npr--2020-08-11--Ballot Drop Boxes Become Latest Front In Voting Legal Fights

Many voters are worried about casting their ballots in person this November because of the pandemic .
They 're also concerned that their mail-in ballots could be misplaced or delayed .
One voting option that 's gaining popularity — and also attracting controversy — is the use of drop boxes , where voters can deposit their absentee ballots to be collected later by election officials .
Elizabeth Dandridge was one of a steady stream of voters in Detroit last week who placed their ballots in one such box — a red , white and blue metal container on the sidewalk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
`` I wanted to be sure that it was collected , '' Dandridge said of her ballot .
`` Sometimes the mail 's delayed .
I 'm waiting on packages where people have sent me over two weeks ago , and they have n't come . ''
Michigan had hundreds of drop boxes available for its primary after more than 1 million voters decided to cast absentee ballots rather than go to the polls .
But those ballots needed to be received by 8 p.m. on election day , and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't want to rely on the post office .
So far this year , tens of thousands of primary ballots have been rejected around the country because they arrived too late .
It 's a growing concern as the nation prepares for an unprecedented flood of absentee and mail-in voting in November amid funding cuts at the U.S .
Postal Service and election offices struggling to meet demands .
Connecticut is using about 200 drop boxes for the first time in its primary Tuesday .
Secretary of State Denise Merrill admitted the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requests for mail-in ballots .
She said election offices were still trying to fill those requests a week before the election , leaving little time for voters to fill them in and send them back in the mail .
`` There 's a lot of confusion just at the moment about when the ballots got mailed , to whom , when they 're going to arrive , '' Merrill said .
`` It 's going to be very tight , and ballot boxes play an increasingly important role in all this because , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , three , four , maybe five days from when you mail a ballot . ''
But the boxes have also been controversial .
A couple of Connecticut towns complained that having them outside and available to voters around the clock is n't safe , even though many are protected with security cameras .
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett also told the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration recently that his state does n't allow drop boxes for fear voters might be pressured to vote a certain way .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot , they can say , 'Hey I 'll be glad to take that for you and drop that off for you . '
They can ask to watch you fill that ballot out or they can not turn it in at all for you , '' Hargett said .
`` We believe it 's a great security measure to have someone returning their own ballot by the United States Postal Service . ''
The Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign have even gone to court to try to block Pennsylvania from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could increase the chances for fraud .
Drop box supporters dismiss such concerns as completely unfounded .
They note that drop boxes have been used in some states — such as Washington and Oregon — for years without problems .
Kristen Clarke , president and executive director of the Lawyers ' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , told the Senate committee that drop boxes are an important and convenient option for voters — especially this year .
`` They complement the limited postal [ services ] that are available in communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this season , '' she said .
Access for whom is not clear .
Researchers have found that drop boxes can boost overall turnout , but there 's no evidence — at least so far — that one party benefits over the other .
In the last presidential election , about 16 % of voters nationwide used drop boxes , but they were concentrated in states such as Washington , Oregon and Colorado , where almost all voters cast absentee ballots .
With so many states expanding vote by mail this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people using drop boxes to be much larger .
Larry Olson of Laserfab Inc. , a company in Puyallup , Wash. , that makes boxes now used in 10 states , said demand is definitely on the rise .
`` I took a couple orders today , '' he said , adding that he has about 100 more boxes to produce before November .
Olson said he is confident that his company 's containers are more secure than the average mailbox , noting that the steel boxes are designed to be both water- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weighs about 600 pounds .
`` And they 're bolted to the ground , so it 's not really something anybody can move easily , '' he said .
Olson noted that an SUV plowed into one of Laserfab 's boxes last year in Lacey , Wash. , and both the box and contents survived .
Reporter Eli Newman of NPR member station WDET contributed to this report .

Ballot Drop Boxes Become Latest Front In Voting Legal Fights
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images
Many voters are worried about casting their ballots in person this November because of the pandemic. They're also concerned that their mail-in ballots could be misplaced or delayed.
One voting option that's gaining popularity — and also attracting controversy — is the use of drop boxes, where voters can deposit their absentee ballots to be collected later by election officials.
Elizabeth Dandridge was one of a steady stream of voters in Detroit last week who placed their ballots in one such box — a red, white and blue metal container on the sidewalk right outside the city's main election office.
"I wanted to be sure that it was collected," Dandridge said of her ballot. "Sometimes the mail's delayed. I'm waiting on packages where people have sent me over two weeks ago, and they haven't come."
Michigan had hundreds of drop boxes available for its primary after more than 1 million voters decided to cast absentee ballots rather than go to the polls.
But those ballots needed to be received by 8 p.m. on election day, and many voters, such as Dandridge, didn't want to rely on the post office. So far this year, tens of thousands of primary ballots have been rejected around the country because they arrived too late.
It's a growing concern as the nation prepares for an unprecedented flood of absentee and mail-in voting in November amid funding cuts at the U.S. Postal Service and election offices struggling to meet demands.
Connecticut is using about 200 drop boxes for the first time in its primary Tuesday. Secretary of State Denise Merrill admitted the state was somewhat overwhelmed by a surge in requests for mail-in ballots. She said election offices were still trying to fill those requests a week before the election, leaving little time for voters to fill them in and send them back in the mail.
"There's a lot of confusion just at the moment about when the ballots got mailed, to whom, when they're going to arrive," Merrill said. "It's going to be very tight, and ballot boxes play an increasingly important role in all this because, you know, you shave off two, three, four, maybe five days from when you mail a ballot."
But the boxes have also been controversial. A couple of Connecticut towns complained that having them outside and available to voters around the clock isn't safe, even though many are protected with security cameras.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett also told the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration recently that his state doesn't allow drop boxes for fear voters might be pressured to vote a certain way.
"If someone knows you've got an absentee ballot, they can say, 'Hey I'll be glad to take that for you and drop that off for you.' They can ask to watch you fill that ballot out or they cannot turn it in at all for you," Hargett said. "We believe it's a great security measure to have someone returning their own ballot by the United States Postal Service."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Laserfab Inc. Courtesy of Laserfab Inc.
The Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign have even gone to court to try to block Pennsylvania from using such boxes in November, arguing they could increase the chances for fraud.
Drop box supporters dismiss such concerns as completely unfounded. They note that drop boxes have been used in some states — such as Washington and Oregon — for years without problems.
Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told the Senate committee that drop boxes are an important and convenient option for voters — especially this year.
"They complement the limited postal [services] that are available in communities and are just critical to providing access this season," she said.
Access for whom is not clear. Researchers have found that drop boxes can boost overall turnout, but there's no evidence — at least so far — that one party benefits over the other.
In the last presidential election, about 16% of voters nationwide used drop boxes, but they were concentrated in states such as Washington, Oregon and Colorado, where almost all voters cast absentee ballots. With so many states expanding vote by mail this year, election experts expect the overall share of people using drop boxes to be much larger.
Larry Olson of Laserfab Inc., a company in Puyallup, Wash., that makes boxes now used in 10 states, said demand is definitely on the rise. "I took a couple orders today," he said, adding that he has about 100 more boxes to produce before November.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Thurston County, Wash., Auditor's Office Courtesy of Thurston County, Wash., Auditor's Office
Olson said he is confident that his company's containers are more secure than the average mailbox, noting that the steel boxes are designed to be both water- and tamper-proof. The most popular one weighs about 600 pounds.
"And they're bolted to the ground, so it's not really something anybody can move easily," he said.
Olson noted that an SUV plowed into one of Laserfab's boxes last year in Lacey, Wash., and both the box and contents survived.
Reporter Eli Newman of NPR member station WDET contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-11--'I Remember Him With That Smile': Beloved Phoenix Doctor Dies Of COVID-19 At 99

' I Remember Him With That Smile ' : Beloved Phoenix Doctor Dies Of COVID-19 At 99 In June , Marcel Lopez and his cousins set up a Zoom video call to say goodbye to their grandfather .
Retired physician , José Gabriel López-Plascencia — Dr. López for short — was near death at his home in Phoenix .
He was unable to speak , but he let his grandchildren know he was listening .
`` Every time we talked to him , he 'd kick his leg and move his arms to let us know he was hearing us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sang his favorite song `` Por Un Amor , '' he noticed over the video call that his grandfather started crying .
`` I would 've loved to have been there holding his hand , just to see him one last time . ''
A few hours later , Dr. López died from complications due to the coronavirus .
He had just turned 99 .
Dr. López is one of the more than 163,000 people who have died from COVID-19 in the United States , a disease that has hit the country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember him with that smile , '' says Blanca Fernández .
She 's in her quiet living room in Phoenix looking at a faded photo of a young Dr. López and his wife from their anniversary party .
`` They were always having fiestas and we were always there , singing and dancing , '' she says .
`` We were compadres . ''
Her photo is proof that Dr. López was a sharp dresser .
He 's wearing a black tuxedo with ruffles and a big bow tie .
For Fernández , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time he saved her husband 's life .
On a hot Arizona day in 1974 , her husband , Jesús Fernández , came home from his construction job with severe symptoms of heat stroke .
Instead of dialing 911 , Fernández called Dr. López .
`` [ Dr. López ] was on his way to a doctors ' banquet and he came to my house right away , '' Blanca Fernández says .
`` He came with his tuxedo on and he took care of my husband because my husband was dying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him — because he really saved my husband . ''
The older generation remembers Dr. López as one of the few Spanish-speaking doctors in all of South Phoenix .
Born in Guadalajara , Mexico in 1921 , he arrived in the U.S. in 1947 after a Catholic priest in Phoenix invited him to help care for low-income families in Arizona .
Dr. López practiced medicine and surgery for over 60 years — even enlisting in the Arizona Army National Guard as a medical officer .
He served neighborhoods in South Phoenix that once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` People knew where they could go for help , and that was Dr. López , '' says former patient Abe Arvizu Jr .
He can still picture the crowded waiting room inside Dr. López 's office .
`` It was wall-to-wall — no room — and people out in the hallway waiting .
And they were mostly undocumented , or farm workers , or just the poor people from the surrounding areas . ''
`` People did n't have to make appointments , they would just walk in and he would see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 83 , who was Dr. López 's receptionist in the early 1960s .
`` He never asked me , 'How many more patients do I have to see ? '
I never — never — heard him complain . ''
Rosales-Murrieta was with Dr. López at the start , back when he saw patients out of his house in Tolleson — a small farming community west of Phoenix .
`` Most of his patients did n't have medical insurance , '' Rosales-Murrieta says .
`` They paid in cash . ''
And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an appointment , they would find other ways to pay .
`` They would exchange , '' says Arvizu Jr. `` For a lot of people in the barrios , that 's how you survived .
Whether you did lawns , whether you did cement work , brick work , or whether you had a bakery or made food — [ The López 's ] always had food at their house . ''
In communities left out of the healthcare system , Dr. López was their trusted caregiver .
He looked after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with patients until his retirement at 89 .
He had a saying : `` It 's not how hold you are ; it 's how long you 've been living . ''
His family is holding onto those words now , as they 're confronted by the devastating tragedies of this pandemic .
Shortly after Dr. López 's death , his daughter Barbara Ann Sordia and her cousin Humberto `` Junior '' Trujillo also died from COVID-19 .
Like many of his loved ones , 88-year-old Blanca Fernández ( with her photo of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to attend his funeral Mass due to rising coronavirus cases in Arizona .
She 's been home thinking about the last phone call she had with her old friend .
`` Oh yes , '' she says .
`` Two weeks before he died . ''
Dr. López called to check-in on her family , and to remind her that it was almost his 99th birthday .
`` We talked for the last time ; I 'm very sorry about his loss , '' she says with a pause .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty soon , I 'll be over there with him .
I 'll be there with Dr. López , singing and dancing . ''

'I Remember Him With That Smile': Beloved Phoenix Doctor Dies Of COVID-19 At 99
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Valle del Sol Community Health Courtesy of Valle del Sol Community Health
In June, Marcel Lopez and his cousins set up a Zoom video call to say goodbye to their grandfather. Retired physician, José Gabriel López-Plascencia — Dr. López for short — was near death at his home in Phoenix. He was unable to speak, but he let his grandchildren know he was listening.
"Every time we talked to him, he'd kick his leg and move his arms to let us know he was hearing us," Marcel says. As they sang his favorite song "Por Un Amor," he noticed over the video call that his grandfather started crying. "I would've loved to have been there holding his hand, just to see him one last time."
A few hours later, Dr. López died from complications due to the coronavirus. He had just turned 99. Dr. López is one of the more than 163,000 people who have died from COVID-19 in the United States, a disease that has hit the country's Latino population especially hard.
His work in medicine helped generations.
"I remember him with that smile," says Blanca Fernández. She's in her quiet living room in Phoenix looking at a faded photo of a young Dr. López and his wife from their anniversary party. "They were always having fiestas and we were always there, singing and dancing," she says. "We were compadres."
Her photo is proof that Dr. López was a sharp dresser. He's wearing a black tuxedo with ruffles and a big bow tie. For Fernández, that outfit is actually a reminder of the time he saved her husband's life. On a hot Arizona day in 1974, her husband, Jesús Fernández, came home from his construction job with severe symptoms of heat stroke. Instead of dialing 911, Fernández called Dr. López.
"[Dr. López] was on his way to a doctors' banquet and he came to my house right away," Blanca Fernández says. "He came with his tuxedo on and he took care of my husband because my husband was dying. So we are very grateful to him — because he really saved my husband."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of the López family Courtesy of the López family
The older generation remembers Dr. López as one of the few Spanish-speaking doctors in all of South Phoenix. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1921, he arrived in the U.S. in 1947 after a Catholic priest in Phoenix invited him to help care for low-income families in Arizona. Dr. López practiced medicine and surgery for over 60 years — even enlisting in the Arizona Army National Guard as a medical officer. He served neighborhoods in South Phoenix that once faced decades of segregation and poverty.
"People knew where they could go for help, and that was Dr. López," says former patient Abe Arvizu Jr. He can still picture the crowded waiting room inside Dr. López's office. "It was wall-to-wall — no room — and people out in the hallway waiting. And they were mostly undocumented, or farm workers, or just the poor people from the surrounding areas."
"People didn't have to make appointments, they would just walk in and he would see them," says Olivia Rosales-Murrieta, 83, who was Dr. López's receptionist in the early 1960s. "He never asked me, 'How many more patients do I have to see?' I never — never — heard him complain."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of the López family Courtesy of the López family
Rosales-Murrieta was with Dr. López at the start, back when he saw patients out of his house in Tolleson — a small farming community west of Phoenix. "Most of his patients didn't have medical insurance," Rosales-Murrieta says. "They paid in cash." And if his patients didn't have enough money for an appointment, they would find other ways to pay.
"They would exchange," says Arvizu Jr. "For a lot of people in the barrios, that's how you survived. Whether you did lawns, whether you did cement work, brick work, or whether you had a bakery or made food — [The López's] always had food at their house."
In communities left out of the healthcare system, Dr. López was their trusted caregiver. He looked after multiple generations of family members and stayed with patients until his retirement at 89. He had a saying: "It's not how hold you are; it's how long you've been living."
His family is holding onto those words now, as they're confronted by the devastating tragedies of this pandemic. Shortly after Dr. López's death, his daughter Barbara Ann Sordia and her cousin Humberto "Junior" Trujillo also died from COVID-19.
Like many of his loved ones, 88-year-old Blanca Fernández (with her photo of Dr. López in his tuxedo) decided not to attend his funeral Mass due to rising coronavirus cases in Arizona. She's been home thinking about the last phone call she had with her old friend.
"Oh yes," she says. "Two weeks before he died." Dr. López called to check-in on her family, and to remind her that it was almost his 99th birthday. "We talked for the last time; I'm very sorry about his loss," she says with a pause. "And also, I'm glad. Because pretty soon, I'll be over there with him. I'll be there with Dr. López, singing and dancing."


npr--2020-08-11--Challenge To Minnesota Rep. Omar Tops 5 Races To Watch Tuesday

Five more states hold primaries Tuesday .
Check out all the results in Connecticut , Georgia , Minnesota , Vermont and Wisconsin , and here are five primaries to watch : 1 .
Minnesota 's 5th Congressional District — Democratic : Even though Ilhan Omar has only been in Congress for a little more than a year-and-a-half , she 's a household name to anyone who follows politics , thanks in no small part to President Trump , who 's repeatedly denigrated Omar .
`` Congresswoman Omar is an America-hating socialist , '' Trump blared at a campaign rally last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heavily Democratic 5th district .
Omar entered Congress last year as a vocal member of the self-described `` squad . ''
That 's the group of four progressive women of color elected to Congress in 2018 who have been pressing for socioeconomic and environmental transformation .
Omar says she thinks her Democratic constituents in Minnesota appreciate her using her national voice to push for change .
`` It 's been really the honor of my life to represent my district to be a voice for those that have been told they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , presence is n't supposed to be in the halls of power , '' Omar said .
But critics say Omar has demonstrated she 's more interested in getting in front of microphones and engaging in Twitter wars than doing the work of the 5th district .
One of Omar 's four challengers , Antone Melton-Meaux , works as a mediator .
He says Omar is too divisive and too focused on herself , and area Democrats have had enough .
`` The residents feel deeply that Congresswoman Omar is out-of-touch with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own personal pursuits and celebrity to the detriment of the work that needs to be done for the 5th , '' Melton-Meaux said .
Some voters were troubled by Omar 's comments suggesting American support for Israel was all about money and invoking what even many Democrats said were anti-Semitic tropes .
Party leaders admonished Omar and she apologized early last year .
Melton-Meaux has raised more than $ 4 million for his primary campaign .
Omar has raised slightly more .
The overwhelming majority of the money has come from outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of people supporting Melton-Meaux are simply trying to silence Omar by knocking her off the national political stage .
Whoever wins the Democratic primary has a very good chance of prevailing in November as well .
Democrats have held the seat for more than a half century .
2 .
Georgia 's 9th Congressional District — Republican : GOP Rep. Doug Collins is running for U.S. Senate , and as in the 14th district next door , there is a contentious two-candidate runoff for the open seat .
Both districts are solidly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most primary votes in June , but has been widely rejected by what he calls the state party `` establishment . ''
He has angered colleagues in the General Assembly over the years by voting no on any bill that expands state government .
He 's dubbed himself `` the most hated man in Georgia by the Republican establishment because I do n't go along with what they want me to go along with . ''
Gurtler sees himself as someone who will take on congressional Democrats and `` RINO Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Name Only . ''
His opponent , Andrew Clyde , is the chosen candidate of many Georgia officials .
The Navy veteran with no elected experience owns a gun store in Athens , Ga. University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock said the state 's more conventional GOP officeholders realize that if Gurtler is elected , `` they 're not going to see much in the way of federal money coming into their local communities .
...
I think maybe Gurtler might well say he does n't want federal funds . ''
3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican : This primary runoff to replace retiring Republican Rep. Tom Graves features a similar dynamic to the 9th : The state 's incumbent officials hope to keep one candidate out of office .
In this district , it 's Marjorie Taylor Greene .
The construction executive won 40 % of the votes in the June primary and has caught national headlines since .
She has repeated the QAnon conspiracy theory , but it was offensive video statements about Muslims , African Americans and Jewish Democratic donor George Soros , unearthed by Politico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Republican caucus .
The top three House GOP leaders denounced Greene 's comments , and conserative Georgia Rep. Jody Hice rescinded his endorsement after the videos surfaced .
Many of the state 's elected officials have instead thrown their support behind her opponent , neurosurgeon and political newcomer John Cowan , whose slogan says `` all of the conservative , none of the embarrassment . ''
According to Eric Sands , political science professor at Berry College , the candidates represent `` two different kinds of Republicans '' in the 14th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are `` terrified of what [ Greene ] might end up saying if she became a member of the House of Representatives that would then end up reflecting badly on the party . ''
4 .
Wisconsin 's 5th Congressional District — Republican : This is another open seat , left vacant by the retiring Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner .
Sensenbrenner has represented Milwaukee 's suburbs since 1979 , and as the New York Times reported when he announced his retirement , `` few departing lawmakers have been as central to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as Mr .
Sensenbrenner . ''
Two Republicans are vying to take his place .
Sensenbrenner has endorsed Scott Fitzgerald , an Army Reserve veteran and 25-year member of the state Senate and current majority leader .
Fitzgerald 's opponent is Clifford DeTemple , a longtime military reservist and small business owner .
Fitzgerald has easily outraised and outspent DeTemple this campaign .
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Tom Palzewicz in November .
The district is considered solidly Republican by handicappers .
Though there 's no drama about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just days ahead of the parties ' respective nominating conventions , will be held in Connecticut , which postponed its April contests because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Mark Zdechlik is a reporter for MPR , while Emma Hurt is a reporter for WABE .
NPR deputy political editor Benjamin Swasey contributed to this report .

Challenge To Minnesota Rep. Omar Tops 5 Races To Watch Tuesday
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Five more states hold primaries Tuesday. Check out all the results in Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin, and here are five primaries to watch:
1. Minnesota's 5th Congressional District — Democratic: Even though Ilhan Omar has been in Congress for only a little more than a year-and-a-half, she's a household name to anyone who follows politics, thanks in no small part to President Trump, who has repeatedly denigrated Omar.
"Congresswoman Omar is an America-hating socialist," Trump blared at a campaign rally last fall in Minneapolis, the heart of the heavily Democratic 5th District.
Omar entered Congress last year as a vocal member of the self-described "squad." That's the group of four progressive women of color elected to Congress in 2018 who have been pressing for socioeconomic and environmental transformation.
Omar says she thinks her Democratic constituents in Minnesota appreciate her using her national voice to push for change.
"It's been really the honor of my life to represent my district to be a voice for those that have been told they are too loud and that their, you know, presence isn't supposed to be in the halls of power," Omar said.
But critics say Omar has demonstrated she's more interested in getting in front of microphones and engaging in Twitter wars than doing the work of the 5th District.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
One of Omar's four challengers, Antone Melton-Meaux, works as a mediator. He says Omar is too divisive and too focused on herself and that area Democrats have had enough.
"The residents feel deeply that Congresswoman Omar is out of touch with the district and has been focused on her own personal pursuits and celebrity to the detriment of the work that needs to be done for the 5th," Melton-Meaux said.
Some voters were troubled by Omar's comments suggesting that American support for Israel was all about money and invoking what even many Democrats said were anti-Semitic tropes. Party leaders admonished Omar and she apologized early last year.
Melton-Meaux has raised more than $4 million for his primary campaign. Omar has raised slightly more. The overwhelming majority of the money has come from outside Minnesota. Some Omar backers think many people supporting Melton-Meaux are simply trying to silence Omar by knocking her off the national political stage.
Whoever wins the Democratic primary has a very good chance of prevailing in November as well. Democrats have held the seat for more than a half century.
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2. Georgia's 9th Congressional District — Republican: GOP Rep. Doug Collins is running for U.S. Senate, and as in the 14th District next door, there is a contentious two-candidate runoff for the open seat. Both districts are solidly Republican.
State Rep. Matt Gurtler won the most primary votes in June but has been widely rejected by what he calls the state party "establishment." He has angered colleagues in the General Assembly over the years by voting no on any bill that expands state government. He's dubbed himself "the most hated man in Georgia by the Republican establishment because I don't go along with what they want me to go along with."
Gurtler sees himself as someone who will take on congressional Democrats and "RINO Republicans," with RINO meaning "Republican In Name Only."
His opponent, Andrew Clyde, is the chosen candidate of many Georgia officials. The Navy veteran with no elected experience owns a gun store in Athens, Ga.
University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock said the state's more conventional GOP officeholders realize that if Gurtler is elected, "they're not going to see much in the way of federal money coming into their local communities. ... I think maybe Gurtler might well say he doesn't want federal funds."
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3. Georgia's 14th Congressional District — Republican: This primary runoff to replace retiring Republican Rep. Tom Graves features a similar dynamic to the 9th: The state's incumbent officials hope to keep one candidate out of office.
In this district, it's Marjorie Taylor Greene. The construction executive won 40% of the votes in the June primary and has caught national headlines since.
She has repeated the QAnon conspiracy theory, but it was offensive video statements about Muslims, African Americans and Jewish Democratic donor George Soros, unearthed by Politico, that quickly isolated her from members of the Republican caucus. The top three House GOP leaders denounced Greene's comments, and conservative Georgia Rep. Jody Hice rescinded his endorsement after the videos surfaced.
Many of the state's elected officials have instead thrown their support behind her opponent, neurosurgeon and political newcomer John Cowan, whose slogan says "all of the conservative, none of the embarrassment."
According to Eric Sands, political science professor at Berry College, the candidates represent "two different kinds of Republicans" in the 14th. And mainstream Republicans, he said, are "terrified of what [Greene] might end up saying if she became a member of the House of Representatives that would then end up reflecting badly on the party."
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4. Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District — Republican: This is another open seat, left vacant by the retiring Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner.
Sensenbrenner has represented Milwaukee's suburbs since 1979, and as The New York Times reported when he announced his retirement, "few departing lawmakers have been as central to the party's identity in the House as long as Mr. Sensenbrenner."
Two Republicans are vying to take his place. Sensenbrenner has endorsed Scott Fitzgerald, an Army Reserve veteran and 25-year member of the state Senate and current majority leader. Fitzgerald's opponent is Cliff DeTemple, a longtime military reservist and small business owner.
Fitzgerald has easily outraised and outspent DeTemple this campaign. The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Tom Palzewicz in November. The district is considered solidly Republican by handicappers.
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5. Connecticut presidential primaries: Don't forget about Connecticut!
Though there's no drama about the outcome, the last presidential primaries, just days ahead of the parties' respective nominating conventions, will be held in Connecticut, which postponed its April contests because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mark Zdechlik is a reporter for MPR, while Emma Hurt is a reporter for WABE. NPR deputy political editor Benjamin Swasey contributed to this report.


npr--2020-08-11--'We Had To Get Out.' Despite The Risks, Business Is Booming At National Parks

'We Had To Get Out . '
Despite The Risks , Business Is Booming At National Parks Stuck at home for months on end , plans canceled and upside down , the Reyes family felt like so many others during this pandemic-blighted summer : `` We were just going crazy , '' says Ricardo Reyes .
`` We had to get out . ''
They rented an RV , packed daughter and dog , and drove from North Carolina to a getaway they assumed would be quiet .
Three days into a trip at Yellowstone National Park , they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no way unique .
`` I thought it would be kind of dead but it 's a lot of people out there , '' Reyes says , with a nod towards a line of idling vehicles queuing up at the park 's north entrance in Gardiner , Mont .
`` Lot of people . ''
After a slow start to the summer tourism season , visitation is now booming at Yellowstone and many other national parks , as Americans look to escape their coronavirus confines and spend time in the relative safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the number of cars entering Yellowstone has exceeded last year 's count for the same period .
The swell in tourists is a welcome relief in many gateway towns like Gardiner , where the bulk of the year 's earnings are made during the summer months .
But it 's tinged with worry that the visitors may bring more than just their pocketbooks , especially in rural communities where medical resources are few and far between .
`` It 's a little concerning , '' says Terese Petcoff , executive director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We only have a couple more months to make it through , so I think we 're all kind of holding our breath and just hoping community spread does n't happen . ''
So far , only two people who work in Yellowstone , and three visitors , have tested positive for COVID-19 .
But there are concerns that the virus could spread undetected .
In Yosemite , local health officials found the coronavirus in the park 's sewage — enough to make them believe that dozens may have been infected — despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't think I 've ever been in a summer that I want to end as quickly as this one , '' says Cam Sholly , the superintendent of Yellowstone National Park .
`` There 's not a day that I come to work where I 'm [ not ] fearful of multiple employees testing positive or having symptoms . ''
Providing essential services to people who are looking for a summer escape , while also protecting them and park employees , is like `` threading a needle , '' Sholly says .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , Yellowstone took a step-by-step approach to reopening .
Even now , some campgrounds and facilities remain closed and are expected to stay so through the summer .
Social distancing and masks are strongly encouraged at most national parks .
But the National Park Service , in line with the Trump administration 's own waffling over masks , has not made either mandatory .
Bear statues outside of the post office at Yellowstone 's headquarters in Mammoth , Wyo.
, wear pink masks as a reminder , and signs on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay at least six feet apart , but compliance is scattershot .
In Gardiner , just north of Yellowstone , masks are compulsory by order of Montana 's governor , Steve Bullock .
The mandate , put in place in mid-July , was welcomed by some of the tiny town 's business owners , who were happy to be able to sidestep arguments with customers who were n't inclined to voluntarily oblige .
`` Most visitors have been really understanding , '' Petcoff says .
`` But there 's one in every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just up the steep banks from the raft-speckled Yellowstone River , store owner Richard Parks gives muted angling advice through a trout-patterned neck gaiter .
At 77 years old , `` an official old fud , '' as he puts it , Parks knows he 's more vulnerable to COVID-19 than most of the fly fishing guides he hires in his shop .
He gets nervous , he says , when someone tries to come in without a mask or when the shop gets packed with people perusing the selection of flies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tourism season , and his wife 's bed and breakfast running at half capacity this summer so nobody has to share a bathroom , working in the shop is a risk he 's willing to take .
`` This is what we have to live on for a fairly long winter , '' he says .
There are many in town , Parks says , who 'd just as soon not have tourists come at all .
There are n't many confirmed cases in Park County and they 'd prefer it stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glacier National Park , the Blackfeet Nation closed off road access to that park 's east entrances out of an abundance of caution .
Native Americans are being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic , in part because of conditions created by chronic under-funding and mismanagement of their health programs .
Tim Davis , Chair of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council , told Montana Public Radio that he knows the decision will impact the $ 110 million a year tourism industry in Glacier County .
`` We 're not , again , doing this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MTPR .
`` It 's based on science and health . ''
The closures have led to overcrowding and congestion at other parts of Glacier National Park , problems that are n't new to the coronavirus .
Barring a major outbreak , nobody in or outside Yellowstone National Park expects a similar closure .
Some national parks have implemented reservation systems to limit crowd sizes during the pandemic , but the geography of Yellowstone alone , with five separate entrances , would make it hard to do something similar .
Parks has his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a fly-fishing guide he usually gets paid to give advice , but this bit is free : '' Do n't get jammed up in a mob , '' he says .
`` I know Old Faithful is going off , but you can buy a picture .
You ca n't buy your life back . ''

'We Had To Get Out': Despite The Risks, Business Is Booming At National Parks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nathan Rott/NPR Nathan Rott/NPR
Stuck at home for months on end, plans canceled and upside down, the Reyes family felt like so many others during this pandemic-blighted summer: "We were just going crazy," says Ricardo Reyes. "We had to get out."
They rented an RV, packed daughter and dog, and drove from North Carolina to a getaway they assumed would be quiet. Three days into a trip at Yellowstone National Park, they could see their need to escape was in no way unique.
"I thought it would be kind of dead, but it's a lot of people out there," Reyes says, with a nod toward a line of idling vehicles queuing up at the park's north entrance in Gardiner, Mont. "Lot of people."
After a slow start to the summer tourism season, visitation is now booming at Yellowstone and many other national parks, as Americans look to escape their coronavirus confines and spend time in the relative safety of the great outdoors. In recent weeks, the number of cars entering Yellowstone has exceeded last year's count for the same period.
The swell in tourists is a welcome relief in many gateway towns like Gardiner, where the bulk of the year's earnings are made during the summer months. But it's tinged with worry that the visitors may bring more than just their pocketbooks, especially in rural communities where medical resources are few and far between.
"It's a little concerning," says Terese Petcoff, executive director of Gardiner's Chamber of Commerce. "We only have a couple more months to make it through, so I think we're all kind of holding our breath and just hoping community spread doesn't happen."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nathan Rott/NPR Nathan Rott/NPR
So far, only two people who work in Yellowstone and three visitors have tested positive for COVID-19. But there are concerns that the virus could spread undetected. In Yosemite, local health officials found the coronavirus in the park's sewage — enough to make them believe that dozens may have been infected — despite no reported cases at the time.
Similar monitoring is ongoing in Yellowstone.
"I don't think I've ever been in a summer that I want to end as quickly as this one," says Cam Sholly, the superintendent of Yellowstone National Park. "There's not a day that I come to work where I'm [not] fearful of multiple employees testing positive or having symptoms."
Providing essential services to people who are looking for a summer escape, while also protecting them and park employees, is like "threading a needle," Sholly says.
After closing to visitors in March because of the pandemic, Yellowstone took a step-by-step approach to reopening. Even now, some campgrounds and facilities remain closed and are expected to stay so through the summer.
Social distancing and masks are strongly encouraged at most national parks. But the National Park Service, in line with the Trump administration's own waffling over masks, has not made either mandatory.
Bear statues outside of the post office at Yellowstone's headquarters in Mammoth, Wyo., wear pink masks as a reminder, and signs on the park's trails and walkways tell people to stay at least 6 feet apart, but compliance is scattershot.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nathan Rott/NPR Nathan Rott/NPR
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nathan Rott/NPR Nathan Rott/NPR
In Gardiner, just north of Yellowstone, masks are compulsory by order of Montana's governor, Steve Bullock. The mandate, put in place in mid-July, was welcomed by some of the tiny town's business owners, who were happy to be able to sidestep arguments with customers who weren't inclined to voluntarily oblige.
"Most visitors have been really understanding," Petcoff says. "But there's one in every crowd."
At Parks Fly Shop, just up the steep banks from the raft-speckled Yellowstone River, store owner Richard Parks gives muted angling advice through a trout-patterned neck gaiter.
At 77 years old, "an official old fud," as he puts it, Parks knows he's more vulnerable to COVID-19 than most of the fly fishing guides he hires in his shop. He gets nervous, he says, when someone tries to come in without a mask or when the shop gets packed with people perusing the selection of flies.
But with the slow start to the tourism season and with wife's bed and breakfast running at half capacity this summer to the point where nobody has to share a bathroom, working in the shop is a risk he's willing to take.
"This is what we have to live on for a fairly long winter," he says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nathan Rott/NPR Nathan Rott/NPR
There are many in town, Parks says, who would just as soon not have tourists come at all. There aren't many confirmed cases in Park County, and they would prefer it stay that way.
Farther north, outside Glacier National Park, the Blackfeet Nation closed off road access to that park's east entrances out of an abundance of caution. Native Americans are being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, in part because of conditions created by chronic underfunding and mismanagement of their health programs.
Tim Davis, chair of the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, told Montana Public Radio that he knows the decision will impact the $110 million-a-year tourism industry in Glacier County.
"We're not, again, doing this based on economics," he told MTPR. "It's based on science and health."
The closures have led to overcrowding and congestion at other parts of Glacier National Park, problems that aren't new to the coronavirus.
Barring a major outbreak, nobody in or outside Yellowstone National Park expects a similar closure. Some national parks have implemented reservation systems to limit crowd sizes during the pandemic, but the geography of Yellowstone alone, with five entrances, would make it hard to do something similar.
Parks has his own ideas for how to limit crowding. As a fly-fishing guide, he usually gets paid to give advice, but this bit is free:
"Don't get jammed up in a mob," he says. "I know Old Faithful is going off, but you can buy a picture. You can't buy your life back."


npr--2020-08-11--Millions Turn To Stock Trading During Pandemic, But Some See Trouble For The Young

Millions Turn To Stock Trading During Pandemic , But Some See Trouble For The Young Stuck at home this spring , University of Nebraska student Alexander Kearns spent his empty hours buying and selling stocks online , learning as much as he could about investing .
`` He sounded like a kid that was really , really excited to be studying something that he found interesting , '' says Bill Brewster , his cousin by marriage .
What no one knew was that Kearns had been trading options on a popular app called Robinhood , and at some point appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 730,000 .
`` How was a 20-year-old with no income able to get assigned almost a million dollars ' worth of leverage ? ''
Kearns wrote in a note found after his June 12 suicide .
`` ...
I also have no clue what I was doing now in hindsight . ''
With so many people stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic , millions of Americans have turned to stock investing in recent months , lured by the advent of free trades .
Online brokerages such as TD Ameritrade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uptick in customer accounts .
Robinhood alone saw its customer base soar from 10 million to 13 million during the first four months of 2020 , an unprecedented surge far beyond anything the company was expecting .
With an average age of 33 , many of Robinhood 's users are much younger than traditional stock investors , and critics say the app seems very much designed to appeal to a generation raised on online games .
`` Once you complete a trade , they encourage you to do so .
They flash confetti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game when you get to the next level .
It 's all playing on the endorphins you get from making trades , '' says Timothy Welsh , president and CEO of Nexis Strategy , a consultant to the wealth management industry .
Robinhood is also accessible to people without a lot of money to spend .
Users get a free share of stock when they sign up , and if you ca n't afford to buy a share of an expensive stock like Apple or Tesla , Robinhood lets you buy a fraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student Alexander Fox has been using the app to trade small amounts of stock since high school .
`` It started because a lot of my other friends were into it .
So then I kind of fell into it , '' he says .
He and his friends have learned much of what they know about investing from YouTube videos and websites , he says .
He now does videos of his own about trading .
A big fan of Warren Buffett , Fox is careful to buy only shares of companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Jacqueline Prester , who teaches classes in financial literacy to high school students in Mansfield , Mass.
, says young people should not be investing with real money .
Prester has her students play a simulated stock market game with fake cash and has seen firsthand how heady trading can be for them .
`` It can be addictive and it can be akin to gambling .
And I think that 's where a lot of the students get themselves in trouble , '' she says .
In fact , apps such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gambling because they allow users to engage in margin trading , a form of investing using borrowed money that can quickly lead to steep losses , critics say .
Robinhood officials declined to comment for this story .
But in the days after Kearns ' suicide , they took steps to add more customer service agents and redesign the app 's interface in ways that would make it easier to understand options trading .
`` It is not lost upon us that our company and our service have become synonymous with retail investing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to millions of new investors making their first investments through Robinhood , '' Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt , the company 's co-founders , said in a statement .
Company officials also reject the notion that the app encourages young traders to take risks .
Because Robinhood was designed to be easy to use , it 's demystifying the investment world and opening up Wall Street to inexperienced investors , the company says .
Bloomberg columnist Nir Kaissar agrees that the company could tone down some of the app 's casino-like aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Robinhood , saying it 's democratizing stock trading .
`` One of the things I love about Robinhood is it 's ... drawn millions of new people into the market , '' he says .
`` If we want people to become more savvy about personal finance and investing — and I think we generally say that we do — then I think they need to have the experience of being an investor .
I do n't think those are things that you can necessarily learn just in a textbook . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ always understand the risks they 're taking , and that can exact a much heavier toll than they 're prepared for .
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide , contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 ( En Español : 1-888-628-9454 ; Deaf and Hard of Hearing : 1-800-799-4889 ) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741 .

Millions Turn To Stock Trading During Pandemic, But Some See Trouble For The Young
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Stuck at home this spring, University of Nebraska student Alexander Kearns spent his empty hours buying and selling stocks online, learning as much as he could about investing.
"He sounded like a kid that was really, really excited to be studying something that he found interesting," says Bill Brewster, his cousin by marriage.
What no one knew was that Kearns had been trading options on a popular app called Robinhood, and at some point appears to have mistakenly concluded he had lost more than $730,000.
"How was a 20-year-old with no income able to get assigned almost a million dollars' worth of leverage?" Kearns wrote in a note found after his June 12 suicide. "... I also have no clue what I was doing now in hindsight."
With so many people stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Americans have turned to stock investing in recent months, lured by the advent of free trades. Online brokerages such as TD Ameritrade, Schwab and Fidelity have reported an uptick in customer accounts.
Robinhood alone saw its customer base soar from 10 million to 13 million during the first four months of 2020, an unprecedented surge far beyond anything the company was expecting.
With an average age of 33, many of Robinhood's users are much younger than traditional stock investors, and critics say the app seems very much designed to appeal to a generation raised on online games.
"Once you complete a trade, they encourage you to do so. They flash confetti. It's almost like a video game when you get to the next level. It's all playing on the endorphins you get from making trades," says Timothy Welsh, president and CEO of Nexis Strategy, a consultant to the wealth management industry.
Robinhood is also accessible to people without a lot of money to spend. Users get a free share of stock when they sign up, and if you can't afford to buy a share of an expensive stock like Apple or Tesla, Robinhood lets you buy a fraction of one.
University of Southern California student Alexander Fox has been using the app to trade small amounts of stock since high school.
"It started because a lot of my other friends were into it. So then I kind of fell into it," he says.
He and his friends have learned much of what they know about investing from YouTube videos and websites, he says. He now does videos of his own about trading.
A big fan of Warren Buffett, Fox is careful to buy only shares of companies he believes will have long-term value.
But Jacqueline Prester, who teaches classes in financial literacy to high school students in Mansfield, Mass., says young people should not be investing with real money.
Prester has her students play a simulated stock market game with fake cash and has seen firsthand how heady trading can be for them.
"It can be addictive and it can be akin to gambling. And I think that's where a lot of the students get themselves in trouble," she says.
In fact, apps such as Robinhood may be even riskier than gambling because they allow users to engage in margin trading, a form of investing using borrowed money that can quickly lead to steep losses, critics say.
Robinhood officials declined to comment for this story. But in the days after Kearns' suicide, they took steps to add more customer service agents and redesign the app's interface in ways that would make it easier to understand options trading.
"It is not lost upon us that our company and our service have become synonymous with retail investing in America, and that this has led to millions of new investors making their first investments through Robinhood," Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt, the company's co-founders, said in a statement.
Company officials also reject the notion that the app encourages young traders to take risks. Because Robinhood was designed to be easy to use, it's demystifying the investment world and opening up Wall Street to inexperienced investors, the company says.
Bloomberg columnist Nir Kaissar agrees that the company could tone down some of the app's casino-like aspects. But he's also a defender of Robinhood, saying it's democratizing stock trading.
"One of the things I love about Robinhood is it's ... drawn millions of new people into the market," he says. "If we want people to become more savvy about personal finance and investing — and I think we generally say that we do — then I think they need to have the experience of being an investor. I don't think those are things that you can necessarily learn just in a textbook."
The danger is that investors may not always understand the risks they're taking, and that can exact a much heavier toll than they're prepared for.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.


npr--2020-08-10--Global Coronavirus Case Count Surpasses 20 Million

More than 20 million people worldwide have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday evening , nearly five months to the day after the World Health Organization declared it a global pandemic .
This is according to data from Johns Hopkins University , which puts the total number of deaths globally at nearly 734,000 .
On Monday , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director-general of the World Health Organization , acknowledged that `` behind these statistics is a great deal of pain and suffering '' and urged governments and citizens worldwide to do their part to suppress the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grieving and that this is a difficult moment for the world , '' he said .
`` But I want to be clear , there are green shoots of hope and no matter where a country , a region , a city or a town is – it 's never too late to turn the outbreak around . ''
The U.S. leads the world with more than 5 million coronavirus cases and 163,400 deaths .
After surging in July , infections remain widespread in much of the U.S. , especially in the South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that 11 states had recorded more than 10,000 new cases in the previous week .
The country is logging more than 1,000 deaths per day , or about 40 people an hour , as NPR 's Allison Aubrey has reported .
The coronavirus is on track to become the third leading cause of death in the U.S. this year , following cancer and heart disease .
Two other countries have case counts in the millions : Brazil is at more than 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mark last week .
They are followed by Russia , South Africa , Mexico and Peru .
While many countries in Europe and Asia were largely able to bring the virus under control earlier this spring , cases have surged there and in other parts of the world .
The Philippines has overtaken Indonesia as the coronavirus hot spot in Southeast Asia .
Mexico has the world 's third highest death toll after the U.S. and Brazil .
Australia is struggling with a COVID-19 resurgence , and has greatly restricted the city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread .
Ghebreyesus said that there are two elements to addressing the pandemic effectively : leaders taking action , and citizens embracing new measures .
He cited several examples of countries that have successfully clamped down on the virus .
He called New Zealand , which has gone more than 100 days without community transmission , as a `` global exemplar . ''
In Rwanda , he said , a `` similar combination of strong leadership , universal health coverage , well-supported health workers and clear public health communications '' helped make progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health tools to respond to new spikes , he said .
For example , U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson put parts of northern England under stay-at-home orders and French President Emmanuel Macron mandated masks in busy outdoor areas .
Ghebreyesus encouraged all countries to focus on rapid case identification , contact tracing , clinical care , physical distancing , mask wearing and good hygiene practices to slow the spread of the virus .
`` Whether countries or regions have successfully eliminated the virus , suppressed transmission to a low level , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major outbreak , '' he said .
`` Now is the time to do it all , invest in the basics of public health and we can save both lives and livelihoods . ''

Global Coronavirus Case Count Surpasses 20 Million
Enlarge this image toggle caption Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images
More than 20 million people worldwide have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday evening, nearly five months to the day after the World Health Organization declared it a global pandemic.
This is according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which puts the total number of deaths globally at nearly 734,000.
On Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, acknowledged that "behind these statistics is a great deal of pain and suffering" and urged governments and citizens worldwide to do their part to suppress the virus.
"I know many of you are grieving and that this is a difficult moment for the world," he said. "But I want to be clear, there are green shoots of hope and no matter where a country, a region, a city or a town is – it's never too late to turn the outbreak around."
The U.S. leads the world with more than 5 million coronavirus cases and 163,400 deaths.
After surging in July, infections remain widespread in much of the U.S., especially in the South, West and parts of the Midwest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday that 11 states had recorded more than 10,000 new cases in the previous week.
The country is logging more than 1,000 deaths per day, or about 40 people an hour, as NPR's Allison Aubrey has reported. The coronavirus is on track to become the third leading cause of death in the U.S. this year, following cancer and heart disease.
Two other countries have case counts in the millions: Brazil is at more than 3 million and India surpassed the 2 million mark last week.
They are followed by Russia, South Africa, Mexico and Peru.
While many countries in Europe and Asia were largely able to bring the virus under control earlier this spring, cases have surged there and in other parts of the world.
The Philippines has overtaken Indonesia as the coronavirus hot spot in Southeast Asia. Mexico has the world's third highest death toll after the U.S. and Brazil. Australia is struggling with a COVID-19 resurgence, and has greatly restricted the city of Melbourne in an effort to slow the spread.
Ghebreyesus said that there are two elements to addressing the pandemic effectively: leaders taking action, and citizens embracing new measures.
He cited several examples of countries that have successfully clamped down on the virus. He called New Zealand, which has gone more than 100 days without community transmission, as a "global exemplar."
In Rwanda, he said, a "similar combination of strong leadership, universal health coverage, well-supported health workers and clear public health communications" helped make progress.
Many countries are using all available public health tools to respond to new spikes, he said. For example, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson put parts of northern England under stay-at-home orders and French President Emmanuel Macron mandated masks in busy outdoor areas.
Ghebreyesus encouraged all countries to focus on rapid case identification, contact tracing, clinical care, physical distancing, mask wearing and good hygiene practices to slow the spread of the virus.
"Whether countries or regions have successfully eliminated the virus, suppressed transmission to a low level, or are still in the midst of a major outbreak," he said. "Now is the time to do it all, invest in the basics of public health and we can save both lives and livelihoods."


npr--2020-08-10--California Gov. Says Trump Unemployment Executive Action Spells Disaster For Budget

California 's coffers are nearly exhausted , and forcing the state to cover a part of extended unemployment benefits would cause `` enormous economic strife and enormous stress , '' Gov .
Gavin Newsom said on Monday .
Despite the state 's robust reserves at the start of the year , Newsom said , President Trump 's latest executive action would put the state in a perilous position .
Over the weekend Trump bypassed Congress , signing an executive action that would extend now-expired unemployment payments to $ 400 a week for those whose jobs have vanished in the fallout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plan requires states to provide a quarter of the payments .
That is just not possible , according to Newsom , who added it would cost $ 700 million a week to get checks in the hands of all of the state 's unemployed residents .
`` There is no money sitting in the piggy bank of the previous CARES Act to be reprioritized or reconstituted for this purpose , '' Newsom said .
`` Simply , it does not exist . ''
Since mid-March , which marks the start of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have applied for unemployment insurance .
Newsom added : `` It would create a burden , the likes of which '' the state has never experienced .
It would also lead to painful cuts across the state 's budget , the governor warned , calling the executive action `` unusual . ''
`` Usually the federal government fronts the money , recognizing the scarcity of resources during an economic crisis , '' he said .
Newsom also touched on the abrupt departure of the state 's top Department of Public Health official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department 's director and state public health officer on Sunday .
Angell was the first Latina to hold the position , and her resignation comes less than a year since landing the job .
While she did not elaborate on the sudden move , it comes after a disastrous week for the department .
A couple of glitches in the state 's daily coronavirus case reporting system indicated infections had gone down , when in reality the numbers were much higher .
Still , those figures were used by various municipalities to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Decisions were made , and we 're moving forward , '' Newsom responded on Monday when asked about Angell .
`` No one 's trying to hide that , no one 's trying to mask that .
We 're owning that . ''
Two people have been chosen to replace Angell .
One will be acting health director , while the other will be the acting public health officer .

California Gov. Says Trump Unemployment Executive Action Spells Disaster For Budget
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rich Pedroncelli/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images Rich Pedroncelli/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
California's coffers are nearly exhausted, and forcing the state to cover a part of extended unemployment benefits would cause "enormous economic strife and enormous stress," Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday.
Despite the state's robust reserves at the start of the year, Newsom said, President Trump's latest executive action would put the state in a perilous position.
Over the weekend Trump bypassed Congress, signing an executive action that would extend now-expired unemployment payments to $400 a week for those whose jobs have vanished in the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the plan requires states to provide a quarter of the payments.
That is just not possible, according to Newsom, who added it would cost $700 million a week to get checks in the hands of all of the state's unemployed residents.
"There is no money sitting in the piggy bank of the previous CARES Act to be reprioritized or reconstituted for this purpose," Newsom said. "Simply, it does not exist."
Since mid-March, which marks the start of the statewide shutdown, more than 8 million people have applied for unemployment insurance.
Newsom added: "It would create a burden, the likes of which" the state has never experienced.
It would also lead to painful cuts across the state's budget, the governor warned, calling the executive action "unusual."
"Usually the federal government fronts the money, recognizing the scarcity of resources during an economic crisis," he said.
Newsom also touched on the abrupt departure of the state's top Department of Public Health official. Dr. Sonia Angell resigned as the department's director and state public health officer on Sunday.
Angell was the first Latina to hold the position, and her resignation comes less than a year since landing the job.
While she did not elaborate on the sudden move, it comes after a disastrous week for the department. A couple of glitches in the state's daily coronavirus case reporting system indicated infections had gone down, when in reality the numbers were much higher. Still, those figures were used by various municipalities to determine whether to reopen businesses and schools.
"Decisions were made, and we're moving forward," Newsom responded on Monday when asked about Angell. "No one's trying to hide that, no one's trying to mask that. We're owning that."
Two people have been chosen to replace Angell. One will be acting health director, while the other will be the acting public health officer.


npr--2020-08-11--Postal Workers Decry Changes And Cost-Cutting Measures

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy 's plans to shake up the agency are gathering opposition from some of its workers .
The U.S .
Postal Service has had financial problems for years .
It lost $ 9 billion last year .
It 's not supported by tax dollars ; it 's funded by postage and services .
DeJoy , who formerly headed a logistics company , said the agency is in a `` financially unsustainable position , stemming from substantial declines in mail volume , and a broken business model . ''
DeJoy has already prohibited postal workers from working overtime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report found billions of dollars spent on overtime costs in fiscal year 2019 .
He wants late-arriving mail to be left behind and delivered the following day .
On Friday , he announced a new organizational structure for the agency 's executives .
Postal workers and their unions are alarmed .
`` Mail is beginning to pile up in our offices , and we 're seeing equipment being removed , '' said Kimberly Karol , president of the Iowa Postal Workers Union and a postal clerk in Waterloo , Iowa .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NPR 's Noel King on Morning Edition , a mail processing machine was removed from her facility in Waterloo and others have been removed across Iowa .
Of the policy to leave some letters behind for the following day , another postal worker told NPR last month : `` I am sick to my stomach , '' knowing that means medication could be delayed in getting to recipients .
Karol echoed that point : `` I grew up in a culture of service where every piece was to be delivered , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the Postal Service 's new polices are `` not allowing us to deliver every piece every day , as we 've done in the past . ''
Other postal workers `` all across the country '' agree , she said .
A letter carrier in Cincinnati was told to leave mail behind if it would require using overtime .
`` We are already short-handed , '' she told Government Executive .
`` We do n't have enough people to get all the routes done without using overtime . ''
Karol argues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I see this as a way to undermine the public confidence in the mail service , '' she said .
`` It 's not saving costs .
We 're spending more time trying to implement these policy changes , and it 's , in our offices , costing more overtime . ''
Perhaps the biggest alarms are being sounded by members of Congress , who are concerned about the prospect of big changes at the Postal Service during an election that 's expected to see more mail-in voting than ever before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karol is confident .
`` The Postal Service has been in place for 200 years , '' she said .
`` We have a history of being able to process mail , and we 've been developing and perfecting our methods for all that time .
So although the postmaster general is taking actions that are starting to impact that , by having that preparation in advance of these elections , we still have the system that will do that . ''

Postal Workers Decry Changes And Cost-Cutting Measures
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's plans to shake up the agency are gathering opposition from some of its workers.
The U.S. Postal Service has had financial problems for years. It lost $9 billion last year. It's not supported by tax dollars; it's funded by postage and services.
DeJoy, who formerly headed a logistics company, said the agency is in a "financially unsustainable position, stemming from substantial declines in mail volume, and a broken business model."
DeJoy has already prohibited postal workers from working overtime. He noted that an inspector general report found billions of dollars spent on overtime costs in fiscal year 2019.
He wants late-arriving mail to be left behind and delivered the following day. On Friday, he announced a new organizational structure for the agency's executives.
Postal workers and their unions are alarmed.
"Mail is beginning to pile up in our offices, and we're seeing equipment being removed," said Kimberly Karol, president of the Iowa Postal Workers Union and a postal clerk in Waterloo, Iowa.
As a result of the recent changes, Karol told NPR's Noel King on Morning Edition, a mail processing machine was removed from her facility in Waterloo and others have been removed across Iowa.
Of the policy to leave some letters behind for the following day, another postal worker told NPR last month: "I am sick to my stomach," knowing that means medication could be delayed in getting to recipients.
Karol echoed that point: "I grew up in a culture of service where every piece was to be delivered, to be delivered every day." She said the Postal Service's new polices are "not allowing us to deliver every piece every day, as we've done in the past."
Other postal workers "all across the country" agree, she said.
A letter carrier in Cincinnati was told to leave mail behind if it would require using overtime.
"We are already short-handed," she told Government Executive. "We don't have enough people to get all the routes done without using overtime."
Karol argues that the measures won't save money either. "I see this as a way to undermine the public confidence in the mail service," she said. "It's not saving costs. We're spending more time trying to implement these policy changes, and it's, in our offices, costing more overtime."
Perhaps the biggest alarms are being sounded by members of Congress, who are concerned about the prospect of big changes at the Postal Service during an election that's expected to see more mail-in voting than ever before.
On this point, however, Karol is confident.
"The Postal Service has been in place for 200 years," she said. "We have a history of being able to process mail, and we've been developing and perfecting our methods for all that time. So although the postmaster general is taking actions that are starting to impact that, by having that preparation in advance of these elections, we still have the system that will do that."
Jeevika Verma produced the audio interview.


npr--2020-08-11--TSA Finds 3 Times Usual Rate Of Guns At Checkpoints, Despite Drop In Air Traffic

TSA Finds 3 Times Usual Rate Of Guns At Checkpoints , Despite Drop In Air Traffic The number of people flying on commercial jetliners is down 75 % from last summer , but the rate of those getting caught either inadvertently or deliberately trying to bring a gun on board is soaring .
Transportation Security Administration officers are finding guns in carry on bags at security checkpoints at a rate three times higher than they did last summer .
And 80 % of those guns are loaded .
The TSA reports that officers seized more than 300 guns from backpacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry on baggage in July , a rate of 15.3 guns for every one million people screened .
That 's compared to a rate of 5.1 guns per million people screened in July of last year .
The rate is `` particularly alarming , given that TSA screened about 75 % fewer passengers in July 2020 , over the previous year 's volume , '' the agency said in a news release .
`` Even more concerning is that 80 percent of the firearms coming into the checkpoint are loaded , '' TSA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's just an accident waiting to happen . ''
The number of people going through airport security screening checkpoints hit a five-month high this past weekend , with nearly 832,000 people screened across the country on Sunday .
That 's the most people passing through TSA checkpoints since March 17 , but it 's still close to 70 % fewer people than on the same Sunday last August .
Officers found 27 guns in carry on baggage at Atlanta 's Hartsfield-Jackson airport in July , 13 at Denver International Airport,13 at Dallas-Forth Worth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last year , the TSA confiscated a record 4,432 guns at airport security checkpoints , an average of about a dozen a day .
One of the reasons more guns are being detected at airports could simply be that more people have guns .
The FBI conducted 3.6 million background checks for firearms purchases last month , up 79 % from July , 2019 .
That follows a 70 % increase in background checks in June , and the number of background checks on gun buyers has topped three million in four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Associated Press .
The last time gun buyer background checks surpassed the three million mark was December of 2015 .
But it could also be that with far fewer travelers going through screening , TSA officers are missing fewer guns in checked baggage .
New research published in the INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics suggests TSA officers may miss hundreds , if not thousands , of firearms at airport security checkpoints each year .
The study 's author , University of Illinois professor Sheldon Jacobson , finds that between 2016 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons hidden in carry on baggage were not detected by TSA screeners .
He says TSA screener distraction and fatigue are the likely cause of such errors .
Jacobson suggests that with up to 94 % fewer people passing through security checkpoints during the pandemic , ( 75 % fewer in July ) , `` officers working standard lanes are more focused , so miss less . ''

TSA Finds 3 Times Usual Rate Of Guns At Checkpoints, Despite Drop In Air Traffic
toggle caption Courtesy of TSA
The number of people flying on commercial jetliners is down 75% from last summer, but the rate of those getting caught either inadvertently or deliberately trying to bring a gun on board is soaring.
Transportation Security Administration officers are finding guns in carry on bags at security checkpoints at a rate three times higher than they did last summer. And 80% of those guns are loaded.
The TSA reports that officers seized more than 300 guns from backpacks, shoulder bags, purses and other carry on baggage in July, a rate of 15.3 guns for every one million people screened. That's compared to a rate of 5.1 guns per million people screened in July of last year.
The rate is "particularly alarming, given that TSA screened about 75% fewer passengers in July 2020, over the previous year's volume," the agency said in a news release.
"Even more concerning is that 80 percent of the firearms coming into the checkpoint are loaded," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. "It's just an accident waiting to happen."
The number of people going through airport security screening checkpoints hit a five-month high this past weekend, with nearly 832,000 people screened across the country on Sunday. That's the most people passing through TSA checkpoints since March 17, but it's still close to 70% fewer people than on the same Sunday last August.
Officers found 27 guns in carry on baggage at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport in July, 13 at Denver International Airport,13 at Dallas-Forth Worth, and 12 at Nashville's airport.
Last year, the TSA confiscated a record 4,432 guns at airport security checkpoints, an average of about a dozen a day.
toggle caption Courtesy of TSA
One of the reasons more guns are being detected at airports could simply be that more people have guns. The FBI conducted 3.6 million background checks for firearms purchases last month, up 79% from July, 2019. That follows a 70% increase in background checks in June, and the number of background checks on gun buyers has topped three million in four of the last five months, according to the Associated Press. The last time gun buyer background checks surpassed the three million mark was December of 2015.
But it could also be that with far fewer travelers going through screening, TSA officers are missing fewer guns in checked baggage.
New research published in the INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics suggests TSA officers may miss hundreds, if not thousands, of firearms at airport security checkpoints each year.
The study's author, University of Illinois professor Sheldon Jacobson, finds that between 2014 and 2016, close to 65% of weapons hidden in carry-on baggage were not detected by TSA screeners. He says TSA screener distraction and fatigue are the likely cause of such errors.
Jacobson suggests that with up to 94% fewer people passing through security checkpoints during the pandemic, (75% fewer in July), "officers working standard lanes are more focused, so miss less."


npr--2020-08-11--'Alarming' Trend: TSA Intercepting Many More Guns Despite Far Fewer Air Travelers

'Alarming ' Trend : TSA Intercepting Many More Guns Despite Far Fewer Air Travelers The Transportation Security Administration says despite a huge drop in air travel since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , the agency 's officers found three times as many firearms last month in carry-on luggage as they did during the same period last year .
In a statement , the agency said the statistic was `` particularly alarming , given that TSA screened about 75 % fewer passengers in July 2020 , over the previous year 's volume . ''
It said in 2019 , its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as compared with 15.3 guns per million travelers last month .
`` Even more concerning is that 80 % of the firearms coming into the checkpoint are loaded and it 's just an accident waiting to happen , '' TSA Administrator David Pekoske said .
`` Travelers need to know that if they bring a gun to the security checkpoint , regardless of whether it is in a handbag , knapsack , roller-bag or strapped to their belt , it will be an inconvenient and expensive mistake on their part , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unloaded firearm starts at $ 2,050 – double that for a loaded gun , the statement said .
The maximum penalty can go up to $ 13,669 per violation , depending on the circumstances , it said .
While the reason for the sudden upsurge is not clear , gun sales have skyrocketed since the beginning of the year , `` especially following COVID-related outbreaks and shutdowns and many large protests against the police , '' Daniel W. Webster , a professor at Johns Hopkins University 's Bloomberg School of Public Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on estimates derived from pre-purchase background checks , July marked the second-highest month on record for U.S. gun sales , he noted .
`` So the same fear of victimization related to COVID and protests against the police could be spurring more people to routinely carry guns outside the home , including when they go to get on a plane , '' Webster told NPR .

'Alarming' Trend: TSA Intercepting Many More Guns Despite Far Fewer Air Travelers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilfredo Lee/AP Wilfredo Lee/AP
The Transportation Security Administration says despite a huge drop in air travel since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency's officers found three times as many firearms last month in carry-on luggage as they did during the same period last year.
In a statement, the agency said the statistic was "particularly alarming, given that TSA screened about 75% fewer passengers in July 2020, over the previous year's volume." It said in 2019, its officers detected 5.1 guns per million travelers as compared with 15.3 guns per million travelers last month.
In July #TSAofficers detected guns in carry-on bags at a rate 3X higher than in 2019. In July 2019 officers detected 5.1 guns per million travelers. This July the number was 15.3 guns per million travelers. Learn how to properly travel with your firearm at https://t.co/s6SDKTlUcB pic.twitter.com/ghCcFA4mQJ — TSA (@TSA) August 10, 2020
"Even more concerning is that 80% of the firearms coming into the checkpoint are loaded and it's just an accident waiting to happen," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.
"Travelers need to know that if they bring a gun to the security checkpoint, regardless of whether it is in a handbag, knapsack, roller-bag or strapped to their belt, it will be an inconvenient and expensive mistake on their part," he said.
The federal penalty for an unloaded firearm starts at $2,050 – double that for a loaded gun, the statement said. The maximum penalty can go up to $13,669 per violation, depending on the circumstances, it said.
While the reason for the sudden upsurge is not clear, gun sales have skyrocketed since the beginning of the year, "especially following COVID-related outbreaks and shutdowns and many large protests against the police," Daniel W. Webster, a professor at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, told NPR in an email.
Based on estimates derived from pre-purchase background checks, July marked the second-highest month on record for U.S. gun sales, he noted.
"So the same fear of victimization related to COVID and protests against the police could be spurring more people to routinely carry guns outside the home, including when they go to get on a plane," Webster told NPR.


npr--2020-08-11--Parents Of Elijah McClain Sue City Of Aurora, Colo., And Police Over His Death

Parents Of Elijah McClain Sue City Of Aurora , Colo. , And Police Over His Death The parents of Elijah McClain , a Black man who died last year after police twice put him in a chokehold and paramedics sedated him , have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit .
The lawsuit names as defendants the city of Aurora , Colo. , as well as numerous Aurora police officers , a paramedic and the medical director of Aurora Fire Rescue .
McClain was not suspected of committing any crimes when police approached him , as Colorado Public Radio 's Allison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional massage therapist , is described as a gentle soul , an animal lover and a self-taught violinist in the 106-page civil rights complaint .
`` McClain was walking back from a convenience store , where he had purchased iced tea , on Aug. 24 , 2019 , when officers attempted to take him into custody , pinning him down for 18 minutes — 15 of those minutes he was handcuffed , according to the complaint .
`` They were responding to a 911 call of a man walking down the street looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Elijah McClain .
That 's all .
That 's what I was doing .
I was just going home .
I 'm an introvert and I 'm different , ' a sobbing McClain said to police as they pinned him to the ground , according to the complaint . '
I 'm just different .
I 'm just different , that 's all .
That 's all I was doing .
I 'm so sorry .
I have no gun .
I do n't do that stuff .
I do n't do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me ?
I do n't do guns .
I do n't even kill flies .
I do n't eat meat .
...
I am a vegetarian . '
`` McClain suffered cardiac arrest and died six days later .
His words — `` Why are you attacking me ?
Why are you attacking me ?
I do n't even kill flies .
I do n't even kill flies .
I do n't eat meat .
I do n't eat meat . ''
-- have become the chants of protests this summer as those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death to that of George Floyd 's in Minneapolis .
The complaint alleges that there was no reason for McClain to be sedated with ketamine , and that the dose he was administered was too large for his body weight .
Three separate investigations into McClain 's death are now underway : by the federal government , state attorney general 's office and the city of Aurora .
In June , three Aurora police officers were fired due to an incident involving photos in which officers posed near a memorial for McClain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Three of the officers involved in that incident are among those named in the lawsuit .
McClain 's family lawyer , Mari Newman , said in a statement Tuesday that the lawsuit is intended `` to demand justice for Elijah McClain , to hold accountable the Aurora officials , police officers , and paramedics responsible for his murder , and to force the City of Aurora to change it longstanding pattern of brutal and racist policing . ''

Parents Of Elijah McClain Sue City Of Aurora, Colo., And Police Over His Death
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
The parents of Elijah McClain, a Black man who died last year after police twice put him in a chokehold and paramedics sedated him, have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit.
The lawsuit names as defendants the city of Aurora, Colo., as well as numerous Aurora police officers, a paramedic and the medical director of Aurora Fire Rescue.
McClain was not suspected of committing any crimes when police approached him, as Colorado Public Radio's Allison Sherry reported:
"McClain, a professional massage therapist, is described as a gentle soul, an animal lover and a self-taught violinist in the 106-page civil rights complaint. "McClain was walking back from a convenience store, where he had purchased iced tea, on Aug. 24, 2019, when officers attempted to take him into custody, pinning him down for 18 minutes — 15 of those minutes he was handcuffed, according to the complaint. "They were responding to a 911 call of a man walking down the street looking 'sketchy.' " " 'My name is Elijah McClain. That's all. That's what I was doing. I was just going home. I'm an introvert and I'm different,' a sobbing McClain said to police as they pinned him to the ground, according to the complaint. 'I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all. That's all I was doing. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why were you attacking me? I don't do guns. I don't even kill flies. I don't eat meat. ... I am a vegetarian.' "
McClain suffered cardiac arrest and died six days later.
His words — "Why are you attacking me? Why are you attacking me? I don't even kill flies. I don't even kill flies. I don't eat meat. I don't eat meat." -- have become the chants of protests this summer as those demanding justice for McClain have compared his death to that of George Floyd's in Minneapolis.
The complaint alleges that there was no reason for McClain to be sedated with ketamine, and that the dose he was administered was too large for his body weight.
Three separate investigations into McClain's death are now underway: by the federal government, state attorney general's office and the city of Aurora.
In June, three Aurora police officers were fired due to an incident involving photos in which officers posed near a memorial for McClain, imitating the chokehold that was used on him. Three of the officers involved in that incident are among those named in the lawsuit.
McClain's family lawyer, Mari Newman, said in a statement Tuesday that the lawsuit is intended "to demand justice for Elijah McClain, to hold accountable the Aurora officials, police officers, and paramedics responsible for his murder, and to force the City of Aurora to change it longstanding pattern of brutal and racist policing."