npr--2020-06-01--Hurricane Season Collides With Coronavirus, As Communities Plan For Dual Emergencies

Hurricane Season Collides With Coronavirus , As Communities Plan For Dual Emergencies Robin Rokobauer does n't like to chance it .
When there 's a hurricane , she almost always evacuates .
Rokobauer lives in Cocoa Beach , Fla. , on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and 153-mile-long Indian River Lagoon .
Her mother is 93 .
`` She 's got to have flushing toilets , '' Rokobauer says of her mother .
`` She 's got to have fresh water .
She 's just got some physical needs that require that . ''
But this year Rokobauer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She is 65 , and like her mother , she 's considered at higher risk of serious complications from the coronavirus , which has claimed more than 100,000 American lives .
`` If I have to go any farther or if I have to go somewhere , then you 're going to be exposed to more people in more environments , and you do n't know where those people have been , '' she says .
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season starts Monday , and federal scientists expect storms to be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already formed in the Atlantic this spring before the official start of the season .
As Florida and other coastal states plan for hurricanes , they are confronting troubling new public safety calculations because of the novel coronavirus .
There 's now a chance for one disaster to layer upon another .
Many lives could be lost : first , from powerful winds , storm surges and flooding and then through the spread of the coronavirus in cramped public shelters following mass evacuations .
Evacuees might pass the virus to friends and relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected themselves in those new surroundings .
`` The risks are significant , '' says David Abramson , a professor at New York University 's College of Global Public Health , whose research examines the health consequences of hurricanes .
`` A lot of hurricane events lead to evacuations and displacements '' without much time to build in social distancing safeguards , he says .
The hardest problem in planning for a hurricane during a pandemic could be public confusion over whether to evacuate or stay at home , says Craig Fugate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency under President Obama .
`` What I do n't want to have is people to say , 'Hey , wait a minute .
I 'm not going to evacuate .
I do n't want to get COVID-19 , I 've been told to stay home , ' `` says Fugate , who also led the Florida Division of Emergency Management .
`` That may result in more people staying behind and increasing the risk of loss of life . ''
Others may stay put just because they are among the tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and feel they can not afford to flee to hotels or family inland .
As a result , some emergency managers along the Gulf Coast are trying to line up more shelters for the greater number of evacuees they expect , a move certain to stretch local and state budgets already tattered by the economic downturn .
Coastal states from Maine to Texas have been scrambling to revise hurricane emergency plans to take the pandemic into account .
They 're rethinking everything — from evacuation routes and shelters to stockpiling personal protective equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina meteorologist Katie Webster .
She coordinates monthly calls with emergency managers through the National Emergency Management Association and is director of the natural hazards branch of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety .
Emergency managers in coastal states have been checking to see if companies they once relied on to supply everything from buses to food and water are still in business , or if alternative arrangements need to be made , she says .
`` States will be as ready as they can be , '' Webster says .
Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Gulf of Mexico coastline , has been hit hard in recent years .
Since 2016 , four major hurricanes have menaced the state , including Hurricane Michael , a Category 5 storm that tore through the Panhandle two years ago .
Climate change is intensifying the threats posed by hurricanes .
A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture , making hurricanes likely to dump more rain .
Sea-level rise elevates destructive storm surges into coastal communities .
And hotter ocean waters are fueling stronger hurricanes , according to the newest research .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicting above-average activity , because of a warm Atlantic Ocean and favorable atmospheric conditions .
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists , for example , have predicted 13 to 19 named storms , including six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes , with wind speeds of 111 miles per hour or more .
A normal season would have 12 named storms with six hurricanes , three of which would be major storms .
Meanwhile , as of last Friday , the University of Washington 's Institute for Health Metrics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections a day in Florida by Aug. 1 , just as the hurricane season reaches its height .
At a May briefing in Sarasota , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis noted that the coronavirus spreads most easily when people come into close contact in an enclosed space .
`` As you 're looking at sheltering for a hurricane you ' v got to keep that in mind , '' he says .
`` I mean if you pile people into a place , under normal circumstances that would be fine .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread if somebody is in fact infected . ''
For its part , FEMA has updated its hurricane guide to include material on staying safe in the pandemic — including advice about social distancing , wearing cloth face coverings and following recommended cleaning practices .
Armed with hand sanitizer and masks , Trudie Marzig says she and her husband in Rockledge , Fla. , about 50 miles southeast of Orlando , will be ready to evacuate if necessary .
`` You have to take care of the immediate danger first , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You can deal with the virus pandemic afterward . ''
Even without a pandemic , mass evacuations can be logistical nightmares , clogging freeways , causing traffic accidents , and depleting gas stations of fuel .
For each storm , officials weigh the pros and cons of evacuation , and this year , they are adding the pandemic to their concerns , says Bryan Koon , a vice president at IEM , an emergency management and security consulting firm , and Florida 's emergency management director under Gov .
Rick Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only when and where to call for evacuations , but how to execute them .
In doing so , Koon says , officials have to contend with the vagaries of weather forecasting .
Meteorologists are getting better at forecasting the path hurricanes take toward land and the deadly storm surges they produce , he says .
But there 's enough uncertainty to sometimes prompt officials to `` over evacuate '' as a precaution , says Koon , whose tenure in state government coincided with Hurricane Irma .
To curb the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more judicious with evacuations , he says , looking closely at factors like flood and storm surge zones and the age and condition of homes .
`` We will have to determine whether it is better to have somebody stay in place because they will be dry enough , or their homes are strong enough , or maybe they are in mobile homes or a storm surge zone and the risks are worse for staying in place so you send them somewhere else , '' Koon says .
The DeSantis administration is considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sturdier , especially for weaker hurricanes .
And rather than using buses , community leaders are considering ride-sharing services such as Uber to transport low-income evacuees , one car at a time .
The stakes are especially high this year for low-income people , who would continue facing disproportionate risks from the coronavirus during a hurricane , says Abramson , the NYU professor .
People get injured and sick during hurricanes but might lack adequate health insurance , he says .
`` The people who are most vulnerable in hurricanes , socially and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
`` What we are about to see is also a large increase in the number of people who are uninsured , who are about to lose work-related insurance , and ca n't pay for their own , '' he adds .
Nursing home residents also face unusually high risks this season .
Many low-lying facilities have evacuation agreements with facilities on higher ground , but Kristen Knapp of the Florida Health Care Association says this year , nursing homes will have to re-examine these arrangements .
`` If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone and you have positive cases in your building , you may not be able to go to your typical facility that you would go to if they do n't have positive cases in their building , '' Knapp says .
Sheltering large numbers of hurricane evacuees , which is always complicated by size , location and special circumstances , will be even more difficult amid the pandemic .
After Hurricane Irma , for example , some 350,000 evacuees were in shelters , often packed into school gymnasiums or other large venues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a threatening hurricane , officials say .
Leaders are contemplating sheltering evacuees in hotels and motels left vacant by the economic collapse .
The American Red Cross is already lining up hotels or dormitories , and a higher number of large spaces so evacuees can be spread out .
There will be health screening and temperature checks to get into shelters , says Trevor Riggen , a Red Cross senior vice president .
People with temperatures or other virus risk factors will be accommodated in a separate location , with access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be served in boxes instead of cafeteria-style , and the Red Cross has already stockpiled face coverings and disinfectants for shelter cleaning , he says .
`` We want people to know it will be as safe as possible , '' he says .
While the emergency managers are getting ready for the six-month hurricane season , individuals and families need to do their part , this year more than ever , says Jennifer Collins , a geosciences professor at the University of South Florida whose research includes human behavior during hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the government to some extent but we have to take personal responsibility as well , '' she says .
People should make sure they have what they need to shelter in place , for a hurricane and a pandemic , she adds .
Robin Rokobauer of Cocoa Beach considered staying put this year .
But she believes she will have to evacuate in order to best protect her mother .
She feels fortunate that Brevard County has had a relatively small number of coronavirus cases at some 400 , including 12 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels , looking for those with a kitchenette so that she can prepare meals in the room .
`` I hope that we do n't have any '' hurricanes , Rokobauer says .
`` I mean , we 've been through a lot this year . ''
Amy Green covers the environment in Florida for 90.7 WMFE Orlando .
James Bruggers covers the Southeast for InsideClimate News .
This story was reported and produced as part of InsideClimate News ' National Environmental Reporting Network .

Hurricane Season Collides With Pandemic As Communities Plan For Dual Emergencies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Robin Rokobauer doesn't like to chance it. When there's a hurricane, she almost always evacuates.
Rokobauer lives in Cocoa Beach, Fla., on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the 153-mile-long Indian River Lagoon. Her mother is 93.
"She's got to have flushing toilets," Rokobauer says of her mother. "She's got to have fresh water. She's just got some physical needs that require that."
But this year Rokobauer is thinking hard about her hurricane plan. She is 65, and like her mother, she's considered at higher risk of serious complications from the coronavirus, which has claimed more than 100,000 American lives.
"If I have to go any farther or if I have to go somewhere, then you're going to be exposed to more people in more environments, and you don't know where those people have been," she says.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season starts Monday, and federal scientists expect storms to be more frequent and powerful. Two named storms already formed in the Atlantic this spring before the official start of the season. As Florida and other coastal states plan for hurricanes, they are confronting troubling new public safety calculations because of the coronavirus.
There's now a chance for one disaster to layer upon another. Many lives could be lost: first, from powerful winds, storm surges and flooding, and then through the spread of the coronavirus in cramped public shelters following mass evacuations. Evacuees might pass the virus to friends and relatives who take them in, or get infected themselves in those new surroundings.
"The risks are significant," says David Abramson, a professor at New York University's College of Global Public Health, whose research examines the health consequences of hurricanes. "A lot of hurricane events lead to evacuations and displacements" without much time to build in social distancing safeguards, he says.
The hardest problem in planning for a hurricane during a pandemic could be public confusion over whether to evacuate or stay at home, says Craig Fugate, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the Obama administration.
"What I don't want to have is people to say, 'Hey, wait a minute. I'm not going to evacuate. I don't want to get COVID-19, I've been told to stay home,' " says Fugate, who also led the Florida Division of Emergency Management. "That may result in more people staying behind and increasing the risk of loss of life."
Others may stay put just because they are among the tens of millions nationally who have lost their jobs and feel they cannot afford to flee to hotels or family inland. As a result, some emergency managers along the Gulf Coast are trying to line up more shelters for the greater number of evacuees they expect, a move certain to stretch local and state budgets already tattered by the economic downturn.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynne Sladky/AP Lynne Sladky/AP
Forecasters predict an active hurricane season
Coastal states from Maine to Texas have been scrambling to revise hurricane emergency plans to take the pandemic into account.
They're rethinking everything — from evacuation routes and shelters to stockpiling personal protective equipment and communicating new procedures, says North Carolina meteorologist Katie Webster. She coordinates monthly calls with emergency managers through the National Emergency Management Association and is director of the natural hazards branch of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Emergency managers in coastal states have been checking to see if companies they once relied on to supply everything from buses to food and water are still in business, or if alternative arrangements need to be made, she says.
"States will be as ready as they can be," Webster says.
Florida, with its 8,436 miles of Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastline, has been hit hard in recent years. Since 2016, four major hurricanes have menaced the state, including Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm that tore through the Panhandle two years ago.
Climate change is intensifying the threats posed by hurricanes. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, making hurricanes likely to dump more rain. Sea-level rise elevates destructive storm surges into coastal communities. And hotter ocean waters are fueling stronger hurricanes, according to the newest research.
This season, every major forecasting organization is predicting above-average activity, because of a warm Atlantic Ocean and favorable atmospheric conditions. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists, for example, have predicted 13 to 19 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes, with wind speeds of 111 miles per hour or more. A normal season would have 12 named storms with six hurricanes, three of which would be major storms.
Meanwhile, as of last Friday, the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation was projecting more than 100 new coronavirus infections a day in Florida by Aug. 1, just as the hurricane season reaches its height.
At a May briefing in Sarasota, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis noted that the coronavirus spreads most easily when people come into close contact in an enclosed space.
"As you're looking at sheltering for a hurricane you've got to keep that in mind," he says. "I mean if you pile people into a place, under normal circumstances that would be fine. But that would potentially allow the virus to spread if somebody is in fact infected."
For its part, FEMA has updated its hurricane guide to include material on staying safe in the pandemic — including advice about social distancing, wearing cloth face coverings and following recommended cleaning practices.
Armed with hand sanitizer and masks, Trudie Marzig says she and her husband in Rockledge, Fla., about 50 miles southeast of Orlando, will be ready to evacuate if necessary.
"You have to take care of the immediate danger first, which is the weather issue," she says. "You can deal with the virus pandemic afterward."
Nightmare scenario: evacuations in a pandemic
Even without a pandemic, mass evacuations can be logistical nightmares, clogging freeways, causing traffic accidents and depleting gas stations of fuel. For each storm, officials weigh the pros and cons of evacuation, and this year, they are adding the pandemic to their concerns, says Bryan Koon, a vice president at IEM, an emergency management and security consulting firm, and Florida's emergency management director under former Gov. Rick Scott.
Authorities in hurricane-prone states are rethinking not only when and where to call for evacuations, but how to execute them. In doing so, Koon says, officials have to contend with the vagaries of weather forecasting.
Meteorologists are getting better at forecasting the path hurricanes take toward land and the deadly storm surges they produce, he says. But there's enough uncertainty to sometimes prompt officials to "over evacuate" as a precaution, says Koon, whose tenure in state government coincided with Hurricane Irma.
To curb the risk of spreading the coronavirus, officials could be more judicious with evacuations, he says, looking closely at factors like flood and storm surge zones and the age and condition of homes.
"We will have to determine whether it is better to have somebody stay in place because they will be dry enough, or their homes are strong enough, or maybe they are in mobile homes or a storm surge zone and the risks are worse for staying in place so you send them somewhere else," Koon says.
The DeSantis administration is considering stay-at-home orders where homes are newer and sturdier, especially for weaker hurricanes.
And rather than using buses, community leaders are considering ride-sharing services such as Uber to transport low-income evacuees, one car at a time.
The stakes are especially high this year for low-income people, who would continue facing disproportionate risks from the coronavirus during a hurricane, says Abramson, the NYU professor. People get injured and sick during hurricanes but might lack adequate health insurance, he says.
"The people who are most vulnerable in hurricanes, socially and economically, are also vulnerable medically," he says. "What we are about to see is also a large increase in the number of people who are uninsured, who are about to lose work-related insurance, and can't pay for their own," he adds.
Nursing home residents also face unusually high risks this season. Many low-lying facilities have evacuation agreements with facilities on higher ground, but Kristen Knapp of the Florida Health Care Association says this year, nursing homes will have to reexamine these arrangements.
"If you're a facility that is an evacuation zone and you have positive cases in your building, you may not be able to go to your typical facility that you would go to if they don't have positive cases in their building," Knapp says.
Sheltering collides with social distancing
Sheltering large numbers of hurricane evacuees, which is always complicated by size, location and special circumstances, will be even more difficult amid the pandemic.
After Hurricane Irma, for example, some 350,000 evacuees were in shelters, often packed into school gymnasiums or other large venues. That wouldn't make sense this year during a threatening hurricane, officials say.
Leaders are contemplating sheltering evacuees in hotels and motels left vacant by the economic collapse.
The American Red Cross is already lining up hotels or dormitories, and a higher number of large spaces so evacuees can be spread out. There will be health screening and temperature checks to get into shelters, says Trevor Riggen, a Red Cross senior vice president.
People with temperatures or other virus risk factors will be accommodated in a separate location, with access to medical help, he said.
Food will be served in boxes instead of cafeteria-style, and the Red Cross has already stockpiled face coverings and disinfectants for shelter cleaning, he says.
"We want people to know it will be as safe as possible," he says.
While the emergency managers are getting ready for the six-month hurricane season, individuals and families need to do their part, this year more than ever, says Jennifer Collins, a geosciences professor at the University of South Florida whose research includes human behavior during hurricane evacuations.
"We definitely can lean on the government to some extent but we have to take personal responsibility as well," she says. People should make sure they have what they need to shelter in place, for a hurricane and a pandemic, she adds.
Robin Rokobauer of Cocoa Beach considered staying put this year. But she believes she will have to evacuate in order to best protect her mother. She feels fortunate that Brevard County has had a relatively small number of coronavirus cases at some 400, including 12 COVID-19 deaths. Already, she is checking with hotels, looking for those with a kitchenette so that she can prepare meals in the room.
"I hope that we don't have any" hurricanes, Rokobauer says. "I mean, we've been through a lot this year."
Amy Green covers the environment in Florida for 90.7 WMFE Orlando. James Bruggers covers the Southeast for InsideClimate News. This story was reported and produced as part of InsideClimate News' National Environmental Reporting Network.


npr--2020-06-01--Little Progress Made In Trump's Plan For Private Retailers To Test For Coronavirus

Little Progress Made In Trump 's Plan For Private Retailers To Test For Coronavirus Twice now , on March 13 and again on April 27 , President Trump gathered some of the country 's top corporate executives — from test producers to lab processors to major retailers — to tout his plan to make COVID-19 testing widely available .
His vision : Blanket the country in drive-through testing sites .
The president , speaking from the White House Rose Garden , promised that `` stores in virtually every location '' would be rolling out testing , including some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' that `` cover this country in large part , '' such as CVS , Target , Walgreens and Walmart .
The results have been modest at best .
NPR reviewed the number of sites these retailers set up and found they are small in quantity compared to their national reach .
On average , only four percent of the companies ' stores are currently hosting drive-through testing sites : • Target has just a single COVID-19 testing site , in Chula Vista , Calif. , out of 1,871 locations ( 0.05 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; it has 9,277 locations ( 0.3 % ) • Kroger is supporting 64 testing sites ; it has 2,800 stores ( 2.3 % ) • Rite Aid has 71 testing sites ; it has 2,464 locations ( 2.9 % ) • Walmart is hosting 180 testing sites among its 5,352 stores ( 3.4 % ) • CVS has 986 test sites plus five `` rapid result '' locations across its 9,900 stores ( 10 % ) Collectively , these six companies have almost 32,000 locations nationwide , but only about 1,300 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or an average of four percent , according to numbers obtained from the retailers .
And the lion 's share of those sites are from CVS alone , which has opened nearly 1,000 sites .
The most rapid and expansive mobilization has been from CVS and Walmart , which met their pledged number of drive-through testing sites , while others , such as Walgreens and Kroger , made vague promises or no promises at all .
None of those pledges were particularly ambitious relative to the scale of the retail chains .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our competitors did , where we 're going to open up a thousand testing sites ... We put the promise out initially to do 25 sites and we fulfilled that promise , '' says Rite Aid spokesperson Chris Altman , noting that the company has exceeded its original goal .
Some of Walgreens ' testing sites are at shuttered stores , and all of Rite Aid 's sites are at locations such as closed schools and vacant parking lots , not at the stores themselves .
Contacted for comment , the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Health and Human Services , which said the drive-through testing program `` continues to provide Americans with faster , less invasive and more convenient testing . ''
At the beginning of the crisis , retailers were not well-equipped or generally set up to organize drive-through COVID-19 testing at a national scale , as the relatively small number of test sites suggests .
Some of the retailers had no pharmacists , nor the supplies to do testing .
`` That vision of basically every CVS on the corner , every Walmart or Target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not have been realistic from the beginning , '' says Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo , a lead epidemiologist with the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Testing Insights Initiative .
`` It is probably likely that only some of the facilities are actually suitable for that kind of testing . ''
For example , Nuzzo says , some stores may not have room to offer drive-through testing or to accommodate potentially infectious patients .
There still is no consensus about how much testing the U.S. requires .
Numerous testing locations have popped up at community health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but those are largely local initiatives .
The President 's declaration that retailers offering tests at `` stores in virtually every location '' gave the impression that Americans would easily be able to access COVID-19 testing at national chain retail locations convenient to them .
But the numbers are clear : That never happened .
`` Where the blame should lie is probably not with the retailers , '' said Dr. William Hanage , an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard 's T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , referring to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now operating at the major chains .
`` Because there is not , as we know , a coherent national response to this .
It 's driven very much at the local level . ''
He added : `` At every single level there has been a failure to meet the challenge and to actually give people the testing they need . ''
NPR 's Meg Anderson , Robert Benincasa , Huo Jingnan , Graham Smith and Barbara Van Woerkom contributed to this report .

Trump's Plan For Drive-Up COVID-19 Tests At Stores Yields Few Results
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Twice now, on March 13 and again on April 27, President Trump gathered some of the country's top corporate executives — from test producers to lab processors to major retailers — to tout his plan to make COVID-19 testing widely available. His vision: Blanket the country in drive-through testing sites.
The president, speaking from the White House Rose Garden, promised that "stores in virtually every location" would be rolling out testing, including some of the "greatest retailers anywhere in the world" that "cover this country in large part," such as CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart.
The results have been modest at best. NPR reviewed the number of sites these retailers set up and found they are small in quantity compared to their national reach. On average, only 4% of the companies' stores are currently hosting drive-through testing sites:
Target has just a single COVID-19 testing site, in Chula Vista, Calif., out of 1,871 locations (0.05%)
Walgreens has opened 28 sites; it has 9,277 locations (0.3%)
Kroger is supporting 64 testing sites; it has 2,800 stores (2.3%)
Rite Aid has 71 testing sites; it has 2,464 locations (2.9%)
Walmart is hosting 180 testing sites among its 5,352 stores (3.4%)
CVS has 986 test sites plus five "rapid result" locations across its 9,900 stores (10%)
Collectively, these six companies have almost 32,000 locations nationwide, but only about 1,300 of those stores have COVID-19 testing sites, or an average of 4%, according to numbers obtained from the retailers. And the lion's share of those sites are from CVS alone, which has opened nearly 1,000 sites.
The most rapid and expansive mobilization has been from CVS and Walmart, which met their pledged number of drive-through testing sites, while others, such as Walgreens and Kroger, made vague promises or no promises at all. None of those pledges were particularly ambitious relative to the scale of the retail chains.
"We never made sweeping statements like some of our competitors did, where we're going to open up a thousand testing sites. ... We put the promise out initially to do 25 sites, and we fulfilled that promise," says Rite Aid spokesperson Chris Altman, noting that the company has exceeded its original goal.
Some of Walgreens' testing sites are at shuttered stores, and all of Rite Aid's sites are at locations such as closed schools and vacant parking lots, not at the stores themselves.
Contacted for comment, the White House referred NPR to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which said the drive-through testing program "continues to provide Americans with faster, less invasive and more convenient testing."
At the beginning of the crisis, retailers were not well-equipped or generally set up to organize drive-through COVID-19 testing at a national scale, as the relatively small number of test sites suggests. Some of the retailers had no pharmacists, nor the supplies to do testing.
"That vision of basically every CVS on the corner, every Walmart or Target, being able to do the testing may not have been realistic from the beginning," says Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, a lead epidemiologist with the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Testing Insights Initiative. "It is probably likely that only some of the facilities are actually suitable for that kind of testing."
For example, Nuzzo says, some stores may not have room to offer drive-through testing or to accommodate potentially infectious patients.
There still is no consensus about how much testing the U.S. requires. Numerous testing locations have popped up at community health centers and hospitals across the country, but those are largely local initiatives.
The president's declaration that retailers offering tests at "stores in virtually every location" gave the impression that Americans would easily be able to access COVID-19 testing at national chain retail locations convenient to them. But the numbers are clear: That never happened.
"Where the blame should lie is probably not with the retailers," said Dr. William Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, referring to the relatively small number of drive-through testing sites now operating at the major chains. "Because there is not, as we know, a coherent national response to this. It's driven very much at the local level."
He added: "At every single level there has been a failure to meet the challenge and to actually give people the testing they need."
NPR's Meg Anderson, Robert Benincasa, Huo Jingnan, Graham Smith and Barbara Van Woerkom contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-01--Domestic Abuse Can Escalate In Pandemic And Continue Even If You Get Away

Domestic Abuse Can Escalate In Pandemic And Continue Even If You Get Away During lockdown , Kiesha Preston has heard from many people facing physical , psychological and/or sexual abuse that the violence against them is escalating without reprieve .
Stress and isolation create combustible tensions .
A lack of privacy subjects many victims to closer surveillance by their abuser , making it difficult to call crisis hotlines , for example .
And Preston worries that high unemployment will make it harder to afford moving out — though she hopes that this wo n't stop anyone who is being abused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to help you , she says .
`` Financial resources are a huge factor in being able to get away from your abuser , and right now we are in an economic crisis '' in addition to being socially isolated , says Preston , an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse .
`` This honestly creates a situation where it 's easier for abusers to utilize finances as a tool of abuse . ''
One consequence of COVID-19 is a projected global increase in domestic violence , including intimate partner violence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ loosen quarantine restrictions , that 's creating more opportunities for people to flee their abusers , but technology and a lack of money often make those escapes more complicated .
After her husband moved out of their Roanoke , Va. , home five years ago , she says technology and money became his primary weapons to continue the abuse .
He attacked her on social media , posting up to 15 times a day , and monitored her comings and goings through the home security system .
`` He was actually hiding in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I was having with a friend , did n't like what I said and came out and it became a physical altercation , '' she says .
He also drained their accounts , leaving Preston , who was a student at the time , with no money to feed their three children or to fix the broken oil heater .
She and her kids had to huddle around space heaters and an open oven when it got cold .
Preston eventually faced a lender 's foreclosure on the home and struggled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` For a good six months , almost daily , I was applying for housing and getting turned away , '' she says .
So advocacy groups are now trying to address the economic needs that arise when violence escalates in homes .
The Salvation Army in Dallas-Fort Worth now delivers food , for example , as a way of keeping in touch with people who signal they are being abused .
`` We have one case manager that is slipping little notes into ... the bread bag , just to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe '' or help her leave if she wishes to , says Beckie Wach , the nonprofit 's executive director .
Those ready to leave often can not find places to go , she says .
Shelters are open but often full , and the coronavirus pandemic complicates staying with relatives .
So , many are sleeping in their cars in the parking lots behind Walmarts and schools , Wach says , adding , `` We have street outreach teams that go out to those hot spots . ''
All around the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Peace Over Violence , an anti-sexual and domestic abuse group in Los Angeles , joined with other groups to establish a hotline to help relocate victims .
`` We placed 40 people in a week , '' says Patti Giggans , the advocacy group 's CEO .
She says she expects to see needs continue to spike .
But fleeing is just the beginning , says Giggans .
Once victims are moved , she says , many are then tracked by perpetrators through their phones .
`` It 's not so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone anymore — it 's with you .
It 's in your purse .
It 's in your pocket , '' she says .
Technology can , essentially , become a form of remote control .
Some abusers hack into home systems like Nest to blast music through home sound systems or jack the thermostat to uninhabitable temperatures , says Erica Olsen , director of the Safety Net Project with the National Network to End Domestic Violence .
`` That could be something the abuser is doing even when the victim 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they 're trying to mess with the bills — it 's where technology , abuse and financial abuse intersect . ''
In short , enduring the many forms of abuse can feel like a never-ending ordeal .
But survivor-turned-advocate Kiesha Preston says she is now free .
Years of court battles finally stopped the financial abuse and cyberbullying from her ex-husband .
And she recently helped write a new state law in Virginia that bars landlords from turning away abuse victims who lack a good credit history .
That law was adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my credit , and I 'm looking into possibly becoming a homeowner again in the near future , '' Preston says .
`` I 'm changing state laws and I 'm advocating for other victims , and I just never would have thought that any of this would be possible when I was going through it . ''
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse , use a safe computer and contact help .
That can include a local shelter , or call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline @ @ @

Domestic Abuse Can Escalate In Pandemic And Continue Even If You Get Away
Enlarge this image toggle caption Roos Koole/Getty Images Roos Koole/Getty Images
During lockdown, Kiesha Preston has heard from many people facing physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse that the violence against them is escalating without reprieve.
Stress and isolation create combustible tensions. A lack of privacy subjects many victims to closer surveillance by their abuser, making it difficult to call crisis hotlines, for example. And Preston worries that high unemployment will make it harder to afford moving out — though she hopes that this won't stop anyone who is being abused from reaching out. There are resources available to help you, she says.
"Financial resources are a huge factor in being able to get away from your abuser, and right now we are in an economic crisis" in addition to being socially isolated, says Preston, an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse. "This honestly creates a situation where it's easier for abusers to utilize finances as a tool of abuse."
One consequence of COVID-19 is a projected global increase in domestic violence, including intimate partner violence. As many areas of the United States loosen quarantine restrictions, that's creating more opportunities for people to flee their abusers, but technology and a lack of money often make those escapes more complicated.
Preston speaks from experience.
After her husband moved out of their Roanoke, Va., home five years ago, she says technology and money became his primary weapons to continue the abuse. He attacked her on social media, posting up to 15 times a day, and monitored her comings and goings through the home security system.
"He was actually hiding in the bushes and overheard a phone conversation that I was having with a friend, didn't like what I said and came out and it became a physical altercation," she says.
He also drained their accounts, leaving Preston, who was a student at the time, with no money to feed their three children or to fix the broken oil heater. She and her kids had to huddle around space heaters and an open oven when it got cold. Preston eventually faced a lender's foreclosure on the home and struggled to find a new place to rent.
"For a good six months, almost daily, I was applying for housing and getting turned away," she says.
So advocacy groups are now trying to address the economic needs that arise when violence escalates in homes.
You're not alone
The Salvation Army in Dallas-Fort Worth now delivers food, for example, as a way of keeping in touch with people who signal they are being abused.
"We have one case manager that is slipping little notes into ... the bread bag, just to make sure that we're trying to keep mom safe" or help her leave if she wishes to, says Beckie Wach, the nonprofit's executive director.
Those ready to leave often cannot find places to go, she says. Shelters are open but often full, and the coronavirus pandemic complicates staying with relatives. So, many are sleeping in their cars in the parking lots behind Walmarts and schools, Wach says, adding, "We have street outreach teams that go out to those hot spots."
All around the U.S., there's demand for safe housing.
Peace Over Violence, an anti-sexual and domestic abuse group in Los Angeles, joined with other groups to establish a hotline to help relocate victims. "We placed 40 people in a week," says Patti Giggans, the advocacy group's CEO. She says she expects to see needs continue to spike.
But fleeing is just the beginning, says Giggans. Once victims are moved, she says, many are then tracked by perpetrators through their phones.
"It's not so much you're looking over your shoulder for someone anymore — it's with you. It's in your purse. It's in your pocket," she says.
Technology can, essentially, become a form of remote control. Some abusers hack into home systems like Nest to blast music through home sound systems or jack the thermostat to uninhabitable temperatures, says Erica Olsen, director of the Safety Net Project with the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
"That could be something the abuser is doing even when the victim's not home," Olsen says, "because they're trying to mess with the bills — it's where technology, abuse and financial abuse intersect."
In short, enduring the many forms of abuse can feel like a never-ending ordeal.
Building a new life
But survivor-turned-advocate Kiesha Preston says she is now free. Years of court battles finally stopped the financial abuse and cyberbullying from her ex-husband. And she recently helped write a new state law in Virginia that bars landlords from turning away abuse victims who lack a good credit history. That law was adopted in March.
"I'm repairing my credit, and I'm looking into possibly becoming a homeowner again in the near future," Preston says. "I'm changing state laws and I'm advocating for other victims, and I just never would have thought that any of this would be possible when I was going through it."
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, use a safe computer and contact help. That can include a local shelter, or call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.


npr--2020-06-01--Restaurant Owner Whose Business Burned Calls For Justice For George Floyd

Restaurant Owner Whose Business Burned Calls For Justice For George Floyd On the south side of Minneapolis over the weekend , Safia Munye and her family walk up to the door of what was Mama Safia 's Kitchen .
A volunteer from the neighborhood walks out onto Lake Street .
`` Is this your business ? ''
she asks .
`` I 'm sorry , '' the woman says .
It 's the first time they 've seen it since fiery protests erupted in cries for racial justice and state troopers in riot gear blocked the road to this street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kitchen reduced to rubble .
Glass and water are swimming in puddles as community members around them work to sweep away the destruction .
Safia looks around stunned .
Hers is one of hundreds of businesses damaged or destroyed in protests Thursday and Friday night .
`` Alhamdulillah , '' she repeats quietly .
Praise God .
`` Everyone is safe . ''
`` My heart is broken .
My mind is broken , '' she says .
`` I know I ca n't come back from this .
But this can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
George 's life was more important .
That man that got killed in the most inhumane way .
I hope he gets justice . ''
George Floyd is the African American man who died after a white police officer pinned his neck to the ground with his knee last Monday for several minutes .
Protests started in Minneapolis early last week and quickly spread across the country .
Floyd 's pleading words to the officer , `` I ca n't breathe , '' are now a rallying cry for people protesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in police custody .
Safia , a Somali immigrant , opened the restaurant in December 2018 with her retirement savings .
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic she closed the restaurant and had to choose between paying for insurance and paying staff .
So Safia chose her staff .
That means there were no funds to rebuild .
A GoFundMe page was set up to help the family .
This weekend she had planned to reopen as the city started easing stay-at-home orders .
She spent over $ 4,000 on groceries and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's not just me , '' she says .
`` It 's all of Lake Street , all of Minneapolis . ''
Her daughter Saida nods .
`` This is a city in pain , '' Saida says .
Across the street a row of restaurants — all locally owned , black and immigrant-owned — are all gone .
But the library is OK .
In the rubble , Saida finds the sign she made for her mother when the restaurant first opened .
Against the black ash the wood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mama Safia 's Kitchen .
Seasoned with Love . ''
`` Because she always cooks with love , '' Saida says .
She pulls a few more knickknacks that have n't burned .
`` Most of the artifacts here , I got them from Africa , '' she says .
`` This one is from Somalia . ''
She puts them into a tiny pile of what is salvageable .
Outside is a tower of all that is lost .
Her sister Bibi Abdullah walks in to help .
She finds prayer rugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent out for small wedding dinners and religious holidays .
`` We can still use these , '' she says .
`` We just have to wash them . ''
She searches for more things she can save .
`` The truth is things like this happen when people feel powerless .
Something has to change , '' Bibi says .
Her voice catches .
Her body seems to vibrate with a mix of anger and sadness .
She says she hopes that these demonstrations translate to voters at the polls come November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have people that do not care in positions of power and it should not be that way , '' Bibi says .
She and her sister start to clear the big debris together .
Then Saida leads her mother , Safia , to the kitchen in the back so they can assess the damage .
It 's a tunnel of charred walls , ash and debris .
Safia gets upset and pulls away , speaking to her daughter in Somali .
`` I 'm sorry , I 'm sorry , '' Saida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
`` She 's just saying , 'Why are you bringing me in here ?
I do n't want to see this , ' `` Saida says .
Saida gets quiet .
She stands in the kitchen alone for a moment , staring at the charred walls .
Then she joins her family outside where dozens of Minneapolis residents from across the city are working in groups to clear the rubble .
With everything unfolding , the pandemic has slipped many people 's minds .
`` I forgot .
Have you seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saida shakes her head .
`` 2020 , we hear you , we see you .
We went from one crisis to the next .
What 's next ? ''
Saida spends every night protesting , but also trying to protect other locally owned stores and restaurants .
At night she cries herself to sleep .
She understands the anger and desperation that are leading some to destroy buildings .
`` I 'm like emotionally torn , '' Saida says .
She does n't want destruction .
`` But at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are saying , 'Fix this . '
`` She says she hopes , from all of this pain , finally there will be change .

Restaurant Owner Whose Business Burned Calls For Justice For George Floyd
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
On the south side of Minneapolis over the weekend, Safia Munye and her family walk up to the door of what was Mama Safia's Kitchen.
A volunteer from the neighborhood walks out onto Lake Street.
"Is this your business?" she asks.
Safia and her daughter Saida Hassan nod silently.
"I'm sorry," the woman says.
It's the first time they've seen it since fiery protests erupted among cries for racial justice and as state troopers in riot gear blocked the road to this street.
The walls are charred black, the kitchen reduced to rubble. Glass and water are swimming in puddles as community members around them work to sweep away the destruction.
Safia looks around stunned. Hers is one of hundreds of businesses damaged or destroyed in protests on Thursday and Friday night.
"Alhamdulillah," she repeats quietly. Praise God. "Everyone is safe."
"My heart is broken. My mind is broken," she says. "I know I can't come back from this. But this can be replaced. George's life cannot. George's life was more important. That man that got killed in the most inhumane way. I hope he gets justice."
George Floyd is the African American man who died after a white police officer pinned his neck to the ground with his knee for several minutes last Monday. Protests started in Minneapolis early last week and quickly spread across the country. Floyd's pleading words to the officer, "I can't breathe," are now a rallying cry for people protesting the many black people who have died in police custody.
Safia, a Somali immigrant, opened the restaurant in December 2018 with her retirement savings. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she closed the restaurant and had to choose between paying for insurance and paying staff. So Safia chose her staff. That means there are no funds to rebuild. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family.
This weekend, she had planned to reopen as the city started easing stay-at-home orders. She spent over $4,000 on groceries and cleanup. Now that plan is gone.
"It's not just me," she says. "It's all of Lake Street, all of Minneapolis."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
Her daughter Saida nods. "This is a city in pain," Saida says.
Across the street a row of restaurants — all locally owned, black- and immigrant-owned — are all gone. But the library is OK.
In the rubble, Saida finds the sign she made for her mother when the restaurant first opened. Against the black ash the wood plaque is pristine. It reads "Mama Safia's Kitchen. Seasoned with Love."
"Because she always cooks with love," Saida says. She pulls a few more knickknacks that haven't burned.
"Most of the artifacts here, I got them from Africa," she says. "This one is from Somalia."
She puts them into a tiny pile of what is salvageable. Outside is a tower of all that is lost.
Her sister Bibi Abdullah walks in to help. She finds prayer rugs in the banquet room her mom would rent out for small wedding dinners and religious holidays.
"We can still use these," she says. "We just have to wash them."
She searches for more things she can save.
"The truth is things like this happen when people feel powerless. Something has to change," Bibi says. Her voice catches. Her body seems to vibrate with a mix of anger and sadness.
She says she hopes that these demonstrations translate to voters at the polls come November.
"It came to this because we have people that do not care in positions of power and it should not be that way," Bibi says.
She and her sister start to clear the big debris together.
Then Saida leads her mother, Safia, to the kitchen in the back so they can assess the damage. It's a tunnel of charred walls, ash and debris.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Urquhart for NPR Jim Urquhart for NPR
Safia gets upset and pulls away, speaking to her daughter in Somali.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Saida responds in English as her mother walks out.
"She's just saying, 'Why are you bringing me in here? I don't want to see this,' " Saida says.
Saida gets quiet. She stands in the kitchen alone for a moment, staring at the charred walls. Then she joins her family outside where dozens of Minneapolis residents from across the city are working in groups to clear the rubble.
With everything unfolding, the pandemic has slipped many people's minds.
"I forgot. Have you seen me shake hands with people?" Saida shakes her head. "2020, we hear you, we see you. We went from one crisis to the next. What's next?"
Saida spends every night protesting, but also trying to protect other locally owned stores and restaurants.
At night, she cries herself to sleep. She understands the anger and desperation that are leading some to destroy buildings.
"I'm like emotionally torn," Saida says. She doesn't want destruction. "But at the same time, people are crying for help. People are saying, 'Fix this.' "
She says she hopes, from all of this pain, finally there will be change.


npr--2020-06-01--Trump Seems Likely To Use Law And Order As A Wedge Issue After George Floyd's Killing

Trump Seems Likely To Use Law And Order As A Wedge Issue After George Floyd 's Killing Through days of unrest , dozens of American cities — from Minneapolis to Atlanta , from New York to Grand Rapids , Mich. — have been wracked by violent protests .
Racial wounds have been ripped open following the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man in police custody in Minneapolis .
The chaotic demonstrations and looting across the country have been blamed on outsiders of various political stripes , particularly `` radical-left '' groups like Antifa , which is short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country is at an especially explosive moment , coming in the midst of a pandemic that 's already killed more than 100,000 and an economic crisis with more than 40 million Americans unemployed — and in an election year no less .
There 's no telling how this plays out politically in November , with the election now five months away .
Anything can happen .
Five months ago , after all , the coronavirus was just a `` pneumonia of unknown cause . ''
President Trump called Floyd 's death a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have happened . ''
Those remarks were made at the first launching of American astronauts into space from U.S. soil in almost a decade — what was one of the hopeful bright spots in this country , though it was overshadowed by the violent demonstrations .
But once Trump was back on his favorite platform , Twitter , he again inflamed tensions , with machismo and politics at the forefront .
He criticized local Democratic officials , saying Minneapolis 's mayor , for example , was no `` General Douglas McArthur [ sic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
He 's called demonstrators `` THUGS '' and warned that `` when the looting starts , the shooting starts '' — though he later claimed he did n't use that phrase as a threat .
And he 's employed violent , tough-guy imagery , alluding to the potential use of `` unlimited '' military power , `` vicious dogs , and most ominous weapons . ''
Even some Republicans criticized the president 's language .
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina , the only black Republican in the Senate , called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' on Fox News Sunday .
And Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan told CNN that Trump is `` continuing to escalate the temperature , '' which is the `` opposite '' of what a leader should be doing right now .
Meanwhile , Trump 's national security adviser , Robert O'Brien , on Sunday waded into a crucial debate — whether there 's `` systemic racism '' in police forces or whether there are just a few `` bad apples . ''
`` I do n't think there 's systemic racism '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` but , you know what , there are some bad apples in there .
...
There 's no doubt there are some racist police , '' but he said they 're the minority .
Americans are divided on their views of police .
Back in mid-2017 , Gallup found that 54 % of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the police .
But there were very different views by race .
While 61 % of whites had that level of confidence in police , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of blacks did .
Confidence in police nosedived among minorities and liberals after the rash of high-profile incidents of black men killed at the hands of police in 2014 and 2015 , from Michael Brown in Ferguson , Mo.
, to Eric Garner in New York and Freddy Gray in Baltimore .
Views of the police and law enforcement have become a sharp dividing line by race and party .
In 2016 , Trump declared himself the `` law and order candidate . ''
Expect him to try and exploit that again as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win over moderate whites upset by the video of Floyd 's death , but disapproving of the violent demonstrations .
He said as much Sunday .
He called for `` Law & Order in Philadelphia , NOW ! ''
and announced that the United States would be designating Antifa a terrorist organization .
Expect Biden and other Democrats now to have to answer if they agree or disagree with the Antifa designation .
Of course , it 's also possible that Trump went too far already , something some advisers are privately concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt him with independents and suburban women .
1 .
Trump 's response to unrest : How Trump responds this week to the violent demonstrations and race relations in America could be consequential .
Will it be Teleprompter Trump or Twitter Trump , or both at the same time once again ?
Florida Rep. Val Demings , who 's on the short list to be Joe Biden 's presidential running mate , said on NBC 's Meet the Press Sunday : `` If there ever was a time we need leadership in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help heal our nation , but I do n't know why I would expect this president to do something that he has never done before . ''
2 .
The great American coronavirus experiment : It 's the first day of June , and with it many states are making continued steps into phased reopenings .
April and May saw more than 100,000 Americans die from the coronavirus .
Some health experts have warned that a resurgence in cases could take place if Americans do n't adhere to strict social distancing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The White House has also said that cases could go down in the warmer , summer months .
Does that happen ?
And if so , do Americans get too comfortable and lapse into a false sense of security — only to see a spike in the fall ?
None of it 's clear , but the U.S. is heading into a period of pandemic experimentation with no vaccine or cure for the coronavirus as yet .
3 .
Could Steve King lose ?
Steny Hoyer faces challenge : It 's hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
Two of the marquee races deal with well-known — and very different — political figures .
Controversial Rep. Steve King , with a history of making racist remarks , is in a fight for his political life with state Sen. Randy Feenstra in Iowa 's Republican primary .
Conservative groups have lined up against King , but he ca n't be counted out .
This district has a long history of voting for him , despite his pariah status within the party .
In Maryland , Steny Hoyer , No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is facing a primary challenge from the left in 29-year-old McKayla Wilkes , inspired by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 's unlikely win in New York over Joe Crowley , a former congressional Democratic leader .
Iowa , Maryland and several other states , plus Washington , D.C. , hold primaries Tuesday .
4 .
Biden to get closer to officially clinching nomination : Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , is on the ballot Tuesday , too .
Remember , he still has n't acquired the delegates needed to officially put him over the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates short of doing that .
With 500 at stake Tuesday , Biden needs 85 % of them Tuesday clinch .
That 's unlikely , so look at next week , June 9 , when Georgia and West Virginia vote — with their 133 delegates up for grabs — for Biden to hit the magic number of 1,991 .
( Follow all the math here with the NPR delegate tracker . )
5 .
Origins of Trump campaign investigation to be probed : In Congress , former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is looking into the origins of the FBI 's investigation into members of the 2016 Trump campaign .
The Senate is also expected to vote on nominations , including for the Treasury Department 's inspector general for the pandemic response .
And action is possible on changes to the Paycheck Protection Program , or PPP .
Last week , the House , nearly unanimously , passed a bill that reduces the percentage of the loans that businesses have to use toward payroll , and gives businesses more time to spend the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon , you just seen them thrown in , rough .
I said , 'Please do n't be too nice . '
When you guys put somebody in the car and you 're protecting their head you know , the way you put their hand over [ their head ] .
Like , 'Do n't hit their head , and they 've just killed somebody , do n't hit their head . '
I said , 'You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' `` — Trump , on July 28 , 2017 , speaking to law enforcement officers in Long Island , N.Y .

Trump Seems Likely To Use Law And Order As A Wedge Issue After George Floyd's Killing
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Locher/AP John Locher/AP
Through days of unrest, dozens of American cities — from Minneapolis to Atlanta, from New York to Grand Rapids, Mich. — have been wracked by violent protests.
Racial wounds have been ripped open following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in police custody in Minneapolis. The chaotic demonstrations and looting across the country have been blamed on outsiders of various political stripes, particularly "radical-left" groups like antifa, which is short for "anti-fascist."
But the country is at an especially explosive moment, coming in the midst of a pandemic that has already killed more than 100,000 and an economic crisis with more than 40 million Americans unemployed — and in an election year no less.
There's no telling how this plays out politically in November, with the election now five months away. Anything can happen. Five months ago, after all, the coronavirus was just a "pneumonia of unknown cause."
President Trump called Floyd's death a "grave tragedy" that "should never have happened." Those remarks were made at the first launching of American astronauts into space from U.S. soil in almost a decade — what was one of the hopeful bright spots in this country, though it was overshadowed by the violent demonstrations.
But once Trump was back on his favorite platform, Twitter, he again inflamed tensions, with machismo and politics at the forefront. He criticized local Democratic officials, saying Minneapolis's mayor, for example, was no "General Douglas McArthur [sic] or great fighter General George Patton."
He has called demonstrators "THUGS" and warned that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" — though he later said he didn't use that phrase as a threat. And he has employed violent, tough-guy imagery, alluding to the potential use of "unlimited" military power, "vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons."
Even some Republicans criticized the president's language.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the Senate, called the president's tweets "not constructive" on Fox News Sunday. And Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan told CNN that Trump is "continuing to escalate the temperature," which is the "opposite" of what a leader should be doing right now.
Meanwhile, Trump's national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, on Sunday waded into a crucial debate — whether there's "systemic racism" in police forces or whether there are just a few "bad apples."
"I don't think there's systemic racism" in law enforcement, O'Brien said on CNN, "but, you know what, there are some bad apples in there. ... There's no doubt there are some racist police" but, he said, they're the minority.
Americans are divided on their views of police. Back in mid-2017, Gallup found that 54% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the police. But there were very different views by race. While 61% of whites had that level of confidence in police, just 45% of Hispanics and 30% of blacks did.
Confidence in police nosedived among minorities and liberals after the rash of high-profile incidents of black men killed at the hands of police in 2014 and 2015, such as Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Eric Garner in New York and Freddie Gray in Baltimore.
Views of the police and law enforcement have become a sharp dividing line by race and party. In 2016, Trump declared himself the "law and order candidate." Expect him to try to exploit that again as a wedge issue in an effort to win over moderate whites upset by the video of Floyd's death but disapproving of the violent demonstrations.
He said as much Sunday. He called for "Law & Order in Philadelphia, NOW!" and announced that the United States would be designating antifa a terrorist organization.
Expect presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and other Democrats now to have to answer if they agree or disagree with the antifa designation.
Of course, it's also possible that Trump went too far already, something some advisers are privately concerned about, and that his rhetoric could hurt him with independents and suburban women.
5 things to watch this week
1. Trump's response to unrest: How Trump responds this week to the violent demonstrations and race relations in America could be consequential. Will it be Teleprompter Trump or Twitter Trump, or both at the same time once again?
Florida Rep. Val Demings, who's on the shortlist to be Joe Biden's presidential running mate, said on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday: "If there ever was a time we need leadership in the White House, it is now, to help heal our nation, but I don't know why I would expect this president to do something that he has never done before."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Drew Angerer/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
2. The great American coronavirus experiment: It's the first day of June, and with it, many states are making continued steps into phased reopenings.
April and May saw more than 100,000 people die in the U.S. from the coronavirus. Some health experts have warned that a resurgence in cases could take place if Americans don't adhere to strict social distancing, or take other precautions like wear masks.
The White House has also said that cases could go down in the warmer summer months. Does that happen? And if so, do Americans get too comfortable and lapse into a false sense of security — only to see a spike in the fall? None of it's clear, but the U.S. is heading into a period of pandemic experimentation with no vaccine or cure for the coronavirus as yet.
3. Could Steve King lose? Steny Hoyer faces challenge: It's hard to believe, but there are elections on Tuesday.
Two of the marquee races deal with well-known — and very different — political figures. Controversial Rep. Steve King, with a history of making racist remarks, is in a fight for his political life with state Sen. Randy Feenstra in Iowa's Republican primary. Conservative groups have lined up against King, but he can't be counted out. This district has a long history of voting for him, despite his pariah status within the party.
In Maryland, Steny Hoyer, No. 2 in House Democratic leadership, is facing a primary challenge from the left in 29-year-old McKayla Wilkes, inspired by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's unlikely win in New York over Joe Crowley, a former congressional Democratic leader.
Iowa, Maryland and several other states, plus Washington, D.C., hold primaries Tuesday.
4. Biden to get closer to officially clinching nomination: Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is on the ballot Tuesday, too.
Remember, he still hasn't acquired the delegates needed to officially put him over the top for the nomination. He is 425 delegates short of doing that. With 500 at stake Tuesday, Biden needs 85% of them Tuesday to clinch.
That's unlikely, so look at next week, June 9, when Georgia and West Virginia vote — with their 133 delegates up for grabs — for Biden to hit the magic number of 1,991. (Follow all the math here with the NPR delegate tracker.)
5. Origins of Trump campaign investigation to be probed: In Congress, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will testify Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is looking into the origins of the FBI's investigation into members of the 2016 Trump campaign.
The Senate is also expected to vote on nominations, including for the Treasury Department's inspector general for the pandemic response.
And action is possible on changes to the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP. Last week, the House, nearly unanimously, passed a bill that reduces the percentage of the loans that businesses have to use toward payroll and gives businesses more time to spend the money and to pay the loans back.
Flashback quotation:
"When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just seen them thrown in, rough. I said, 'Please don't be too nice.' When you guys put somebody in the car and you're protecting their head you know, the way you put their hand over [their head]. Like, 'Don't hit their head, and they've just killed somebody, don't hit their head.' I said, 'You can take the hand away, OK?' "
— Trump, on July 28, 2017, speaking to law enforcement officers in Long Island, N.Y.


npr--2020-06-01--2 Tribal Casinos In Connecticut Roll The Dice And Reopen

2 Tribal Casinos In Connecticut Roll The Dice And Reopen Tribal casinos in Connecticut reopening on Monday in defiance of state leadership .
They are the latest to make that decision .
Two weeks ago , Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine , Calif. , was part of a wave of tribal gaming facilities to resume operations in that state even after Gov .
Gavin Newsom wrote a letter trying to dissuade them .
Now , Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun are touting `` limited '' re-openings despite Connecticut Gov .
Ned Lamont saying he thinks it 's too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think the idea of opening up on June 1 is early , '' Lamont said .
`` It 's earlier than Las Vegas , it 's earlier than any of our regional casinos want to do .
I 'd like to have more time . ''
Officials at Foxwoods were confident ahead of the June 1 reopening , particularly because the tribe 's safety plan calls for 25 % occupancy across the casino 's more than 9 million square feet .
`` We feel like we 've put forward a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rodney Butler , chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot tribal nation , the tribe that runs Foxwoods .
`` Do n't go with the perception of what casinos were .
Let 's focus on what we 're doing , and you have to come and see it . ''
Foxwoods patrons will have their temperatures checked at the door and will be required to wear masks .
Ten miles west of Foxwoods , Mohegan Sun is instituting similar safety guidelines .
Also , players at table games will be separated by plexiglass .
Dice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Connecticut gaming facilities are the first to reopen in a part of the country hit hard by the coronavirus .
More than 3,800 state residents have died from COVID-19 .
In addition to the Connecticut and California reopenings , the Detroit Free Press reports that several tribal casinos in Michigan are following suit .

2 Tribal Casinos In Connecticut Roll The Dice And Reopen
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mary Altaffer/AP Mary Altaffer/AP
Tribal casinos in Connecticut reopening on Monday in defiance of state leadership. They are the latest to make that decision.
Two weeks ago, Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine, Calif., was part of a wave of tribal gaming facilities to resume operations in that state even after Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote a letter trying to dissuade them.
Now, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun are touting "limited" re-openings despite Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont saying he thinks it's too early for them to do so.
"I think the idea of opening up on June 1 is early," Lamont said. "It's earlier than Las Vegas, it's earlier than any of our regional casinos want to do. I'd like to have more time."
Officials at Foxwoods were confident ahead of the June 1 reopening, particularly because the tribe's safety plan calls for 25% occupancy across the casino's more than 9 million square feet.
"We feel like we've put forward a plan to mitigate the risk," said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot tribal nation, the tribe that runs Foxwoods. "Don't go with the perception of what casinos were. Let's focus on what we're doing, and you have to come and see it."
Foxwoods patrons will have their temperatures checked at the door and will be required to wear masks. Ten miles west of Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun is instituting similar safety guidelines. Also, players at table games will be separated by plexiglass. Dice will reportedly be disinfected after each roll.
The Connecticut gaming facilities are the first to reopen in a part of the country hit hard by the coronavirus. More than 3,800 state residents have died from COVID-19. In addition to the Connecticut and California reopenings, the Detroit Free Press reports that several tribal casinos in Michigan are following suit.


npr--2020-06-01--Who Dares To Rent A Dress Now? Coronavirus Upends The Sharing Economy

Who Dares To Rent A Dress Now ?
Coronavirus Upends The Sharing Economy Kim Timko used to rely on Rent The Runway for dresses for weddings and parties , outfits for date nights , and professional clothes for her job as a lawyer in New York .
She says the clothing-rental service is `` a nice way to have expensive clothes without having to buy . ''
But weddings have been postponed , parties canceled , and Timko is working from home during the coronavirus pandemic .
Like many others , she has put her Rent The Runway subscription on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She says renting expensive clothes just is n't worth the money right now — or the risk of getting the virus , as unlikely as that may be .
`` Any packages I get , I wipe them down , '' Timko said .
`` You ca n't really do that with a dress .
A $ 600 dress or something — you ca n't , like , Lysol it . ''
Rent The Runway CEO Jennifer Hyman said in a statement : `` While there is no evidence to suggest that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all our garments , accessories , hangers , and reusable packaging are meticulously cleaned and steamed each time they are returned to us , and then sealed in plastic to protect them from any elements— including human touch—that they may encounter in transit to the next customer . ''
Still , the company has taken a big financial hit from the pandemic .
It has laid off and furloughed employees , and temporarily closed its retail stores .
Like Uber and Airbnb , Rent the Runway was founded in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of private capital , these companies tapped the power of smartphone apps to make it easy for strangers to share their cars , homes and even clothing .
Along the way , they upended the traditional taxi , hotel and retail industries .
Now , the pandemic may upend them .
As another recession looms — this one paired with a health crisis — these businesses ' survival depends on convincing customers that it is safe to share , at a time when health authorities are warning everyone to keep their distance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks Rent the Runway is not the only company emphasizing its cleanliness and safety rules to reassure customers .
Airbnb has created new cleaning protocols for hosts , including training on how to disinfect a home in partnership with former U.S .
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy .
Uber and Lyft now require drivers and passengers to wear masks .
They are also giving cleaning supplies to drivers .
Uber is even using facial scanning technology to ensure drivers are complying .
These measures are meant to address the immediate concerns of stopping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built around sharing also are being forced to adapt to a reality where customers are far more cautious about anything that brings them in proximity with other people — and , potentially , the virus .
Some companies are seeking new ways to win over people 's trust .
International travel is pretty much off the table right now .
So is renting a shared room or apartment .
The short-term rental platform Airbnb expects its sales this year to be , at best , half of what they were last year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ workforce as it tries to squeeze costs .
But Airbnb says people have started to plan trips again .
As evidence of a rebound , it said the number of future stays booked by people in North America was down just 20 per cent on May 19 from the same date a year ago .
Notably , though , the company has not said how much bookings plummeted at the lowest point of the pandemic .
In a reflection of the ongoing threat of the coronavirus , about half of recent bookings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people live .
In other words , they are choosing destinations they can drive to .
Murry Evans got tired of being cooped up in his Atlanta apartment .
`` I 'm sitting in my condo here in Atlanta , just on Zoom all day long , '' he said .
He has used Airbnb for a couple of weekend getaways to the North Georgia mountains .
`` It 's just been to get out of the house and get into the outdoors where I can go hiking , '' he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mountains feels like less of a risk than going to movie theaters , which have recently reopened in Georgia .
He brings along disinfectant wipes to clean frequently touched surfaces , like doorknobs and refrigerator handles .
`` My sense is if I take the proper precautions , it 's going to be just like I 'd take the precautions when I 'm in my own home , '' he said .
For some sharing companies , the pandemic may even create opportunities for more business .
The app Turo lets users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jordan is now using it to commute from her Washington , D.C. home to her job at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda , Maryland — a trip that she took by bus before the pandemic .
Jordan said she does not feel comfortable on public transportation right now .
`` A lot of people would get on the bus and not wear a mask .
And I just felt like Metro was n't really taking the proper precautions , '' she said .
`` I felt more exposed . ''
She considered taking Uber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` because I 'm still in close proximity with someone else , '' she said .
Now she wears a mask when picking up her car and , like Evans , carries wipes to clean the steering wheel and door handles .
In early April , Turo 's bookings had dropped 75 percent from a year ago — similar to the ridership drops Uber and Lyft reported at the height of the pandemic .
But Turo says demand is now starting to come back , with bookings over Memorial Day weekend down 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also seeing more rides during rush hour in cities that are lifting stay-at-home orders , according to Andrew Macdonald , head of its global rides business .
At Turo , the rebound is being driven by local trips , thanks to commuters like Jordan and others who just want to get out of the house .
People want to take `` leisurely drives , '' said Andrew Mok , Turo 's chief marketing officer .
`` They book a car , they drive up Pacific Coast Highway or they drive down to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive back home . ''
The economic toll of the pandemic could also encourage more people to start renting their cars on Turo , Mok said .
`` In a recession , folks are going to be looking even harder to make ends meet , '' he said .
`` If they can share their cars for a few days a week or a few days a month to offset all or most of their vehicle expenses , they 're going to really consider doing that .
We think that 's going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Turo . ''
Jordan may be one of those people .
`` I do n't really see myself getting on any public transportation for a while , maybe a year or two , '' she said .
She is thinking about buying a car — and renting it out on Turo .

Who Dares To Rent A Dress Now? Coronavirus Upends The Sharing Economy
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Rent the Runway Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Rent the Runway
Updated on June 9 at 2:40p.m. ET
Kim Timko used to rely on Rent the Runway for dresses for weddings and parties, outfits for date nights, and professional clothes for her job as a lawyer in New York. She said the clothing-rental service is "a nice way to have expensive clothes without having to buy."
But weddings have been postponed, parties canceled, and Timko is working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Like many others, she has put her Rent the Runway subscription on hold. She may even cancel it.
She said renting expensive clothes just isn't worth the money right now — or the risk of getting the virus — as unlikely as that may be.
"Any packages I get, I wipe them down," Timko said. "You can't really do that with a dress. A $600 dress or something — you can't, like, Lysol it."
Rent the Runway CEO Jennifer Hyman said in a statement: "While there is no evidence to suggest that [COVID-19] is spread via surfaces like fabric, all our garments, accessories, hangers, and reusable packaging are meticulously cleaned and steamed each time they are returned to us, and then sealed in plastic to protect them from any elements— including human touch—that they may encounter in transit to the next customer."
Still, the company has taken a big financial hit from the pandemic. It has laid off and furloughed employees, and temporarily closed its retail stores.
Like Uber and Airbnb, Rent the Runway was founded in the wake of the Great Recession. Fueled by mountains of private capital, these companies tapped the power of smartphone apps to make it easy for strangers to share their cars, homes and even clothing. Along the way, they upended the traditional taxi, hotel and retail industries.
Now the pandemic may upend them. As another recession looms — this one paired with a health crisis — these businesses' survival depends on convincing customers it is safe to share at a time when health authorities are warning everyone to keep their distance.
The new safety regime: disinfectants and masks
Rent the Runway is not the only company emphasizing its cleanliness and safety rules to reassure customers.
Airbnb has created new cleaning protocols for hosts, including training on how to disinfect a home in partnership with former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
Uber and Lyft now require drivers and passengers to wear masks. They are also giving cleaning supplies to drivers. Uber is even using facial scanning technology to ensure drivers are complying.
These measures are meant to address the immediate concerns of stopping the spread of the virus. But businesses built around sharing also are being forced to adapt to a reality where customers are far more cautious about anything that brings them in proximity with other people — and, potentially, the virus. Some companies are seeking new ways to win over people's trust.
As lockdowns lift, Airbnb sees a rise in weekend getaways
International travel is pretty much off the table right now. So is renting a shared room or apartment. The short-term rental platform Airbnb expects its sales this year to be, at best, half of what they were last year. It has cut 25% of its workforce as it tries to squeeze costs.
But Airbnb said people have started to plan trips again. More people booked stays in the U.S. between May 17 and June 3 than during the same stretch last year, the company said. Notably, though, Airbnb has not said how much bookings plummeted at the lowest point of the pandemic.
In a reflection of the ongoing threat of the coronavirus, about half of recent bookings are for rentals within 200 miles of where people live. In other words, they are choosing destinations to where they can drive.
Murry Evans got tired of being cooped up in his Atlanta apartment.
"I'm sitting in my condo here in Atlanta, just on Zoom all day long," he said. He has used Airbnb for a couple of weekend getaways to the North Georgia mountains.
"It's just been to get out of the house and get into the outdoors where I can go hiking," he added.
He said staying at an Airbnb in the mountains feels like less of a risk than going to movie theaters, which have recently reopened in Georgia. He brings along disinfectant wipes to clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs and refrigerator handles.
"My sense is if I take the proper precautions, it's going to be just like I'd take the precautions when I'm in my own home," he said.
Trading a crowded bus for car-sharing app Turo
For some sharing companies, the pandemic may even create opportunities for more business.
The app Turo lets users rent other people's cars. Alexis Jordan is using it to commute from her Washington, D.C., home to her job at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland — a trip that she took by bus before the pandemic.
Jordan said she does not feel comfortable on public transportation right now.
"A lot of people would get on the bus and not wear a mask. And I just felt like Metro wasn't really taking the proper precautions," she said. "I felt more exposed."
She considered taking Uber or a taxi but was reluctant "because I'm still in close proximity with someone else," she said.
Now she wears a mask when picking up her car and, like Evans, carries wipes to clean the steering wheel and door handles.
In early April, Turo's bookings had dropped 75% from a year ago — similar to the ridership drops Uber and Lyft reported at the height of the pandemic. But Turo said demand is starting to come back, with bookings over Memorial Day weekend down 11% from a year ago. Uber is also seeing more rides during rush hour in cities that are lifting stay-at-home orders, according to Andrew Macdonald, head of its global rides business.
At Turo, the rebound is being driven by local trips, thanks to commuters such as Jordan and others who just want to get out of the house.
People want to take "leisurely drives," said Andrew Mok, Turo's chief marketing officer. "They book a car, they drive up Pacific Coast Highway or they drive down to Santa Cruz from San Francisco and they drive back home."
The economic toll of the pandemic could also encourage more people to start renting their cars on Turo, Mok said.
"In a recession, folks are going to be looking even harder to make ends meet," he said. "If they can share their cars for a few days a week or a few days a month to offset all or most of their vehicle expenses, they're going to really consider doing that. We think that's going to be a huge tail wind for car-sharing on Turo."
Jordan may be one of those people. "I don't really see myself getting on any public transportation for a while, maybe a year or two," she said.
She said she is thinking about buying a car — and renting it out on Turo.


npr--2020-06-01--Need A Witness For Your Mail-In Ballot? New Pandemic Lawsuits Challenge Old Rules

Need A Witness For Your Mail-In Ballot ?
New Pandemic Lawsuits Challenge Old Rules With the widespread expansion of vote-by-mail this year in response to the pandemic , both major political parties and their allies are waging an intense legal battle to shape the rules around absentee and mail-in voting .
The details matter a lot and could affect the outcome in November .
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed so far , with Democrats seeking to remove mail-in voting restrictions that they say are burdensome and unconstitutional , and Republicans trying to preserve laws they say protect against voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witness and signature requirements for absentee ballots — such as signing the envelope , or getting a witness or notary to sign it or making sure the voter 's signature is legible .
Such requirements — which differ from state to state — can make all the difference in whether a ballot is counted or tossed aside .
`` If I do n't sign my part of this , then they will throw your ballot out , '' Brenda Williams , a voting rights activist in Sumter County , South Carolina explained to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary .
`` It would not be counted at all , ever . ''
South Carolina is among a dozen states that usually require absentee voters to get a witness or notary to sign their ballots .
Last week , a federal judge ruled that the South Carolina requirement could put voters ' health at risk and suspended it for the June primary .
`` We know that these signature requirements have already affected thousands of voters during the pandemic and our concern is that they 'll affect thousands or even tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Dale Ho , director of the ACLU 's Voting Rights Project , who worked on this case and similar ones in Missouri and Virginia .
For example , Wisconsin rejected more than 14,000 absentee ballots cast in its April 7 primary because they lacked witness signatures .
Ho said the requirements also do n't seem to serve much purpose .
`` They 're not relied on by the state in any way to try to verify the authenticity of someone 's vote , '' Ho said of the South Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hoop that they force people to jump through . ''
Even South Carolina election officials have admitted that the witness requirement is more of a burden than a help .
`` That witness signature does n't do a lot for us , and it does a lot of harm to voters , '' state election commission spokesman Chris Whitmire told NPR earlier this year .
Republicans say the requirements are needed to guard against voter fraud , especially because absentee voting is more susceptible to abuse .
President Trump has repeatedly complained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is riddled with fraud and `` bad '' for Republicans .
`` In this time of uncertainty , we need to have faith in our election process , '' Ronna McDaniel , chairwoman of the Republican National Committee , told reporters in a recent call .
McDaniel accused Democrats of using the pandemic as an excuse to loosen laws intended to ensure that absentee ballots are valid .
`` We believe that many of the lawsuits that they have initiated would destroy the integrity of our election , '' she said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year to fight the Democrats ' legal challenges to the signature and other mail-in voting laws , including requirements in some states that ballots must be received — and not just postmarked — by Election Day and that third parties can not collect and deliver ballots .
The debate is playing out in courthouses and state legislatures around the country .
Democrats and their allies are challenging witness requirements in North Carolina , Minnesota , Alabama and elsewhere .
They also want states to give voters a chance to fix their own signatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tens of thousands of absentee ballots are routinely rejected because they lack a voter 's signature or the signature does not match the one on record .
In Oklahoma this month , voting rights groups successfully challenged a state law requiring that absentee ballots be notarized , only to have the state legislature reinstate the requirement a few days later .
`` The worse thing that you can do is fraudulently vote .
To me it 's akin to stolen valor and this is the way we prevent that from happening , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues shortly before the vote .
Democrats argued that the requirement would be especially harmful to low-income voters and others who might have a difficult time getting access to a notary , or providing the alternative photocopy of their ID , especially during a pandemic .
`` Ever since any American has gained the right to vote , there 's been an effort to restrict that right from another American , '' said Democratic member of the Oklahoma House , Monroe Nichols .
But the state 's Republicans prevailed and Democrats are back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fight over absentee voting rules is so intense because both sides think it could affect the outcome of the November elections .
Studies have shown that young , minority and new voters , who lean Democratic , tend to have their absentee ballots rejected more often than older , white voters who lean Republican .
Republicans are also concerned that loosening the rules will boost Democratic turnout .
President Trump admitted as much earlier this year , telling an interviewer that if some of the restrictions are eliminated , `` you 'd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country again . ''
Some of the absentee ballot rules should be repealed because they 're unnecessary , argues David Kimball , a political scientist at the University of Missouri in St. Louis .
He noted that Missouri requires absentee ballots to be notarized even though local election clerks check the voter 's signature to make sure the ballot is valid .
`` I think it certainly has the effect of discouraging absentee voting , so maybe that 's part of the goal too , '' he said of the notary requirement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in court .

Need A Witness For Your Mail-In Ballot? New Pandemic Lawsuits Challenge Old Rules
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images
With the widespread expansion of vote-by-mail this year in response to the pandemic, both major political parties and their allies are waging an intense legal battle to shape the rules around absentee and mail-in voting.
The details matter a lot and could affect the outcome in November.
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed so far, with Democrats seeking to remove mail-in voting restrictions that they say are burdensome and unconstitutional, and Republicans trying to preserve laws they say protect against voter fraud.
Among the main targets are witness and signature requirements for absentee ballots — such as signing the envelope, or getting a witness or notary to sign it, or making sure the voter's signature is legible. Such requirements — which differ from state to state — can make all the difference in whether a ballot is counted or tossed aside.
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"If I don't sign my part of this, then they will throw your ballot out," Brenda Williams, a voting rights activist in Sumter County, S.C., explained to one voter she helped in the March primary. "It would not be counted at all, ever."
South Carolina is among a dozen states that usually require absentee voters to get a witness or notary to sign their ballots. Last week, a federal judge ruled that the South Carolina requirement could put voters' health at risk and suspended it for the June primary.
"We know that these signature requirements have already affected thousands of voters during the pandemic and our concern is that they'll affect thousands or even tens of thousands more as the election cycle continues," said Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, who worked on this case and similar ones in Missouri and Virginia.
For example, Wisconsin rejected more than 14,000 absentee ballots cast in its April 7 primary because they lacked witness signatures.
Ho said the requirements also don't seem to serve much purpose. "They're not relied on by the state in any way to try to verify the authenticity of someone's vote," Ho said of the South Carolina rules. "It just seems like a hoop that they force people to jump through."
Even South Carolina election officials have admitted that the witness requirement is more of a burden than a help. "That witness signature doesn't do a lot for us, and it does a lot of harm to voters," state election commission spokesman Chris Whitmire told NPR earlier this year.
Republicans say the requirements are needed to guard against voter fraud, especially because absentee voting is more susceptible to abuse. President Trump has repeatedly complained, without evidence, that mail-in voting is riddled with fraud and "bad" for Republicans.
"In this time of uncertainty, we need to have faith in our election process," Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, told reporters in a recent call.
McDaniel accused Democrats of using the pandemic as an excuse to loosen laws intended to ensure that absentee ballots are valid.
"We believe that many of the lawsuits that they have initiated would destroy the integrity of our election," she said.
The RNC has committed $20 million this year to fight the Democrats' legal challenges to the signature and other mail-in voting laws, including requirements in some states that ballots must be received — and not just postmarked — by Election Day and that third parties cannot collect and deliver ballots.
The debate is playing out in courthouses and state legislatures around the country. Democrats and their allies are challenging witness requirements in North Carolina, Minnesota, Alabama and elsewhere. They also want states to give voters a chance to fix their own signatures, if there are any problems. Tens of thousands of absentee ballots are routinely rejected because they lack a voter's signature or the signature does not match the one on record.
In Oklahoma this month, voting rights groups successfully challenged a state law requiring that absentee ballots be notarized, only to have the state legislature reinstate the requirement a few days later.
"The worse thing that you can do is fraudulently vote. To me it's akin to stolen valor and this is the way we prevent that from happening," Oklahoma Republican Chris Kannady told his House colleagues shortly before the vote.
Democrats argued that the requirement would be especially harmful to low-income voters and others who might have a difficult time getting access to a notary, or providing the alternative photocopy of their ID, especially during a pandemic.
"Ever since any American has gained the right to vote, there's been an effort to restrict that right from another American," said a Democratic member of the Oklahoma House, Monroe Nichols. But the state's Republicans prevailed and Democrats are back in court challenging the new law.
The fight over absentee voting rules is so intense because both sides think it could affect the outcome of the November elections. Studies have shown that young, minority and new voters, who lean Democratic, tend to have their absentee ballots rejected more often than older, white voters who lean Republican.
Republicans are also concerned that loosening the rules will boost Democratic turnout. Trump admitted as much earlier this year, telling an interviewer that if some of the restrictions are eliminated, "you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again."
Some of the absentee ballot rules should be repealed because they're unnecessary, argues David Kimball, a political scientist at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. He noted that Missouri requires absentee ballots to be notarized even though local election clerks check the voter's signature to make sure the ballot is valid.
"I think it certainly has the effect of discouraging absentee voting, so maybe that's part of the goal too," he said of the notary requirement. It, too, is being challenged in court.