npr--2020-07-06--'We Need Help': People At Higher Coronavirus Risk Fear Losing Federal Unemployment

'We Need Help ' : People At Higher Coronavirus Risk Fear Losing Federal Unemployment Many people with underlying medical conditions are worried about what 's going to happen at the end of the month .
It 's not currently safe for many of them to go back to work .
The COVID-19 death rate is 12 times higher for people with underlying conditions .
But an extra $ 600 a week in federal unemployment benefits , which has been enabling them to pay their rent and other bills , will stop coming at the end of July .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options that do n't involve risking our lives , '' Lauren Van Netta says .
`` We need help .
We really do . ''
Van Netta lost her job at a perfume store in New Orleans during the outbreak .
She says she 's had serious bacterial infections that have damaged her lungs and compromised her immune system .
And she has asthma .
So even if she could find another job in retail , she says her doctors have told her it would be risky .
She says even wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a workplace , `` it 's like the fear of , you know , I could make a mistake .
And for me , that could be in a matter of life or death .
So it 's scary . ''
Van Netta says she has n't been able to find a job she can do remotely .
Before her unemployment money started coming , she says she sold her favorite pair of boots for $ 120 just to have some cash to buy food .
`` It was pretty stressful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to live on thanks to the expanded unemployment benefits .
But Congress only authorized that extra $ 600 a week until the end of the month — even for people with underlying health conditions .
And Van Netta says her state benefits alone , about $ 220 a week , wo n't pay the bills .
Under the CARES Act , people with underlying conditions are supposed to be able to stay on unemployment even if they are offered a job if it 's one they ca n't do remotely .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 600 ends at the end of July .
So public health and worker rights advocates say they worry that if that extra money stops , many people will be forced to take jobs unsafe for them .
Democrats in Congress want to extend those expanded benefits .
But Republicans have expressed concern that the extra money is keeping some people from going back to work in lower paying jobs .
Meanwhile , the clock is ticking .
`` It 's absolutely critical that it 's figured out before this expires in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and a former senior Labor Department official .
She says the need is particularly urgent `` when you consider that we are in an expanding pandemic and not an ebbing one . ''
Block says the added federal benefits are needed for unemployed workers in general — but especially for those with serious underlying health conditions .
Beyond the unemployment issue , for these people at higher risk , the conditions their family members are working in can pose a threat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real estate company in Alabama .
He does n't want his last name used because he fears repercussions at work .
His wife has lupus , an autoimmune disease , and he says she takes medicine that suppresses her immune system .
`` So we knew that that was immediately gon na be something that we had to take additional precautions for , '' he says .
Alan was working remotely until mid-May when he says his employer insisted that everybody return to work at the office .
But he says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I remember even my first day , I was called into a meeting in a conference room with four other people , in a small conference room , and I was the only one wearing a mask . ''
He says people sit and eat right next to each other in the lunchroom .
`` In an office of about 35-plus people , on a daily basis , I 'm the only one that wears a mask when I 'm around other people . ''
Alan says a co-worker 's family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nobody wore masks .
He 's worried about catching it and bringing it home to his wife .
He says he 's gone through feeling angry , frustrated , disappointed and depressed .
`` It 's difficult for me to see so much selfishness or that 's the way that I interpret it , '' he says .
`` We say we 're all in this together ; there 's millions of people in the same situation that my wife and I are in , with one of us being at higher risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't feel comfortable pushing the issue too hard with his employer because he 's afraid of losing his job in the pandemic and he has to support his family .
Block says a lot of people are in that same situation .
`` They 're very , very vulnerable to retaliation for speaking out when it 's this kind of labor market , '' she says .
`` Most workers have to be afraid that an employer could very easily replace them if they make trouble . ''
Block 's program at Harvard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials can do to require mandatory rules to make workplaces safer .
She says the focus is on what states can do because so far there are basically no federal mandatory safety workplace requirements for the pandemic .

'We Need Help': People At Higher Coronavirus Risk Fear Losing Federal Unemployment
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lauren Van Netta Lauren Van Netta
Many people with underlying medical conditions are worried about what's going to happen at the end of the month. It's not currently safe for many of them to go back to work. The COVID-19 death rate is 12 times higher for people with underlying conditions.
But an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits, which has been enabling them to pay their rent and other bills, will stop coming at the end of July.
"We don't have a whole lot of options that don't involve risking our lives," Lauren Van Netta says. "We need help. We really do."
Van Netta lost her job at a perfume store in New Orleans during the outbreak. She says she's had serious bacterial infections that have damaged her lungs and compromised her immune system. And she has asthma. So even if she could find another job in retail, she says her doctors have told her it would be risky.
She says even wearing a mask and trying to keep social distancing in a workplace, "it's like the fear of, you know, I could make a mistake. And for me, that could be in a matter of life or death. So it's scary."
Van Netta says she hasn't been able to find a job she can do remotely. Before her unemployment money started coming, she says she sold her favorite pair of boots for $120 just to have some cash to buy food. "It was pretty stressful."
Since then, she's had enough to live on thanks to the expanded unemployment benefits. But Congress only authorized that extra $600 a week until the end of the month — even for people with underlying health conditions. And Van Netta says her state benefits alone, about $220 a week, won't pay the bills.
Under the CARES Act, people with underlying conditions are supposed to be able to stay on unemployment even if they are offered a job if it's one they can't do remotely. But in those cases, too, the $600 ends at the end of July. So public health and worker rights advocates say they worry that if that extra money stops, many people will be forced to take jobs unsafe for them.
Democrats in Congress want to extend those expanded benefits. But Republicans have expressed concern that the extra money is keeping some people from going back to work in lower paying jobs. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking.
"It's absolutely critical that it's figured out before this expires in July," says Sharon Block, executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and a former senior Labor Department official. She says the need is particularly urgent "when you consider that we are in an expanding pandemic and not an ebbing one."
Block says the added federal benefits are needed for unemployed workers in general — but especially for those with serious underlying health conditions.
Beyond the unemployment issue, for these people at higher risk, the conditions their family members are working in can pose a threat, too.
Alan is a manager at a real estate company in Alabama. He doesn't want his last name used because he fears repercussions at work. His wife has lupus, an autoimmune disease, and he says she takes medicine that suppresses her immune system. "So we knew that that was immediately gonna be something that we had to take additional precautions for," he says.
Alan was working remotely until mid-May when he says his employer insisted that everybody return to work at the office. But he says the company is taking almost no safety precautions.
"I remember even my first day, I was called into a meeting in a conference room with four other people, in a small conference room, and I was the only one wearing a mask." He says people sit and eat right next to each other in the lunchroom. "In an office of about 35-plus people, on a daily basis, I'm the only one that wears a mask when I'm around other people."
Alan says a co-worker's family member was diagnosed with COVID-19 and still nobody wore masks. He's worried about catching it and bringing it home to his wife. He says he's gone through feeling angry, frustrated, disappointed and depressed.
"It's difficult for me to see so much selfishness or that's the way that I interpret it," he says. "We say we're all in this together; there's millions of people in the same situation that my wife and I are in, with one of us being at higher risk."
But Alan says he didn't feel comfortable pushing the issue too hard with his employer because he's afraid of losing his job in the pandemic and he has to support his family.
Block says a lot of people are in that same situation.
"They're very, very vulnerable to retaliation for speaking out when it's this kind of labor market," she says. "Most workers have to be afraid that an employer could very easily replace them if they make trouble."
Block's program at Harvard just released a report on what state officials can do to require mandatory rules to make workplaces safer. She says the focus is on what states can do because so far there are basically no federal mandatory safety workplace requirements for the pandemic.


npr--2020-07-06--Indian Teen Bikes 700 Miles With Injured Dad, Gets Movie Deal — And Sparks Debate

Indian Teen Bikes 700 Miles With Injured Dad , Gets Movie Deal — And Sparks Debate This story was updated on July 6 at 1:07 p.m .
When her father got hurt , a 15-year-old Indian girl used their last $ 20 to buy a rickety , hot pink bicycle , and pedaled him more than 700 miles to their home village across India — in a heroic , life-saving ride while under coronavirus lockdown .
The story of Jyoti Kumari 's epic bike ride has made her a media celebrity , prompted praise from Ivanka Trump and won her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Olympic team and star as herself in a Bollywood movie .
It also launched a debate about whether the real story is the fact that the teenager felt she had no other way to get her father to safety .
In January , Kumari 's father , Mohan Paswan , a tuk-tuk driver , was injured in a traffic accident .
He lives in Gurugram , a suburb of New Delhi , India 's capital , and works long hours ferrying passengers on his motorized rickshaw .
Paswan sends money home to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bihar , more than 700 miles away .
But after the accident , Paswan could n't drive .
He needed care .
So Kumari hopped on a cross-country train and moved in with her father to nurse him back to health .
The coronavirus has killed about 5,600 people in India , out of a population of nearly 1.4 billion .
But a nationwide lockdown — the biggest in the world — meant that Paswan , even as he healed from his injuries , could n't get back on the road .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He could n't send money home for four months .
He could no longer afford the rent on his tiny room , which by then he was sharing with his daughter .
By early May , they had the equivalent of about $ 20 left , Kumari recalls .
`` We were being evicted .
We were running out of food , '' she told local TV .
`` So I said , 'Papa , let 's go .
Let 's use the last of our money to buy a bicycle and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Paswan dismissed the idea .
Their home is on the other side of the country — some 700 miles away — and he still was n't able to pedal because of his injuries .
`` I said , 'How could we possibly go that far — the two of us on one bicycle ? '
`` Paswan told NPR in a phone interview .
`` But she convinced me .
If we stayed , we would have starved to death .
We had to at least try . ''
So with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pink girl 's bicycle with no gears and a basket affixed to the front .
On May 8 , they set off — with the father on the bike seat , all their belongings in a duffel bag strapped to the back and his daughter pedaling — while standing up in front of him .
`` There were so many things running through my mind .
I was scared .
Would we make it ? ''
Kumari told another local TV reporter .
`` My arms and legs were aching , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people we met along the way . ''
Kumari 's extraordinary effort is part of a much bigger story .
For more than two months , India 's highways have been clogged with migrant workers trying to get home .
During the coronavirus crisis , some 100 million people in India have lost their jobs .
Many , like Paswan , got stranded in big urban centers , far from family .
Their only chance at survival is to reach their home villages .
But from late March until early May , India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lockdown .
So millions tried to walk home .
Some migrants starved to death on the side of the road .
On Monday , Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's government earmarked $ 2.65 billion in relief for `` farmers , hawkers and vendors , '' a cabinet minister said .
The government also added additional passenger trains to ferry laborers home .
But in May , at least 80 people died on those trains .
Many of the passengers are so weak and hungry when they board that they ca n't survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartbreaking video went viral , depicting a toddler trying to wake up his dead mother , on the floor of a train station in Kumari 's home state of Bihar .
Fortunately for Kumari , food was not a problem on her epic journey .
She says people gave her and her father food along the way .
They slept on the side of the road .
Somewhere in the middle of their journey , a truck driver gave them a lift for about 30 miles , the girl says .
After seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolled into their family 's village of Sirhulli in the eastern state of Bihar .
They were met with celebrations .
Word of the ride spread quickly , and a few days later , Kumari got a phone call from the Cycling Federation of India .
`` I called her up .
She was quite confused .
I told her that our aim is to make her a world champion , '' Onkar Singh , the federation 's chairman , tells NPR .
`` We are looking at the Olympics 2024 and 2028 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once the coronavirus crisis is over , to try out for the national team .
He says what impressed him is not the distance she cycled .
Tourists in Lycra do that often , he says .
It 's that Kumari cycled more than 100 miles a day — carrying another person on an old bike and on an empty stomach .
`` She 's toiled so hard .
She 's done a job that even a man can not do , '' Singh says .
`` So that kind of courage — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be rewarded for that . ''
Singh promised Kumari an all-expenses-paid trip to the capital New Delhi for the audition .
If she makes the team , she 'd live in a dormitory with other female cyclists , close to a training velodrome .
Her housing , food and education would be fully funded by the federation , he said .
Since that offer , Kumari 's life has been a circus .
The Indian press has labeled her the `` lion-hearted . ''
She 's been interviewed by journalists from Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of her riding her bike with her dad has gone viral .
And now , she 's reportedly landed a deal to star as herself in a BollyAtamwood film about her epic cycling trip .
An Indian company called Wemakefilmz bought the rights to Kumari 's life story and plans to begin work on the project in August .
The film 's title will be Atmanirbhar — which means `` self-reliant '' in Hindi .
It 's also a slogan India 's prime minister has used in his speeches descdribing the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When NPR reached her by phone in her village , there were dozens of people at the family 's humble home : TV crews , politicians with garlands of flowers and strangers asking for selfies .
A pharmaceutical company showed up with a big check .
There 's been no social distancing .
Kumari 's story even got the attention of U.S. presidential adviser Ivanka Trump , who tweeted praise for Kumari , heralding what she called a `` beautiful feat of endurance & love . ''
But Indians — from feminists to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's daughter of romanticizing poverty .
They urged her to call out the Modi government instead , for leaving migrants like Kumari and her father in a desperate situation without adequate public aid .
`` She did something brave .
But it 's something nobody should ever have to do , '' says Kirthi Jayakumar , a Chennai-based researcher , founder of the Gender Security Project , and one of those who criticized Trump 's tweet .
`` Who would n't want to save their father ?
But circumstances made it so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empathy in policymaking — the sheer absence of compassion and understanding of how a policy can impact different communities differently . ''
Migrant workers like Kumari 's father bore the brunt of the Modi 's government 's early , strict lockdown , which Modi has credited for saving lives in the coronavirus crisis .
But some economists and commentators blame the lockdown for exacerbating poverty in a country where half the population earns less than $ 3 a day .
`` India was copying measures that rich countries take to protect public safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not afford , '' Ruchir Sharma , chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management , wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times over the weekend .
`` I was in touch with officials in other major emerging countries and none advocated total lockdowns because without the resources to support new armies of the unemployed , closing the economy would only lead to more hunger and death . ''
On Monday , India lifted a more than two-month-old nationwide lockdown outside of containment zones — neighborhoods with high concentrations of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Schools are still closed across India .
Some restaurants , hotels and shopping malls may reopen June 8 .
Meanwhile , the researcher Jayakumar also worries about how Kumari is managing her newfound fame .
Others have called the media attention `` poverty porn . ''
`` We have the habit of making poster children , but we do n't take care of the emotional wellness of the people we are venerating .
I 'm willing to bet there will be a film , with a Bollywood actress playing Jyoti , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Jayakumar told NPR .
`` How many more Jyotis are out there ? ''
she asks .
`` Are we thinking about why Jyoti had to make that journey at all ? ''
As for India 's newest celebrity athlete , Kumari herself sounds pretty overwhelmed .
Her mother says she 's not getting much sleep .
`` I 'm very happy , '' Kumari told NPR .
But she 's not sure what her future holds .
More than anything else , she says , she 's just looking forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's still deciding what to do next .

Indian Teen Bikes 700 Miles With Injured Dad, Gets Movie Deal — And Sparks Debate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jyoti Kumari Jyoti Kumari
This story was updated on July 6 at 1:07 p.m.
When her father got hurt, a 15-year-old Indian girl used their last $20 to buy a rickety, hot pink bicycle, and pedaled him more than 700 miles to their home village across India — in a heroic, life-saving ride while under coronavirus lockdown.
The story of Jyoti Kumari's epic bike ride has made her a media celebrity, prompted praise from Ivanka Trump and won her offers to try out for India's Olympic team and star as herself in a Bollywood movie.
It also launched a debate about whether the real story is the fact that the teenager felt she had no other way to get her father to safety.
In January, Kumari's father, Mohan Paswan, a tuk-tuk driver, was injured in a traffic accident. He lives in Gurugram, a suburb of New Delhi, India's capital, and works long hours ferrying passengers on his motorized rickshaw. Paswan sends money home to his wife and children in the eastern state of Bihar, more than 700 miles away.
But after the accident, Paswan couldn't drive. He needed care. So Kumari hopped on a cross-country train and moved in with her father to nurse him back to health.
Then the pandemic hit.
The coronavirus has killed about 5,600 people in India, out of a population of nearly 1.4 billion. But a nationwide lockdown — the biggest in the world — meant that Paswan, even as he healed from his injuries, couldn't get back on the road.
He exhausted what little savings he had. He couldn't send money home for four months. He could no longer afford the rent on his tiny room, which by then he was sharing with his daughter. By early May, they had the equivalent of about $20 left, Kumari recalls.
"We were being evicted. We were running out of food," she told local TV. "So I said, 'Papa, let's go. Let's use the last of our money to buy a bicycle and pedal home.' "
A hot pink bike
At first, Paswan dismissed the idea. Their home is on the other side of the country — some 700 miles away — and he still wasn't able to pedal because of his injuries.
"I said, 'How could we possibly go that far — the two of us on one bicycle?' " Paswan told NPR in a phone interview. "But she convinced me. If we stayed, we would have starved to death. We had to at least try."
So with their remaining cash, they bought a hot pink girl's bicycle with no gears and a basket affixed to the front. On May 8, they set off — with the father on the bike seat, all their belongings in a duffel bag strapped to the back and his daughter pedaling — while standing up in front of him.
"There were so many things running through my mind. I was scared. Would we make it?" Kumari told another local TV reporter. "My arms and legs were aching, but I got strength and courage from all the people we met along the way."
Millions of migrants walking home
Kumari's extraordinary effort is part of a much bigger story. For more than two months, India's highways have been clogged with migrant workers trying to get home. During the coronavirus crisis, some 100 million people in India have lost their jobs. Many, like Paswan, got stranded in big urban centers, far from family. Their only chance at survival is to reach their home villages.
But from late March until early May, India's public transit was shut because of the lockdown. So millions tried to walk home. Some migrants starved to death on the side of the road.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government earmarked $2.65 billion in relief for "farmers, hawkers and vendors," a cabinet minister said.
The government also added additional passenger trains to ferry laborers home. But in May, at least 80 people died on those trains. Many of the passengers are so weak and hungry when they board that they can't survive the journey. Last week, a heartbreaking video went viral, depicting a toddler trying to wake up his dead mother, on the floor of a train station in Kumari's home state of Bihar.
Fortunately for Kumari, food was not a problem on her epic journey. She says people gave her and her father food along the way. They slept on the side of the road. Somewhere in the middle of their journey, a truck driver gave them a lift for about 30 miles, the girl says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stringer/AFP via Getty Images Stringer/AFP via Getty Images
After seven days, on May 15, they rolled into their family's village of Sirhulli in the eastern state of Bihar. They were met with celebrations.
A potentially life-changing phone call
Word of the ride spread quickly, and a few days later, Kumari got a phone call from the Cycling Federation of India.
"I called her up. She was quite confused. I told her that our aim is to make her a world champion," Onkar Singh, the federation's chairman, tells NPR. "We are looking at the Olympics 2024 and 2028."
लॉकडाउन था, सो अपने पिता को साइकिल पर बैठाकर गुरुग्राम से दरभंगा ले गई बेटी...
वीडियो: मोहन भारद्वाज और सीटू तिवारी pic.twitter.com/Mc7hkmyB4O — BBC News Hindi (@BBCHindi) May 19, 2020
He's invited Kumari, once the coronavirus crisis is over, to try out for the national team. He says what impressed him is not the distance she cycled. Tourists in Lycra do that often, he says. It's that Kumari cycled more than 100 miles a day — carrying another person on an old bike and on an empty stomach. "She's toiled so hard. She's done a job that even a man cannot do," Singh says. "So that kind of courage — the guts she has — she has to be rewarded for that."
Singh promised Kumari an all-expenses-paid trip to the capital New Delhi for the audition. If she makes the team, she'd live in a dormitory with other female cyclists, close to a training velodrome. Her housing, food and education would be fully funded by the federation, he said.
Since that offer, Kumari's life has been a circus. The Indian press has labeled her the "lion-hearted." She's been interviewed by journalists from Japan to America. A BBC News Hindi video of her riding her bike with her dad has gone viral.
And now, she's reportedly landed a deal to star as herself in a BollyAtamwood film about her epic cycling trip. An Indian company called Wemakefilmz bought the rights to Kumari's life story and plans to begin work on the project in August. The film's title will be Atmanirbhar — which means "self-reliant" in Hindi. It's also a slogan India's prime minister has used in his speeches descdribing the country's efforts to beat the coronavirus.
When NPR reached her by phone in her village, there were dozens of people at the family's humble home: TV crews, politicians with garlands of flowers and strangers asking for selfies. A pharmaceutical company showed up with a big check.
There's been no social distancing.
Hero or victim?
Kumari's story even got the attention of U.S. presidential adviser Ivanka Trump, who tweeted praise for Kumari, heralding what she called a "beautiful feat of endurance & love."
But Indians — from feminists to anti-poverty activists to journalists — accused the president's daughter of romanticizing poverty. They urged her to call out the Modi government instead, for leaving migrants like Kumari and her father in a desperate situation without adequate public aid.
"She did something brave. But it's something nobody should ever have to do," says Kirthi Jayakumar, a Chennai-based researcher, founder of the Gender Security Project, and one of those who criticized Trump's tweet. "Who wouldn't want to save their father? But circumstances made it so difficult, because of the lack of empathy in policymaking — the sheer absence of compassion and understanding of how a policy can impact different communities differently."
Migrant workers like Kumari's father bore the brunt of the Modi's government's early, strict lockdown, which Modi has credited for saving lives in the coronavirus crisis. But some economists and commentators blame the lockdown for exacerbating poverty in a country where half the population earns less than $3 a day.
"India was copying measures that rich countries take to protect public safety and welfare but that low-income countries cannot afford," Ruchir Sharma, chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times over the weekend. "I was in touch with officials in other major emerging countries and none advocated total lockdowns because without the resources to support new armies of the unemployed, closing the economy would only lead to more hunger and death."
On Monday, India lifted a more than two-month-old nationwide lockdown outside of containment zones — neighborhoods with high concentrations of coronavirus infections. But separate state-by-state restrictions remain. Schools are still closed across India. Some restaurants, hotels and shopping malls may reopen June 8.
Meanwhile, the researcher Jayakumar also worries about how Kumari is managing her newfound fame. Others have called the media attention "poverty porn."
"We have the habit of making poster children, but we don't take care of the emotional wellness of the people we are venerating. I'm willing to bet there will be a film, with a Bollywood actress playing Jyoti, but things will not change on the ground," Jayakumar told NPR.
"How many more Jyotis are out there?" she asks. "Are we thinking about why Jyoti had to make that journey at all?"
As for India's newest celebrity athlete, Kumari herself sounds pretty overwhelmed. Her mother says she's not getting much sleep.
"I'm very happy," Kumari told NPR. But she's not sure what her future holds.
More than anything else, she says, she's just looking forward to going back to school. And she's still deciding what to do next.


npr--2020-07-06--'Enough Is Enough': Atlanta Mayor Calls For Violence To End After Child Killed

'Enough Is Enough ' : Atlanta Mayor Calls For Violence To End After Child Killed '' Enough is enough , '' Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said after an 8-year-old girl was killed and more than 20 other people were reported injured over a violent Fourth of July holiday weekend .
The Atlanta Police Department is offering a reward of up to $ 10,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of those responsible in the child 's killing .
Secoriea Turner was shot near the Wendy 's restaurant where Rayshard Brooks was killed last month after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday evening press conference , Bottoms acknowledged the simmering tensions between Atlantans who have protested for weeks against police brutality .
She said the recent spate of shootings in the city is a result of `` members of the community shooting each other . ''
`` You ca n't blame this on a police officer ; you ca n't say this is about criminal justice reform .
This is about some people carrying some weapons who shot up a car with an 8-year-old baby , '' Bottoms said .
`` We are doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer on this force . ''
She also said the violence threatens to derail the overall message promoted by the largely peaceful protests , which gained momentum in Atlanta and in many cities across the nation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
`` If you want people to take us seriously ... and you do n't want us to lose this movement , then we ca n't lose each other in this , '' Bottoms said .
Charmaine Turner , the child 's mother , pleaded with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Help me , help my baby , '' Turner said during the media briefing .
She added if Secoriea were still alive at this time , she would likely have just finished dinner and would be recording a video of herself dancing .
`` We understand the frustration of Rayshard Brooks , '' Turner said .
`` We ai n't got nothing to do with that .
We innocent . ''
She added , `` Somebody knows something . ''
According to Atlanta 's interim police chief , Rodney Bryant , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted to pull into a parking lot on Saturday evening `` when he was confronted by a group of armed individuals who had blocked the entrance . ''
`` At some point , '' the chief continued , `` someone in the group opened fire on the vehicle , striking it multiple times , striking the child who was inside . ''
Bryant said , `` We can not tolerate this level of lawlessness .
We can not tolerate losing a child from the city of Atlanta . ''
In separate violence over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also shot and killed near the same Wendy 's .
The area near the fast-food restaurant , which was burned in the aftermath of Brooks ' killing , has been the scene of recent protests .
On Monday , Atlanta police and other city officials began removing items such as flowers left in front of the restaurant to memorialize Brooks , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported .
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp tweeted , `` While we stand ready to assist local leaders in restoring peace & maintaining order , we wo n't hesitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week , a Fulton County Superior Court judge allowed the former Atlanta police officer accused of shooting and killing Brooks to be released from jail on a $ 500,000 bond .

'Enough Is Enough': Atlanta Mayor Calls For Violence To End After Child Killed
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
"Enough is enough," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said after an 8-year-old girl was killed and more than 20 other people were reported injured over a violent Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The Atlanta Police Department is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of those responsible in the child's killing.
Secoriea Turner was shot near the Wendy's restaurant where Rayshard Brooks was killed last month after a confrontation with police.
At an emotional Sunday evening press conference, Bottoms acknowledged the simmering tensions between Atlantans who have protested for weeks against police brutality. She said the recent spate of shootings in the city is a result of "members of the community shooting each other."
"You can't blame this on a police officer; you can't say this is about criminal justice reform. This is about some people carrying some weapons who shot up a car with an 8-year-old baby," Bottoms said. "We are doing each other more harm than any police officer on this force."
She also said the violence threatens to derail the overall message promoted by the largely peaceful protests, which gained momentum in Atlanta and in many cities across the nation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
"If you want people to take us seriously ... and you don't want us to lose this movement, then we can't lose each other in this," Bottoms said.
Charmaine Turner, the child's mother, pleaded with the public to help find those responsible.
"Help me, help my baby," Turner said during the media briefing. She added if Secoriea were still alive at this time, she would likely have just finished dinner and would be recording a video of herself dancing.
"We understand the frustration of Rayshard Brooks," Turner said. "We ain't got nothing to do with that. We innocent."
She added, "Somebody knows something."
According to Atlanta's interim police chief, Rodney Bryant, a man driving with Turner and her daughter attempted to pull into a parking lot on Saturday evening "when he was confronted by a group of armed individuals who had blocked the entrance."
"At some point," the chief continued, "someone in the group opened fire on the vehicle, striking it multiple times, striking the child who was inside."
Bryant said, "We cannot tolerate this level of lawlessness. We cannot tolerate losing a child from the city of Atlanta."
In separate violence over the weekend, a 53-year-old man was also shot and killed near the same Wendy's. The area near the fast-food restaurant, which was burned in the aftermath of Brooks' killing, has been the scene of recent protests.
On Monday, Atlanta police and other city officials began removing items such as flowers left in front of the restaurant to memorialize Brooks, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted, "While we stand ready to assist local leaders in restoring peace & maintaining order, we won't hesitate to take action without them."
Last week, a Fulton County Superior Court judge allowed the former Atlanta police officer accused of shooting and killing Brooks to be released from jail on a $500,000 bond.


npr--2020-07-07--New Mexico Leaders To Militia: If You Want To Help Community, Stop Showing Up Armed

New Mexico Leaders To Militia : If You Want To Help Community , Stop Showing Up Armed It 's become known as the Old Town melee .
Protestors gathered last month in Albuquerque , New Mexico , around the bronze statue of Juan de Oñate , the controversial Spanish conquistador , in the city 's historic quarter .
Videos of the event show men with guns — in military garb and tactical gear — stationed around the statue , tussling with protestors .
Soon , the protestors bring out a chain and pick-axe to topple the figure , as police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four shots ring out , and the crowd flees in panic .
A protestor wearing a black hoodie is hit and seriously injured .
A man in a blue shirt — who appeared to be trying to protect the statue — drops a handgun .
The militia surrounds him .
Armed militias like this one have become a feature of the social unrest that is roiling many American cities .
They show up at anti-quarantine protests , marches for racial justice , and monument pull-downs .
Following the shooting in Albuquerque , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the peace , not keeping it .
After that shooting , police arrested Steven Baca , a conservative , one-time city council candidate .
He has been charged with three counts of battery for assaulting three female anti-statue protestors , and unlawfully carrying a concealed handgun .
Protestors say it was Baca who started the trouble ; Baca 's lawyer says he fired in self defense at a young man swinging a skateboard at him .
The shooting is still being investigated .
After the incident , the city of Albuquerque banned firearms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The militia said Baca is not one of them and that they surrounded him for his own safety until police officers arrived on the scene .
Nevertheless , police detained and questioned them for three hours , and confiscated 13 guns and 34 ammunition magazines .
They were released without charges .
Today an angry community is asking why the police did n't intervene sooner , and why a ragtag group of gun lovers who call themselves the New Mexico Civil Guard was there in the first place ?
`` Our reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to , 1 .
Be a visual deterrent ; 2 .
It 's our Second Amendment right to open-carry in this state ; and 3 .
We just want to prevent any violence from spilling out from that protest , '' said the group 's local commander , John Curtis Burks .
He 's 33 , wears a military cap and says he 's works private security .
In hindsight , Burks said , their seven guys were not prepared for 300 angry protestors .
`` We seriously underestimated the situation that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going to be maybe 15 , 20 people trying to tear the statue down , '' he said .
Rather than acting as a deterrent to violence , observers say the presence of the militia shouldering their assault-style rifles had the effect of escalating the mayhem .
`` When I saw the armed militia there , I knew immediately that somebody was going to get hurt , '' said Moises Gonzales , a professor of urban design at the University of New Mexico and a native rights activist .
He had organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Mexico Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham said the militiamen had one reason for being there : `` to menace protestors . ''
And , she said , there is no place for a group `` seeking to terrorize '' her citizens .
For his part , Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller told the militia to stay away .
`` We 're just trying to send a clear signal that we never want vigilantes in our town .
We never want firearms at protests , '' Keller said in an interview at City Hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... have been a dangerous combination for our community that we do n't want to see . ''
Four members of the Civil Guard recently agreed to an interview around a picnic table in a public park south of Albuquerque , where the sun slanted through the cottonwoods and runners huffed past .
They were unarmed and unmasked , except for a young medic named Dakota Farris with a sidearm who said he was there for security .
`` We get death threats all the time , '' Burks said .
Because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Burks said the group is considering changing tactics , carrying pepper spray instead of weapons .
`` When it comes to a protest , '' he said , `` we 're going to be going out and trying to provide a lesser threatening posture . ''
The New Mexico Civil Guard claims 120 members in 12 counties around the state .
Its Facebook page describes its mission this way : `` to provide rapid , local , lawful response to emergency and dangerous situations . ''
But Mayor Keller has called on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hate group .
An FBI spokesman in Albuquerque would not confirm whether the Civil Guard is under investigation .
`` Our efforts are focused on identifying , investigating , and disrupting individuals that are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity , '' the FBI said in an email .
The New Mexico Civil Guard insists they 're not haters or white supremacists .
As proof , they introduce the newest militiaman , Walter Rodriguez , a hispanic private prison guard from Grants , New Mexico .
`` I wanted to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact of certain health issues , no way I could get involved .
So when I saw this come up , I thought this is the closest I 'm gon na get , '' he said .
The group 's co-founder and chaplain is a 30-year-old framing carpenter with a red beard and tattoos named Bryce Provance .
Critics accuse him of being a racist .
They have posted on the internet photos of Provance dressed as a rebel soldier , posing in front of the Confederate battle flag .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the website of the New Confederate States of America .
`` I am not a white nationalist , '' Provance said , `` but I did like their slogan of Heritage , Not Hate . ''
Unlike the rest of the squad , he does not carry loaded weapons to demonstrations .
He ca n't .
He is a convicted felon with a long criminal record in Washington State that includes burglary and armed robbery and prison time .
`` You know , I did stupid things .
I 've lost a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tearfully .
He described a turbulent childhood during which he was addicted to cocaine by age 13 .
He said he formed the militia as a kind of restitution to society , and `` to help our sheriffs . ''
`` I tried to make this so that we could do something good , '' he said .
`` This is what I do to pay for the things I did to my community . ''
But New Mexico leaders say if the militia truly wants to help its community , then it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the teeth .

New Mexico Leaders To Militia: If You Want To Help Community, Stop Showing Up Armed
Enlarge this image toggle caption Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images
It's become known as the Old Town melee. Protesters gathered last month in Albuquerque, N.M., around the bronze statue of Juan de Oñate, the controversial Spanish conquistador, in the city's historic quarter.
Videos of the event show men with guns — in military garb and tactical gear — stationed around the statue, tussling with protesters. Soon, the protesters bring out a chain and pickax to topple the figure, as police watch from afar.
Minutes later, four shots ring out, and the crowd flees in panic. A protester wearing a black hoodie is hit and seriously injured. A man in a blue shirt — who appeared to be trying to protect the statue — drops a handgun. The militia surrounds him.
Armed militias like this one have become a feature of the social unrest that is roiling many American cities. They show up at anti-quarantine protests, marches for racial justice and monument removals. Following the shooting in Albuquerque, the community is accusing a militia of disturbing the peace, not keeping it.
After that shooting, police arrested Steven Baca, a conservative, onetime city council candidate. He has been charged with three counts of battery for assaulting three female protesters and unlawfully carrying a concealed handgun. Protesters say it was Baca who started the trouble; Baca's lawyer says he fired in self defense at a young man swinging a skateboard at him. The shooting is still being investigated. After the incident, the city of Albuquerque banned firearms and other deadly weapons in public parks.
The militia said Baca is not one of them and that they surrounded him for his own safety until police officers arrived on the scene. Nevertheless, police detained and questioned them for three hours, and confiscated 13 guns and 34 ammunition magazines. They were released without charges.
Escalating the mayhem
Today an angry community is asking why the police didn't intervene sooner, and why a ragtag group of gun lovers who call themselves the New Mexico Civil Guard was there in the first place.
National A Person Shot During The Protest To Remove Conquistador Statue In Albuquerque, N.M. A Person Shot During The Protest To Remove Conquistador Statue In Albuquerque, N.M. Listen · 4:37 4:37
"Our reasons for being down there with guns was to, 1. Be a visual deterrent; 2. It's our Second Amendment right to open-carry in this state; and 3. We just want to prevent any violence from spilling out from that protest," said the group's local commander, John Curtis Burks. He's 33, wears a military cap and says he works private security.
In hindsight, Burks said, their seven guys were not prepared for 300 angry protesters. "We seriously underestimated the situation that we had stepped into. We thought it was going to be maybe 15, 20 people trying to tear the statue down," he said.
Rather than acting as a deterrent to violence, observers say the presence of the militia shouldering their assault-style rifles had the effect of escalating the mayhem.
"When I saw the armed militia there, I knew immediately that somebody was going to get hurt," said Moises Gonzales, a professor of urban design at the University of New Mexico, who describes himself as a Chicano Native American rights activist.H e had organized the event as a prayer gathering.
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Burnett/NPR John Burnett/NPR
'Trying to provide a lesser threatening posture'
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the militiamen had one reason for being there: "to menace protesters." And, she said, there is no place for a group "seeking to terrorize" her citizens.
For his part, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller told the militia to stay away.
"We're just trying to send a clear signal that we never want vigilantes in our town. We never want firearms at protests," Keller said in an interview at City Hall. "And both of those things ... have been a dangerous combination for our community that we don't want to see."
Four members of the Civil Guard recently agreed to an interview around a picnic table in a public park south of Albuquerque, where the sun slanted through the cottonwoods and runners huffed past. They were unarmed and unmasked, except for a young medic named Dakota Farris with a sidearm who said he was there for security.
"We get death threats all the time," Burks said.
Because of the fallout over the violent statue protest, Burks said the group is considering changing tactics, carrying pepper spray instead of weapons. "When it comes to a protest," he said, "we're going to be going out and trying to provide a lesser threatening posture."
The New Mexico Civil Guard claims 120 members in 12 counties around the state. Its Facebook page describes its mission this way: "to provide rapid, local, lawful response to emergency and dangerous situations."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office via AP Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office via AP
'I am not a white nationalist'
But the mayor has called on the FBI to investigate the militia as a hate group. An FBI spokesman in Albuquerque would not confirm whether the Civil Guard is under investigation.
"Our efforts are focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals that are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity," the FBI said in an email.
The New Mexico Civil Guard insists they're not haters or white supremacists. As proof, they introduce the newest militiaman, Walter Rodriguez, a Hispanic private prison guard from Grants, N.M.
"I wanted to serve in the military, but due to the fact of certain health issues, no way I could get involved. So when I saw this come up, I thought this is the closest I'm gonna get," he said.
The group's co-founder and chaplain is a 30-year-old framing carpenter with a red beard and tattoos named Bryce Provance.
Critics accuse him of being a racist. They have posted photos of Provance dressed as a rebel soldier, posing in front of the Confederate battle flag. And he was listed as a state commander on the website of the New Confederate States of America.
"I am not a white nationalist," Provance said, "but I did like their slogan of Heritage, Not Hate."
Unlike the rest of the squad, he does not carry loaded weapons to demonstrations. He can't. He is a convicted felon with a long criminal record in Washington state that includes burglary, armed robbery and prison time.
"You know, I did stupid things. I've lost a lot of my life," he said tearfully. He described a turbulent childhood during which he was addicted to cocaine by age 13. He said he formed the militia as a kind of restitution to society, and "to help our sheriffs."
"I tried to make this so that we could do something good," he said. "This is what I do to pay for the things I did to my community."
But New Mexico leaders say if the militia truly wants to help its community, then it should stop coming to public gatherings armed to the teeth.


npr--2020-07-07--Boston Tavern Pivots To 'Plan B' To Try To Survive The Pandemic

Boston Tavern Pivots To 'Plan B ' To Try To Survive The Pandemic This is the first in an ongoing series of stories following the struggle of one restaurant trying , like many , to reinvent itself in order to survive the global pandemic .
Food and drink establishments have been among the most challenging businesses to operate through the pandemic .
Around the nation , many have already shut down for good , while others that reopened are now closing again because of increases in COVID-19 cases in some places .
In Boston , where the coronavirus is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Cornwall 's is one of many trying to make a go of it .
A mainstay in Kenmore Square for nearly 40 years , Cornwall 's has capitalized on the foot traffic from neighboring Fenway Park and Boston University .
As it does every year , the family-owned pub spent mid-March preparing to be packed with people looking for a place to party .
`` Saint Patrick 's Day is like Christmas , '' says Pam Beale , 64 , who owns the place with her husband John , 77 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with tartan plaid cushions , was decked out for the holiday , with shamrocks adorning the walls and Guinness give-away key chains and hats piled up for revelers .
The Beales say they 'd prepared to cook `` lots and lots '' of corned beef and cabbage and soda bread , and had ordered up extra kegs and bottles of beer .
`` People would start at lunchtime , '' says Pam .
`` It was a big celebration to look forward to . ''
But then the state ordered all restaurants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Beales raced to pack up their perishables and put away the decorations .
Their regulars came in for a last pint and left extra-large tips as they wished everyone well .
`` It was gut-wrenching , '' she recalls .
`` It really was . ''
The owners locked their doors for what they thought would be three weeks , but turned out to be three months .
Last month , on his first day back at the pub , JR Moran fiddles with his key ring at the door .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ key it is , '' he says .
Moran and his brother Billy , the Beales ' nephews , have been working at Cornwall 's since they were teenagers .
They are now chef and general manager , respectively .
They 've come to get rid of food gone bad , equipment that lay idle for too long and wo n't work anymore and beer that 's gone stale .
Vinny Gibson from Burke Distributing , the guy who 's been getting them kegs for more than a decade , is here to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're getting credit for everything , '' he says .
`` Anything untapped is full credit .
Anything partial , we just weigh it , give you partial credit . ''
It 's a more-than-generous gesture in an industry where everyone 's hurting , and a small bit of welcome relief to the family business that has flatlined for three months .
`` Fingers crossed for all of us , '' an appreciative Pam says to Vinny .
`` I mean , your business depends on my business , and vice versa .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Beales ' minds is whether their landlord will be as understanding .
The neighborhood is dotted with places that have already succumbed to the pressure of paying Boston 's high rents .
Even the owner of the highly successful Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks across the street said he may have to close because his landlord is playing hardball .
The thought that if it can happen to him , it can happen to anyone leaves them all rattled .
So far , Cornwall 's landlord has been willing to cut the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , everyone 's patience has a limit , and it 's unclear if it will be enough .
`` They 've been really great so far , '' says Billy .
`` But this is a real test for any relationship .
And that make me nervous because the opportunity for us to do really well probably wo n't come until next spring . ''
That 's high season for Cornwall 's .
After Saint Patrick 's Day , the pub counts on crowds from the Boston Marathon that runs through Kenmore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstays : the throngs of fans coming to Red Sox games at nearby Fenway Park , and families flocking in to celebrate Boston University graduations .
Fenway has just reopened for practice , and games are scheduled to be played later this month , but with no fans .
BU 's current plan is to give students the choice of coming back for fall classes or taking them remotely , but the campus has been virtually empty since March .
`` I mean , those are two legs of the bar stool that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kenmore Square he says , has been a `` ghost town . ''
Especially , she said , since the stakes are not just her family 's livelihood , but life and death for everyone who comes in to eat or work .
While Massachusetts currently has one of the nation 's lowest coronavirus transmission rates , it was a hotspot just a few months ago , and a second spike is always a fear .
It 's why she did n't just fling the doors open the first day it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cornwall 's let a month 's worth of business pass it by , as the Beales spent time studying new pandemic protocols , stocking up on PPE , attending webinars offered by the city and the restaurant industry , doing deep cleaning of the restaurant , and taking extra precautions like adding new filters to their HVAC system .
`` Look , the most important thing is everybody 's health and safety , first and foremost , and you can never lose sight of that , '' says Pam .
`` When I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me to judge , but I think , 'Take a step back and do it right . '
`` It 's been a steep learning curve .
The Beales and their team have changed not only how they serve , but also what they serve .
Because bar seating is prohibited , and they 're losing that big business at night , Cornwall 's is adding breakfast in the mornings .
Last month , they brought in contractors to revamp their long copper-top bar .
It has been the crown jewel of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen British and local beers on tap , amid an eclectic mix of vintage beer signs and Red Sox bobble-head figurines .
Workers removed a section of the copper top and added plumbing and wiring to accommodate a new espresso machine .
`` We 're trying to adapt , '' says Pam .
`` You do what you have to do . ''
That includes learning how to make breakfast .
Billy 's wife , Lauren Moran , who opened a café in the suburbs a few years ago , has been teaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and breakfast burritos .
And Speedwell Coffee Company owner Derek Anderson gave everyone a crash course in coffee making .
It included everything from how to grind and time the coffee so it 's the `` right balance between some sourness , some sweetness , and some bitterness , '' to warnings about pointing the steam valves the right way .
If you do n't do that , he warns , `` you 'll definitely soak your shorts or pants . ''
After decades in the restaurant business , everyone at Cornwall 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the truth , '' laughs John .
`` It 's back to basics .
You have to have to reinvent yourself . ''
`` It 's almost like starting in business all over again , '' adds Pam .
Resilience is nothing new to the Beales .
Since John started as a bartender in 1967 , and the couple opened Cornwall 's in '83 , he 's lived through everything from riots during bussing and the Boston Marathon bombing to waves of gentrification in Kenmore Square that forced Cornwall 's to relocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They built out a new space two doors down from their old one , a renovation that included painstakingly removing , transporting and reinstalling a hand-painted wall mural featuring famous Brits like Margaret Thatcher , Winston Churchill and King Edward .
The relocated pub was open just a little more than six months — and still paying off construction loans — when the pandemic shut it down .
The forced closure `` could n't have happened almost at a worse time for us , '' says Pam .
`` It 's like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden there 's no safety net any more . ''
Cornwall 's is still waiting to hear back on whether it might get help from the government Paycheck Protection Program .
Pam says she loses sleep worrying about whether customers will show up or if they 'll remain too skittish to eat out , and about grim projections that more than a quarter of restaurants will fail .
`` It 's not going to be pretty , '' she says .
`` But it 's not about making money now .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled reopening , a skeletal staff comes in for a dry run — cooking , learning how to keep customers properly spaced inside and setting up tables outside on an area of the sidewalk the city is allowing the pub to use .
Most other restaurants with outdoor space started serving a month ago , profiting from a record stretch of sunny days .
But as luck would have it , Cornwall 's curb had become a temporary depot for city busses , making it impractical .
`` Nobody 's going to want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Billy .
`` It just does n't make sense to scramble to do it for nothing . ''
But now , with the busses finally gone , Cornwall 's is ready to go for it .
The menus have been revamped and reprinted , the Purell stations and social distancing signs are in place , and the family is anxious .
But as Pam says , they are `` all in , '' both financially and emotionally .
`` This is our baby , '' she says .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a baby , John says , Cornwall 's will continue to grow and change over time , which also can be expected to come with some headaches .
But John says he , too , would be lost without it .
`` What Cornwall 's does now is it keeps me alive , '' he says .
He gets up every morning looking forward to work , and `` at end of the day , you look back and you say , We accomplished a lot . '
You know , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
After a long day of set-up and training last week , Billy stands behind the bar , looking out at the empty tables and banquettes .
On a whim , he flips on some music on the radio , giving the pub one more sign of life — and one more hint of the old , bustling energy he misses .
`` When its busy and there 's music on and people are interacting and having a good time , it gives me sort of a rush , '' he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ register what song just happens to be playing : Bob Marley and the Wailers are cooing , `` Every little thing gon na be all right ! ''
`` Oh !
That 's too funny ! ''
Billy notes with a smile .
`` Hopefully it 's a sign . ''
Pam shares the sentiment .
`` Knock on wood that it should happen that way , '' she says .

Boston Tavern Pivots To 'Plan B' To Try To Survive The Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR Tovia Smith/NPR
This is the first in an ongoing series of stories following the struggle of one restaurant trying, like many, to reinvent itself to survive the global pandemic.
Food and drink establishments have been among the most challenging businesses to operate through the pandemic. Around the nation, many have already shut down for good, while others that reopened are now closing again because of increases in COVID-19 cases in some places.
In Boston, where the coronavirus is currently on the wane, an English-style pub called Cornwall's is one of many trying to make a go of it. A mainstay in Kenmore Square for nearly 40 years, Cornwall's has capitalized on the foot traffic from neighboring Fenway Park and Boston University.
As it does every year, the family-owned pub spent mid-March preparing to be packed with people looking for a place to party.
"Saint Patrick's Day is like Christmas," says Pam Beale, 64, who owns the place with her husband, John, 77. The cozy pub, with its mahogany banquettes with tartan-plaid cushions, was decked out for the holiday with shamrocks adorning the walls and Guinness giveaway keychains and hats piled up for revelers. The Beales say they'd prepared to cook "lots and lots" of corned beef and cabbage and soda bread and had ordered extra kegs and bottles of beer.
toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR
"People would start at lunchtime," says Pam. "It was a big celebration to look forward to."
Then the state ordered all restaurants to close by 11 p.m. the night before.
The Beales raced to pack up their perishables and put away the decorations. Their regulars came in for a last pint and left extra-large tips as they wished everyone well.
"It was gut-wrenching," she recalls. "It really was."
The owners locked their doors for what they thought would be three weeks, but turned out to be three months.
Last month, on his first day back at the pub, J.R. Moran fiddled with his key ring at the door.
"I can't even remember which key it is," he says.
Moran and his brother Billy, the Beales' nephews, have been working at Cornwall's since they were teenagers. They are now chef and general manager, respectively.
They've come to get rid of food gone bad, equipment that lay idle for too long and won't work anymore and beer that's gone stale. Vinny Gibson from Burke Distributing, the guy who has been getting them kegs for more than a decade, is here to take a bunch back.
toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR
"You're getting credit for everything," he says. "Anything untapped is full credit. Anything partial, we just weigh it, give you partial credit."
It's a more-than-generous gesture in an industry where everyone's hurting and a small bit of welcome relief to the family business that has flatlined for three months.
"Fingers crossed for all of us," an appreciative Pam says to Vinny. "I mean, your business depends on my business, and vice versa."
But the big question on all the Beales' minds is whether their landlord will be as understanding. The neighborhood is dotted with places that have already succumbed to the pressure of paying Boston's high rents. Even the owner of the highly successful Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks across the street said he may have to close because his landlord is playing hardball. The thought that if it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone leaves them all rattled.
So far, Cornwall's landlord has been willing to cut the pub some slack. But as Billy says, everyone's patience has a limit, and it's unclear if it will be enough.
"They've been really great so far," says Billy. "But this is a real test for any relationship. And that make me nervous because the opportunity for us to do really well probably won't come until next spring."
That's high season for Cornwall's. After Saint Patrick's Day, the pub counts on crowds from the Boston Marathon that runs through Kenmore Square, and then Cornwall's dual mainstays: the throngs of fans coming to Red Sox games at nearby Fenway Park and families flocking in to celebrate Boston University graduations.
Fenway has just reopened for practice, and games are scheduled to be played later this month, but with no fans. BU's current plan is to give students the choice of coming back for fall classes or taking them remotely, but the campus has been virtually empty since March.
"I mean, those are two legs of the bar stool that are totally gone," says Billy. Kenmore Square, he says, has been a "ghost town."
"It's very nerve-wracking," sighs Pam.
Especially, she said, since the stakes are not just her family's livelihood, but life and death for everyone who comes in to eat or work. While Massachusetts currently has one of the nation's lowest coronavirus transmission rates, it was a hot spot just a few months ago, and a second spike is always a fear. It's why she didn't just fling the doors open the first day it was allowed, like many others did.
Cornwall's let a month's worth of business pass it by as the Beales spent time studying new pandemic protocols, stocking up on PPE, attending webinars offered by the city and the restaurant industry, doing deep cleaning of the restaurant, and taking extra precautions like adding new filters to their HVAC system.
toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR
"Look, the most important thing is everybody's health and safety, first and foremost, and you can never lose sight of that," says Pam. "When I see other people opening up, not for me to judge, but I think, 'Take a step back and do it right.' "
It's been a steep learning curve. The Beales and their team have changed not only how they serve, but also what they serve. Because bar seating is prohibited, and they're losing that big business at night, Cornwall's is adding breakfast in the mornings.
Last month, they brought in contractors to revamp their long, copper-top bar. It has been the crown jewel of a space that boasts more than two dozen British and local beers on tap, amid an eclectic mix of vintage beer signs and Red Sox bobble-head figurines. Workers removed a section of the copper top and added plumbing and wiring to accommodate a new espresso machine.
toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR
"We're trying to adapt," says Pam. "You do what you have to do."
That includes learning how to make breakfast. Billy's wife, Lauren Moran, who opened a café in the suburbs a few years ago, has been teaching John and J.R. to make blueberry muffins and breakfast burritos. And Speedwell Coffee Co. owner Derek Anderson gave everyone a crash course in coffee-making. It included everything from how to grind and time the coffee so it's the "right balance between some sourness, some sweetness and some bitterness" to warnings about pointing the steam valves the right way. If you don't do that, he warns, "you'll definitely soak your shorts or pants."
After decades in the restaurant business, everyone at Cornwall's is a rookie again.
"It's the truth," laughs John. "It's back to basics. You have to have to reinvent yourself."
"It's almost like starting in business all over again," adds Pam.
Resilience is nothing new to the Beales. Since John started as a bartender in 1967, and the couple opened Cornwall's in '83, he's lived through everything from riots during busing and the Boston Marathon bombing to waves of gentrification in Kenmore Square that forced Cornwall's to relocate three times — most recently last summer.
They built out a new space two doors down from their old one, a renovation that included painstakingly removing, transporting and reinstalling a hand-painted wall mural featuring famous Brits such as Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill and King Edward.
The relocated pub was open just a little more than six months — and still paying off construction loans — when the pandemic shut it down.
The forced closure "couldn't have happened almost at a worse time for us," says Pam. "It's like standing over a cliff and all of sudden there's no safety net anymore."
Cornwall's is still waiting to hear back on whether it might get help from the government Paycheck Protection Program. Pam says she loses sleep worrying about whether customers will show up or if they'll remain too skittish to eat out, and about grim projections that more than a quarter of restaurants will fail.
"It's not going to be pretty," she says. "But it's not about making money now. It's about surviving."
Days before the scheduled reopening, a skeletal staff comes in for a dry run — cooking, learning how to keep customers properly spaced inside and setting up tables outside on an area of the sidewalk the city is allowing the pub to use. Most other restaurants with outdoor space started serving a month ago, profiting from a record stretch of sunny days. But as luck would have it, Cornwall's curb had become a temporary depot for city buses, making it impractical.
"Nobody's going to want to sit outside breathing bus fumes," says Billy. "It just doesn't make sense to scramble to do it for nothing."
But now, with the buses finally gone, Cornwall's is ready to go for it. The menus have been revamped and reprinted, the Purell stations and social distancing signs are in place and the family is anxious. But as Pam says, they are "all in," both financially and emotionally.
"This is our baby," she says. "It's what we created together."
And like a baby, John says, Cornwall's will continue to grow and change over time, which also can be expected to come with some headaches. But John says he, too, would be lost without it.
"What Cornwall's does now is it keeps me alive," he says. He gets up every morning looking forward to work, and "at end of the day, you look back and you say, 'We accomplished a lot.' You know, there's no more fulfilling thing than that."
After a long day of set-up and training last week, Billy stands behind the bar, looking out at the empty tables and banquettes. On a whim, he flips on some music on the radio, giving the pub one more sign of life — and one more hint of the old, bustling energy he misses.
"When its busy and there's music on and people are interacting and having a good time, it gives me sort of a rush," he says.
It takes him a minute to register what song just happens to be playing: Bob Marley and the Wailers are cooing, "Every little thing gonna be all right!"
"Oh! That's too funny!" Billy notes with a smile. "Hopefully it's a sign."
Pam shares the sentiment. "Knock on wood that it should happen that way," she says.
Editor's note: Since this story aired, Vinny Gibson has told NPR he was wrong about his company's return policy. It was not offering partial credit for partially used kegs, as he stated in our story.


npr--2020-07-07--India Surpasses Russia In Reported Coronavirus Infections

India has now surpassed Russia to become the third country worst-affected by the coronavirus , in terms of total infections .
Only the United States and Brazil have more .
On Tuesday , India 's death toll from COVID-19 crossed 20,000 , and its total caseload now exceeds 700,000 .
Both tallies are now rising at their fastest pace since the pandemic began .
Over the weekend , India reported its highest-ever single-day spike in infections , with nearly 25,000 new cases in a 24-hour period .
The Taj Mahal and other monuments originally scheduled to reopen to tourists Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike has been powered in part by rising numbers of infections in a handful of southern Indian states , including Karnataka , Telangana and Tamil Nadu .
India is also testing more , with nearly 250,000 COVID-19 tests being administered daily , according to Heath Ministry data .
The hardest-hit areas are still India 's largest cities , New Delhi and Mumbai .
Hospitals there are overcrowded , and makeshift medical wards have been hastily constructed in convention centers .
In March , India imposed one of the earliest , strictest lockdowns in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its total cases were relatively low , numbering in the hundreds .
The lockdown may have slowed the virus ' spread , but it also left at least 100 million people unemployed , some of them left starving .
A nationwide lockdown was eased in early June to try to revive the economy .
While schools remain shut , most businesses and public transit have since resumed , except for areas with high concentrations of COVID-19 cases .
But individual state governments have been re-imposing their own restrictions .
Even though India ranks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ranks eighth in terms of fatalities , according to Johns Hopkins University .

India Surpasses Russia In Reported Coronavirus Infections
Enlarge this image toggle caption Manish Swarup/AP Manish Swarup/AP
India has now surpassed Russia to become the third-worst country affected by the coronavirus, in terms of total infections. Only the United States and Brazil have more.
On Tuesday, India's death toll from COVID-19 crossed 20,000 and its total caseload now exceeds 700,000. Both tallies are now rising at their fastest pace since the pandemic began.
Over the weekend, India reported its highest-ever single-day spike in infections with nearly 25,000 new cases in a 24-hour period. The Taj Mahal and other monuments originally scheduled to reopen to tourists Monday now remain closed indefinitely.
The latest spike has been powered in part by rising numbers of infections in a handful of southern Indian states, including Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. India is also testing more, with nearly 250,000 COVID-19 tests being administered daily, according to Health Ministry data.
The hardest-hit areas are still India's largest cities, New Delhi and Mumbai. Hospitals there are overcrowded, and makeshift medical wards have been hastily constructed in convention centers.
In March, India imposed one of the earliest, strictest lockdowns in the world, at a time when its total cases were relatively low, numbering in the hundreds. The lockdown may have slowed the virus's spread, but it also left at least 100 million people unemployed, some of them left starving.
A nationwide lockdown was eased in early June to try to revive the economy. While schools remain closed, most businesses and public transit have since resumed, except for areas with high concentrations of COVID-19 cases. But individual state governments have been reimposing their own restrictions.
Even though India ranks third in terms of total coronavirus cases, it ranks eighth in terms of fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.


npr--2020-07-07--'Almost In Tears': A Hairstylist Worries About Reopening Too Soon

'Almost In Tears ' : A Hairstylist Worries About Reopening Too Soon When you 're a man of a certain age , not getting a haircut for a few months , the thinning hair on top starts getting wispy and blowing around , the sides stick out all crazy .
It is not a good look .
And it seemed beyond the help of a YouTube haircut video .
So when the stylist who cuts my hair , Vincent Cox , told me that the salon he works at was opening up , I thought — `` Well , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to risk my health just for vanity ? ''
A few days later I 'm sitting on the back patio of a salon in Boston with Cox 's scissors snapping around my head .
We 're both wearing masks .
`` I set up these stations outside , I brought the mirrors in from home , '' he says .
The salon owner has been receptive to his ideas for how to reopen the business as safely as possible .
Cox says he works outside as much as possible .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he 's had to improvise before .
He 's cut rock stars ' hair on airplanes .
`` Oh , yeah .
I traveled with Aerosmith , The Cars , the Rolling Stones , '' he says .
`` That was dangerous duty too , you know , in the '70s ! ''
`` A different kind of dangerous , '' I say .
`` A different kind of danger , '' Cox says and laughs .
`` But it was n't , you know , it was n't like this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all the other hairstylists he knows were shocked to hear that hair salons were among the first businesses opening up in Massachusetts and some other states .
He says it just does n't seem to make a lot of sense .
`` I mean , I would go work in an office , '' he says .
`` The other guy 's six feet away at a desk .
I 'm not touching him and running my fingers through his hair . ''
As Cox is telling me this he accidentally pokes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's impossible to social distance when you 're getting a haircut .
And as we talk , it becomes clear that Cox is pretty scared .
He 's 65 years old , and 80 % of COVID-19 deaths have been in people his age or older .
He says his dentist was warning him not to ever take off his N95 mask .
His doctor said the same thing .
`` They 're worried sick about me , '' he says .
But when the salon opened up , Cox could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt he had no choice but to come back to work .
He 's sterilizing his chair and scissors , washing clients ' hair himself , working 13-hour days , worried about getting sick .
`` It 's been one of the hardest things I 've ever done in my life , '' he says .
`` I was almost in tears the first day — almost in tears . ''
Cox says one evening after work the first week he was back he was kind of having a little bit of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my friend , and he 's a retired Army general .
He texted me and asked me how I was doing , and I went on a rant of about 10 , 15 minutes .
And it was really good because a general , when he gives you a kind of a word of advice , you kind of listen , you know ? ''
`` And he says , 'Vince , just remember your friends are behind you . '
And so that 's the best advice I 've gotten . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the steps to keep employees and customers safe — spreading out the chairs inside , cutting hair on the patio , the masks , the gloves .
But Cox and stylists at other salons , too , are worried .
They say they feel like canaries in a coal mine , like test subjects to see whether parts of the economy where you ca n't social distance are opening up too fast .

'Almost In Tears': A Hairstylist Worries About Reopening Too Soon
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris Arnold/NPR Chris Arnold/NPR
When you're a man of a certain age and you don't get a haircut for a few months, the thinning hair on top starts getting wispy and blowing around, the sides stick out all crazy. It is not a good look.
And it seemed beyond the help of a YouTube haircut video. So when the stylist who cuts my hair, Vincent Cox, told me that the salon he works at was opening up, I thought — "Well, I don't know. What am I going to risk my health just for vanity?"
A few days later, I'm sitting on the back patio of a salon in Boston with Cox's scissors snapping around my head. We're both wearing masks.
"I set up these stations outside, I brought the mirrors in from home," he says. The salon owner has been receptive to his ideas for how to reopen the business as safely as possible. Cox says he works outside as much as possible.
He has been cutting hair for 45 years, and he has had to improvise before. He has cut rock stars' hair on airplanes.
"Oh, yeah. I traveled with Aerosmith, The Cars, the Rolling Stones," he says. "That was dangerous duty too, you know, in the '70s!"
"A different kind of dangerous," I say.
"A different kind of danger," Cox says and laughs. "But it wasn't, you know, it wasn't like this."
Cox says that he and all the other hairstylists he knows were shocked to hear that hair salons were among the first businesses opening up in Massachusetts and some other states. He says it just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.
"I mean, I would go work in an office," he says. "The other guy's 6 feet away at a desk. I'm not touching him and running my fingers through his hair."
As Cox is telling me this, he accidentally pokes my eyelid with his finger. Obviously, it's impossible to social distance when you're getting a haircut.
And as we talk, it becomes clear that Cox is pretty scared. He's 65 years old, and 80% of COVID-19 deaths have been in people his age or older.
He says his dentist was warning him not to ever take off his N95 mask. His doctor said the same thing. "They're worried sick about me," he says.
But when the salon opened up, Cox couldn't collect unemployment anymore, so he felt he had no choice but to come back to work. He's sterilizing his chair and scissors, washing clients' hair himself, working 13-hour days, worried about getting sick.
"It's been one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life," he says. "I was almost in tears the first day — almost in tears."
Cox says one evening after work in the first week he was back, he was kind of having a little bit of a breakdown. "And I talked to my friend, and he's a retired Army general. He texted me and asked me how I was doing, and I went on a rant of about 10, 15 minutes. And it was really good because a general, when he gives you a kind of a word of advice, you kind of listen, you know?"
"And he says, 'Vince, just remember your friends are behind you.' And so that's the best advice I've gotten."
The salon owner says he's comfortable with the steps to keep employees and customers safe — spreading out the chairs inside, cutting hair on the patio, the masks, the gloves. But Cox and stylists at other salons are worried. They say they feel like canaries in a coal mine, like test subjects to see whether parts of the economy where you can't social distance are opening up too fast.