csmonitor--2020-04-01--Comics are for kids? This Vermont college begs to differ.

The college ’ s growth has helped White River Junction to nurture a vibrant arts community , while CCS students and alumni often volunteer for local nonprofits .
All this on an annual budget of $ 1.1 million .
“ We didn ’ t know it would create such a community , that so much good would materialize out of people ’ s work , ” says Ms. Ollie .
The Center for Cartoon Studies that Ms. Ollie co-founded 15 years ago is inspiring a new generation of cartoonists to learn their art , find a career , and make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can earn certificates and a master ’ s degree , and college alumni have found success as illustrators and graphic novelists ; others have worked with educators to embed visuals into complex coursework .
As a child , Michelle Ollie struggled to overcome her dyslexia .
What helped her learn to read was comics , an art form that is now the foundation of what may be the only college in New England dedicated to cartooning , in White River Junction , Vermont .
Diagnosed with dyslexia , Coco Fox ’ s niece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comics .
Now the 14-year-old is reading up a storm , says her aunt .
The comic that had this transformative effect on this young reader is by Michelle Ollie .
The cartoonist had charted her own struggles with childhood dyslexia and showed how she went on to set up what may be the only college in New England to focus entirely on cartooning .
Just as comics inspired Ms. Ollie to read , she ’ s inspiring a new generation of young cartoonists to learn their art , find a career , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms. Fox is one of 27 full-time students enrolled at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction , Vermont .
Classes are held in a former post office building and a nearby former department store in this old railroad village of just over 2,000 people .
Students can earn a one-year certificate , a two-year certificate , or , for those who already hold a bachelor ’ s degree , a Master of Fine Arts .
And just as the school encourages its students to make a difference with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ River Junction to nurture a vibrant arts community , while CCS students and alumni often volunteer for local nonprofits .
( All classes went online on March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic , but two campus buildings have remained open as students observe social distancing . )
When Ms. Fox first read “ From the Desk of the President of the Center for Cartoon Studies ” by Ms. Ollie , she was struck by its uplifting message and emotional honesty .
“ The comic was so good that I cried , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought them all home , ” Ms. Fox said .
One copy went to her niece – and a new reader was born .
“ We didn ’ t know it would create such a community , that so much good would materialize out of people ’ s work , ” says Ms. Ollie , who co-founded CCS in 2005 with cartoonist James Sturm .
It runs on an annual budget of $ 1.1 million .
Its 249 graduates include several prize-winning illustrators and graphic novelists ; one , Charles Forsman , recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scripted drama series for Netflix .
The co-founders of CCS never saw that coming .
“ At the beginning , it was about making the case for comics as an art form , a medium , ” says Mr. Sturm .
Today , visual storytelling is everywhere , from online comic strips and anime to graphic novels and richly-illustrated children ’ s books in libraries and bookstores .
Take graphic novels : Publishers put out 12 % more in 2019 , and the young-adult section has grown even faster .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sturm .
CCS ’ s mission doesn ’ t stop at its campus .
Its educators and students have brought the power of comics into a variety of educational settings , ranging from elementary grades to college-level online courses .
“ We tend to see a fair amount of ( CCS students ) who want to lecture or teach or conduct workshops , ” says Ms. Ollie , adding that local schools often request CCS workshops .
“ There ’ s a lot of interest , and it ’ s growing fast.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is What Democracy Looks Like : A Graphic Guide to Governance , ” a CCS comic book , has had three print runs totaling 40,000 copies , and has been used to teach classes in school districts across the country .
Mr. Sturm and his colleagues have led some of these workshops .
Ms. Fox says when she joined one in Columbus , Ohio , a teacher was amazed at how kids responded .
“ She was tearing up , because one of the students in the class , who pretty much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says Ms. Fox .
Mr. Sturm said this isn ’ t uncommon .
“ A lot of young students who are on the autism spectrum , parents say comics are their way of connecting with the world , ” he says .
There ’ s a lot more openness from teachers and school officials to the idea of comics as an educational medium than there used to be , adds Ms. Ollie .
That exposure has also led to some unexpected partnerships , including one with Dartmouth College ’ s Thayer School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has an engineering background and was a visiting scholar at Dartmouth , introduced Thayer faculty to CCS alum Katherine Roy , who drew a series of illustrations for a popular online course to explain complex engineering concepts .
“ I wanted to make engineering friendly and accessible , ” says Vicki May , an engineering professor at Dartmouth .
“ We ’ re only beginning to see the application of comics to help many different industries.
” Ms. Ollie agrees .
Some CCS students tell her they want to work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing just how adaptable comics can be .
Take Dan Nott , the lead cartoonist for the democracy comic .
He ’ s working on a graphic novel for Random House , tentatively titled “ Hidden Systems , ” about the infrastructure systems we often take for granted .
Comics start with creativity .
But that ’ s not all that ’ s imparted at CCS : Students learn everything from drawing skills to getting their comics published and promoted , and can tap into a strong network of faculty and peers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little bit of a boot camp , ” Ms. Ollie says .
“ You ’ re creating a lot of material .
You get the idea of building those skills and adapting them.
” She ’ s seen a lot of changes over the last 15 years , both at CCS and in the community , as the cartooning school has helped spark a downtown revival .
“ When we started the school , we had no idea about some of the things we ’ d see happen , ” she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared the story about her niece .
She cried afterwards in her car , grateful that her work had touched a young girl .
For Ms. Fox , who is due to graduate in May , that experience is a motivator .
Her niece read Jen Wang ’ s “ The Prince and the Dressmaker , ” a 2018 graphic-novel fairy tale , so much that the binding wore down .
“ As someone who writes comics for kids , knowing they could read it so much they could destroy it , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ write every day.
” Editor ’ s note : The photo captions in this story have been updated to correct the spelling of the name of the library at the Center for Cartoon Studies .
It is the Schulz Library .

Frustration and seeming limitations can also be sources of inspiration. For Michelle Ollie, confronting her own personal struggles with learning disabilities opened a door, for herself and others, into the world of cartooning.
The college’s growth has helped White River Junction to nurture a vibrant arts community, while CCS students and alumni often volunteer for local nonprofits. All this on an annual budget of $1.1 million. “We didn’t know it would create such a community, that so much good would materialize out of people’s work,” says Ms. Ollie.
The Center for Cartoon Studies that Ms. Ollie co-founded 15 years ago is inspiring a new generation of cartoonists to learn their art, find a career, and make a difference in their communities. Students can earn certificates and a master’s degree, and college alumni have found success as illustrators and graphic novelists; others have worked with educators to embed visuals into complex coursework.
As a child, Michelle Ollie struggled to overcome her dyslexia. What helped her learn to read was comics, an art form that is now the foundation of what may be the only college in New England dedicated to cartooning, in White River Junction, Vermont.
Diagnosed with dyslexia, Coco Fox’s niece was struggling with reading until she found comics. Now the 14-year-old is reading up a storm, says her aunt.
The comic that had this transformative effect on this young reader is by Michelle Ollie. The cartoonist had charted her own struggles with childhood dyslexia and showed how she went on to set up what may be the only college in New England to focus entirely on cartooning.
Just as comics inspired Ms. Ollie to read, she’s inspiring a new generation of young cartoonists to learn their art, find a career, and make a difference in their communities.
Why We Wrote This Frustration and seeming limitations can also be sources of inspiration. For Michelle Ollie, confronting her own personal struggles with learning disabilities opened a door, for herself and others, into the world of cartooning.
Ms. Fox is one of 27 full-time students enrolled at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. Classes are held in a former post office building and a nearby former department store in this old railroad village of just over 2,000 people. Students can earn a one-year certificate, a two-year certificate, or, for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree, a Master of Fine Arts.
And just as the school encourages its students to make a difference with their work, its growth has helped White River Junction to nurture a vibrant arts community, while CCS students and alumni often volunteer for local nonprofits. (All classes went online on March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but two campus buildings have remained open as students observe social distancing.)
Riley Robinson/Special to The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Michelle Ollie (right) chats with Tess Scilipoti, a second-year student, at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont, Jan. 25, 2020.
When Ms. Fox first read “From the Desk of the President of the Center for Cartoon Studies” by Ms. Ollie, she was struck by its uplifting message and emotional honesty.
“The comic was so good that I cried, and so I got about 10 copies and brought them all home,” Ms. Fox said. One copy went to her niece – and a new reader was born.
“We didn’t know it would create such a community, that so much good would materialize out of people’s work,” says Ms. Ollie, who co-founded CCS in 2005 with cartoonist James Sturm. It runs on an annual budget of $1.1 million.
Its 249 graduates include several prize-winning illustrators and graphic novelists; one, Charles Forsman, recently had two of his comics adapted as scripted drama series for Netflix.
The co-founders of CCS never saw that coming. “At the beginning, it was about making the case for comics as an art form, a medium,” says Mr. Sturm.
Riley Robinson/Special to The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption A student reads at the Schulz Library at the Center for Cartoon Studies on Jan. 25, 2020, during a rainy afternoon in White River Junction, Vermont. CCS was founded in 2004.
The power of comics
Today, visual storytelling is everywhere, from online comic strips and anime to graphic novels and richly-illustrated children’s books in libraries and bookstores. Take graphic novels: Publishers put out 12% more in 2019, and the young-adult section has grown even faster. “It’s been breathtaking,” says Mr. Sturm.
CCS’s mission doesn’t stop at its campus. Its educators and students have brought the power of comics into a variety of educational settings, ranging from elementary grades to college-level online courses.
“We tend to see a fair amount of (CCS students) who want to lecture or teach or conduct workshops,” says Ms. Ollie, adding that local schools often request CCS workshops. “There’s a lot of interest, and it’s growing fast.”
One popular topic is democracy. “This is What Democracy Looks Like: A Graphic Guide to Governance,” a CCS comic book, has had three print runs totaling 40,000 copies, and has been used to teach classes in school districts across the country.
Mr. Sturm and his colleagues have led some of these workshops. Ms. Fox says when she joined one in Columbus, Ohio, a teacher was amazed at how kids responded. “She was tearing up, because one of the students in the class, who pretty much never talked, drew 10 comics,” says Ms. Fox.
Mr. Sturm said this isn’t uncommon. “A lot of young students who are on the autism spectrum, parents say comics are their way of connecting with the world,” he says.
There’s a lot more openness from teachers and school officials to the idea of comics as an educational medium than there used to be, adds Ms. Ollie.
Riley Robinson/Special to The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption The Schulz Library at the Center for Cartoon Studies is named after the creator of "Peanuts," and includes works by students, faculty, and alumni in its collection.
That exposure has also led to some unexpected partnerships, including one with Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering in 2016. Ms. Ollie, who has an engineering background and was a visiting scholar at Dartmouth, introduced Thayer faculty to CCS alum Katherine Roy, who drew a series of illustrations for a popular online course to explain complex engineering concepts.
“I wanted to make engineering friendly and accessible,” says Vicki May, an engineering professor at Dartmouth. “We’re only beginning to see the application of comics to help many different industries.”
Ms. Ollie agrees. Some CCS students tell her they want to work with doctors and in other professional fields, showing just how adaptable comics can be.
Take Dan Nott, the lead cartoonist for the democracy comic. He’s working on a graphic novel for Random House, tentatively titled “Hidden Systems,” about the infrastructure systems we often take for granted.
Welcome to boot camp
Comics start with creativity. But that’s not all that’s imparted at CCS: Students learn everything from drawing skills to getting their comics published and promoted, and can tap into a strong network of faculty and peers for collaboration.
“It’s a little bit of a boot camp,” Ms. Ollie says. “You’re creating a lot of material. You get the idea of building those skills and adapting them.”
She’s seen a lot of changes over the last 15 years, both at CCS and in the community, as the cartooning school has helped spark a downtown revival.
“When we started the school, we had no idea about some of the things we’d see happen,” she says. She remembers a talk where Ms. Fox shared the story about her niece. She cried afterwards in her car, grateful that her work had touched a young girl.
For Ms. Fox, who is due to graduate in May, that experience is a motivator. Her niece read Jen Wang’s “The Prince and the Dressmaker,” a 2018 graphic-novel fairy tale, so much that the binding wore down.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“As someone who writes comics for kids, knowing they could read it so much they could destroy it, that makes you want to get up and write every day.”
Editor’s note: The photo captions in this story have been updated to correct the spelling of the name of the library at the Center for Cartoon Studies. It is the Schulz Library.


csmonitor--2020-06-18--Listening to the world's displaced

Listening to the world's displaced

The worldwide total of people forcibly displaced by violence , persecution , or gross human rights abuses reached a record 79.5 million at the end of 2019 , according to a United Nations report released today .
Forty percent were children .
One of the more urgent hot spots is Libya .
A 2011 revolution in the North African country ended a 42-year dictatorship but also unleashed ethnic and regional tensions that have since kept it in constant turmoil – and ripe for foreign intervention .
The U.N. estimates that 1.3 million Libyans need emergency humanitarian relief .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the gateway for African migrants trying to reach Europe .
Smuggling routes crisscross its desert expanses .
Islamic State cells have sought to exploit rival factions to their own gain .
Both the economy and Libyan society are in tatters .
Yet it is also clear that this is not what ordinary Libyans want .
At the local level , towns that once fought each other are setting aside ethnic animosities to coordinate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Urban youth-led civil society initiatives , connected via social media , are giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s rights , and national reconciliation .
In a country divided by tribes and other influences , there is still a shared culture of disdain for powerful central government and a desire to build national unity from the grassroots .
The biggest obstacle to the peace that these local movements seek is outside meddling .
Attracted by Libya ’ s oil reserves – the largest in Africa and ninth largest globally – and driven by regional power ambitions or security concerns , Russia , Turkey , Egypt , and the United Arab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libyan groups .
At the latest peace conference , held in Berlin last January , the rival Libyan leaders refused even to meet .
The resulting communiqué called for a joint military commission and a renewed commitment to an existing embargo on exports of arms to Libya .
But just months later , in early June , Turkey deployed troops and military hardware to expel a Russian-backed faction trying to take Tripoli , where Ankara ’ s preferred proxy sits .
“ As the foreign intervention increases , the Libyans themselves are getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded out , ” says Stephanie Williams , acting U.N. special representative for Libya .
“ We must enable responsible Libyans to write their own future.
” That observation provides a clarifying motive for international policy toward all troubled states producing displaced persons and providing fertile terrain for terrorists and other violent actors .
If the democratic aspirations of ordinary Libyans can be honored and supported , it might set an example for how to end violence and persecution elsewhere .
The best route home for the displaced and the shortest distance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide space for local peace initiatives to take root .

The worldwide total of people forcibly displaced by violence, persecution, or gross human rights abuses reached a record 79.5 million at the end of 2019, according to a United Nations report released today. Forty percent were children. One of the more urgent hot spots is Libya. A 2011 revolution in the North African country ended a 42-year dictatorship but also unleashed ethnic and regional tensions that have since kept it in constant turmoil – and ripe for foreign intervention.
The U.N. estimates that 1.3 million Libyans need emergency humanitarian relief. More than 200,000 are internally displaced. Libya is also the gateway for African migrants trying to reach Europe. Smuggling routes crisscross its desert expanses. Islamic State cells have sought to exploit rival factions to their own gain.
Both the economy and Libyan society are in tatters. Yet it is also clear that this is not what ordinary Libyans want. At the local level, towns that once fought each other are setting aside ethnic animosities to coordinate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Urban youth-led civil society initiatives, connected via social media, are giving voice to aspirations for democracy, women’s rights, and national reconciliation. In a country divided by tribes and other influences, there is still a shared culture of disdain for powerful central government and a desire to build national unity from the grassroots.
The biggest obstacle to the peace that these local movements seek is outside meddling. Attracted by Libya’s oil reserves – the largest in Africa and ninth largest globally – and driven by regional power ambitions or security concerns, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have stoked proxy wars between local Libyan groups.
At the latest peace conference, held in Berlin last January, the rival Libyan leaders refused even to meet. The resulting communiqué called for a joint military commission and a renewed commitment to an existing embargo on exports of arms to Libya. But just months later, in early June, Turkey deployed troops and military hardware to expel a Russian-backed faction trying to take Tripoli, where Ankara’s preferred proxy sits.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“As the foreign intervention increases, the Libyans themselves are getting lost in the mix, their voices crowded out,” says Stephanie Williams, acting U.N. special representative for Libya. “We must enable responsible Libyans to write their own future.”
That observation provides a clarifying motive for international policy toward all troubled states producing displaced persons and providing fertile terrain for terrorists and other violent actors. If the democratic aspirations of ordinary Libyans can be honored and supported, it might set an example for how to end violence and persecution elsewhere. The best route home for the displaced and the shortest distance to achieving economic stability and security is to provide space for local peace initiatives to take root.


csmonitor--2020-04-17--Daily for April 17, 2020

Daily for April 17, 2020

Claudia Pulfer was excited to be back at work in the Fellner Gardening and Florist shop in the Florisdorf district of Vienna Tuesday , as Austria began to roll back its anti-coronavirus lockdown .
It clearly wasn ’ t business as usual .
Staff are on reduced work hours , and supply chains have been disrupted .
The Dutch tulips are missing , but at least the orchids and roses are in .
And while spring is in the air , the streets largely remain quiet .
“ People are timid and still worried , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of flowers for people ’ s balconies , a lot of spring plants that need to be planted in people ’ s gardens now , and I can tell some were looking forward to finally buy them.
” Even as the pandemic continues to paralyze much of Europe , some countries – primarily the smaller ones that responded quickly to the outbreak – are beginning to try to relaunch society in the hopes that they have turned a corner .
Austria and Denmark in particular are leading the way in restarting businesses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
But plenty of concern remains , not just among business owners and customers , teachers and parents .
Experts warn that reopening too quickly could set off a second wave of infections – meaning those nations will have to tread a careful path .
“ The countries looking at easing restrictions are ones that can see that the death toll is now falling , ” says Martin McKee , professor of European public health at the London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Of course , the unanswered question is whether this will continue as they do ease up , but only time will tell .
Other countries will be watching closely.
” Countering the spread of the coronavirus has meant strict lockdowns within European nations and the reimposition of long-abandoned borders between them .
The pandemic has claimed more than 136,000 lives across the aging continent and , in many cases , has taken a devastating toll on health systems and the economy .
But many countries are starting to consider how to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While France and Belgium are holding back , Italy and Spain , the two worst hit , are inching forward .
Italy , which suffered the highest fatalities in the pandemic , is allowing some shops to reopen , but some regions have boycotted that decision .
Construction workers have gotten the green light to resume their activities in Spain , but the state of emergency there has been extended .
Germany , which has managed to keep its per capita death toll relatively low , has also announced plans to begin allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tight restrictions .
But reopening holds risks , even for those countries who have so far contained the coronavirus .
Singapore , which was widely praised for its handling of the pandemic , is now fighting to flatten the curve again .
The European Union on Wednesday warned its 27 members to tread carefully as they craft their national exit strategies .
“ A lack of coordination in lifting restrictive measures risks having negative effects for all member states and creating political friction , ” noted a roadmap document cited by The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first European countries after Italy to impose strict lockdown measures , including the closure of restaurants , bars , theaters , schools , and nonessential businesses .
Now the Alpine nation , which has so far reported about 14,300 cases and nearly 400 deaths , has allowed garden centers , DIY stores , and small shops to reopen as part of its first step toward normalcy .
Vienna ’ s largest shopping street , Mariahilfer Strasse , was quiet Tuesday morning , with just a few pedestrians roaming the streets and venturing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sported surgical masks , which are widely available at pharmacies and grocery stores .
Others donned homemade fabric ones with checkered or polka dot designs .
Only a handful of small businesses opened their doors on day one .
“ People are still very scared .
But I think very slowly they ’ ll get accustomed to this new reality and they ’ ll start going out and shopping again – at least that ’ s my hope , ” says Adrian Alfaro , owner of the INTI ethnic clothes and jewelry store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had five employees before the lockdown started March 16 .
He kept three on shortened work hours and let go of the other two but hopes to rehire them once business goes back to normal .
“ Honestly , I had very mixed feelings about opening again , ” says Mr. Alfaro , who wears a light blue surgical mask and makes a point of regularly washing his hands and maintaining social distance .
“ I was looking forward to get back to work , after a month at home .
But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be easy .
… The economic loss is very , very big.
” At Fellner ’ s flower shop , Ms. Pulfer turns away an elderly woman who walks in without a mask , for her own safety .
“ I ’ m not afraid of getting sick .
I swap the gloves I ’ m wearing and I have several face masks , ” says Ms. Pulfer .
“ I ’ m just happy to be here , back at work , and that the company I work for still exists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this company won ’ t go , that it will survive this crisis.
” “ Usually we trust in the authorities ” Denmark , another frontrunner in reopening , is taking a different approach .
The government decided to reopen kindergartens and schools for the youngest children .
It proved a controversial decision that has left many parents and educators worried .
Their concerns have been aired on a Facebook group , and an online petition urging authorities to allow parents to keep their children home has garnered nearly 18,000 signatures .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cattle farmer living near the third-largest Danish city of Odense , considers it an outright terrible idea .
After five weeks of staying put on the farm with his family and shifting all the shopping online , he wants to be sure that sending his little ones back to school is safe .
“ We are shocked that the government wants to restart society this way , with the most innocent citizens , the ones who have a hard time to understand all the precautions that are necessary , ” says Mr. Hansen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the youngest children to stay apart from other kids and other grown-ups , to wash and disinfect your hands all the time , and not to play in bigger groups .
… It is not their own choice but they will bring the disease to their parents and not all parents are young.
” He and his wife decided not to send three of their kids back to school for fear of contracting or spreading the disease .
Taking care of a large family and juggling the farm requires optimal health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on at this time .
It is unclear what that decision might cost them .
School absences are typically penalized and could eventually put child subsidies at risk .
“ The consequences will all be financial , and that is bad enough , but it is nothing compared to the well-being of our children and the well-being of our family , ” says Mr. Hansen .
“ Many parents in Denmark don ’ t like this situation , but most of them will do it because they have to start their jobs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe and trust in the authorities here in Denmark , but in this case it makes no sense .
They can restart the society in many other ways.
” Some Danish schools have delayed their reopening to Monday to have more time to prepare and be able to adhere to government guidelines on hygiene and conduct .
These include marking pathways to and from classrooms , seating children two yards apart , washing hands every hour , and playing in smaller groups .
“ It is of course quite difficult to follow this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says Dorte Lange , vice president of The Danish Union of Teachers .
“ But the authorities say that they have calculated the risk.
” Given the different epidemiological dynamics across and within the nations of Europe , Professor McKee sees a unified exit strategy as unlikely .
While methods will differ , the shared goal is to reduce transmission .
The pandemic will “ fizzle out ” when “ every person who is infected is transmitting it to fewer than one other person.
” “ It will be absolutely essential for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have in place a robust system of testing and contact tracing , ” he says .
“ There will inevitably be further outbreaks but it is crucial that they are nipped in the bud.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

How two European countries are trying to safely end lockdowns Collapse
Claudia Pulfer was excited to be back at work in the Fellner Gardening and Florist shop in the Florisdorf district of Vienna Tuesday, as Austria began to roll back its anti-coronavirus lockdown.
It clearly wasn’t business as usual. Staff are on reduced work hours, and supply chains have been disrupted. The Dutch tulips are missing, but at least the orchids and roses are in. And while spring is in the air, the streets largely remain quiet.
“People are timid and still worried,” she said. “But we’re selling a lot of flowers for people’s balconies, a lot of spring plants that need to be planted in people’s gardens now, and I can tell some were looking forward to finally buy them.”
Even as the pandemic continues to paralyze much of Europe, some countries – primarily the smaller ones that responded quickly to the outbreak – are beginning to try to relaunch society in the hopes that they have turned a corner. Austria and Denmark in particular are leading the way in restarting businesses and reopening schools.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
But plenty of concern remains, not just among business owners and customers, teachers and parents. Experts warn that reopening too quickly could set off a second wave of infections – meaning those nations will have to tread a careful path.
“The countries looking at easing restrictions are ones that can see that the death toll is now falling,” says Martin McKee, professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Of course, the unanswered question is whether this will continue as they do ease up, but only time will tell. Other countries will be watching closely.”
Finding a path back
Countering the spread of the coronavirus has meant strict lockdowns within European nations and the reimposition of long-abandoned borders between them. The pandemic has claimed more than 136,000 lives across the aging continent and, in many cases, has taken a devastating toll on health systems and the economy.
But many countries are starting to consider how to bring an end to their respective lockdowns. While France and Belgium are holding back, Italy and Spain, the two worst hit, are inching forward. Italy, which suffered the highest fatalities in the pandemic, is allowing some shops to reopen, but some regions have boycotted that decision. Construction workers have gotten the green light to resume their activities in Spain, but the state of emergency there has been extended. Germany, which has managed to keep its per capita death toll relatively low, has also announced plans to begin allowing small businesses to reopen next week under tight restrictions.
But reopening holds risks, even for those countries who have so far contained the coronavirus. Singapore, which was widely praised for its handling of the pandemic, is now fighting to flatten the curve again. The European Union on Wednesday warned its 27 members to tread carefully as they craft their national exit strategies.
“A lack of coordination in lifting restrictive measures risks having negative effects for all member states and creating political friction,” noted a roadmap document cited by The Associated Press.
Austria was one of the first European countries after Italy to impose strict lockdown measures, including the closure of restaurants, bars, theaters, schools, and nonessential businesses. Now the Alpine nation, which has so far reported about 14,300 cases and nearly 400 deaths, has allowed garden centers, DIY stores, and small shops to reopen as part of its first step toward normalcy.
Vienna’s largest shopping street, Mariahilfer Strasse, was quiet Tuesday morning, with just a few pedestrians roaming the streets and venturing in to shops. Most shoppers and customers sported surgical masks, which are widely available at pharmacies and grocery stores. Others donned homemade fabric ones with checkered or polka dot designs.
Only a handful of small businesses opened their doors on day one.
“People are still very scared. But I think very slowly they’ll get accustomed to this new reality and they’ll start going out and shopping again – at least that’s my hope,” says Adrian Alfaro, owner of the INTI ethnic clothes and jewelry store by the Westbahnhof train station. He had five employees before the lockdown started March 16. He kept three on shortened work hours and let go of the other two but hopes to rehire them once business goes back to normal.
“Honestly, I had very mixed feelings about opening again,” says Mr. Alfaro, who wears a light blue surgical mask and makes a point of regularly washing his hands and maintaining social distance. “I was looking forward to get back to work, after a month at home. But I knew it’s not going to be easy. … The economic loss is very, very big.”
At Fellner’s flower shop, Ms. Pulfer turns away an elderly woman who walks in without a mask, for her own safety.
“I’m not afraid of getting sick. I swap the gloves I’m wearing and I have several face masks,” says Ms. Pulfer. “I’m just happy to be here, back at work, and that the company I work for still exists. That’s important for me, that this company won’t go, that it will survive this crisis.”
“Usually we trust in the authorities”
Denmark, another frontrunner in reopening, is taking a different approach. The government decided to reopen kindergartens and schools for the youngest children. It proved a controversial decision that has left many parents and educators worried. Their concerns have been aired on a Facebook group, and an online petition urging authorities to allow parents to keep their children home has garnered nearly 18,000 signatures.
Steen Hansen, a cereal grower and cattle farmer living near the third-largest Danish city of Odense, considers it an outright terrible idea. After five weeks of staying put on the farm with his family and shifting all the shopping online, he wants to be sure that sending his little ones back to school is safe.
“We are shocked that the government wants to restart society this way, with the most innocent citizens, the ones who have a hard time to understand all the precautions that are necessary,” says Mr. Hansen. “It is hard to explain to the youngest children to stay apart from other kids and other grown-ups, to wash and disinfect your hands all the time, and not to play in bigger groups. … It is not their own choice but they will bring the disease to their parents and not all parents are young.”
Courtesy of the Hansen family View caption Hide caption Danish farmer Steen Hansen stands in a field holding one of his children. On account of the coronavirus pandemic, he is reluctant to send his children back to school as classes resume in Denmark.
He and his wife decided not to send three of their kids back to school for fear of contracting or spreading the disease. Taking care of a large family and juggling the farm requires optimal health, especially since grandparents cannot be leaned on at this time. It is unclear what that decision might cost them. School absences are typically penalized and could eventually put child subsidies at risk.
“The consequences will all be financial, and that is bad enough, but it is nothing compared to the well-being of our children and the well-being of our family,” says Mr. Hansen. “Many parents in Denmark don’t like this situation, but most of them will do it because they have to start their jobs and the government wants it. Usually we believe and trust in the authorities here in Denmark, but in this case it makes no sense. They can restart the society in many other ways.”
Some Danish schools have delayed their reopening to Monday to have more time to prepare and be able to adhere to government guidelines on hygiene and conduct. These include marking pathways to and from classrooms, seating children two yards apart, washing hands every hour, and playing in smaller groups.
“It is of course quite difficult to follow this guideline considering the group of age,” says Dorte Lange, vice president of The Danish Union of Teachers. “But the authorities say that they have calculated the risk.”
Given the different epidemiological dynamics across and within the nations of Europe, Professor McKee sees a unified exit strategy as unlikely. While methods will differ, the shared goal is to reduce transmission. The pandemic will “fizzle out” when “every person who is infected is transmitting it to fewer than one other person.”
“It will be absolutely essential for any country thinking of lifting restrictions to have in place a robust system of testing and contact tracing,” he says. “There will inevitably be further outbreaks but it is crucial that they are nipped in the bud.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-05-21--Less pomp, given circumstance: Students grapple with virtual graduations

“ I ’ ve realized it ’ s really easy to keep in touch with friends who you know super well , ” says Julia Pinney , a senior at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. “ But the casual friends , who really bring a lot of joy to life , that ’ s really hard to replicate by Zoom.
” But for many grads , it ’ s not the pomp and circumstance they miss , but the casual conversations , conspiratorial whispers between classmates , and accidental run-ins on the quad .
“ One thing that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universities are putting into creatively finding ways to celebrate their students , ” he says , “ whether it ’ s gathering notable alumni and getting them to show love and appreciation or hosting ... these virtual commencement ceremonies.
” Schools are doing their best to provide alternative ways to mark students ’ achievements , says Donovan Livingston , an assistant dean at Wake Forest University .
Senior springs are typically packed with beloved traditions and emotional goodbyes as students prepare to launch into the “ real world.
” But with universities shuttered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremonies and commencement activities have been canceled , postponed , or moved online .
In the days leading up to graduation , Elon University in North Carolina is unusually quiet .
While some students trickle back onto campus to take photos in maroon graduation robes , most have gone home .
Seniors will not gather under the historic oak grove for a farewell picnic with faculty and staff , and on graduation day , no one will walk across the stage in the new Schar Center to accept a diploma .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an email following a livestreamed conferral ceremony on May 22 .
Kendall Hiti plans to watch the event with her friends on Zoom .
Then , when the lease on her off-campus apartment is up , she ’ ll start the 44-hour road trip home to San Francisco .
“ It ’ s really not what I expected out of all of this , ” she says .
Senior springs are typically packed with beloved traditions and emotional goodbyes as students prepare to launch into the “ real world.
” Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ childhood bedrooms wondering : “ What now ?
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
As schools rush to provide online graduation programming , students say it ’ s hard to find closure after the coronavirus scattered classmates around the world .
For many , these virtual ceremonies feel like placeholders .
And colleges , which are trying to balance student disappointment and public safety concerns , have been slow to commit to a makeup commencement sometime in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dean at Wake Forest University and author of the viral 2016 convocation address “ Lift Off , ” says this pandemic has challenged schools and individuals to preserve those feelings of accomplishment until college communities can gather together again .
“ One thing that ’ s been fascinating is to see that energy universities are putting into creatively finding ways to celebrate their students , ” he says , “ whether it ’ s gathering notable alumni and getting them to show love and appreciation or hosting ... these virtual commencement ceremonies.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancel commencement .
In 1970 , several colleges and universities cancelled graduation ceremonies following the Kent State shootings and ongoing protests over the Vietnam War .
But many other schools simply adapted traditions to acknowledge the student unrest , or just proceeded as usual .
Today , widespread lockdowns have left an unprecedented crater in higher education , derailing spring classes and graduation ceremonies .
During the initial evacuation of college campuses in March , some members of the class of 2020 took a moment to re-create their most anticipated senior traditions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seniors marched themselves across campus in a stripped-down version of the college ’ s annual Laurel Parade .
Colorado College ’ s graduating class fast-tracked their end-of-year bash , with students gathering for a toast at the school flagpole .
Jela Latham , a senior at Ohio University , made sure to nab a loose brick on her way out of Athens , Ohio , in March .
Stealing an Athens brick is a way seniors take a little piece of their beloved college town with them , says Ms. Latham .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think it ’ s a tradition that ’ s going down any time soon , ” she says .
Since their final days on campus , seniors say online classes and end-of-year celebrations have fallen flat .
It ’ s not the pomp and circumstance they miss , but the casual conversations , conspiratorial whispers between classmates , and accidental run-ins on the quad .
“ Everyone ’ s working really , really hard .
So there was something magical about the opportunity to have this ... unstructured time with each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. “ I ’ ve realized it ’ s really easy to keep in touch with friends who you know super well .
But the casual friends , who really bring a lot of joy to life , that ’ s really hard to replicate by Zoom.
” But college administrations are still searching for ways to make their newly minted graduates feel special .
Schools are trying to preserve as many elements of commencement as possible , from celebrity keynote speakers to department receptions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms. Latham , a first-generation student majoring in publication design , has been waiting to see her work hanging in Ohio University ’ s senior show since she was a freshman .
It would have been a great opportunity for her parents to interact with the professors who shaped her college experience .
“ I don ’ t think my dad has ever met any of my professors , ” she says .
Instead , they got a peek into some student traditions .
“ We had a virtual senior farewell toast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant ballroom , ” she says .
“ We did that through Zoom .
It was actually really cool because my family watched it with me.
” Northeastern University in Boston will not host a classwide ceremony online , but students who fall under the College of Arts , Media and Design had a 40-minute celebration on Zoom on May 1 with messages from deans and a student performance of “ Lean on Me.
” At the end , graduates ’ names ran across the screen like movie credits .
Evan Ortega , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , submitted a photo of himself and nominated a favorite teacher in preparation for his department ’ s graduation ceremony on June 11 .
He also requested eight “ tickets ” – protected links – to the university ’ s larger graduation event on June 13 .
Mr. Ortega is still renting a house 10 minutes from campus , but his best friend and family will attend virtually from a suburb outside Seattle .
He plans on moving home in late July .
Despite his disappointment , Mr. Ortega is trying to focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time he ’ s been able to spend with his roommates , and his family ’ s overall health and safety .
“ I do wish that I could have had a normal graduation , ” he says .
“ However , I think the fact that I ’ m still graduating , that I ’ m finished with all this , is still relieving .
... My mom also sent me an email , and she was like ‘ whatever happens , graduation gifts are not cancelled because of COVID-19.
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea of having a “ normal ” graduation together at some point , but colleges face the challenge of retrofitting their traditions into an undetermined weekend .
Some smaller schools , like Bennington College in Vermont , have simply invited graduates to walk in the 2021 commencement .
Elon University has floated the idea of hosting belated graduation ceremonies over fall vacation , but ongoing concerns about the coronavirus have made the administration hesitant to commit to a date .
“ We get at least one email weekly that ’ s a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hiti , who graduates from Elon University on May 22 .
“ I just wish there was information confirmed on the in-person graduation ... because I ’ d be flying all the way from California.
” Some students wonder if it will even be safe to gather so many people together again , or if schools will unintentionally exclude international students or those who can ’ t afford last-minute travel .
Others are feeling more apathetic about returning to campus at all .
While Ms. Pinney misses her classmates , the American studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University ’ s makeup celebration .
“ I ’ m very much transitioned into being a grad , ” she says .
“ I hang out with my high school best friends .
I hang out with my parents .
I walk my dog .
… I feel very disconnected from Georgetown at this point.
” But Dr. Livingston thinks creating the opportunity for seniors to reunite once restrictions are lifted is critical .
“ Finding ways to celebrate students no matter where they are [ in their careers ] is really important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have a student that ’ s graduated and they ’ re at an entry level job on Wall Street , they still might feel the need to come back to campus to have that moment , to have that sense of closure , that sense of community.
” Correspondents Asia Palomba and Riley Robinson contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“I’ve realized it’s really easy to keep in touch with friends who you know super well,” says Julia Pinney, a senior at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. “But the casual friends, who really bring a lot of joy to life, that’s really hard to replicate by Zoom.”
But for many grads, it’s not the pomp and circumstance they miss, but the casual conversations, conspiratorial whispers between classmates, and accidental run-ins on the quad.
“One thing that’s been fascinating is to see that energy universities are putting into creatively finding ways to celebrate their students,” he says, “whether it’s gathering notable alumni and getting them to show love and appreciation or hosting ... these virtual commencement ceremonies.”
As rewarding as a journey can be, it can be difficult to see a long-anticipated celebration simply evaporate. Disappointed but undeterred, college seniors are finding other ways to commemorate graduation.
Schools are doing their best to provide alternative ways to mark students’ achievements, says Donovan Livingston, an assistant dean at Wake Forest University.
Senior springs are typically packed with beloved traditions and emotional goodbyes as students prepare to launch into the “real world.” But with universities shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, graduation ceremonies and commencement activities have been canceled, postponed, or moved online.
In the days leading up to graduation, Elon University in North Carolina is unusually quiet. While some students trickle back onto campus to take photos in maroon graduation robes, most have gone home. Seniors will not gather under the historic oak grove for a farewell picnic with faculty and staff, and on graduation day, no one will walk across the stage in the new Schar Center to accept a diploma.
Instead, the long-awaited recognition of achievement will arrive as an email following a livestreamed conferral ceremony on May 22.
Kendall Hiti plans to watch the event with her friends on Zoom. Then, when the lease on her off-campus apartment is up, she’ll start the 44-hour road trip home to San Francisco. “It’s really not what I expected out of all of this,” she says.
Why We Wrote This As rewarding as a journey can be, it can be difficult to see a long-anticipated celebration simply evaporate. Disappointed but undeterred, college seniors are finding other ways to commemorate graduation.
Senior springs are typically packed with beloved traditions and emotional goodbyes as students prepare to launch into the “real world.” Instead, many college seniors are stuck in their childhood bedrooms wondering: “What now?”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
As schools rush to provide online graduation programming, students say it’s hard to find closure after the coronavirus scattered classmates around the world. For many, these virtual ceremonies feel like placeholders. And colleges, which are trying to balance student disappointment and public safety concerns, have been slow to commit to a makeup commencement sometime in the future.
Donovan Livingston, an assistant dean at Wake Forest University and author of the viral 2016 convocation address “Lift Off,” says this pandemic has challenged schools and individuals to preserve those feelings of accomplishment until college communities can gather together again.
Courtesy of Donovan Livingston View caption Hide caption Assistant Dean Donovan Livingston, seen here in August 2017, received his Ph.D. in educational leadership and cultural foundations this week after defending his dissertation over Zoom.
“One thing that’s been fascinating is to see that energy universities are putting into creatively finding ways to celebrate their students,” he says, “whether it’s gathering notable alumni and getting them to show love and appreciation or hosting ... these virtual commencement ceremonies.”
Touchstones and keepsakes
It takes a lot for schools to cancel commencement. In 1970, several colleges and universities cancelled graduation ceremonies following the Kent State shootings and ongoing protests over the Vietnam War. But many other schools simply adapted traditions to acknowledge the student unrest, or just proceeded as usual.
Today, widespread lockdowns have left an unprecedented crater in higher education, derailing spring classes and graduation ceremonies. During the initial evacuation of college campuses in March, some members of the class of 2020 took a moment to re-create their most anticipated senior traditions.
At Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, seniors marched themselves across campus in a stripped-down version of the college’s annual Laurel Parade. Colorado College’s graduating class fast-tracked their end-of-year bash, with students gathering for a toast at the school flagpole. Jela Latham, a senior at Ohio University, made sure to nab a loose brick on her way out of Athens, Ohio, in March. Stealing an Athens brick is a way seniors take a little piece of their beloved college town with them, says Ms. Latham. “The university hates it but I don’t think it’s a tradition that’s going down any time soon,” she says.
Courtesy of Jela Latham View caption Hide caption Jela Latham poses for a photo on Ohio University's largely empty campus in Athens, Ohio, in late April. The coronavirus derailed Ms. Latham's senior spring, pushing classes and end-of-year traditions online.
Since their final days on campus, seniors say online classes and end-of-year celebrations have fallen flat. It’s not the pomp and circumstance they miss, but the casual conversations, conspiratorial whispers between classmates, and accidental run-ins on the quad.
“Everyone’s working really, really hard. So there was something magical about the opportunity to have this ... unstructured time with each other,” says Julia Pinney, a senior at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. “I’ve realized it’s really easy to keep in touch with friends who you know super well. But the casual friends, who really bring a lot of joy to life, that’s really hard to replicate by Zoom.”
But college administrations are still searching for ways to make their newly minted graduates feel special.
Virtual commencement
Schools are trying to preserve as many elements of commencement as possible, from celebrity keynote speakers to department receptions and student galleries – often with mixed success.
Ms. Latham, a first-generation student majoring in publication design, has been waiting to see her work hanging in Ohio University’s senior show since she was a freshman. It would have been a great opportunity for her parents to interact with the professors who shaped her college experience. “I don’t think my dad has ever met any of my professors,” she says.
Instead, they got a peek into some student traditions.
“We had a virtual senior farewell toast, which is usually held in a giant ballroom,” she says. “We did that through Zoom. It was actually really cool because my family watched it with me.”
Northeastern University in Boston will not host a classwide ceremony online, but students who fall under the College of Arts, Media and Design had a 40-minute celebration on Zoom on May 1 with messages from deans and a student performance of “Lean on Me.” At the end, graduates’ names ran across the screen like movie credits.
Evan Ortega, a geography student at University of Washington, submitted a photo of himself and nominated a favorite teacher in preparation for his department’s graduation ceremony on June 11. He also requested eight “tickets” – protected links – to the university’s larger graduation event on June 13. Mr. Ortega is still renting a house 10 minutes from campus, but his best friend and family will attend virtually from a suburb outside Seattle. He plans on moving home in late July.
Despite his disappointment, Mr. Ortega is trying to focus on the positive, like the extra time he’s been able to spend with his roommates, and his family’s overall health and safety.
“I do wish that I could have had a normal graduation,” he says. “However, I think the fact that I’m still graduating, that I’m finished with all this, is still relieving. ... My mom also sent me an email, and she was like ‘whatever happens, graduation gifts are not cancelled because of COVID-19.’”
Mixed feelings over future ceremonies
Many people are still hanging onto the idea of having a “normal” graduation together at some point, but colleges face the challenge of retrofitting their traditions into an undetermined weekend. Some smaller schools, like Bennington College in Vermont, have simply invited graduates to walk in the 2021 commencement. Elon University has floated the idea of hosting belated graduation ceremonies over fall vacation, but ongoing concerns about the coronavirus have made the administration hesitant to commit to a date.
“We get at least one email weekly that’s a huge update on everything,” says Ms. Hiti, who graduates from Elon University on May 22. “I just wish there was information confirmed on the in-person graduation ... because I’d be flying all the way from California.”
Some students wonder if it will even be safe to gather so many people together again, or if schools will unintentionally exclude international students or those who can’t afford last-minute travel. Others are feeling more apathetic about returning to campus at all.
While Ms. Pinney misses her classmates, the American studies student is a bit skeptical about Georgetown University’s makeup celebration.
“I’m very much transitioned into being a grad,” she says. “I hang out with my high school best friends. I hang out with my parents. I walk my dog. … I feel very disconnected from Georgetown at this point.”
But Dr. Livingston thinks creating the opportunity for seniors to reunite once restrictions are lifted is critical.
“Finding ways to celebrate students no matter where they are [in their careers] is really important,” he says. “If you have a student that’s graduated and they’re at an entry level job on Wall Street, they still might feel the need to come back to campus to have that moment, to have that sense of closure, that sense of community.”
Correspondents Asia Palomba and Riley Robinson contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


Daily for May 20, 2020

When the “ most hated man in Washington ” suddenly gains 20 new co-sponsors for his bill , it must signal a pressing need .
And among the countless problems created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic , perhaps one of the most urgent has been the strain on America ’ s meat supply chain .
With dozens of meat plants temporarily shut down , farmers across the country have had to euthanize tens of thousands of animals , and face the wrenching prospect of far larger culling .
Meanwhile , U.S. weekly red meat production has dropped by as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , causing prices to surge and grocery store shelves to lie empty .
The crisis has lately prompted nearly two dozen lawmakers to add their names to legislation put forward by Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky , an MIT-educated Republican who owns 63 cattle and became persona non grata among his colleagues in the early weeks of the pandemic after he forced them all to come back to the nation ’ s capital for a key vote .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , he and Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine first introduced the PRIME Act , designed to create more flexibility and resiliency in the meat supply system .
The bill would allow smaller meat producers to utilize local butchers and sell their products directly to consumers , restaurants , and grocery stores , rather than getting funneled through USDA-inspected facilities and the handful of corporations that make up 80 % of America ’ s meat market .
“ What you ’ re seeing right now is not the result of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massie , who faults U.S. regulations for creating a “ monopoly ” of big meat companies .
He says removing some of the red tape will enable their competition to flourish , paving the way for shuttered or new local butchers to open and existing ones to expand to meet growing consumer demand for locally raised meat .
The bill , which now has 42 co-sponsors from libertarians to progressives , is one of a growing number of alternative models to industrial meat production that have been gaining traction in recent years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ eat local ” movements to constitutional concerns about federal overreach .
Now , COVID-19 ’ s intense strain on the supply chain is generating wider interest in rethinking the system .
Representative Massie admits the bill ’ s chances at passing were slim five years ago , but says they have “ increased exponentially ” this month as consumers learn more about how the food supply pipeline works .
“ Because the people are now interested , the congressmen are getting interested , ” he says .
Still , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current bottlenecks , with many local butchers already booked into 2021 and freezer space largely maxed out .
And while federal inspection is undoubtedly more burdensome for smaller producers and processors , it ’ s just one aspect of a larger equation involving economies of scale .
Above all , America has spent years building a sterling reputation for meat safety among its trade partners – and some say it would be shortsighted to undermine in any way the federal oversight on which that trust is founded .
“ Am I in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ add flexibility to the supply chain ?
Yes , ” says Glynn Tonsor , a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University in Manhattan , Kansas .
He says the PRIME Act would help , but cautions , “ It ’ s not a magic bullet.
” If the U.S. Army hadn ’ t served rotten beef to Teddy Roosevelt when he was a colonel in the Spanish-American War , perhaps he wouldn ’ t have pressed as hard for Congress to pass the Meat Inspection Act during his presidency .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings on meat safety , federal inspection practices ( or lack thereof ) , and unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants , further exposed in Upton Sinclair ’ s 1906 novel “ The Jungle.
” Sinclair , who sought to spark a socialist movement in support of plant workers , instead galvanized public demands for increased government regulation to ensure meat safety .
“ I aimed at the public ’ s heart , ” he wrote , “ and by accident I hit it in the stomach.
” Roosevelt , after sending investigators to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depiction , used the ensuing report to push the stalled Meat Inspection Act through Congress in 1906 .
Under that law , all meat sold across state lines must be processed in a USDA-inspected facility , where an inspector is on hand at all times to examine livestock , ensure humane slaughtering practices , and observe the processing of meat .
Meat for sale within a state can be processed at a state-inspected facility , provided its standards are at least as stringent as the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’ s .
Currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regime is for owners of livestock who get meat processed at custom processors for their own consumption , or to share with family , employees , and nonpaying guests .
With a limited number of USDA-inspected facilities , smaller producers often have to drive their livestock hundreds of miles to get their meat processed , adding substantially to the cost and running the risk that their product could be mingled with industrially produced meat .
This spring , Wyoming passed a pioneering law that would allow ranchers to sell meat to their neighbors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By buying shares in a herd , customers would be considered “ owners ” at the time of slaughter and thus allowed to consume the meat without inspection by the USDA .
“ I don ’ t think [ the USDA is ] this nefarious organization plotting in the deep state or trying to prevent grandmothers from buying T-bone steaks from their next-door neighbors , ” says state Rep. Tyler Lindholm , who spearheaded the bill .
But , he adds , citing the 10th Amendment of the Constitution , “ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens that [ they ] can ’ t sell steak to each other ?
” The PRIME Act , short for Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption , seeks to go one step further than Wyoming ’ s law by giving states the option of permitting custom-slaughtered meat to be sold not only to individual consumers but also to restaurants , grocery stores , and other outlets within their borders .
Introduced in May 2019 for the third time in four years , the bill has yet to move forward .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take up the bill in response to the current processing and supply shortages .
“ I am not advocating for relaxing the standards that the USDA has set , ” wrote the Maine congresswoman , an organic farmer who raises vegetables , pigs , and chickens .
“ I am simply asking that we address the needs of communities in a way that supports them both economically and morally during this unprecedented time , by allowing America ’ s family farms to do what they do best – feed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meat industry caution against such a move .
Colin Woodall , CEO of the National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association , says the association opposes the PRIME Act because of how it could undermine years of investment in making USDA-inspected meat the “ gold standard ” around the globe .
“ If there is a food safety issue that breaks out ... that ’ s not going to be the problem of Johnny ’ s local [ meat ] locker ; that ’ s a beef industry problem , ” he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about who is responsible for ensuring safety .
Advocates of less regulation say that greater transparency in packaging , such as where meat was raised and processed , could give consumers the opportunity to make informed decisions about the food they ’ re purchasing , rather than depending solely on the government .
“ Our founders never intended government to be so ingrained in our life that it became ... the preserver of safety , ” says Ben Adams , a Marine running for the Idaho state legislature as a Republican , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representative Lindholm about using Wyoming ’ s new law as a model for his state .
Critics of federal regulations also call into question aspects of USDA inspection they see as excessive – such as a requirement that all USDA inspectors be furnished with an office and a bathroom for their exclusive use .
Many also see the current rules as arbitrary .
“ Right now , I could step out on my deck and butcher 1,000 chickens on my deck ... and I could sell those directly to consumers without any inspection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t sell one T-bone steak , ” says state Representative Lindholm in Wyoming .
“ It ’ s not actually about safety anymore ; it ’ s about protecting a monopoly.
” Others say only the federal government is in a position to guarantee consistency of standards and comprehensive oversight , both of which are key for trade relationships .
Darci Vetter , who grew up eating uninspected meat on her family farm in Nebraska and served as chief agricultural negotiator for the U.S. trade representative under President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put exports at risk .
As of 2017 , the United States exported nearly 13 % of the beef and 27 % of the pork it produced , with market development activities in more than 80 countries .
“ From a former trade negotiator perspective , what we don ’ t want is for a major destination for U.S. meat to say , ‘ Hey , wait a minute , ... How do I know if the rules are actually being followed ?
’ ” says Ms. Vetter , now the vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North America .
The 2003 outbreak of BSE ( popularly referred to as mad cow disease ) in the U.S. prompted nearly all international markets to stop accepting American beef , incurring losses of $ 16 billion over a decade .
“ It ’ s 17 years later , and we can still feel the effects from those markets being closed to us .
You can understand the hesitation , ” she says .
In addition , the World Trade Organization prohibits member nations from creating preferential markets for domestic products .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage over foreign exporters of meat to the U.S. , such as being exempted from the cost of USDA inspection , that could run afoul of WTO rules .
Some cattlemen say the system is stacked against them .
But Trent Loos , a sixth-generation farmer in Nebraska and radio show host with a wide following out West , says that while deep-pocketed corporations have a greater ability to hire lobbyists , he doesn ’ t buy the idea that American cattlemen are disadvantaged .
“ I just think we ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ta get louder , ” says Mr. Loos , before meeting with a Nebraska state senator interested in Wyoming ’ s model .
Even under the current USDA inspection regime , some local meat markets are finding ways to thrive .
Walden Meat , which delivers locally raised meat to customers across New England and New York , has seen a tenfold increase in the rate of new customer sign-ups over the past couple of months .
They co-own and operate a regional slaughterhouse in Vermont , and everything they sell is USDA-inspected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their product a certain credibility .
“ We really value the USDA as a partner in that regard , and see them as playing a really important role in establishing universal standards , ” he says .
“ We have not found it overly constraining to the viability of a farm-to-consumer business.
” He notes , however , that such a model wouldn ’ t be workable in a less densely populated area like Wyoming .
Mr. Cummings says Walden Meat , which aims to price its products at 10 % to 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 55 cents to farmers and butchers per dollar of meat sold , compared with 10 to 11 cents in the commodity world .
“ We ’ re all for everything that delivers more dollars to farmers ’ pockets , ” he says .
“ What this crisis has laid bare is that we have prioritized efficiency in meat production above all else – animal welfare , environment , farmers , processors , and employees in every step of that value chain.
” As customers have increasingly sought local meat , whether out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have found creative ways to work within the USDA law – such as going in with a friend on a pig or a cow before it ’ s slaughtered , and then splitting the meat .
Wyoming ’ s state Representative Lindholm has made that somewhat easier with his herd share law , which allows an unlimited number of people to “ own ” the animal .
But Representative Massie says such workarounds are cumbersome .
Plus , he says , the USDA exemption is regressive ; not everyone has $ 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argues there ’ s an untapped potential for local producers to make a far greater contribution , and bring local meat within the reach of average Americans .
“ You ’ re forcing people that should be able to engage in legitimate commerce to come up with these crazy constructs to do it , ” he says .
“ You shouldn ’ t feel like you ’ re exploiting a loophole to sell your neighbor a hamburger.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is @ @ @ @ @

As grilling season hits, could regulation rethink help with meat shortages? Collapse
When the “most hated man in Washington” suddenly gains 20 new co-sponsors for his bill, it must signal a pressing need. And among the countless problems created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps one of the most urgent has been the strain on America’s meat supply chain.
With dozens of meat plants temporarily shut down, farmers across the country have had to euthanize tens of thousands of animals, and face the wrenching prospect of far larger culling. Meanwhile, U.S. weekly red meat production has dropped by as much as 34.9% compared with last year, causing prices to surge and grocery store shelves to lie empty.
The crisis has lately prompted nearly two dozen lawmakers to add their names to legislation put forward by Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, an MIT-educated Republican who owns 63 cattle and became persona non grata among his colleagues in the early weeks of the pandemic after he forced them all to come back to the nation’s capital for a key vote.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Five years ago, he and Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine first introduced the PRIME Act, designed to create more flexibility and resiliency in the meat supply system. The bill would allow smaller meat producers to utilize local butchers and sell their products directly to consumers, restaurants, and grocery stores, rather than getting funneled through USDA-inspected facilities and the handful of corporations that make up 80% of America’s meat market.
“What you’re seeing right now is not the result of an efficient capitalist system,” says Representative Massie, who faults U.S. regulations for creating a “monopoly” of big meat companies. He says removing some of the red tape will enable their competition to flourish, paving the way for shuttered or new local butchers to open and existing ones to expand to meet growing consumer demand for locally raised meat.
The bill, which now has 42 co-sponsors from libertarians to progressives, is one of a growing number of alternative models to industrial meat production that have been gaining traction in recent years, driven by everything from animal welfare and “eat local” movements to constitutional concerns about federal overreach. Now, COVID-19’s intense strain on the supply chain is generating wider interest in rethinking the system. Representative Massie admits the bill’s chances at passing were slim five years ago, but says they have “increased exponentially” this month as consumers learn more about how the food supply pipeline works. “Because the people are now interested, the congressmen are getting interested,” he says.
Still, it’s unclear how much such initiatives would alleviate the current bottlenecks, with many local butchers already booked into 2021 and freezer space largely maxed out. And while federal inspection is undoubtedly more burdensome for smaller producers and processors, it’s just one aspect of a larger equation involving economies of scale. Above all, America has spent years building a sterling reputation for meat safety among its trade partners – and some say it would be shortsighted to undermine in any way the federal oversight on which that trust is founded.
“Am I in favor of less red tape that would add flexibility to the supply chain? Yes,” says Glynn Tonsor, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. He says the PRIME Act would help, but cautions, “It’s not a magic bullet.”
Teddy Roosevelt’s run-in with rotten beef
If the U.S. Army hadn’t served rotten beef to Teddy Roosevelt when he was a colonel in the Spanish-American War, perhaps he wouldn’t have pressed as hard for Congress to pass the Meat Inspection Act during his presidency.
The rotten beef scandal precipitated a series of hearings on meat safety, federal inspection practices (or lack thereof), and unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants, further exposed in Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel “The Jungle.”
Sinclair, who sought to spark a socialist movement in support of plant workers, instead galvanized public demands for increased government regulation to ensure meat safety. “I aimed at the public’s heart,” he wrote, “and by accident I hit it in the stomach.”
Roosevelt, after sending investigators to the packinghouses to verify Sinclair’s depiction, used the ensuing report to push the stalled Meat Inspection Act through Congress in 1906.
Under that law, all meat sold across state lines must be processed in a USDA-inspected facility, where an inspector is on hand at all times to examine livestock, ensure humane slaughtering practices, and observe the processing of meat. Meat for sale within a state can be processed at a state-inspected facility, provided its standards are at least as stringent as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s. Currently, the only exemption to that inspection regime is for owners of livestock who get meat processed at custom processors for their own consumption, or to share with family, employees, and nonpaying guests.
With a limited number of USDA-inspected facilities, smaller producers often have to drive their livestock hundreds of miles to get their meat processed, adding substantially to the cost and running the risk that their product could be mingled with industrially produced meat.
This spring, Wyoming passed a pioneering law that would allow ranchers to sell meat to their neighbors – while the cattle are still alive. By buying shares in a herd, customers would be considered “owners” at the time of slaughter and thus allowed to consume the meat without inspection by the USDA.
“I don’t think [the USDA is] this nefarious organization plotting in the deep state or trying to prevent grandmothers from buying T-bone steaks from their next-door neighbors,” says state Rep. Tyler Lindholm, who spearheaded the bill. But, he adds, citing the 10th Amendment of the Constitution, “What authority do you have to tell Wyoming citizens that [they] can’t sell steak to each other?”
The PRIME Act, short for Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption, seeks to go one step further than Wyoming’s law by giving states the option of permitting custom-slaughtered meat to be sold not only to individual consumers but also to restaurants, grocery stores, and other outlets within their borders.
Introduced in May 2019 for the third time in four years, the bill has yet to move forward. In a May 14 letter, Representative Pingree urged Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take up the bill in response to the current processing and supply shortages.
“I am not advocating for relaxing the standards that the USDA has set,” wrote the Maine congresswoman, an organic farmer who raises vegetables, pigs, and chickens. “I am simply asking that we address the needs of communities in a way that supports them both economically and morally during this unprecedented time, by allowing America’s family farms to do what they do best – feed their neighbors.”
Still, many in the meat industry caution against such a move.
Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the association opposes the PRIME Act because of how it could undermine years of investment in making USDA-inspected meat the “gold standard” around the globe. “If there is a food safety issue that breaks out ... that’s not going to be the problem of Johnny’s local [meat] locker; that’s a beef industry problem,” he says.
Founding Fathers vs. the WTO
A central aspect of the debate is about who is responsible for ensuring safety. Advocates of less regulation say that greater transparency in packaging, such as where meat was raised and processed, could give consumers the opportunity to make informed decisions about the food they’re purchasing, rather than depending solely on the government.
“Our founders never intended government to be so ingrained in our life that it became ... the preserver of safety,” says Ben Adams, a Marine running for the Idaho state legislature as a Republican, who has been in touch with state Representative Lindholm about using Wyoming’s new law as a model for his state.
Critics of federal regulations also call into question aspects of USDA inspection they see as excessive – such as a requirement that all USDA inspectors be furnished with an office and a bathroom for their exclusive use. Many also see the current rules as arbitrary.
“Right now, I could step out on my deck and butcher 1,000 chickens on my deck ... and I could sell those directly to consumers without any inspection, labeling, or licensing. But I can’t sell one T-bone steak,” says state Representative Lindholm in Wyoming. “It’s not actually about safety anymore; it’s about protecting a monopoly.”
Others say only the federal government is in a position to guarantee consistency of standards and comprehensive oversight, both of which are key for trade relationships.
Darci Vetter, who grew up eating uninspected meat on her family farm in Nebraska and served as chief agricultural negotiator for the U.S. trade representative under President Barack Obama, says it’s vital not to put exports at risk. As of 2017, the United States exported nearly 13% of the beef and 27% of the pork it produced, with market development activities in more than 80 countries.
“From a former trade negotiator perspective, what we don’t want is for a major destination for U.S. meat to say, ‘Hey, wait a minute, ... How do I know if the rules are actually being followed?’” says Ms. Vetter, now the vice chair for food and agriculture at Edelman North America.
The 2003 outbreak of BSE (popularly referred to as mad cow disease) in the U.S. prompted nearly all international markets to stop accepting American beef, incurring losses of $16 billion over a decade. “It’s 17 years later, and we can still feel the effects from those markets being closed to us. You can understand the hesitation,” she says.
In addition, the World Trade Organization prohibits member nations from creating preferential markets for domestic products. If local producers are seen as gaining an advantage over foreign exporters of meat to the U.S., such as being exempted from the cost of USDA inspection, that could run afoul of WTO rules.
Some cattlemen say the system is stacked against them. But Trent Loos, a sixth-generation farmer in Nebraska and radio show host with a wide following out West, says that while deep-pocketed corporations have a greater ability to hire lobbyists, he doesn’t buy the idea that American cattlemen are disadvantaged.
“I just think we’re not loud enough. I think we gotta get louder,” says Mr. Loos, before meeting with a Nebraska state senator interested in Wyoming’s model.
The Walden Meat model
Even under the current USDA inspection regime, some local meat markets are finding ways to thrive. Walden Meat, which delivers locally raised meat to customers across New England and New York, has seen a tenfold increase in the rate of new customer sign-ups over the past couple of months.
They co-own and operate a regional slaughterhouse in Vermont, and everything they sell is USDA-inspected, which CEO Charley Cummings says lends their product a certain credibility.
“We really value the USDA as a partner in that regard, and see them as playing a really important role in establishing universal standards,” he says. “We have not found it overly constraining to the viability of a farm-to-consumer business.” He notes, however, that such a model wouldn’t be workable in a less densely populated area like Wyoming.
Mr. Cummings says Walden Meat, which aims to price its products at 10% to 15% less than Whole Foods, delivers 55 cents to farmers and butchers per dollar of meat sold, compared with 10 to 11 cents in the commodity world.
“We’re all for everything that delivers more dollars to farmers’ pockets,” he says. “What this crisis has laid bare is that we have prioritized efficiency in meat production above all else – animal welfare, environment, farmers, processors, and employees in every step of that value chain.”
As customers have increasingly sought local meat, whether out of animal welfare concerns or nutritional considerations, they have found creative ways to work within the USDA law – such as going in with a friend on a pig or a cow before it’s slaughtered, and then splitting the meat. Wyoming’s state Representative Lindholm has made that somewhat easier with his herd share law, which allows an unlimited number of people to “own” the animal.
But Representative Massie says such workarounds are cumbersome. Plus, he says, the USDA exemption is regressive; not everyone has $1,000 or the necessary freezer space. He argues there’s an untapped potential for local producers to make a far greater contribution, and bring local meat within the reach of average Americans.
“You’re forcing people that should be able to engage in legitimate commerce to come up with these crazy constructs to do it,” he says. “You shouldn’t feel like you’re exploiting a loophole to sell your neighbor a hamburger.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-05-21--The Walden next door

The Walden next door

My hat is off to Michael S. Hopkins , author of this week ’ s cover story , for two reasons in particular .
First of all , he dared to reread a book that both he and I read , sort of , in high school .
Second , he navigates a way through a quandary that we all will soon face : summer vacation in the age of the coronavirus .
You ’ ll be relieved to know that his conclusion is thoughtful as well as hopeful – happifying , even , though his journey began with disappointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equivalent of being noble or eating one ’ s vegetables .
Whew .
Michael had originally pitched a much more active proposal for this week ’ s cover story , one that involved flying to Washington , visiting monuments , and gauging the depth of our nation ’ s founding principles in the hearts of visitors there today .
It was not to be .
Instead , he turned to what travel experts say are going to be the dual themes for many a summer vacation this year : local and outdoors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ car , they say .
And if you ’ re planning a camping trip , here ’ s a tip from Michael : Camping is remarkably resilient as a form of recreation .
Threats of terrorism and economic exigencies do not dissuade campers , apparently , for neither 9/11 nor the Great Recession put a dent in campsite bookings .
In fact , an outfit that manages campgrounds and day-use recreation sites at public parks and land across the United States says that bookings are running 20 % ahead of last year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walden Pond .
It ’ s fairly close to where he lives , and its history resonates with the times .
With so many shelter-in-place strictures and social distancing orders , what better time to reevaluate an archetypal self-quarantiner ?
( A quick aside about the name : As a Midwesterner , I ’ d pictured Walden Pond as something I could throw a rock across .
The glacially formed kettle hole in Concord , Massachusetts , has 61 acres of surface area .
Thoreau was definitely in the woods . )
Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us who have canceled summer trips and are searching for our own Plan B .
Close to home may not be exotic , but the unexpected abounds .
The word “ recreation ” comes from the Latin word that means “ create again , renew , ” and one can experience renewal anywhere .
A day trip can bloom into something more , Michael notes , as it did for him .
My wife and I found this to be true , too , when a planned spring visit to the West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to home .
We decided to console ourselves by making pilgrimages to the nature reserves that were still open , including one not far from our home .
It ’ s an island in New England ’ s Great Marsh .
Long ago , farmers had built an earthen dike out to the island to graze cattle .
We ’ d never been .
We expected little .
But first of all , we had the place to ourselves .
And there was a massive , previously unknown to us population of majestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special .
We were transported .
We were enriched and delighted .
Elated , even .
Thoreau would have been proud .

My hat is off to Michael S. Hopkins, author of this week’s cover story, for two reasons in particular. First of all, he dared to reread a book that both he and I read, sort of, in high school. Second, he navigates a way through a quandary that we all will soon face: summer vacation in the age of the coronavirus. You’ll be relieved to know that his conclusion is thoughtful as well as hopeful – happifying, even, though his journey began with disappointment. It does not involve the vacation equivalent of being noble or eating one’s vegetables. Whew.
Michael had originally pitched a much more active proposal for this week’s cover story, one that involved flying to Washington, visiting monuments, and gauging the depth of our nation’s founding principles in the hearts of visitors there today. It was not to be. Instead, he turned to what travel experts say are going to be the dual themes for many a summer vacation this year: local and outdoors. It’s the year of the car, they say. And if you’re planning a camping trip, here’s a tip from Michael: Camping is remarkably resilient as a form of recreation. Threats of terrorism and economic exigencies do not dissuade campers, apparently, for neither 9/11 nor the Great Recession put a dent in campsite bookings. In fact, an outfit that manages campgrounds and day-use recreation sites at public parks and land across the United States says that bookings are running 20% ahead of last year.
Plan B, for Michael, was Walden Pond. It’s fairly close to where he lives, and its history resonates with the times. With so many shelter-in-place strictures and social distancing orders, what better time to reevaluate an archetypal self-quarantiner? (A quick aside about the name: As a Midwesterner, I’d pictured Walden Pond as something I could throw a rock across. The glacially formed kettle hole in Concord, Massachusetts, has 61 acres of surface area. Thoreau was definitely in the woods.)
Michael offers a heartening outcome for the two-thirds of us who have canceled summer trips and are searching for our own Plan B. Close to home may not be exotic, but the unexpected abounds. The word “recreation” comes from the Latin word that means “create again, renew,” and one can experience renewal anywhere. A day trip can bloom into something more, Michael notes, as it did for him.
My wife and I found this to be true, too, when a planned spring visit to the West Coast became a week spent very close to home. We decided to console ourselves by making pilgrimages to the nature reserves that were still open, including one not far from our home. It’s an island in New England’s Great Marsh. Long ago, farmers had built an earthen dike out to the island to graze cattle. We’d never been. We expected little.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
But first of all, we had the place to ourselves. And there was a massive, previously unknown to us population of majestic waterfowl there worthy of a National Geographic special. We were transported. We were enriched and delighted. Elated, even. Thoreau would have been proud.
Maybe I’ll give “Walden” another shot.