afraid, my heart goes out to you. Know that all Nova Scotians are with you," McNeil said.
In Canada, which has tighter gun ownership restrictions than the U.S., mass shootings are relatively uncommon. Before this weekend, the nation's worst mass shooting happened in 1989, when a gunman in Quebec killed 14 women after opening fire at a college.
This is a developing story. Some things that get reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.