csmonitor--2020-06-01--In George Floyd protests, echoes of 1968 social unrest

The streets were on fire as National Guard troops streamed into American cities .
The shouts were soaked in anger and anguish : “ We ’ re sick of it !
” There was dark talk of “ radical agitators.
” Violent outbursts and arrests piled up across the republic .
The White House issued martial statements about law and order .
On TV , footage of unrest and anger played on a continuous loop .
The voice from mission control was cool and calm as the rocket soared into the sky and towards space .
“ Stage One propulsion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1960s .
It is right now .
For Americans of a certain age – and for those mindful of the past – it is impossible to ignore the similarities between these past few days and some of the more unsettling moments from the 1960s .
In particular 1968 , a year marred by assassinations and violent social unrest .
And there are reasons to believe that 2020 , not yet half done , may even surpass 1968 as one of American history ’ s most powerful social and political flashpoints .
From an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from galloping unemployment to George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of Minneapolis police , all the threads are there , flowing together into a raging , muddied river that serves up unimaginable challenges .
“ All these things are being woven together , ” says historian Thurston Clarke , author of “ The Last Campaign , ” which chronicles Robert F. Kennedy ’ s 1968 presidential campaign and assassination on June 6 of that year .
“ It ’ s like an anti-hit parade , a convergence of the greatest catastrophes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all hitting us at once , ” Mr. Clarke says .
“ And with what hope ?
” In the morass that is 2020 , history ’ s ghosts from an assortment of American eras have resurfaced : – From 1918 , when a pandemic ’ s first wave ravaged , ebbed , and then gave way to a more powerful second wave .
– From 1930 , when an economic crash revealed its longer-term effects on American citizens in the form of the Great Depression .
– From 1974 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nixon ’ s resignation , echoed in January and February with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump .
– From 1992 , and its images of Los Angeles burning after the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King .
Perhaps the most uncomfortable era to summon for comparison is the one no one really wants to talk about : 1860 , when the final pieces of polarization fell into place for what would be a cataclysmic Civil War .
Slavery , America 's greatest historical shame , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is police brutality against black people , a descendant of that awful legacy .
Then , as now , there was deep economic disparity , and a debate between individual rights and the common good .
Different visions of American life .
Different sets of facts and ever-hazier notions of truth .
“ What ’ s fundamentally common for all of these things in our history is a lack of agreement of what reality is – a lack of agreement about facts , about causes , ” says United States historian John Baick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When we can ’ t agree on basic truth , we reach our greatest periods of divide.
” Now , we also must navigate a social media landscape overloaded with instantly uploaded imagery to persuade and provoke – an echo chamber full of lighter fluid that itself is a subject of national contention , thanks in part to the president .
Problems sometimes addressed , sometimes ignored , never truly solved .
That ’ s what makes the deepest impression on Frederick Gooding Jr. , who teaches about race .
He sees parallels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately followed the Civil War , when African Americans – coming off a war that , on paper , rebooted American society for them – were confronted with the realities of life in the postwar United States .
“ You had the premise that ` I ’ m free , but I walk the streets in psychological terror , ’ ” says Mr. Gooding , an associate professor of African American studies at Texas Christian University .
“ There really is nothing new under the sun here about the fundamental structure of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Gooding says .
“ The cycle is starting to repeat .
There ’ s outrage , it flares up , there ’ s new understanding , things are put in place , and then it rears its head again.
” But right here , right now , 1968 seems the most relevant touchpoint of all .
Then , it was politics and economics and race – the death of the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. in particular – with the backdrop of the Vietnam War , a long-running national cataclysm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , it is politics and economics and race – the death of George Floyd in particular – with the backdrop of the pandemic , a long-running national cataclysm that is killing many thousands of Americans .
There are key differences , of course .
The power structures have evolved and to some extent are more inclusive , though nowhere near where many hoped they ’ d be .
One example : Chicago , where in 1968 Mayor Richard J. Daley decried the protests at the Democratic National Convention and pushed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national flashpoint .
Today , the mayor is Lori Lightfoot , an African American woman and first openly gay person to hold the office .
Perhaps the most striking difference is the one that may be fueling the fires of anger across the land : Now , unlike any other moment in history , protesters in one place can , with a device in their pockets , see and hear what ’ s happening elsewhere and match or surpass it in real time .
Is this period – what one Minneapolis resident called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of simmering ” – a singular moment in American life ?
It ’ s hard to declare that from within , but it certainly has most of the convulsive themes that have driven and riven U.S. history since its beginnings .
Will people gathering and colliding in the most aggressive of fashions – shouting in each other ’ s faces in the era of the coronavirus – create repercussions we can ’ t even consider ?
“ This can be kind of a tinderbox for COVID , ” protester Rosa Jimenez Cano said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SpaceX rocket streaked into the sky from Cape Canaveral , summoning an American moment of pride , control and expert accomplishment .
And like those Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s , it left a troubled planet behind .
“ Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today , ” actor and comedian Andy Milonakis tweeted .
“ Good choice.
” Below it , all else felt tumultuous , a word that has been used so often to describe 1968 that it has become a cliche .
Nevertheless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a well-constructed face mask .
“ For a surprisingly large number of Americans , I think , 1968 marked the end of hope , ” Charles Kaiser wrote in “ 1968 in America , ” his 1988 book .
“ Twenty years later , it may now be possible to start unraveling the mystery of how its traumas and its culture changed us.
” Is that how long it will take this time ?
Will 20 years be enough ?
And , as with Apollo 11 in 1969 , might there be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – breakthroughs in figuring this all out – that help Americans find new ways to soar again ?
Ted Anthony , director of digital innovation for The Associated Press , has been writing about American culture since 1990 .
Follow him on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/anthonyted This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The streets were on fire as National Guard troops streamed into American cities. The shouts were soaked in anger and anguish: “We’re sick of it!”
There was dark talk of “radical agitators.” Violent outbursts and arrests piled up across the republic. The White House issued martial statements about law and order. On TV, footage of unrest and anger played on a continuous loop.
The voice from mission control was cool and calm as the rocket soared into the sky and towards space. “Stage One propulsion is nominal.”
It was the late 1960s. It is right now.
For Americans of a certain age – and for those mindful of the past – it is impossible to ignore the similarities between these past few days and some of the more unsettling moments from the 1960s. In particular 1968, a year marred by assassinations and violent social unrest.
And there are reasons to believe that 2020, not yet half done, may even surpass 1968 as one of American history’s most powerful social and political flashpoints.
From an impeachment trial to a devastating pandemic, from galloping unemployment to George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, all the threads are there, flowing together into a raging, muddied river that serves up unimaginable challenges.
“All these things are being woven together,” says historian Thurston Clarke, author of “The Last Campaign,” which chronicles Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign and assassination on June 6 of that year.
“It’s like an anti-hit parade, a convergence of the greatest catastrophes of the past 100 years or so, all hitting us at once,” Mr. Clarke says. “And with what hope?”
In the morass that is 2020, history’s ghosts from an assortment of American eras have resurfaced:
– From 1918, when a pandemic’s first wave ravaged, ebbed, and then gave way to a more powerful second wave.
– From 1930, when an economic crash revealed its longer-term effects on American citizens in the form of the Great Depression.
– From 1974, and the governmental disarray that preceded Richard M. Nixon’s resignation, echoed in January and February with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
– From 1992, and its images of Los Angeles burning after the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King.
Perhaps the most uncomfortable era to summon for comparison is the one no one really wants to talk about: 1860, when the final pieces of polarization fell into place for what would be a cataclysmic Civil War.
Slavery, America's greatest historical shame, was the flashpoint then. Today, it is police brutality against black people, a descendant of that awful legacy. Then, as now, there was deep economic disparity, and a debate between individual rights and the common good. Different visions of American life. Different sets of facts and ever-hazier notions of truth.
“What’s fundamentally common for all of these things in our history is a lack of agreement of what reality is – a lack of agreement about facts, about causes,” says United States historian John Baick of Western New England University. “When we can’t agree on basic truth, we reach our greatest periods of divide.”
Now, we also must navigate a social media landscape overloaded with instantly uploaded imagery to persuade and provoke – an echo chamber full of lighter fluid that itself is a subject of national contention, thanks in part to the president.
Problems sometimes addressed, sometimes ignored, never truly solved. That’s what makes the deepest impression on Frederick Gooding Jr., who teaches about race.
He sees parallels between today and the Reconstruction period that immediately followed the Civil War, when African Americans – coming off a war that, on paper, rebooted American society for them – were confronted with the realities of life in the postwar United States.
“You had the premise that `I’m free, but I walk the streets in psychological terror,’” says Mr. Gooding, an associate professor of African American studies at Texas Christian University.
“There really is nothing new under the sun here about the fundamental structure of our society and the way it behaves,” Mr. Gooding says. “The cycle is starting to repeat. There’s outrage, it flares up, there’s new understanding, things are put in place, and then it rears its head again.”
But right here, right now, 1968 seems the most relevant touchpoint of all.
Then, it was politics and economics and race – the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in particular – with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, a long-running national cataclysm that was killing many thousands of Americans.
Now, it is politics and economics and race – the death of George Floyd in particular – with the backdrop of the pandemic, a long-running national cataclysm that is killing many thousands of Americans.
There are key differences, of course. The power structures have evolved and to some extent are more inclusive, though nowhere near where many hoped they’d be.
One example: Chicago, where in 1968 Mayor Richard J. Daley decried the protests at the Democratic National Convention and pushed the aggressive policing that helped make that a national flashpoint. Today, the mayor is Lori Lightfoot, an African American woman and first openly gay person to hold the office.
Perhaps the most striking difference is the one that may be fueling the fires of anger across the land: Now, unlike any other moment in history, protesters in one place can, with a device in their pockets, see and hear what’s happening elsewhere and match or surpass it in real time.
Some questions, then:
Is this period – what one Minneapolis resident called “a volcano finally erupting after years of simmering” – a singular moment in American life? It’s hard to declare that from within, but it certainly has most of the convulsive themes that have driven and riven U.S. history since its beginnings.
Will people gathering and colliding in the most aggressive of fashions – shouting in each other’s faces in the era of the coronavirus – create repercussions we can’t even consider? “This can be kind of a tinderbox for COVID,” protester Rosa Jimenez Cano said in Miami.
On Saturday afternoon, the SpaceX rocket streaked into the sky from Cape Canaveral, summoning an American moment of pride, control and expert accomplishment. And like those Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it left a troubled planet behind. “Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today,” actor and comedian Andy Milonakis tweeted. “Good choice.”
Below it, all else felt tumultuous, a word that has been used so often to describe 1968 that it has become a cliche. Nevertheless, the word fits 2020, too – like a well-constructed face mask.
“For a surprisingly large number of Americans, I think, 1968 marked the end of hope,” Charles Kaiser wrote in “1968 in America,” his 1988 book. “Twenty years later, it may now be possible to start unraveling the mystery of how its traumas and its culture changed us.”
Is that how long it will take this time? Will 20 years be enough? And, as with Apollo 11 in 1969, might there be small steps and giant leaps just ahead – breakthroughs in figuring this all out – that help Americans find new ways to soar again?
___
Ted Anthony, director of digital innovation for The Associated Press, has been writing about American culture since 1990. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-02--Trump wants the military to quell protests. Governors say no.

Wielding extraordinary federal authority , President Donald Trump threatened the nation ’ s governors on Monday that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation over the past week .
His announcement came as police under federal command forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas in Washington , D.C. , so he could walk to a nearby church and pose with a Bible .
Mr. Trump ’ s bellicose rhetoric came as the nation convulsed through another round of violence over the death of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is already struggling with the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused .
The president demanded an end to the heated protests in remarks from the White House Rose Garden and vowed to use more force to achieve that aim .
If governors throughout the country do not deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “ dominate the streets , ” Mr. Trump said the U.S. military would step in to “ quickly solve the problem for them.
” “ We have the greatest country in the world , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to keep it safe.
” Several Democratic governors on Monday pushed back against Mr. Trump 's threat to deploy the U.S. military unless they dispatch National Guard units .
Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said he does n't believe the federal government can send military troops into his state .
He accused the president of creating an “ incendiary moment ” by threatening to do just that to quell violence that has arisen as demonstrators have taken to the streets in reaction to the killing of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government can send troops into the state of Illinois , '' Mr. Pritzker said on CNN .
Mr. Pritzker was among the first governors to react to Mr. Trump 's comments , which came hours after the president called governors “ weak ” and urged them to take a more aggressive response to weekend violence .
It came as Americans gathered to protest police brutality against black Americans following the killing of Mr. Floyd , who was handcuffed and on the ground pleading for air as a white police officer pressed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some demonstrations have turned violent , with people breaking into and stealing from businesses , smashing car windows , and setting fires .
A military deployment by Mr. Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history .
Yet the message Mr. Trump appeared to be sending with the pushback of protesters outside the White House was that he sees few limits to what he is willing to do .
Some around the president likened the moment to 1968 , when Richard Nixon ran as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a summer of riots , capturing the White House .
But despite his efforts to portray himself as a political outsider , Mr. Trump is an incumbent who risks being held responsible for the violence .
In New York , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has not deployed the state 's National Guard to New York City , although he said earlier Monday the state had 13,000 troops that “ we can use at any moment.
” “ I say thank you but no thank you , '' Mr. Cuomo said on CNN about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops to the states .
At least 23 states and the District of Columbia had already deployed guard troops as of Monday morning , according to a statement from the National Guard .
It was n't clear whether the action would be enough to satisfy the president .
Mr. Trump took no questions from reporters and did not say how he would decide whether a state 's response was sufficient .
Democratic Gov .
Jay Inslee of Washington , who has activated the state 's guard , said in a statement he prays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured or killed by this reckless fit.
” “ This president has repeatedly proven he is incapable of governing and shown nothing but false bravado throughout the chaos that has accompanied his time in office , '' Mr. Inslee said in a statement .
Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak , also a Democrat , said any suggestions the state 's National Guard is ill equipped to handle the states needs is “ misinformed.
” `` As the Commander In Chief of the Nevada National Guard I can state , categorically , that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevadans , and will continue to do so.
” In neighboring Oregon , Gov .
Kate Brown said the violence is being perpetrated by a small segment of demonstrators .
She refused to deploy the National Guard on Sunday at Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler ’ s request because she was concerned it would escalate a tense situation , but on Monday activated 50 unarmed guard members in support roles .
“ You don ’ t defuse violence by putting soldiers on the streets , ” Ms. Brown , a Democrat , said earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments about governors being weak in their response .
“ Trump wants governors to deploy the National Guard as a show of force to intimidate the public .
I want to ensure that the public can safely raise their voices in this much-needed call for reform.
” She did n't immediately comment on Mr. Trump 's remarks about deploying the U.S. military .
Nor did California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , who has deployed thousands of guard troops to Los Angeles and other cities .
He called Mr. Trump 's morning comments “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although he said the nation is desperate for leadership .
Guard members can assist law enforcement and perform duties such as traffic control , communications support , and extinguishing fires .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Ms. Superville reported from Washington , and Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Morrison reported from Minneapolis .
AP writers Gillian Flaccus in Portland , Oregon ; Rachel La Corte in Olympia , Washingtonj ; and Michelle Price in Las Vegas contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Wielding extraordinary federal authority, President Donald Trump threatened the nation’s governors on Monday that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation over the past week. His announcement came as police under federal command forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas in Washington, D.C., so he could walk to a nearby church and pose with a Bible.
Mr. Trump’s bellicose rhetoric came as the nation convulsed through another round of violence over the death of George Floyd at a time when the country is already struggling with the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused. The president demanded an end to the heated protests in remarks from the White House Rose Garden and vowed to use more force to achieve that aim.
If governors throughout the country do not deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets,” Mr. Trump said the U.S. military would step in to “quickly solve the problem for them.”
“We have the greatest country in the world,” the president declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.”
Several Democratic governors on Monday pushed back against Mr. Trump's threat to deploy the U.S. military unless they dispatch National Guard units.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he doesn't believe the federal government can send military troops into his state. He accused the president of creating an “incendiary moment” by threatening to do just that to quell violence that has arisen as demonstrators have taken to the streets in reaction to the killing of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis.
“I reject the notion that the federal government can send troops into the state of Illinois," Mr. Pritzker said on CNN.
Mr. Pritzker was among the first governors to react to Mr. Trump's comments, which came hours after the president called governors “weak” and urged them to take a more aggressive response to weekend violence. It came as Americans gathered to protest police brutality against black Americans following the killing of Mr. Floyd, who was handcuffed and on the ground pleading for air as a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes.
Some demonstrations have turned violent, with people breaking into and stealing from businesses, smashing car windows, and setting fires.
A military deployment by Mr. Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. Yet the message Mr. Trump appeared to be sending with the pushback of protesters outside the White House was that he sees few limits to what he is willing to do.
Some around the president likened the moment to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran as the law-and-order candidate in the aftermath of a summer of riots, capturing the White House. But despite his efforts to portray himself as a political outsider, Mr. Trump is an incumbent who risks being held responsible for the violence.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not deployed the state's National Guard to New York City, although he said earlier Monday the state had 13,000 troops that “we can use at any moment.”
“I say thank you but no thank you," Mr. Cuomo said on CNN about Mr. Trump's call to send military troops to the states.
At least 23 states and the District of Columbia had already deployed guard troops as of Monday morning, according to a statement from the National Guard. It wasn't clear whether the action would be enough to satisfy the president. Mr. Trump took no questions from reporters and did not say how he would decide whether a state's response was sufficient.
Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, who has activated the state's guard, said in a statement he prays “no soldier and no civilian is injured or killed by this reckless fit.”
“This president has repeatedly proven he is incapable of governing and shown nothing but false bravado throughout the chaos that has accompanied his time in office," Mr. Inslee said in a statement.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, also a Democrat, said any suggestions the state's National Guard is ill equipped to handle the states needs is “misinformed.” "As the Commander In Chief of the Nevada National Guard I can state, categorically, that they have done their duty to protect all Nevadans, and will continue to do so.”
In neighboring Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown said the violence is being perpetrated by a small segment of demonstrators. She refused to deploy the National Guard on Sunday at Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s request because she was concerned it would escalate a tense situation, but on Monday activated 50 unarmed guard members in support roles.
“You don’t defuse violence by putting soldiers on the streets,” Ms. Brown, a Democrat, said earlier Monday in reaction to Mr. Trump's comments about governors being weak in their response. “Trump wants governors to deploy the National Guard as a show of force to intimidate the public. I want to ensure that the public can safely raise their voices in this much-needed call for reform.”
She didn't immediately comment on Mr. Trump's remarks about deploying the U.S. military.
Nor did California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has deployed thousands of guard troops to Los Angeles and other cities. He called Mr. Trump's morning comments “noise” and avoided addressing them directly, although he said the nation is desperate for leadership.
Guard members can assist law enforcement and perform duties such as traffic control, communications support, and extinguishing fires.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Ms. Superville reported from Washington, and Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Morrison reported from Minneapolis. AP writers Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washingtonj; and Michelle Price in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-02--Feeding America during COVID-19: How food pantries are meeting record demand

“ The emergency food system is dependent on charitable organizations , on volunteers , on quick adaptability – and that ’ s been challenged during this time , ” says Alicia Powers , of the Hunger Solutions Institute .
“ These systems have been tried in ways that we never imagined.
” Volunteers like Mr. Eatough are much needed right now .
America ’ s network of some 40,000 food pantries is facing a perfect storm of challenges spawned by the coronavirus outbreak .
Needs , costs , and pantry closures have spiked simultaneously .
Pantries gave out 32 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier , according to Feeding America , as the number of food-insecure Americans jumped from 37 million in 2018 to as many as 54 million today .
“ I ’ m helping [ the community ] and at the same time helping myself by keeping busy , ” Mr. Eatough says .
Volunteering at the pantry “ alleviates some of that sense of helplessness that I think all of us feel to some degree.
” Inside Rumney Marsh Academy , a middle school converted into an emergency food pantry in Revere , Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembly-line fashion .
Among them is David Eatough , a Revere High School biology teacher .
Volunteering comes with health risks .
But Mr. Eatough feels the risks are manageable – and worth it .
On a crisp May evening , Wendy Baur had earned a rest by the time dusk fell on a middle school gymnasium that was transformed into a supersized food pantry for the pandemic .
Responding to a 630 % increase in need since mid-March , she and her team of 55 volunteers had just handed out full grocery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this gateway city ’ s economic collapse .
It was time to go home .
But Ms. Baur , who ’ s directed the First Congregational Church of Revere food pantry in Massachusetts for 18 years , wasn ’ t relaxing as she leaned on a stack of canned soup cases .
She was worrying .
If even one volunteer tests positive for COVID-19 , she said , the operation might grind to a halt as all contacts would have to quarantine .
Just as concerning : the prospect of running out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a struggle to resupply , to get more food , ” says Ms. Baur , who also runs a research lab at Tufts Medical Center .
“ All of the food pantries are competing for a time slot at the food bank warehouse .
Some days I can ’ t even get a slot .
...
I get online at midnight when you can pick your slot , but when I get on , they ’ re all taken .
They ’ re gone within one second.
” Editor ’ s note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Such anxieties aren ’ t unique to this pantry in Revere , a city of 53,000 .
America ’ s network of 40,000 food pantries , which give away food as part of a patchwork emergency system , is facing a perfect storm of challenges spawned by the coronavirus outbreak .
Need , costs , and pantry closures have spiked simultaneously .
Volunteers including Ms. Baur now scramble to prevent what happened in Revere in mid-March , when the pantry ran out of food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history and had to turn people away .
Nationwide , as many as 10,800 pantries and meal programs have shut down since the pandemic began , according to figures from Feeding America , a network of 200 food banks serving pantries and meal programs .
One reason : not enough volunteers .
Many were run by seniors who are now high risk and stay home to avoid the virus .
Others have had to close after someone tested positive for COVID-19 .
Meanwhile , need has skyrocketed .
Pantries and meal programs gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April than a year earlier , according to Feeding America , as the number of food-insecure Americans jumped from 37 million in 2018 to as many as 54 million today .
“ The emergency food system is dependent on charitable organizations , on volunteers , on quick adaptability – and that ’ s been challenged during this time , ” says Alicia Powers , managing director of the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University in Alabama .
“ These systems have been tried in ways that we never imagined.
” What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – if pantries can find them at all .
The Greater Boston Food Bank used to be able to offer pantries more options at no cost , but lists of available free items are getting shorter and shorter , according to Vice President of Distribution Services Jonathan Tetrault .
“ At this point , the options to choose from are diminishing because of the supply chain challenges , ” Mr. Tetrault says .
For no cost , pantries were able to get pasta , white rice , brown rice , black beans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Now your option this week is white rice only and one type of bean.
” Grocery chains have been selling out of items like canned vegetables , leaving them with less to donate to food banks , according to Feeding America spokesperson Zuani Villarreal .
That leaves pantry organizers having to pay at food banks or buy from stores at a time when everything from eggs to meat is costing more due to heightened demand and scant supply .
Since the pandemic started , “ I have to buy more at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more for it , ” says Linda Crocker , a volunteer pantry coordinator at The Memorial Church of the Good Shepherd in Parkersburg , West Virginia .
In normal times , she spends about $ 1,000 a month to stock her pantry to feed about 45 families .
Now with less at food banks , higher prices in stores , and more families seeking help , her spending has jumped by about 30 % .
New challenges facing pantries are on display every Wednesday night here at Rumney Marsh Academy , which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food hub soon after schools closed for the pandemic .
Prior to March , the pantry ( Revere ’ s only one ) had been located at the church , where a human chain would pass bundles up from the basement through a hole in the floor .
But that was when 8,000 pounds of food and supplies a month was enough .
Now the pantry is going through upward of 40,000 pounds a month .
Moving temporarily to the larger school facility on a state highway was essential .
Before distribution begins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars form two lines that wind around the building .
Dozens of pedestrians line up beside them on a sidewalk .
Everyone is wearing masks .
Guidelines to stay six feet apart are loosely followed .
On this night in mid-May , 72 % of pantry visitors are Hispanic , up from 33 % in mid-March , according to Ms. Baur .
Speaking in Spanish , one guest after another tells a similar story of layoffs .
Jose Santiago lost his janitorial job at a food processing center .
Leticia Restrepo is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tovon can ’ t work at the airport hotel where he ’ s tended a bar for 14 years .
All have stretched their personal accounts for weeks , then started coming to the pantry in May because it was getting tougher to provide for family members who depend on them .
“ I was embarrassed to come here , but now we need it , ” says Angela , who asked that her last name not be used .
She thought her furlough from office work would be brief , but two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Inside , volunteers stuffing bags in assembly-line fashion say it ’ s just their second or third week at the pantry .
Among those answering the call for helpers is David Eatough , a Revere High School biology teacher .
He ’ s seen up close what it means for Revere to have one of the higher infection rates in Massachusetts .
Two students at the high school lost a parent to the virus , he said , and a former student has died as well .
Volunteering comes with health risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are manageable – and worth it .
Like other volunteers , he wears gloves , keeps his mask on , and fills bags to feel helpful in a situation that ’ s left many feeling helpless .
“ I ’ m helping [ the community ] and at the same time helping myself by keeping busy , ” Mr. Eatough says .
Volunteering at the pantry “ alleviates some of that sense of helplessness that I think all of us feel to some degree.
” Behind the scenes , Ms. Baur aims to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 feet high from end to end with chickpeas , canned tomatoes , pasta , and other goods .
She takes pride in stocking protein such as ground turkey , cheese , and frozen eggs , which are stored separately in a school kitchen .
But the logistics can be daunting .
On her June to-do list : lining up a reliable volunteer trucker , if needed , to transport supplies .
In the meantime , she stretches her budget by stocking up on whatever she can get free from the food bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ butter .
For a 5,000-pound midweek delivery , she paid for only three items : 480 jars of jelly – “ it goes with the peanut butter ” – 2,000 shopping bags , and a case of gloves for volunteers .
Total : $ 601 .
Now as she prepares to leave for the night , her phone rings .
It ’ s her pastor with good news : The pantry got a $ 10,000 donation from a Boston health care organization .
She can use it .
The pantry spent about $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10-fold increase from a year earlier .
“ Sometimes it can be 6,000 pounds and I ’ m paying $ 1,000 because none of the stuff I want happens to be free , ” Ms. Baur says .
“ On the plus side , there have been a lot of donations .
People see the need.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“The emergency food system is dependent on charitable organizations, on volunteers, on quick adaptability – and that’s been challenged during this time,” says Alicia Powers, of the Hunger Solutions Institute. “These systems have been tried in ways that we never imagined.”
Volunteers like Mr. Eatough are much needed right now. America’s network of some 40,000 food pantries is facing a perfect storm of challenges spawned by the coronavirus outbreak. Needs, costs, and pantry closures have spiked simultaneously. Pantries gave out 32% more food in April than a year earlier, according to Feeding America, as the number of food-insecure Americans jumped from 37 million in 2018 to as many as 54 million today.
Amid coronavirus closures, America’s food pantries are facing a pandemic paradox: dwindling supplies and skyrocketing need. With tenacity and heart, they’re stepping up to the challenge.
“I’m helping [the community] and at the same time helping myself by keeping busy,” Mr. Eatough says. Volunteering at the pantry “alleviates some of that sense of helplessness that I think all of us feel to some degree.”
Inside Rumney Marsh Academy, a middle school converted into an emergency food pantry in Revere, Massachusetts, volunteers stuff bags with groceries in assembly-line fashion. Among them is David Eatough, a Revere High School biology teacher. Volunteering comes with health risks. But Mr. Eatough feels the risks are manageable – and worth it.
On a crisp May evening, Wendy Baur had earned a rest by the time dusk fell on a middle school gymnasium that was transformed into a supersized food pantry for the pandemic. Responding to a 630% increase in need since mid-March, she and her team of 55 volunteers had just handed out full grocery bags to about 375 families reeling from this gateway city’s economic collapse. It was time to go home.
But Ms. Baur, who’s directed the First Congregational Church of Revere food pantry in Massachusetts for 18 years, wasn’t relaxing as she leaned on a stack of canned soup cases. She was worrying. If even one volunteer tests positive for COVID-19, she said, the operation might grind to a halt as all contacts would have to quarantine. Just as concerning: the prospect of running out of food.
“Every week it’s a struggle to resupply, to get more food,” says Ms. Baur, who also runs a research lab at Tufts Medical Center. “All of the food pantries are competing for a time slot at the food bank warehouse. Some days I can’t even get a slot. ... I get online at midnight when you can pick your slot, but when I get on, they’re all taken. They’re gone within one second.”
Why We Wrote This Amid coronavirus closures, America’s food pantries are facing a pandemic paradox: dwindling supplies and skyrocketing need. With tenacity and heart, they’re stepping up to the challenge.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Such anxieties aren’t unique to this pantry in Revere, a city of 53,000. America’s network of 40,000 food pantries, which give away food as part of a patchwork emergency system, is facing a perfect storm of challenges spawned by the coronavirus outbreak. Need, costs, and pantry closures have spiked simultaneously. Volunteers including Ms. Baur now scramble to prevent what happened in Revere in mid-March, when the pantry ran out of food for the first time in its 36-year history and had to turn people away.
Ann Hermes/Staff View caption Hide caption Wendy Baur, (c.), the food pantry coordinator with First Congregational Church of Revere, speaks to volunteers before opening up the pantry for pickup on May 5, 2020 in Revere, Massachusetts.
Unprecedented challenges
Nationwide, as many as 10,800 pantries and meal programs have shut down since the pandemic began, according to figures from Feeding America, a network of 200 food banks serving pantries and meal programs. One reason: not enough volunteers. Many were run by seniors who are now high risk and stay home to avoid the virus. Others have had to close after someone tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, need has skyrocketed. Pantries and meal programs gave out about 32% more food in April than a year earlier, according to Feeding America, as the number of food-insecure Americans jumped from 37 million in 2018 to as many as 54 million today.
“The emergency food system is dependent on charitable organizations, on volunteers, on quick adaptability – and that’s been challenged during this time,” says Alicia Powers, managing director of the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University in Alabama. “These systems have been tried in ways that we never imagined.”
What’s more, staples are getting more expensive – if pantries can find them at all. The Greater Boston Food Bank used to be able to offer pantries more options at no cost, but lists of available free items are getting shorter and shorter, according to Vice President of Distribution Services Jonathan Tetrault.
“At this point, the options to choose from are diminishing because of the supply chain challenges,” Mr. Tetrault says. For no cost, pantries were able to get pasta, white rice, brown rice, black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. “Now your option this week is white rice only and one type of bean.”
Grocery chains have been selling out of items like canned vegetables, leaving them with less to donate to food banks, according to Feeding America spokesperson Zuani Villarreal. That leaves pantry organizers having to pay at food banks or buy from stores at a time when everything from eggs to meat is costing more due to heightened demand and scant supply.
Since the pandemic started, “I have to buy more at the store, and I have to pay more for it,” says Linda Crocker, a volunteer pantry coordinator at The Memorial Church of the Good Shepherd in Parkersburg, West Virginia. In normal times, she spends about $1,000 a month to stock her pantry to feed about 45 families. Now with less at food banks, higher prices in stores, and more families seeking help, her spending has jumped by about 30%.
Ann Hermes/Staff View caption Hide caption Donated goods are prepared at a food pantry run by the First Congregational Church of Revere on May 5, 2020 in Revere, Massachusetts.
Meeting growing needs
New challenges facing pantries are on display every Wednesday night here at Rumney Marsh Academy, which the city of Revere converted to an emergency food hub soon after schools closed for the pandemic. Prior to March, the pantry (Revere’s only one) had been located at the church, where a human chain would pass bundles up from the basement through a hole in the floor. But that was when 8,000 pounds of food and supplies a month was enough. Now the pantry is going through upward of 40,000 pounds a month. Moving temporarily to the larger school facility on a state highway was essential.
Before distribution begins at 7 p.m., more than 100 cars form two lines that wind around the building. Dozens of pedestrians line up beside them on a sidewalk. Everyone is wearing masks. Guidelines to stay six feet apart are loosely followed.
On this night in mid-May, 72% of pantry visitors are Hispanic, up from 33% in mid-March, according to Ms. Baur. Speaking in Spanish, one guest after another tells a similar story of layoffs. Jose Santiago lost his janitorial job at a food processing center. Leticia Restrepo is no longer cooking at a restaurant. Jorge Tovon can’t work at the airport hotel where he’s tended a bar for 14 years. All have stretched their personal accounts for weeks, then started coming to the pantry in May because it was getting tougher to provide for family members who depend on them.
“I was embarrassed to come here, but now we need it,” says Angela, who asked that her last name not be used. She thought her furlough from office work would be brief, but two months later she’s still unemployed.
Ann Hermes/Staff View caption Hide caption Volunteer Arlene Beckwith, directs traffic as cars line up to receive donations at a food pantry run by the First Congregational Church of Revere on May 5, 2020 in Revere, Massachusetts. The pantry has seen a sharp increase in visitors since the beginning of the lockdown.
“People see the need”
Inside, volunteers stuffing bags in assembly-line fashion say it’s just their second or third week at the pantry. Among those answering the call for helpers is David Eatough, a Revere High School biology teacher. He’s seen up close what it means for Revere to have one of the higher infection rates in Massachusetts. Two students at the high school lost a parent to the virus, he said, and a former student has died as well.
Volunteering comes with health risks. But Mr. Eatough feels the risks are manageable – and worth it. Like other volunteers, he wears gloves, keeps his mask on, and fills bags to feel helpful in a situation that’s left many feeling helpless.
“I’m helping [the community] and at the same time helping myself by keeping busy,” Mr. Eatough says. Volunteering at the pantry “alleviates some of that sense of helplessness that I think all of us feel to some degree.”
Behind the scenes, Ms. Baur aims to keep one wall of the gymnasium stacked 6 feet high from end to end with chickpeas, canned tomatoes, pasta, and other goods. She takes pride in stocking protein such as ground turkey, cheese, and frozen eggs, which are stored separately in a school kitchen.
But the logistics can be daunting. On her June to-do list: lining up a reliable volunteer trucker, if needed, to transport supplies.
In the meantime, she stretches her budget by stocking up on whatever she can get free from the food bank, such as cases of USDA peanut butter. For a 5,000-pound midweek delivery, she paid for only three items: 480 jars of jelly – “it goes with the peanut butter” – 2,000 shopping bags, and a case of gloves for volunteers. Total: $601.
Now as she prepares to leave for the night, her phone rings. It’s her pastor with good news: The pantry got a $10,000 donation from a Boston health care organization. She can use it. The pantry spent about $10,000 on food in April, a 10-fold increase from a year earlier.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“Sometimes it can be 6,000 pounds and I’m paying $1,000 because none of the stuff I want happens to be free,” Ms. Baur says. “On the plus side, there have been a lot of donations. People see the need.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-24--Injecting disinfectant 'sounds interesting' to Trump. Lysol disagrees.

The parent company of Lysol and another disinfectant warned Friday that its products should not be used as an internal treatment for the coronavirus after President Donald Trump wondered about the prospect during a White House briefing .
Mr. Trump noted Thursday that researchers were looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people , saying the virus “ does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it would be interesting to check that.
” That prompted a strong warning from the maker of disinfectants Lysol and Dettol , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to combat “ recent speculation.
” “ As a global leader in health and hygiene products , we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body [ through injection , ingestion , or any other route ] , ” said the statement from Reckitt Benckiser .
Researchers are testing the effect of disinfectants on virus-laden saliva and respiratory fluids in the laboratory , said William Bryan , of the Department of Homeland Security .
They kill the virus very quickly , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do something like that , by injection inside or almost a cleaning , '' Mr. Trump said .
`` Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs .
So it would be interesting to check that .
So , that , you ’ re going to have to use medical doctors with .
But it sounds – it sounds interesting to me.
” As NBC reported , health experts have reacted with horror .
This includes Dr. Vin Gupta , a pulmonologist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has often talked up prospects for new therapies and offered rosy timelines for the development of a vaccine as he encourages states to move to reopen their economies .
On Thursday , the White House also pitched “ emerging ” research on the benefits of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of the coronavirus .
Studies to date have not found conclusive evidence that the warmer temperatures and higher humidity of spring and summer will help tamp down the spread of the virus .
But William Bryan of the Department of Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that there are “ emerging results ” from new research that suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air .
He said scientists have seen a similar effect from higher temperatures and humidity .
A biocontainment lab in Maryland has been conducting testing on the virus since February , Mr. Bryan said .
“ The virus is dying at a much more rapid pace just from exposure to higher temperatures and just from exposure to humidity , ” Mr. Bryan said .
Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make people think they would be safe by going outside in the heat , considering that so many people have died in Florida .
“ I hope people enjoy the sun .
And if it has an impact , that ’ s great , ” Mr. Trump replied , adding , “ It ’ s just a suggestion from a brilliant lab by a very , very smart , perhaps brilliant man.
” “ I ’ m here to present ideas , because we want ideas to get rid of this thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and if sunlight is good , that ’ s a great thing as far as I ’ m concerned , ” the president said .
Mr. Bryan stressed that the emerging results of the light and heat studies do not replace social distancing recommendations .
Earlier in the month , scientific advisers told the White House there ’ s no good evidence yet that the heat and humidity of summer will rein in the virus without continued public health measures .
Researchers convened by the National Academies of Sciences , Engineering , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test virus survival under different laboratory conditions as well as tracking where and how COVID-19 has spread so far .
“ Given that countries currently in ‘ summer ’ climates , such as Australia and Iran , are experiencing rapid virus spread , a decrease in cases with increases in humidity and temperature elsewhere should not be assumed , ” the researchers wrote earlier in April in response to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology .
In addition , the report cited the global lack of immunity to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is an effect of temperature and humidity on transmission , it may not be as apparent as with other respiratory viruses for which there is at least some preexisting partial immunity.
” They noted that during 10 previous flu pandemics , regardless of what season they started , all had a peak second wave about six months after the virus first emerged .
In March , Dr. Michael Ryan , the World Health Organization ’ s emergencies chief , said , “ We have to assume that the virus will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a false hope to say yes , it will just disappear in the summertime like influenza.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The parent company of Lysol and another disinfectant warned Friday that its products should not be used as an internal treatment for the coronavirus after President Donald Trump wondered about the prospect during a White House briefing.
Mr. Trump noted Thursday that researchers were looking at the effects of disinfectants on the virus and wondered aloud if they could be injected into people, saying the virus “does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.”
That prompted a strong warning from the maker of disinfectants Lysol and Dettol, which said it was issuing a statement to combat “recent speculation.”
“As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body [through injection, ingestion, or any other route],” said the statement from Reckitt Benckiser.
Researchers are testing the effect of disinfectants on virus-laden saliva and respiratory fluids in the laboratory, said William Bryan, of the Department of Homeland Security. They kill the virus very quickly, he said.
“And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning," Mr. Trump said. "Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that. So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors with. But it sounds – it sounds interesting to me.”
As NBC reported, health experts have reacted with horror. This includes Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert:
"Any amount of bleach or isopropyl alcohol or any kind of common household cleaner is inappropriate for ingestion even in small amounts. Small amounts are deadly," Gupta said. Gupta added that it was "demoralizing" for a doctor to hear the White House "peddle improper health messaging" and said the president had a pattern of pushing unproven medical treatments.
The president has often talked up prospects for new therapies and offered rosy timelines for the development of a vaccine as he encourages states to move to reopen their economies.
On Thursday, the White House also pitched “emerging” research on the benefits of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of the coronavirus.
Studies to date have not found conclusive evidence that the warmer temperatures and higher humidity of spring and summer will help tamp down the spread of the virus.
But William Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security said at a White House briefing Thursday that there are “emerging results” from new research that suggest solar light has a powerful effect in killing the virus on surfaces and in the air. He said scientists have seen a similar effect from higher temperatures and humidity. A biocontainment lab in Maryland has been conducting testing on the virus since February, Mr. Bryan said.
“The virus is dying at a much more rapid pace just from exposure to higher temperatures and just from exposure to humidity,” Mr. Bryan said.
Mr. Trump was asked if it was dangerous to make people think they would be safe by going outside in the heat, considering that so many people have died in Florida.
“I hope people enjoy the sun. And if it has an impact, that’s great,” Mr. Trump replied, adding, “It’s just a suggestion from a brilliant lab by a very, very smart, perhaps brilliant man.”
“I’m here to present ideas, because we want ideas to get rid of this thing. And if heat is good, and if sunlight is good, that’s a great thing as far as I’m concerned,” the president said.
Mr. Bryan stressed that the emerging results of the light and heat studies do not replace social distancing recommendations.
Earlier in the month, scientific advisers told the White House there’s no good evidence yet that the heat and humidity of summer will rein in the virus without continued public health measures.
Researchers convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine analyzed studies done so far to test virus survival under different laboratory conditions as well as tracking where and how COVID-19 has spread so far.
“Given that countries currently in ‘summer’ climates, such as Australia and Iran, are experiencing rapid virus spread, a decrease in cases with increases in humidity and temperature elsewhere should not be assumed,” the researchers wrote earlier in April in response to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology.
In addition, the report cited the global lack of immunity to the new virus and concluded, “if there is an effect of temperature and humidity on transmission, it may not be as apparent as with other respiratory viruses for which there is at least some preexisting partial immunity.”
They noted that during 10 previous flu pandemics, regardless of what season they started, all had a peak second wave about six months after the virus first emerged.
In March, Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief, said, “We have to assume that the virus will continue to have the capacity to spread, and it’s a false hope to say yes, it will just disappear in the summertime like influenza.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-22--As EU countries eases restrictions, US debates reopening economy

One of the grimmest symbols of the coronavirus outbreak – a morgue set up in a Madrid skating rink – closed on Wednesday as stores and other businesses reopened in places across Europe , while the U.S. was beset with increasingly partisan disagreements over how and when to restart its economy .
As some governors in the U.S. – largely Republican ones – moved to reopen an ever-wider variety of businesses , others took a more cautious approach and came under mounting pressure from protesters complaining that their livelihoods are being destroyed and their freedom of movement is being infringed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far from over in Europe , small shops in Berlin reopened , and restrictions were also relaxed in Denmark and Austria .
In France , long lines formed outside the few McDonald 's drive-thrus that started serving customers again .
Still , many employees and customers were uneasy , suggesting that a return to normal is a long way off .
`` Of course I 'm happy that I can open again and we can keep our heads above water , '' said Galina Hooge , who opened her small Berlin toy store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
But she worried that some Germans still are n't taking the outbreak seriously .
`` Relaxing the rules does n't mean that everything is over .
It 's not over by a long stretch , '' she said .
Across the Atlantic in Savannah , Georgia , where Gov .
Brian Kemp announced that gyms and salons can reopen this week , gym owner Mark Lebos said it would be professional negligence to do so right now .
`` We are not going to be a vector of death and suffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has infected over 2.5 million people and killed about 180,000 around the world , including more than 45,000 in the U.S. , according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University from official government figures , though the true numbers are believed to be far higher .
Although some hot spots like Italy , Spain , and New York have seen a drop in daily death tolls and new hospitalizations , other areas are facing a resurgence of the coronavirus .
Singapore , once a model of virus tracking and prevention , saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would extend its lockdown into June .
In California , health officials said two people with coronavirus died in the state weeks before the first reported U.S. death from the disease on Feb. 29 in Washington state .
The finding shows that COVID-19 had been circulating in the U.S. earlier than was previously thought .
The economic fallout from the crisis mounted as oil prices suffered an epic collapse and U.S. stocks registered their worst loss in weeks Tuesday on Wall Street .
The U.S. Senate approved nearly $ 500 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and testing .
In North Carolina , where Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper is keeping in place his stay-home order for at least another week , hundreds marched around the executive mansion on Tuesday .
At the Missouri Capitol , several hundred with the same demands waved the American flag and chanted `` USA !
USA ! ''
And in Wisconsin , GOP legislative leaders asked the state Supreme Court to block an extension of the Democratic governor 's stay-home order .
Spain , one of the world 's worst-hit countries , planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week for the first time in nearly six weeks .
`` I am aware of the tremendous effort that the confinement has demanded of our smallest ones and their families , '' Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said .
The country 's death toll reached nearly 22,000 , behind only the United States and Italy , after 435 more deaths were reported Wednesday .
But the numbers reflected a plateauing of the outbreak .
In another hopeful sign , a large makeshift morgue at an ice rink closed .
India partially eased one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , but health officials fear a surge in cases .
Starting in May , the country is planning to use wristbands fitted with an app to track people 's movements and body temperature .
The technology is aimed at easing the vast manpower needed to track the virus among the country 's 1.3 billion people .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

One of the grimmest symbols of the coronavirus outbreak – a morgue set up in a Madrid skating rink – closed on Wednesday as stores and other businesses reopened in places across Europe, while the U.S. was beset with increasingly partisan disagreements over how and when to restart its economy.
As some governors in the U.S. – largely Republican ones – moved to reopen an ever-wider variety of businesses, others took a more cautious approach and came under mounting pressure from protesters complaining that their livelihoods are being destroyed and their freedom of movement is being infringed on.
With the crisis easing but far from over in Europe, small shops in Berlin reopened, and restrictions were also relaxed in Denmark and Austria. In France, long lines formed outside the few McDonald's drive-thrus that started serving customers again.
Still, many employees and customers were uneasy, suggesting that a return to normal is a long way off.
"Of course I'm happy that I can open again and we can keep our heads above water," said Galina Hooge, who opened her small Berlin toy store for the first time in over a month. But she worried that some Germans still aren't taking the outbreak seriously.
"Relaxing the rules doesn't mean that everything is over. It's not over by a long stretch," she said.
Across the Atlantic in Savannah, Georgia, where Gov. Brian Kemp announced that gyms and salons can reopen this week, gym owner Mark Lebos said it would be professional negligence to do so right now.
"We are not going to be a vector of death and suffering," he said.
The outbreak has infected over 2.5 million people and killed about 180,000 around the world, including more than 45,000 in the U.S., according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University from official government figures, though the true numbers are believed to be far higher.
Although some hot spots like Italy, Spain, and New York have seen a drop in daily death tolls and new hospitalizations, other areas are facing a resurgence of the coronavirus.
Singapore, once a model of virus tracking and prevention, saw an explosion of new cases and announced it would extend its lockdown into June.
In California, health officials said two people with coronavirus died in the state weeks before the first reported U.S. death from the disease on Feb. 29 in Washington state. The finding shows that COVID-19 had been circulating in the U.S. earlier than was previously thought.
The economic fallout from the crisis mounted as oil prices suffered an epic collapse and U.S. stocks registered their worst loss in weeks Tuesday on Wall Street. The U.S. Senate approved nearly $500 billion in coronavirus aid for businesses, hospitals, and testing.
In North Carolina, where Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is keeping in place his stay-home order for at least another week, hundreds marched around the executive mansion on Tuesday. At the Missouri Capitol, several hundred with the same demands waved the American flag and chanted "USA! USA!"
And in Wisconsin, GOP legislative leaders asked the state Supreme Court to block an extension of the Democratic governor's stay-home order.
Spain, one of the world's worst-hit countries, planned to allow children out of their homes next week for the first time in nearly six weeks.
"I am aware of the tremendous effort that the confinement has demanded of our smallest ones and their families," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said.
The country's death toll reached nearly 22,000, behind only the United States and Italy, after 435 more deaths were reported Wednesday. But the numbers reflected a plateauing of the outbreak.
In another hopeful sign, a large makeshift morgue at an ice rink closed.
India partially eased one of the world's strictest lockdowns this week, but health officials fear a surge in cases. Starting in May, the country is planning to use wristbands fitted with an app to track people's movements and body temperature.
The technology is aimed at easing the vast manpower needed to track the virus among the country's 1.3 billion people.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-03--Say cheese! Families commemorate their isolation with ‘porchraits’

By sharing these images on social media , Mr. McRitchie hopes his work can serve as a buoy for others stuck at home .
“ When we see people are celebrating , laughing and having fun , and families that are together , ” he says , “ it 's reminding us of the strength we can find together.
” Mr. McRitchie is part of a network of photographers using the hashtag # porchraits to inspire one another to get out and document their communities .
Many of the images are whimsical , poking fun where they can .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of toilet paper around their wrists .
Other photos are more stark , revealing the stillness and solitude of the social distance era .
“ People are together in a way they haven ’ t been in a long time , ” says Erik McRitchie , a brand photographer in Calgary , Alberta .
A new phenomenon is sweeping the photography community in Canada : “ porchraits.
” These family portraits , often taken on porches , are one way of marking the physical isolation that many are feeling right now .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ togetherness felt by many families .
The children ’ s hands push into the glass pane as the family of five poses behind their front door .
In some photos , family members peer over their fences , only their eyes visible .
Many of the portraits play on space and distance – each member hangs a head out of a separate second-story window , for example .
Welcome to a new phenomenon sweeping the photography community in Canada : “ porchraits.
” These family portraits , often taken on porches , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many are feeling right now .
But they also highlight a renewed embrace of togetherness felt by many families .
“ We ’ re living through a unique period of time for all of us , ” says Erik McRitchie , a brand photographer in Calgary , Alberta .
“ People are together in a way they haven ’ t been in a long time.
” That ’ s something families are keen to hold onto , judging by Mr. McRitchie ’ s busy calendar .
At the middle of last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 more to go .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
Mr. McRitchie is part of a network of photographers inspired by one in Yellowknife , Northwest Territories , who started taking photos of residents through their windows .
Using the hashtag # porchraits , photographers have inspired one another to get out and document their communities .
And the practice has started to pop up in the United States ; though there ’ s a bit of debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they are sometimes called # doortraits or # isolationportraits .
Many of the images are whimsical , poking fun where they can .
One family poses on their porch with rolls of toilet paper around their wrists ; even the dog gets one around its paw .
Others dress up in costumes or party attire , taking a break from the stress and worry that the coronavirus pandemic has unleashed around the world .
Other photos are more stark , revealing the stillness and solitude of the social-distance era .
And even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s easy to see that these collections , growing across North America and Europe , could easily hang on museum walls the way exhibits of stoic settlers of the Dust Bowl or cities in the Great Depression do a century later .
“ These are really interesting documents at this time , ” says Carol Payne , a professor of the history and theory of photography at Carleton University in Ottawa .
While many of the journalistic photographs of the era revolve around barriers – adults separated from elderly parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers who can only see their children through windows – “ porchraits ” give subjects a sense of agency , she says , and in the end will show how ordinary people coped together .
“ They are telling their future selves what it was like to live through what is really an historic crisis , ” Professor Payne says .
“ People are writing their own social histories visually , not the history of politicians and nation-states but the history of individual people and how they got through it.
” Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t making money from it .
If families can , he is encouraging them to donate to a local food bank .
“ It ’ s really just trying to take a moment of difficulty , and turning it into something positive , ” he says , “ and see if it can be replicated and grown into something bigger.
” Jon Neufeld ’ s family is the one outside the glass door last week in their residential community in Calgary .
He says they were “ hamming it up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about being stuck inside all day .
It also happened to be the day they were supposed to have their daughter ’ s 5th birthday party .
Instead , she dressed up in pink and they ate birthday cake on the front steps ( Mr. McRitchie was invited , one of four “ front porch birthday parties ” he ’ d celebrated that week ) .
Mr. Neufeld says it ’ s been fun to see the other portraits posted around social media .
But collectively it tells a deeper tale .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that if you look through the collection , we ’ re all on our porches .
We ’ re all on the front steps of our houses , ” he says , “ where we are spending 99 % of our time.
” That ’ s posed technical problems for photographers , who are more used to scenic backgrounds or studios where lighting possibilities are limitless .
But through this work , Mr. McRitchie says he has documented something new : a family togetherness and a return to slower living .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two little children were sitting at their front window with a “ campfire ” they made from cardboard .
They were pretending to roast marshmallows .
In between his shoots he ’ s noticed more teens out walking with their parents .
“ That ’ s weird , right ?
” he says .
“ Before , mom or dad would go for a walk , and ask , ‘ you guys want to come ?
’ And the kids are like , ‘ no , not a chance.
’ But now they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just so easy to be occupied with the negativity right now , and any break from that in a positive way is uplifting , ” he continues .
“ When we see people are celebrating , laughing and having fun , and families that are together , it ’ s reminding us of the strength we can find together.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

By sharing these images on social media, Mr. McRitchie hopes his work can serve as a buoy for others stuck at home. “When we see people are celebrating, laughing and having fun, and families that are together,” he says, “it's reminding us of the strength we can find together.”
Mr. McRitchie is part of a network of photographers using the hashtag #porchraits to inspire one another to get out and document their communities. Many of the images are whimsical, poking fun where they can. One family poses on their porch with rolls of toilet paper around their wrists. Other photos are more stark, revealing the stillness and solitude of the social distance era.
One of the surprising ironies of the social distancing era is that this time of isolation is fostering other kinds of togetherness. Canadian photographers are capturing that duality with “porchraits.”
“People are together in a way they haven’t been in a long time,” says Erik McRitchie, a brand photographer in Calgary, Alberta.
A new phenomenon is sweeping the photography community in Canada: “porchraits.” These family portraits, often taken on porches, are one way of marking the physical isolation that many are feeling right now. But they also highlight a renewed embrace of togetherness felt by many families.
The children’s hands push into the glass pane as the family of five poses behind their front door. In some photos, family members peer over their fences, only their eyes visible. Many of the portraits play on space and distance – each member hangs a head out of a separate second-story window, for example.
Welcome to a new phenomenon sweeping the photography community in Canada: “porchraits.” These family portraits, often taken on porches, are one way of marking the physical isolation that many are feeling right now. But they also highlight a renewed embrace of togetherness felt by many families.
“We’re living through a unique period of time for all of us,” says Erik McRitchie, a brand photographer in Calgary, Alberta. “People are together in a way they haven’t been in a long time.”
Why We Wrote This One of the surprising ironies of the social distancing era is that this time of isolation is fostering other kinds of togetherness. Canadian photographers are capturing that duality with “porchraits.”
That’s something families are keen to hold onto, judging by Mr. McRitchie’s busy calendar. At the middle of last week he had done 25 shoots and had 40 more to go.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Mr. McRitchie is part of a network of photographers inspired by one in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, who started taking photos of residents through their windows. Using the hashtag #porchraits, photographers have inspired one another to get out and document their communities. And the practice has started to pop up in the United States; though there’s a bit of debate over how to spell the new term and they are sometimes called #doortraits or #isolationportraits.
Courtesy of Erik McRitchie View caption Hide caption A little girl celebrates her fifth birthday on her porch as part of a family portrait session with Calgary photographer Erik McRitchie.
Many of the images are whimsical, poking fun where they can. One family poses on their porch with rolls of toilet paper around their wrists; even the dog gets one around its paw. Others dress up in costumes or party attire, taking a break from the stress and worry that the coronavirus pandemic has unleashed around the world.
Other photos are more stark, revealing the stillness and solitude of the social-distance era. And even today, in the midst of it, it’s easy to see that these collections, growing across North America and Europe, could easily hang on museum walls the way exhibits of stoic settlers of the Dust Bowl or cities in the Great Depression do a century later.
“These are really interesting documents at this time,” says Carol Payne, a professor of the history and theory of photography at Carleton University in Ottawa. While many of the journalistic photographs of the era revolve around barriers – adults separated from elderly parents in nursing homes, or isolated healthcare workers who can only see their children through windows – “porchraits” give subjects a sense of agency, she says, and in the end will show how ordinary people coped together.
“They are telling their future selves what it was like to live through what is really an historic crisis,” Professor Payne says. “People are writing their own social histories visually, not the history of politicians and nation-states but the history of individual people and how they got through it.”
Many of the photographers, like Mr. McRitchie, aren’t making money from it. If families can, he is encouraging them to donate to a local food bank. “It’s really just trying to take a moment of difficulty, and turning it into something positive,” he says, “and see if it can be replicated and grown into something bigger.”
Jon Neufeld’s family is the one outside the glass door last week in their residential community in Calgary. He says they were “hamming it up,” just having a bit of fun about being stuck inside all day. It also happened to be the day they were supposed to have their daughter’s 5th birthday party. Instead, she dressed up in pink and they ate birthday cake on the front steps (Mr. McRitchie was invited, one of four “front porch birthday parties” he’d celebrated that week).
Mr. Neufeld says it’s been fun to see the other portraits posted around social media. But collectively it tells a deeper tale. “The kind of struggle is implicit in the fact that if you look through the collection, we’re all on our porches. We’re all on the front steps of our houses,” he says, “where we are spending 99% of our time.”
That’s posed technical problems for photographers, who are more used to scenic backgrounds or studios where lighting possibilities are limitless. But through this work, Mr. McRitchie says he has documented something new: a family togetherness and a return to slower living. When he arrived at one house, two little children were sitting at their front window with a “campfire” they made from cardboard. They were pretending to roast marshmallows.
In between his shoots he’s noticed more teens out walking with their parents.
“That’s weird, right?” he says. “Before, mom or dad would go for a walk, and ask, ‘you guys want to come?’ And the kids are like, ‘no, not a chance.’ But now they’re out together.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“It’s just so easy to be occupied with the negativity right now, and any break from that in a positive way is uplifting,” he continues. “When we see people are celebrating, laughing and having fun, and families that are together, it’s reminding us of the strength we can find together.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-24--Washington DC's 'maker' community steps up to 3D print PPE

It started in late March with a self-professed high school `` news junkie '' and a lone 3D printer .
Georgetown Day School senior Jonah Docter-Loeb was transfixed by television footage of the `` suffering on such a large scale '' caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
After learning that supplies of protective medical gear were being depleted , Mr. Docter-Loeb sought a way to help .
He tapped into the online community of `` makers '' – 3D printer enthusiasts – and found an open-source design for a welder 's mask-style face shield he could print at home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea has mushroomed into Print to Protect , a network of around 100 3D printers , most in individual homes , producing face shields for distribution to Washington area hospitals .
The group says it has printed 3,000 shields so far with a goal of completing 10,000 in April .
`` For a lot of us , it can be overwhelming what 's happening , '' said Emily Scarrow , a junior at the private school and part of a collective of students running the project .
She said working on the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` helplessness and isolation '' of the ongoing stay-at-home orders .
The supplies are much needed as Washington and the larger capital region of southern Maryland and northern Virginia braces for a looming surge .
Twice a week , volunteer drivers such as William Olsen gather up the printed materials from people 's homes .
To maintain social distancing and reduce personal interactions , residents leave the newly printed parts in a sealed bag or box on their porches .
`` I have a car and I have a bunch of free time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the least I can do , '' said Mr. Olsen , a Georgetown Day junior who is thinking of studying medicine .
The parts are delivered to Eaton DC , a communal workspace downtown that 's serving as a distribution hub .
There , more volunteers assemble the two basic components – a plastic headband and a clear sheet of flexible plastic that hangs in front of the face .
The Print to Protect campaign is just part of a larger effort working in independent pockets among the area 's `` maker '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , U.S. Agency for International Development contractor DAI , sent everyone home , he carried out a pair of 3D printers .
`` A little to my wife 's chagrin , they 're in our guest bedroom and I 'm running a little factory out of there , '' he said .
One of them is the standard home-style printer `` about the size of a microwave on its side '' that he uses to print face shields .
The other is a larger and most sophisticated machine that he 's used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire department : a special nozzle that would enable ambulance crews to swap filters on the breathing-aid machine in their ambulances .
The items he produces are collected and distributed by a similar maker-collective organized by Nova Labs in Reston , Virginia .
The face shields take about four hours each to print .
He estimates he 's made 50 face shields and 80 nozzles .
`` It really does add up when you have a larger community doing this , '' he said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

It started in late March with a self-professed high school "news junkie" and a lone 3D printer.
Georgetown Day School senior Jonah Docter-Loeb was transfixed by television footage of the "suffering on such a large scale" caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
After learning that supplies of protective medical gear were being depleted, Mr. Docter-Loeb sought a way to help. He tapped into the online community of "makers" – 3D printer enthusiasts – and found an open-source design for a welder's mask-style face shield he could print at home.
Things moved quickly from there.
In less than a month, that idea has mushroomed into Print to Protect, a network of around 100 3D printers, most in individual homes, producing face shields for distribution to Washington area hospitals. The group says it has printed 3,000 shields so far with a goal of completing 10,000 in April.
"For a lot of us, it can be overwhelming what's happening," said Emily Scarrow, a junior at the private school and part of a collective of students running the project. She said working on the campaign helped her deal with the feelings of "helplessness and isolation" of the ongoing stay-at-home orders.
The supplies are much needed as Washington and the larger capital region of southern Maryland and northern Virginia braces for a looming surge.
Twice a week, volunteer drivers such as William Olsen gather up the printed materials from people's homes. To maintain social distancing and reduce personal interactions, residents leave the newly printed parts in a sealed bag or box on their porches.
"I have a car and I have a bunch of free time. I'm privileged and this is the least I can do," said Mr. Olsen, a Georgetown Day junior who is thinking of studying medicine.
The parts are delivered to Eaton DC, a communal workspace downtown that's serving as a distribution hub. There, more volunteers assemble the two basic components – a plastic headband and a clear sheet of flexible plastic that hangs in front of the face.
The Print to Protect campaign is just part of a larger effort working in independent pockets among the area's "maker" community.
When Rob Ryan-Silva's employer, U.S. Agency for International Development contractor DAI, sent everyone home, he carried out a pair of 3D printers.
"A little to my wife's chagrin, they're in our guest bedroom and I'm running a little factory out of there," he said.
One of them is the standard home-style printer "about the size of a microwave on its side" that he uses to print face shields. The other is a larger and most sophisticated machine that he's used to fill a specific request from Washington's fire department: a special nozzle that would enable ambulance crews to swap filters on the breathing-aid machine in their ambulances.
The items he produces are collected and distributed by a similar maker-collective organized by Nova Labs in Reston, Virginia. The face shields take about four hours each to print. He estimates he's made 50 face shields and 80 nozzles.
"It really does add up when you have a larger community doing this," he said.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.