usatoday--2020-08-14--Today in History for  August 14th

Today in History for  August 14th

Highlights of this day in history : Truman announces Japan 's surrender in World War II ; Blackout hits Northeast @ @ @ @ @ signs Social Security ; British troops arrive in N. Ireland ; A strike in Cold @ @ @ @ @ born .
( Aug. 14 )

Today in History for August 14th
Highlights of this day in history: Truman announces Japan's surrender in World War II; Blackout hits Northeast U.S., Canada; FDR signs Social Security; British troops arrive in N. Ireland; A strike in Cold War Poland; Steve Martin born. (Aug. 14)
AP


usatoday--2020-08-14--Paradise deferred? Hawaii officials 'looking at' delaying tourist return amid spike in COVID-19 case

Hoping to vacation in Hawaii in September ?
You might have to rethink those plans .
Given the state 's rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts , officials are `` looking at '' delaying the start of a much-anticipated program that would allow out-of-state visitors to vacation there without quarantining for 14 days by presenting a negative COVID-19 test , Hawaii Gov .
David Ige said during a news conference late Thursday .
The program , announced in June , is set to begin September 1 .
It was already delayed once , a month ago , due to rising cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If things do not get better we will have no choice but to look at more restrictions , '' Ige said .
`` That means we will be looking at a delay of the transpacific pre-travel ( COVID-19 ) testing program . ''
`` I know that going backwards will cause further harm to our economy , but we have always said the health and safety of our community will be the highest priority , '' the governor said .
Ige said no decision has been made , but issued his strongest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushback .
`` With the case count increasing the way it has , it would be very difficult to implement and start the pre-travel ( COVID-19 ) testing program on September 1 , '' he said .
He said officials want to see another `` few days of data '' to see the impact of restrictions announced last week , including the closing of beaches and parks in Honolulu .
The news come amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Hawaii .
On Thursday , the state reported 355 infections , a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perspective , when the state delayed the visitor COVID testing option the first time , Hawaii 's single-day record was 42 cases .
The state also reported two more deaths from COVID-19 Thursday , two Oahu residents , bringing the state 's death toll to 40 .
Hawaii , which did not experience a big outbreak in the early months of the pandemic like many other states , with a total of just 900 cases from February through June , started seeing cases increase in early July as people gathered for the long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the biggest percentage increases in case numbers in the country , with a 33 % jump in the week that ended Aug. 12 , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Only Vermont was higher , at 40 % .
California also saw a 33 % jump .
U.S. travelers are n't prohibited from visiting Hawaii , but without the negative test option they have to strictly quarantine for 14 days in their hotel room or vacation rental , a policy in place since March that has scared away most tourists and wrecked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Hawaii is `` almost nonexistent , '' airline industry trade group Airlines for America reported Thursday , with passenger counts down 93 % from a year ago .
On Wednesday , just 586 out-of-state visitors , or a few planes full of people , flew into Hawaii , according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority .
Still , travelers ' appetites for Hawaii remains strong .
Honolulu and Kahului , Maui , ranked in the top 15 Labor Day weekend airline ticket bookings , according to data from TripIt .
The rankings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and July 30 , however , so some of those those tickets were bought before the pandemic .
Would you go ?
Hawaiian islands weighing `` resort bubble '' for vacationers

Paradise deferred? Hawaii officials 'looking at' delaying tourist return amid spike in COVID-19 cases
Show Caption Hide Caption Honolulu comes to standstill amid virus outbreak Honolulu came to an eerie standstill this week as the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the islands. Hawaii officials effectively flipped the switch on the state's tourism-fueled economic engine in a bid to slow the spread of the virus. (March 29) AP
Hoping to vacation in Hawaii in September?
You might have to rethink those plans.
Given the state's rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts, officials are "looking at'' delaying the start of a much-anticipated program that would allow out-of-state visitors to vacation there without quarantining for 14 days by presenting a negative COVID-19 test, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said during a news conference late Thursday.
The program, announced in June, is set to begin September 1. It was already delayed once, a month ago, due to rising cases on the mainland and in Hawaii.
"If things do not get better we will have no choice but to look at more restrictions,'' Ige said. "That means we will be looking at a delay of the transpacific pre-travel (COVID-19) testing program.''
"I know that going backwards will cause further harm to our economy, but we have always said the health and safety of our community will be the highest priority,'' the governor said.
Ige said no decision has been made, but issued his strongest comments to date about the likelihood of a pushback.
"With the case count increasing the way it has, it would be very difficult to implement and start the pre-travel (COVID-19) testing program on September 1,'' he said.
He said officials want to see another "few days of data'' to see the impact of restrictions announced last week, including the closing of beaches and parks in Honolulu.
The news come amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Hawaii. On Thursday, the state reported 355 infections, a new daily record. To put that in perspective, when the state delayed the visitor COVID testing option the first time, Hawaii's single-day record was 42 cases.
The state also reported two more deaths from COVID-19 Thursday, two Oahu residents, bringing the state's death toll to 40.
Hawaii, which did not experience a big outbreak in the early months of the pandemic like many other states, with a total of just 900 cases from February through June, started seeing cases increase in early July as people gathered for the long holiday weekend.
It is now seeing among the biggest percentage increases in case numbers in the country, with a 33% jump in the week that ended Aug. 12, according to Johns Hopkins University. Only Vermont was higher, at 40%. California also saw a 33% jump.
U.S. travelers aren't prohibited from visiting Hawaii, but without the negative test option they have to strictly quarantine for 14 days in their hotel room or vacation rental, a policy in place since March that has scared away most tourists and wrecked Hawaii's tourism industry. Air travel to Hawaii is "almost nonexistent,'' airline industry trade group Airlines for America reported Thursday, with passenger counts down 93% from a year ago.
On Wednesday, just 586 out-of-state visitors, or a few planes full of people, flew into Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Still, travelers' appetites for Hawaii remains strong. Honolulu and Kahului, Maui, ranked in the top 15 Labor Day weekend airline ticket bookings, according to data from TripIt. The rankings are based on reservations made between January 1 and July 30, however, so some of those those tickets were bought before the pandemic.
Would you go? Hawaiian islands weighing "resort bubble'' for vacationers


usatoday--2020-08-14--What's going on with the post office? Here's what we know

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump offered conflicting statements Thursday about whether he opposes supplementary funding for the U.S .
Postal Service , which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic , and recently been mired in controversy with its new leadership .
Trump originally acknowledged his positionwould starve the agency of funds that Democrats insist it needs to process and handle the anticipated influx of mail-in ballots for the November election .
More : Trump opposes new funds for U.S .
Postal Service , saying he does n't want to help expand vote by mail '' They need that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , '' Trump said on Fox Business Network , adding , if they do n't get the funds , `` that means you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting because they ’ re not equipped to have it . ''
Trump 's comments follow repeated unfounded claims that mail-in ballots will lead to widespread voter fraud .
Because of this , critics have looked at the changes within the agency with some alarm .
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments and actions as `` sabotage . ''
Opinion : Trump 's attack on U.S .
Postal Service is 2020 election sabotage amid COVID-19 .
Be alarmed .
Later Thursday , Trump seemed to suggest the funding may happen if Democrats drop other demands in stalled coronavirus relief fund negotiations in Congress and agree to a deal .
Here 's what we know about what is happening with the U.S .
Postal Service : The USPS 's financial woes were not brought on by the pandemic , though that has exacerbated them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 9 billion last year .
Some of this comes from years-long decline in first-class mail , and other issues .
More : Here 's what we know about Trump suggesting the idea of delaying the November election In 2006 , the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act was passed , requiring the Postal Service to put money aside for future retiree health benefits .
The law had a 50-year schedule , and for the first 10 years , USPS was supposed to save $ 5 billion .
However , since 2006 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue .
In 2012 , the Postal Service started defaulting on the payments .
The USPS became eligible for a $ 10 billion loan from the Treasury Department as part of the the CARES Act , which Congress passed in March .
But due to stipulations put in place by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin , including the recruitment of new leadership , that money was n't made available to the USPS immediately .
The Treasury and USPS finally reached an agreement in principle on aid on July 29 .
In May , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who are appointed by the president , named Louis DeJoy as the postmaster general .
DeJoy is a North Carolina businessman and major Republican and Trump donor , who , according to several reports , had significant investments in companies that compete or do business with the USPS .
Prior to his appointment , DeJoy was a fundraiser for the Republican National Convention and has given about $ 360,000 to Trump Victory , a super PAC supporting Trump ’ s reelection , according to federal filings .
DeJoy , 63 , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades who is not a career postal employee .
Trump on Wednesday called him , `` the new man — who is a great person , a great businessman — he just got there a little while ago . ''
Changes at the agency since DeJoy Since he was appointed , DeJoy has eliminated overtime for hundreds of thousands of post office employees and mandated that mail is kept until the next day if distribution centers are running behind .
In a memo to employees , DeJoy wrote that as a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mail due to call offs or shortage of people and you have no other help , the mail will not go out . ''
More : Donald Trump to campaign in 4 states — including in Joe Biden 's hometown — during week of Democratic National Convention This , and other changes , are said to have been implemented to cut costs .
Philip Rubio , a history professor at North Carolina A & T University and a former letter carrier , told USA TODAY in regards to these changes , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The $ 200 million transportation cost savings that DeJoy claims will result from his policies will be minimal , and they will come at the expense of universal service , which is what the USPS does . ''
DeJoy also dramatically restructured the organization , removing or reassigning nearly two dozen agency leaders , including displacing the two top executives who oversaw day-to-day operations .
He also banned employees from making extra trips to deliver mail , implemented a hiring freeze and requested `` early retirement authority '' for nonunion employees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USPS is removing some mail sorting machines from its facilities around the country without any official explanation .
These are the same machines that would be tasked with sorting mail-in ballots .
Opinion : My great-grandfather faced danger as a mail carrier .
He 'd be shocked by Trump ’ s war on USPS .
These changes have resulted in delivery delays in places , prompting fears that some ballots may not reach election offices in time if the issues are n't corrected before the election in November .
Mark Dimondstein , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told NPR that `` postal workers in general – are absolutely opposed to any policies that just slow down the mail in the name of whatever the name is – cost-cutting , in this case .
It 's about service .
It 's not the United States postal business .
It 's the United States Postal Service . ''
Despite calls for his resignation , DeJoy has pledged more sweeping changes .
Response to the changes Trump has repeatedly railed against mail-in ballots heading toward November , calling them unsafe and untrustworthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay home and vote by mail .
He has also been highly critical of the post office , once calling it a `` joke . ''
More : In dramatic shift , half of Americans fear difficulties voting in November election , poll says At a fundraiser Wednesday evening , Biden accused the president of trying to defund the post office to stop mail-in voting , calling it “ a bunch of malarkey !
” Also Wednesday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and more than 170 other Democrats signed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the operational changes they argue would hinder mail-in voting .
`` It is always essential that the Postal Service be able to deliver mail in a timely and effective manner .
During the once-in-a-century health and economic crisis of COVID-19 , the Postal Service 's smooth functioning is a matter of life-or-death , and is critical for protecting lives , livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy , '' the lawmakers wrote .
House Oversight Committee chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , introduced legislation on Wednesday aimed at reversing the recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would prohibit the Postal Service from changing its “ operations or level of service ” until the end of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , reverting to whatever structures were in place as of Jan. 1 .
“ Our Postal Service should not become an instrument of partisan politics , but instead must be protected as a neutral , independent entity that focuses on one thing and one thing only—delivering the mail , ” Maloney said in a statement about the legislation .
More : Trump , Pelosi , McConnell blame one another as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations dead ?
Discussions for the next round of coronavirus relief funding have remained entangled in disagreements over election money , with the issue of mail-in voting causing lingering contention between the Trump administration and Democrats .
At the White House , Trump suggested Wednesday that a deal is n't going to happen and pointed a finger at Democrats for demanding $ 3.5 billion for mail-in voting , which he argued would perpetuate voter fraud , and for pushing for an additional $ 25 million for the Postal Service .
On Thursday he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that included funds for the USPS while also slamming the validity of mail-in ballots .
`` If the ( coronavirus ) bill is n't gon na get done , that 's gon na mean the Post Office is n't gon na get funded ... so , I do n't know how you could possibly use these ballots , these mail-in ballots , '' Trump said .
Professor Rubio said the massiveness of mail-in voting that could occur this year , and the changes within the USPS may impact that .
`` With up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option to vote by mail this year , and at minimum 50 % expected to vote by mail or vote early , this could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters if their ballots are not mailed out or returned in time , '' he said .
Trump 's `` previous attacks on the USPS and mail-in voting already suggested his deliberate sabotage of the democratic process and the USPS at the same time , but this was a stunning , candid admission that his intent was to starve the USPS of much-needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as democracy , '' Rubio said .

What's going on with the post office? Here's what we know
Show Caption Hide Caption How the US Postal Service found itself in debt The U.S. Postal Service is facing record demand because of COVID-19 and the upcoming election. Does it have the funds to rise to the occasion? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the House members to return to the Capitol to vote on legislation that aims to protect the Postal Service from changes being implemented by the Trump administration, which Democrats described as an effort to "sabotage" the agency ahead of the November election.
Concerns about the administration's actions have mounted since Louis DeJoy – a major donor to President Donald Trump's campaign with large financial interests in the Postal Service's private competitors – became postmaster general in June.
Trump further fueled Democrats' fears after indicating in an interview that he opposed additional funds for the USPS, even though that money would be needed to manage the anticipated surge of mailed-in ballots in the fall election from voters seeking to avoid crowded polling places amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"They need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," Trump said on Fox Business Network, adding, if they don't get the funds, "that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting because they’re not equipped to have it."
More: Trump opposes new funds for U.S. Postal Service, saying he doesn't want to help expand vote by mail
Trump's comments follow repeated unfounded claims that mail-in ballots will lead to widespread voter fraud. Because of this, critics have looked with alarm at the changes, which include cuts to overtime and a ban on "late" or "extra" delivery trips that could delay the mail.
Pelosi said Sunday that the administration's actions threaten the "lives, livelihoods and the life of our American Democracy."
Here's what we know about what is happening with the U.S. Postal Service:
Delivering for America Act
Pelosi called for an early end to the House recess to push for a vote later this week on Rep. Carolyn Maloney's Delivering for America Act, which prohibits changes to Postal Service operations in place on Jan. 1, 2020.
"At this juncture in our nation’s history, when the number of Americans voting by mail for this Presidential election is expected to more than double from the last, Congress must protect the right of all eligible citizens to have their vote counted," Maloney said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to reconvene the Republican-controlled Senate to act on Maloney's bill.
Opinion:Trump's attack on U.S. Postal Service is 2020 election sabotage amid COVID-19. Be alarmed.
Call for DeJoy to testify
Pelosi, Maloney, Schumer and Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued a joint statement Sunday that called on DeJoy and USPS Board of Governors Chairman Robert Duncan to testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
The Democratic leaders said they wanted explanations for the "sweeping and dangerous operational changes at the Postal Service that are slowing the mail and jeopardizing the integrity of the election."
The statement urged Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., to hold DeJoy "accountable for the destructive changes he has directed that are undermining this crucial public service and pillar of democracy that Americans in every corner of our country count on.”
Dems want the FBI to get involved
On Monday, Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Ted Lieu, D-Calif., urged FBI Director Christopher Wray to investigate whether DeJoy's acts were illegal in light of the "overwhelming evidence" that he "hindered the passage of mail."
In a joint letter, Jeffries and Lieu said that if DeJoy or the Board of Governors were "motivated by personal financial reasons," or to make mailing in ballots more difficult, they may have broken the law.
The White House response
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday that most of the Democrats' concerns were part of a "narrative that's not based on facts."
Meadows said he could "guarantee" that "the president of the United States is not going to interfere with anybody casting their vote in a legitimate way, whether it's the post office or anything else."
Contradicting Trump's comment last week, he said that even without additional funding, the Postal Service could handle the rise in mail-in-ballots. He said, "Even if every single voter voted by mail, we're talking about a 1.5% difference."
Problems at the post office
The USPS's financial woes were not brought on by the pandemic, though that has exacerbated them.
The agency reported a loss of nearly $9 billion last year. Some of this comes from years-long decline in first-class mail, and other issues.
More: Here's what we know about Trump suggesting the idea of delaying the November election
In 2006, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act was passed, requiring the Postal Service to put money aside for future retiree health benefits. The law had a 50-year schedule, and for the first 10 years, USPS was supposed to save $5 billion. However, since 2006, the USPS has seen rising net losses in revenue.
In 2012, the Postal Service started defaulting on the payments.
The USPS became eligible for a $10 billion loan from the Treasury Department as part of the the CARES Act, which Congress passed in March. But due to stipulations put in place by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, including the recruitment of new leadership, that money wasn't made available to the USPS immediately.
The Treasury and USPS finally reached an agreement in principle on aid on July 29.
Fact check: Voters should request ballots 2 weeks early, but mail isn't intentionally slow
Mail-in balloting increase puts the spotlight on the U.S. Postal Service With the coronavirus pandemic changing the overall conversation in the 2020 election, it’s also changing the way millions of Americans plan to vote...by mail in balloting. And that increase in vote-by-mail is going to place the United States Postal Service in the spotlight. Buzz60
Who is Postmaster General Louis DeJoy?
In May, the Postal Service’s board of governors, who are appointed by the president, named Louis DeJoy as the postmaster general.
DeJoy is a North Carolina businessman and major Republican and Trump donor, who, according to several reports, had significant investments in companies that compete or do business with the USPS.
Prior to his appointment, DeJoy was a fundraiser for the Republican National Convention and has given about $360,000 to Trump Victory, a super PAC supporting Trump’s reelection, according to federal filings.
DeJoy, 63, is the first postmaster general in nearly two decades who is not a career postal employee.
Trump on Wednesday called him, " the new man — who is a great person, a great businessman — he just got there a little while ago."
Changes at the agency since DeJoy
Since he was appointed, DeJoy has eliminated overtime for hundreds of thousands of post office employees and mandated that mail is kept until the next day if distribution centers are running behind.
In a memo to employees, DeJoy wrote that as a result, “if we cannot deliver all the mail due to call offs or shortage of people and you have no other help, the mail will not go out."
More: Donald Trump to campaign in 4 states — including in Joe Biden's hometown — during week of Democratic National Convention
This, and other changes, are said to have been implemented to cut costs.
Philip Rubio, a history professor at North Carolina A&T University and a former letter carrier, told USA TODAY in regards to these changes, "The USPS is not a trucking firm. The $200 million transportation cost savings that DeJoy claims will result from his policies will be minimal, and they will come at the expense of universal service, which is what the USPS does."
DeJoy also dramatically restructured the organization, removing or reassigning nearly two dozen agency leaders, including displacing the two top executives who oversaw day-to-day operations.
He also banned employees from making extra trips to deliver mail, implemented a hiring freeze and requested "early retirement authority" for nonunion employees.
It was also reported this week that the USPS is removing some mail sorting machines from its facilities around the country without any official explanation.
These are the same machines that would be tasked with sorting mail-in ballots.
Opinion: My great-grandfather faced danger as a mail carrier. He'd be shocked by Trump’s war on USPS.
These changes have resulted in delivery delays in places, prompting fears that some ballots may not reach election offices in time if the issues aren't corrected before the election in November.
Mark Dimondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union, told NPR that "postal workers in general – are absolutely opposed to any policies that just slow down the mail in the name of whatever the name is – cost-cutting, in this case. It's about service. It's not the United States postal business. It's the United States Postal Service."
Despite calls for his resignation, DeJoy has pledged more sweeping changes.
Response to the changes
Trump has repeatedly railed against mail-in ballots heading toward November, calling them unsafe and untrustworthy, as COVID-19 forces many Americans to stay home and vote by mail.
He has also been highly critical of the post office, once calling it a "joke."
More: In dramatic shift, half of Americans fear difficulties voting in November election, poll says
At a fundraiser Wednesday evening, Biden accused the president of trying to defund the post office to stop mail-in voting, calling it “a bunch of malarkey!”
More: Trump, Pelosi, McConnell blame one another as Americans weather pandemic. Are coronavirus stimulus negotiations dead?
What's next?
Discussions for the next round of coronavirus relief funding have remained entangled in disagreements over election money, with the issue of mail-in voting causing lingering contention between the Trump administration and Democrats.
Last week, Trump suggested a deal isn't going to happen and pointed a finger at Democrats for demanding $3.5 billion for mail-in voting, which he argued would perpetuate voter fraud, and for pushing for an additional $25 billion for the Postal Service.
But Meadows said Sunday that Trump would be open to approving the $25 billion for the Postal Service as part of a deal.
"If my Democrat friends are all upset about this, come back to Washington, D.C., where the president and I am right now," Meadows said. "Let's go ahead and get a stimulus check out to Americans. Let's make sure that small businesses are protected with an extended PPP program and put the postal funding in there."
"We will pass it tomorrow. The president will sign it. And this will all go away," he said.
He said he was also open to a stand-alone bill to fund the USPS and claimed "Pelosi is the one who says that she won't do anything unless it's a big deal"
More: Trump campaign, Republican groups sue Iowa election officials over absentee ballot forms
Professor Rubio said the massiveness of mail-in voting that could occur this year, and the changes within the USPS may impact that.
"With up to 76% of eligible voters having the option to vote by mail this year, and at minimum 50% expected to vote by mail or vote early, this could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters if their ballots are not mailed out or returned in time," he said.
Trump's "previous attacks on the USPS and mail-in voting already suggested his deliberate sabotage of the democratic process and the USPS at the same time, but this was a stunning, candid admission that his intent was to starve the USPS of much-needed bailout funds and therefore compromise overall service as well as democracy," Rubio said.
Trump: Not responsible for 50K deaths, financial problems at US Postal Service President Trump says he doesn't take any responsibility for the 50,000 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. Also says he won't bail out the USPS. (April 24) AP
Contributing: Associated Press; Ella Lee, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-14--Coronavirus live updates: Hawaii may delay tourists' return; California orders closure of defiant pr

Coronavirus live updates: Hawaii may delay tourists' return; California orders closure of defiant private school; US deaths near 170K

As California approaches 600,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus , the state ordered a private school to close after it welcomed students back Thursday without face masks or social distancing precautions .
The school , with nearly 600 students , is now on the state 's monitoring list .
Meanwhile , Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , warned the U.S. could have a deadly fall if Americans do n't follow public health guidelines , such as wearing a face mask and maintaining 6 feet from each other .
And in Hawaii , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay-at-home order for Oahu and may delay the start of a program that allows tourists to visit as COVID-19 cases spiked in the state .
On Thursday , the state reported a new daily record of 355 infections and a total of 40 deaths .
Here are some significant developments : • President Donald Trump offered conflicting statements Thursday about whether he opposes supplementary funding for the U.S .
Postal Service , which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic .
Here 's what we know .
• A COVID-19 vaccine wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to get one , experts say .
Only about one-third of Americans say they 'd be very likely to get a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 , according to a poll released last month – virtually unchanged since the spring .
• Coronavirus stimulus negotiations are at a standstill : Congressional Democrats blamed Republicans on Thursday , while Republicans blamed Democrats , and President Donald Trump suggested that talks for a stimulus package are doomed .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has 5.2 million confirmed infections and 167,000 deaths .
Worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 20.9 million cases , according to John Hopkins University data .
📰 What we 're reading : Critics say teachers are shirking their duties as front-line workers .
But as more early-start schools see reports of new infections , some of the unions ' dire predictions are being realized .
Survey : Latinos most worried , most affected by COVID-19 economic issues Latinos are more likely than white , Black and Asian Americans to be worried about economic issues related to coronavirus as the nation continues to deal with the ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The concerns are n't unfounded : Latinos are more likely than all other racial groups to have a spouse lose their job in the last year or have had a drop in household income in the last year , according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project .
Robert Griffin , research director for the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group , said that while some may initially think that disparity is caused because Latinos make up higher proportions of young people or have a different median income , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communities of color , and particularly Latino Americans , appear to be hard hit right now , '' Griffin said .
New Zealand extends lockdown in its biggest city Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Friday that New Zealand 's government was extending lockdown orders for 12 more days in Auckland , the country 's most populous city , after a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 cases was detected this week .
New Zealand had gone more than 100 days without a single new COVID-19 case , earning international praise for effectively squashing the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cluster was detected in Auckland .
There are now 30 cases tied to the outbreak , which health officials believe came from overseas and possible spread through shipping workers .
`` Together , we have got rid of COVID before , '' Ardern said .
`` We can do all of that again . ''
Thousands of students , teachers are in quarantine : reports As schools in some states have returned after a monthslong break from in-person instruction , students , teachers and staff members across multiple states are in quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CNN , more than 2,000 students , teachers and staff in five states are in quarantine after at least 230 positive cases .
And ABC News ' count says at least 2,400 students and staff were either infected themselves or self-isolating .
In Georgia alone , 1,600 were told to quarantine as cases rise .
`` I was not surprised at all , '' Jenny Hunter , a nurse and mother of two in Cherokee County , just outside Atlanta , told USA TODAY .
`` My son was saying how low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout the day because of kids getting quarantined .
It was becoming a question of when , not if . ''
Hawaii officials 'looking at ' delaying tourists ' return amid spike in cases Hoping to vacation in Hawaii in September ?
You might have to rethink those plans .
Given the state 's rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts , officials are `` looking at '' delaying the start of a much-anticipated program that would allow out-of-state visitors to vacation there without quarantining for 14 days by presenting a negative COVID-19 test , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference late Thursday .
The program , set to begin Sept. 1 , was already delayed once , a month ago , due to rising cases on the mainland and in Hawaii .
`` If things do not get better we will have no choice but to look at more restrictions , '' Ige said .
COVID-19 in some ways comparable to 1918 Spanish flu that killed 50M The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic claimed an estimated 50 million lives worldwide , yet in some ways the COVID-19 pandemic has been worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the medical journal JAMA Network Open .
The current pandemic has been linked to less than 1 million deaths .
But the study compares the two months after the first recorded death of COVID-19 in New York City – the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic for weeks – with the deadliest two months of the 1918 calamity .
“ They ’ re comparable events in terms of magnitude , ’ ’ said Dr. Jeremy Faust , an emergency physician at Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital in Boston and the lead author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers show is that what happened in New York was pretty similar to what happened in the greatest modern pandemic.
’ ’ Movie theaters reopen in Mexico City after being closed for four months Mexico City movie theaters reopened this week after closing for four months .
Moviegoers ' temperatures are checked upon entry .
Customers are required to wear face masks and can only lift them up to eat or drink .
And no more than two people are allowed to sit next to each other .
Theaters in the capital have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of capacity .
Mexico is the fourth-largest movie market in the world following China , India and the United States .
California orders private school to shut down after defiant reopening California ordered a private school to shut down after it reopened in defiance of a state health order aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus .
Fresno County issued a health order Thursday against Immanuel Schools in the city of Reedley .
The K-12 school was told to close its classrooms until the county is removed from a state monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with about 600 students , allowed students into classes Thursday without masks or social distancing .
The school ’ s trustees and superintendent say they believe students ’ development will suffer if they can ’ t be taught on campus .
The parties negotiating a bill to provide relief from the economic ravages of the coronavirus agree on one point : They 're at an impasse .
“ I want you to see how vast our differences are , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , said at a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue poster detailing the wide gap between what Republicans and Democrats want to pay for various priorities .
“ It ’ s no wonder we have a vast difference because this administration , other Republicans in Congress , have never understood the gravity of this situation.
” On the other side of the Capitol , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , condemned Democrats for sticking with a `` completely unrealistic , far-left proposal '' and holding the negotiations `` hostage '' over `` non-COVID-related ideological items . ''
Several of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling with capacity restrictions on indoor dining and attempting to lure customers with takeout in a bid to avoid financial disaster .
The owners of chains like Outback Steakhouse , Applebee ’ s and The Cheesecake Factory are on a newly updated list of national restaurants that are facing the highest likelihood of not paying back their debts .
When companies default on loans , they are often forced to file for bankruptcy protection , close locations or occasionally liquidate .
One chain , California Pizza Kitchen , has already filed for Chapter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close some locations .
As conference after conference in Division I postponed fall sports , the NCAA has made the inevitable decision that there will be no fall championships in the organization ’ s top tier in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
“ We can not , at this point , have fall NCAA championships , ” said NCAA President Mark Emmert in a video interview posted Thursday evening , adding it is hoped championships can be moved to the 2021 calendar year .
Emmert noted that the Board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing to hold the postseason would not be achievable .
`` Sadly , tragically , that 's going to be the case this fall , '' Emmert said .
`` That does n't mean we should n't and ca n't turn toward winter and spring and say 'OK , how can we create a legitimate championship for all those students . '
'' China says chicken wings from Brazil were positive for coronavirus A sample of frozen chicken wings transported from Brazil to China tested positive for COVID-19 , Chinese officials announced Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows the coronavirus can be transmitted by eating or handling food , according to health experts .
Health officials in the Shenzhen Longgang District inspected imported frozen food Wednesday when a surface sample of frozen chicken wings tested positive for the coronavirus , according to a statement released by the Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters Office .
On Facebook : There 's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with others in the community about COVID-19 .
In your inbox : Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter here .
Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together here .

Jessica Flores and Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY

Coronavirus live updates: US-Canada border closure to continue; Georgia drops mask lawsuit; Hawaii may delay tourists' return
Show Caption Hide Caption Virus aid stalemate holds, no new relief in sight With Washington talks on emergency coronavirus aid having stalled, both sides are playing the blame game Thursday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted Republicans for not giving "a damn." (Aug. 13) AP
President Donald Trump announced Friday that the U.S. government will be partnering with American McKesson Corporation to distribute a coronavirus vaccine once one is approved.
Three vaccines are in Phase 3 clinical trials, and 100 million doses of an effective vaccine will be ready "before the end of the year," Trump said, with 500 million doses available "very shortly thereafter."
Last month, the nation's top infectious disease expert said a vaccine candidate could be available by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
Meanwhile in California, which is approaching 600,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the state ordered a private school to close after it welcomed students back Thursday without face masks or social distancing precautions. The school, with nearly 600 students, is now on the state's monitoring list.
And in Hawaii, Gov. David Ige is considering another stay-at-home order for Oahu and may delay the start of a program that allows tourists to visit as COVID-19 cases spiked in the state. On Thursday, the state reported a new daily record of 355 infections and a total of 40 deaths.
Here are some significant developments:
The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed to non-essential travel for at least another month.
Bowling alleys, gyms, museums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will soon be allowed to open in New York with strict COVID-19 rules, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s chief of staff is quarantining at home after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said in a statement Friday.
Weeks after filing suit against Atlanta city officials for implementing a mask mandate to slow the spread of COVID-19, the governor of Georgia is withdrawing the suit.
Coronavirus stimulus negotiations are at a standstill: Congressional Democrats blamed Republicans on Thursday, while Republicans blamed Democrats, and President Donald Trump suggested that talks for a stimulus package are doomed.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has 5.2 million confirmed infections and more than 167,000 deaths. Worldwide, there have been more than 760,000 deaths and more than 20.9 million cases, according to John Hopkins University data.
📰 What we're reading: Critics say teachers are shirking their duties as front-line workers. But as more early-start schools see reports of new infections, some of the unions' dire predictions are being realized.
People who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months and come in close contact with someone who is actively infected do not need to quarantine, according to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms again," the new guidance says. "People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms."
But antibodies may begin to decline sooner than that. A June study in the journal Nature found that antibodies may begin to decrease within 2 to 3 months after infection.
New York to allow museums, aquariums, more to open
Bowling alleys, gyms, museums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will soon be allowed to open in New York with strict COVID-19 rules, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.
Bowling alleys will be allowed to open Monday, being limited to 50% of occupancy capacity and forced to follow other rules, such as bowlers must have a face covering and every other lane will remain closed. Food and alcohol service will also be limited to wait service, reports USA TODAY Network's New York State Team.
Museums, aquariums and other low-risk indoor cultural venues will be allowed to open in New York City on Aug. 24 with various COVID-19 restrictions, including operating at 25% occupancy capacity. In upstate communities, museums and other indoor venues opened previously.
The opening date and rules for gyms will be revealed on Monday, Cuomo said.
– David Robinson, New York State Team
Canada-U.S. border closed for another month
The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed to non-essential travel for at least another month, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a statement Friday, a day after Mexico announced a similar measure for its border with the United States. The land border restrictions aimed at controlling the coronavirus pandemic were first announced in March and have been renewed monthly.
Essential cross-border workers such as health care professionals, airline crews and truck drivers are still permitted to cross. Americans and Canadians returning to their respective countries are exempted from the border closure.
– The Associated Press
Louisiana authorities have arrested three women accused of assaulting a teenage restaurant hostess because they were upset they couldn’t all be seated together due to coronavirus distancing rules. One was charged with aggravated second-degree battery and two were booked on counts of disturbing the peace and simple battery, Baton Rouge police said Thursday.
The 17-year-old hostess told news outlets she was working at a Baton Rouge Chili’s last weekend when a party of 11 people arrived and wanted to be seated together. She said the restaurant’s coronavirus policies stipulated no more than six people could be seated at a table.
When the worker told the group they couldn’t be seated all together, they became irate, she said. When she brought her manager over, the group of women attacked the teen, she said, adding they pushed her and began beating her. The worker said she was trying to defend herself when one woman hit her with a "wet floor" sign, leaving her bleeding.
– The Associated Press
What we're reading
COVID-19 testing 'irrelevant' as 94% of California counties report results take more than 2 days
California had a once-promising COVID-19 testing system that included short turnaround times for results. The system, however, has buckled under the weight of supply shortages, the state's aggressive daily testing goals, and the federal government's nonexistent testing strategy, according to a Desert Sun investigation that involved 60 public records requests and a survey of each of California’s 58 counties and their public health departments.
Across California, wait times to book a COVID-19 test and get results vary widely, and nearly all take too long, according to experts. In Santa Barbara County, it can take nearly a month to book a test and get the result if you’re not showing symptoms and are not a health care worker. In late July, of the 30 counties that provided information to The Desert Sun about booking appointments, 83% said patients had to wait at least two days before there was an available slot, and 47% had wait times of a week or more.
– Nicole Hayden and Mark Olalde, The Desert Sun
Georgia withdraws mask mandate lawsuit against Atlanta
Weeks after filing suit against Atlanta city officials for implementing a mask mandate to slow the spread of COVID-19, the governor of Georgia is withdrawing the suit.
Gov. Brian Kemp said Thursday afternoon he would be withdrawing the suit against Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the City Council and would address the issue in an executive order Saturday.
"Unfortunately, the Mayor has made it clear that she will not agree to a settlement that safeguards the rights of private property owners in Georgia," Kemp said in a statement.
Latinos are more likely than white, Black and Asian Americans to be worried about economic issues related to coronavirus as the nation continues to deal with the ongoing pandemic, according to a new survey.
The concerns aren't unfounded: Latinos are more likely than all other racial groups to have a spouse lose their job in the last year or have had a drop in household income in the last year, according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project.
Robert Griffin, research director for the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group, said that while some may initially think that disparity is caused because Latinos make up higher proportions of young people or have a different median income, that is not the case. "Communities of color, and particularly Latino Americans, appear to be hard hit right now," Griffin said.
– Rebecca Morin
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Friday that New Zealand's government was extending lockdown orders for 12 more days in Auckland, the country's most populous city, after a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 cases was detected this week.
New Zealand had gone more than 100 days without a single new COVID-19 case, earning international praise for effectively squashing the new coronavirus. That changed Tuesday when the new cluster was detected in Auckland. There are now 30 cases tied to the outbreak, which health officials believe came from overseas and possible spread through shipping workers.
"Together, we have got rid of COVID before," Ardern said. "We can do all of that again."
Thousands of students, teachers are in quarantine: reports
As schools in some states have returned after a monthslong break from in-person instruction, students, teachers and staff members across multiple states are in quarantine because of positive COVID-19 cases. According to CNN, more than 2,000 students, teachers and staff in five states are in quarantine after at least 230 positive cases. And ABC News' count says at least 2,400 students and staff were either infected themselves or self-isolating.
In Georgia alone, 1,600 students and staff were told to quarantine as cases rise.
"I was not surprised at all," Jenny Hunter, a nurse and mother of two in Cherokee County, just outside Atlanta, told USA TODAY. "My son was saying how low in volume some of his classes were throughout the day because of kids getting quarantined. It was becoming a question of when, not if."
– Grace Hauck and Ryan Miller
Hawaii officials 'looking at' delaying tourists' return amid spike in cases
Hoping to vacation in Hawaii in September? You might have to rethink those plans.
Given the state's rapidly rising COVID-19 case counts, officials are "looking at'' delaying the start of a much-anticipated program that would allow out-of-state visitors to vacation there without quarantining for 14 days by presenting a negative COVID-19 test, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said during a news conference late Thursday.
The program, set to begin Sept. 1, was already delayed once, a month ago, due to rising cases on the mainland and in Hawaii.
"If things do not get better we will have no choice but to look at more restrictions,'' Ige said.
– Dawn Gilbertson
Why people of color are dying at higher rates from COVID-19 Communities of color are dying at higher rates from the novel coronavirus than white Americans. Here's how structural inequities play a role. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
COVID-19 in some ways comparable to 1918 Spanish flu that killed 50M
The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic claimed an estimated 50 million lives worldwide, yet in some ways the COVID-19 pandemic has been worse, according to a study published Thursday in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
The current pandemic has been linked to less than 1 million deaths. But the study compares the two months after the first recorded death of COVID-19 in New York City – the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic for weeks – with the deadliest two months of the 1918 calamity.
“They’re comparable events in terms of magnitude,’’ said Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and the lead author of the study. "What our numbers show is that what happened in New York was pretty similar to what happened in the greatest modern pandemic.’’
– Jorge L. Ortiz
Movie theaters reopen in Mexico City after being closed for four months
Mexico City movie theaters reopened this week after closing for four months. Moviegoers' temperatures are checked upon entry. Customers are required to wear face masks and can only lift them up to eat or drink. And no more than two people are allowed to sit next to each other.
Theaters in the capital have been allowed to open at only 30% of capacity. Mexico is the fourth-largest movie market in the world following China, India and the United States.
California orders private school to shut down after defiant reopening
California ordered a private school to shut down after it reopened in defiance of a state health order aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Fresno County issued a health order Thursday against Immanuel Schools in the city of Reedley. The K-12 school was told to close its classrooms until the county is removed from a state monitoring list for two weeks.
The school, with about 600 students, allowed students into classes Thursday without masks or social distancing. The school’s trustees and superintendent say they believe students’ development will suffer if they can’t be taught on campus.
Coronavirus stimulus bill negotiations at an impasse
The parties negotiating a bill to provide relief from the economic ravages of the coronavirus agree on one point: They're at an impasse.
"I want you to see how vast our differences are," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a news conference Thursday. She pointed to a large blue poster detailing the wide gap between what Republicans and Democrats want to pay for various priorities. "It’s no wonder we have a vast difference because this administration, other Republicans in Congress, have never understood the gravity of this situation."
On the other side of the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., condemned Democrats for sticking with a "completely unrealistic, far-left proposal" and holding the negotiations "hostage" over "non-COVID-related ideological items."
– Michael Collins, Christal Hayes and Nicholas Wu
Six national restaurants, including IHOP, in deep trouble amid pandemic
Several of the largest restaurant companies in the U.S. are struggling with capacity restrictions on indoor dining and attempting to lure customers with takeout in a bid to avoid financial disaster.
The owners of chains like Outback Steakhouse, Applebee’s and The Cheesecake Factory are on a newly updated list of national restaurants that are facing the highest likelihood of not paying back their debts. When companies default on loans, they are often forced to file for bankruptcy protection, close locations or occasionally liquidate.
One chain, California Pizza Kitchen, has already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, with plans to close some locations.
– Nathan Bomey
NCAA Division I fall championships postponed amid COVID-19 concerns
As conference after conference in Division I postponed fall sports, the NCAA has made the inevitable decision that there will be no fall championships in the organization’s top tier in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We cannot, at this point, have fall NCAA championships,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert in a video interview posted Thursday evening, adding it is hoped championships can be moved to the 2021 calendar year.
Emmert noted that the Board of Governors requirement of 50% of schools playing to hold the postseason would not be achievable.
"Sadly, tragically, that's going to be the case this fall," Emmert said. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't and can't turn toward winter and spring and say 'OK, how can we create a legitimate championship for all those students.'"
– Eddie Timanus
China says chicken wings from Brazil were positive for coronavirus
A sample of frozen chicken wings transported from Brazil to China tested positive for COVID-19, Chinese officials announced Thursday.
But there is no evidence that shows the coronavirus can be transmitted by eating or handling food, according to health experts.
Health officials in the Shenzhen Longgang District inspected imported frozen food Wednesday when a surface sample of frozen chicken wings tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement released by the Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters Office.
More COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
On Facebook: There's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, Coronavirus Watch, to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.
In your inbox: Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter here.
Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together here.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-08-13--Florida sheriff funds $35,000-a-month luxury office with 'the money we take from the bad guys'

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. – Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw has leased an entire floor of a luxury office tower for himself and his top staff , paying a rate double that of less prestigious office space .
His four-year lease at DiVosta Towers — two new Palm Beach Gardens ’ office buildings topped by distinct pyramid structures — costs $ 35,000 a month .
With a one year option to extend , the ultimate bill would top $ 2 million .
The lease works out to $ 41 per square foot .
Less opulent space could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per square foot , several real estate brokers told The Palm Beach Post .
The sheriff entered into the DiVosta Towers lease in December to prep for a $ 42 million renovation of his existing headquarters .
The work , which includes gutting 75 % of the 40-year-old structure , will force more than 300 employees to work elsewhere for several years .
So Bradshaw and 15 of his top executives will be working on their own 10,000-square-foot floor at DiVosta Towers , he told 1290 WJNO radio in July .
The building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as law offices and financial firms .
Sheriff 's office spokeswoman Teri Barbera later said the offices might eventually house more employees .
Longtime Palm Beach Gardens commercial broker John C. Bills said the price Bradshaw paid was average — “ if they needed that high-end space and they needed the prestige.
” “ If you need a fancy office in a high-rise office building , there are only a couple , ” Bills said .
Aug. 11 : Lawsuit filed after video showed officers trying to handcuff 8-year-old at Florida school Elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , visitors to wear masks : If they do , 'they will be asked to leave' Gary Brodis of Atlantic Retail Group agreed that the price seemed average .
Specific qualifications , like a security guard or front receptionist , might limit the options , he added .
Absent the Class A requirement , a 10,000-square-foot space is “ not hard to find , ” Bills said .
Michael Singer , managing partner of the Comiter , Singer , Baseman & Braun law firm and an early tenant of DiVosta Towers , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken aback by the sheriff ’ s presence .
“ All the tenants were surprised when he came in because it didn ’ t seem like a natural fit , ” Singer said .
“ This is a professional office building.
” Now that the sheriff is there , however , Singer said he feels “ safe ” having sheriffs ’ officials in the tower .
Singer said he has seen parts of the office , which he described as “ nice.
” But the sheriff ’ s personal office is nicer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very impressive .
Presidential , ” Singer said .
“ It looks like the perfect desk to have a press conference .
If you ’ re going to be on camera , it ’ s a good place .
It makes you look prestigious.
” In the radio interview , Bradshaw lamented the difficulty of finding “ decent office space , not dilapidated , ” and said he was concerned about security .
He told The Post he selected the building because it “ meets the requirements for security and safety as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come to work in-person and work together.
” The money for the lease comes from drug-asset forfeiture accounts , not property taxes , Bradshaw said .
There 's a special fund that houses “ the money we take from the bad guys , ” Bradshaw said in the radio interview .
Responding to The Post , part of the USA TODAY Network , Bradshaw said the space leased is `` not coming out of general ad valorem funds set aside for safety services but being paid for with approved forfeiture funds.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expensive cars and homes seized during drug arrests and other actions in state court can not be used for sheriff ’ s office operating expenses .
But there 's nothing that stops a sheriff from spending forfeiture funds from federal court , which specifically allows paying for rent .
The sheriff 's office received about $ 475,000 this year and the previous year in federal forfeiture money .
The lease payments did not interrupt any other office priorities , Barbera said .
One broker who helped the sheriff look for space last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good choice .
Jason Sundook , a principal at NAI/Merin Hunter Codman brokerage , said he was among several brokers around town who tried to help the sheriff find space that had good security and plenty of private space .
Sundook echoed others ’ remarks that the sheriff also wanted a private bathroom with a shower .
“ They wanted nice space , ” Sundook said .
“ It makes sense for someone in that role.
” DiVosta Towers “ is a very attractive building , ” Sundook said .
“ As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are coming to visit him.
” The deal was brokered for the sheriff ’ s office by Illustrated Properties , which lists the sheriff ’ s wife , Dorothy Bradshaw , as a sales associate on its website .
In his response to The Post , the sheriff said through Barbera that the “ real estate broker initially chosen was not able to facilitate a location that met our safety concerns ” but his wife was not involved and did not receive any fees or commissions on the deal .
The sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term , declined The Post ’ s request for a tour and interview at the office tower .
The presence of his office is not noted on the building directory .
In 2016 , voters passed a sales tax hike of one penny on the dollar , which provided money to renovate the sheriff ’ s aging headquarters on Gun Club Road .
“ It ’ s sick .
It ’ s got mold in it and things like that , ” Bradshaw said in the July radio interview .
Audrey Wolf , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the $ 42 million project will tear up most of the building and add a new roof , new exterior walls , and impact resistant doors and windows .
Construction is expected to start in January and continue for up to three years , Wolf said .
While planning preceded the coronavirus pandemic , Bradshaw said in the radio interview that he was “ trying to let a significant amount of people who can work from home , work from home.
” It was not clear how many that would be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not contemplate telecommuting.
” But Bradshaw said all staff would have to leave headquarters by Oct. 1 .
Most of Bradshaw ’ s 315 workers will move to one of two locations : across the street to surplus space at the South Florida Water Management District or into a space owned by the Oxbridge Academy Foundation at Community Drive and Military Trail just outside of West Palm Beach .
In searching for suitable space to relocate , the county also recommended an 8,000-square-foot commercial space in Palm Springs .
It was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Springs location was not chosen for the sheriff ’ s executive team .
The county is paying $ 21 per square foot to move up to 120 employees into nearly 20,000 square feet at the Water Management District .
The cost , which includes utilities and furniture , was deemed “ significantly below the market rate ” by county staff .
Another 125 workers would go to 31,500 square feet at Oxbridge .
The cost is $ 16 per square foot , or $ 504,000 per year but the air conditioning unit and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cost of the county , in exchange in part for credits on the rent .
The rent at Divosta Towers is $ 32 a square foot plus another roughly $ 10 for common area maintenance including taxes and insurance , bringing the total gross rent to about $ 41 a square foot , the lease says .
The sheriff ’ s office will pay $ 1.7 million over four years and another $ 400,000 if the lease is extended into 2024 .
Follow Hannah Morse and Alexandra Clough on Twitter : @ @ @ @ @

Hannah Morse and Alexandra Clough, Palm Beach Post

Florida sheriff funds $35,000-a-month luxury office with 'the money we take from the bad guys'
Show Caption Hide Caption Florida sheriff signs $35,000 per month lease of luxury office space Palm Beach County Sheriff Ken Bradshaw signs lease agreement for luxury office space to the tune of $35,000 per month Rob Landers, FLORIDA TODAY
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw has leased an entire floor of a luxury office tower for himself and his top staff, paying a rate double that of less prestigious office space.
His four-year lease at DiVosta Towers — two new Palm Beach Gardens’ office buildings topped by distinct pyramid structures — costs $35,000 a month. With a one year option to extend, the ultimate bill would top $2 million.
The lease works out to $41 per square foot. Less opulent space could be rented for $15 to $20 per square foot, several real estate brokers told The Palm Beach Post.
The sheriff entered into the DiVosta Towers lease in December to prep for a $42 million renovation of his existing headquarters. The work, which includes gutting 75% of the 40-year-old structure, will force more than 300 employees to work elsewhere for several years.
So Bradshaw and 15 of his top executives will be working on their own 10,000-square-foot floor at DiVosta Towers, he told 1290 WJNO radio in July. The building is home to professional service businesses such as law offices and financial firms.
Sheriff's office spokeswoman Teri Barbera later said the offices might eventually house more employees.
Longtime Palm Beach Gardens commercial broker John C. Bills said the price Bradshaw paid was average — “if they needed that high-end space and they needed the prestige.”
“If you need a fancy office in a high-rise office building, there are only a couple,” Bills said.
Aug. 11: Lawsuit filed after video showed officers trying to handcuff 8-year-old at Florida school
Elsewhere in Florida: Florida sheriff forbids employees, visitors to wear masks: If they do, 'they will be asked to leave'
Gary Brodis of Atlantic Retail Group agreed that the price seemed average. Specific qualifications, like a security guard or front receptionist, might limit the options, he added.
Absent the Class A requirement, a 10,000-square-foot space is “not hard to find,” Bills said.
Michael Singer, managing partner of the Comiter, Singer, Baseman & Braun law firm and an early tenant of DiVosta Towers, said he and other tenants at first were taken aback by the sheriff’s presence.
“All the tenants were surprised when he came in because it didn’t seem like a natural fit,” Singer said. “This is a professional office building.”
Now that the sheriff is there, however, Singer said he feels “safe” having sheriffs’ officials in the tower.
Singer said he has seen parts of the office, which he described as “nice.” But the sheriff’s personal office is nicer, he said.
“It’s very impressive. Presidential,” Singer said. “It looks like the perfect desk to have a press conference. If you’re going to be on camera, it’s a good place. It makes you look prestigious.”
In the radio interview, Bradshaw lamented the difficulty of finding “decent office space, not dilapidated,” and said he was concerned about security.
He told The Post he selected the building because it “meets the requirements for security and safety as well as provides an open space for employees to come to work in-person and work together.”
The money for the lease comes from drug-asset forfeiture accounts, not property taxes, Bradshaw said. There's a special fund that houses “the money we take from the bad guys,” Bradshaw said in the radio interview.
Responding to The Post, part of the USA TODAY Network, Bradshaw said the space leased is "not coming out of general ad valorem funds set aside for safety services but being paid for with approved forfeiture funds.”
Under state law, the money from expensive cars and homes seized during drug arrests and other actions in state court cannot be used for sheriff’s office operating expenses.
But there's nothing that stops a sheriff from spending forfeiture funds from federal court, which specifically allows paying for rent. The sheriff's office received about $475,000 this year and the previous year in federal forfeiture money.
The lease payments did not interrupt any other office priorities, Barbera said.
Watch: Parts of Chicago looted after police confrontation
Qualified immunity: Why police are protected from civil lawsuits, trials
One broker who helped the sheriff look for space last year said the DiVosta Towers complex was a good choice. Jason Sundook, a principal at NAI/Merin Hunter Codman brokerage, said he was among several brokers around town who tried to help the sheriff find space that had good security and plenty of private space.
Sundook echoed others’ remarks that the sheriff also wanted a private bathroom with a shower. “They wanted nice space,” Sundook said. “It makes sense for someone in that role.”
DiVosta Towers “is a very attractive building,” Sundook said. “As a county, we can feel proud when people are coming to visit him.”
The deal was brokered for the sheriff’s office by Illustrated Properties, which lists the sheriff’s wife, Dorothy Bradshaw, as a sales associate on its website.
In his response to The Post, the sheriff said through Barbera that the “real estate broker initially chosen was not able to facilitate a location that met our safety concerns” but his wife was not involved and did not receive any fees or commissions on the deal.
The sheriff, who is seeking his fifth four-year term, declined The Post’s request for a tour and interview at the office tower. The presence of his office is not noted on the building directory.
Renovating the current HQ
In 2016, voters passed a sales tax hike of one penny on the dollar, which provided money to renovate the sheriff’s aging headquarters on Gun Club Road.
“It’s sick. It’s got mold in it and things like that,” Bradshaw said in the July radio interview.
Audrey Wolf, the county’s facilities director, said the $42 million project will tear up most of the building and add a new roof, new exterior walls, and impact resistant doors and windows.
Construction is expected to start in January and continue for up to three years, Wolf said.
While planning preceded the coronavirus pandemic, Bradshaw said in the radio interview that he was “trying to let a significant amount of people who can work from home, work from home.”
It was not clear how many that would be, and Wolf said “the relocation plan does not contemplate telecommuting.” But Bradshaw said all staff would have to leave headquarters by Oct. 1.
Most of Bradshaw’s 315 workers will move to one of two locations: across the street to surplus space at the South Florida Water Management District or into a space owned by the Oxbridge Academy Foundation at Community Drive and Military Trail just outside of West Palm Beach.
In searching for suitable space to relocate, the county also recommended an 8,000-square-foot commercial space in Palm Springs. It was not clear in county records why the Palm Springs location was not chosen for the sheriff’s executive team.
The county is paying $21 per square foot to move up to 120 employees into nearly 20,000 square feet at the Water Management District. The cost, which includes utilities and furniture, was deemed “significantly below the market rate” by county staff.
Another 125 workers would go to 31,500 square feet at Oxbridge. The cost is $16 per square foot, or $504,000 per year but the air conditioning unit and roof needed to be replaced — at the cost of the county, in exchange in part for credits on the rent.
The rent at Divosta Towers is $32 a square foot plus another roughly $10 for common area maintenance including taxes and insurance, bringing the total gross rent to about $41 a square foot, the lease says.
The sheriff’s office will pay $1.7 million over four years and another $400,000 if the lease is extended into 2024.
Follow Hannah Morse and Alexandra Clough on Twitter: @mannahhorse and @acloughpbp


usatoday--2020-08-14--Women sue Delaware over workplace hijab prohibition; federal lawsuit claims discrimination

WILMINGTON , Del .
— Three Muslim women who used to work at a state detention center for juveniles have filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against Delaware officials claiming they were barred from wearing religious head coverings at work .
The women , Tia Mays , Madinah Brown and Shakeya Thomas , claim nobody told them it was against policy to wear a hijab to work at the New Castle County Detention Center and Ferris School for adjudicated juveniles .
Once they began working for the state Department of Services of Children , Youth and their Families , which oversees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supervisors from working at the center unless they removed their head coverings .
The plaintiffs asked to be transferred or offered to wear head coverings that might be considered less of a safety risk among potentially violent juvenile detentioners , but were ultimately forced to chose between their religious beliefs and their jobs , according to the lawsuit .
The lawsuit names the department as well as officials working in the department as defendants .
A spokesperson for the department declined to comment on the litigation and said `` we are dedicated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In Thomas 's case , she was told by a supervisor that she `` had a few days to think about what she wanted to do — keep wearing her hijab or continue to be employed , '' the lawsuit states .
She was later told if `` she ever wanted to work for the State of Delaware in the future , it would be in her best interest to resign , '' according to the complaint .
In Brown 's case , she continued to wear the hijab and was forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She continued to try to work , but was forced to go home on multiple occasions and ultimately was issued an ultimatum : stop wearing the head covering or resign .
One supervisor yelled , `` Now you 're looking like a terrorist , '' according to the her report filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , a federal agency that administers and enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination .
That complaint preceded the current lawsuit .
The News Journal wrote about the complaint last year .
In a written statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the facility where the women worked said they were not trying to `` stifle religious freedoms '' and that allowing exceptions to policy is complicated when the safety of staff and youth is impacted .
`` We must carefully balance our strong support of religious freedom with the need to keep youth and staff safe , '' the statement said .
`` In some instances , a person 's job may require them to do certain actions , such as the physical restraint of a youth , that makes wearing some religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states that the department 's refusal to accommodate the womens ' beliefs violates gender and religious discrimination laws .
The attorneys wrote that the state 's treatment of the women amounted to retaliation in violation of the law .
They seek back pay , financial damages and a court to order the state to institute a religious accommodation for Muslim workers to wear religious head coverings .

Women sue Delaware over workplace hijab prohibition; federal lawsuit claims discrimination
Show Caption Hide Caption State employee told she can't wear hijab at work State employee holds press conference after she's told she can't wear hijab at work. John J. Jankowski Jr. / Special to Delaware News Journal / Delaware News Journal, The News Journal
WILMINGTON, Del. — Three Muslim women who used to work at a state detention center for juveniles have filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against Delaware officials claiming they were barred from wearing religious head coverings at work.
The women, Tia Mays, Madinah Brown and Shakeya Thomas, claim nobody told them it was against policy to wear a hijab to work at the New Castle County Detention Center and Ferris School for adjudicated juveniles.
Once they began working for the state Department of Services of Children, Youth and their Families, which oversees the facilities, they were prohibited by supervisors from working at the center unless they removed their head coverings.
The plaintiffs asked to be transferred or offered to wear head coverings that might be considered less of a safety risk among potentially violent juvenile detentioners, but were ultimately forced to chose between their religious beliefs and their jobs, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit names the department as well as officials working in the department as defendants. A spokesperson for the department declined to comment on the litigation and said "we are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive environment for all."
In Thomas's case, she was told by a supervisor that she "had a few days to think about what she wanted to do — keep wearing her hijab or continue to be employed," the lawsuit states. She was later told if "she ever wanted to work for the State of Delaware in the future, it would be in her best interest to resign," according to the complaint.
In Brown's case, she continued to wear the hijab and was forced to clock out on some days. She continued to try to work, but was forced to go home on multiple occasions and ultimately was issued an ultimatum: stop wearing the head covering or resign.
One supervisor yelled, "Now you're looking like a terrorist," according to the her report filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that administers and enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination.
That complaint preceded the current lawsuit. The News Journal wrote about the complaint last year.
In a written statement at the time, officials in charge of the facility where the women worked said they were not trying to "stifle religious freedoms" and that allowing exceptions to policy is complicated when the safety of staff and youth is impacted.
"We must carefully balance our strong support of religious freedom with the need to keep youth and staff safe," the statement said. "In some instances, a person's job may require them to do certain actions, such as the physical restraint of a youth, that makes wearing some religious clothing unsafe."
The federal lawsuit states that the department's refusal to accommodate the womens' beliefs violates gender and religious discrimination laws. The attorneys wrote that the state's treatment of the women amounted to retaliation in violation of the law.
They seek back pay, financial damages and a court to order the state to institute a religious accommodation for Muslim workers to wear religious head coverings.
Follow Xerxes Wilson on Twitter: @Ber_Xerxes.


usatoday--2020-08-14--Bald eagle attacks $950 state drone, drops it into Lake Michigan

DETROIT — Nature and mankind clashed as a bald eagle waged an attack on an EGLE drone 162 feet above the waters of Lake Michigan .
Nature won the battle , and the drone now rests on the bottom of the lake .
The skirmish took place last month .
The pilot of the ill-fated drone was Hunter King of the Michigan Department of Environment , Great Lakes , and Energy ( EGLE ) .
On the day of the EGLE drone ’ s swan song , King was mapping shoreline erosion .
He had completed seven minutes of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
King pressed the button to recall the drone .
From his video feed , he saw the drone make its way home .
Suddenly , it started careening through the air as its speed dropped from 22 mph .
to 10 mph .
As it plummeted , the drone 's propeller was torn off and King was bombarded with warning messages .
It didn ’ t take long for King to find the culprit of the attack on the $ 950 drone — he spotted an eagle flying from the scene of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack is currently unknown , though territorial disputes and hunger are the leading theories .
King started a search for the drone with a couple who had witnessed the aerial assault .
Hours of searching the shore failed to turn up the broken drone .
Days later , after getting precise data for where the drone fell — 150 feet offshore in four feet of water — the search was continued by EGLE Unmanned Aircraft Systems coordinator Arthur Ostaszewski .
Two hours of shuffling his feet in soft muck turned no results and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appearance of lightning .
It seems the drone has been claimed by the waters of the Great Lake .
The drone team is considering ways to prevent future attacks , such as using designs that would make eagles less likely to mistake EGLE drones for seagulls .
While the attack is unfortunate , it points to a thriving eagle population .
A 2019 U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service survey showed 849 active nesting sites in Michigan , up from a low point of 76 nesting sites in the 1970s .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beau M. LaFave had this to say on Twitter : `` Bird can be heard singing ' I fought the law and I won . ''
There 's apparently little , legally , that can be done about the attack .
EGLE reached out to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources ( DNR ) to see how it could take legal action against the eagle .
A spokesperson said the agency has no mechanism or authority to issue corrective action notices against wildlife .
`` Unfortunately , there 's nothing we can do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nature is a cruel and unforgiving mistress . ''

Bald eagle attacks $950 state drone, drops it into Lake Michigan
Show Caption Hide Caption Bald eagle rescued at SeaWorld Orlando gets a bird's eye view SeaWorld Orlando's rescued bald eagle Mattie goes for a ride in the Sky Tower Video Elephant
DETROIT — Nature and mankind clashed as a bald eagle waged an attack on an EGLE drone 162 feet above the waters of Lake Michigan.
Nature won the battle, and the drone now rests on the bottom of the lake.
The skirmish took place last month. The pilot of the ill-fated drone was Hunter King of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). On the day of the EGLE drone’s swan song, King was mapping shoreline erosion. He had completed seven minutes of the flight when he began having reception problems. King pressed the button to recall the drone.
From his video feed, he saw the drone make its way home. Suddenly, it started careening through the air as its speed dropped from 22 mph. to 10 mph. As it plummeted, the drone's propeller was torn off and King was bombarded with warning messages. It didn’t take long for King to find the culprit of the attack on the $950 drone — he spotted an eagle flying from the scene of the crime.
The motive for the attack is currently unknown, though territorial disputes and hunger are the leading theories.
King started a search for the drone with a couple who had witnessed the aerial assault. Hours of searching the shore failed to turn up the broken drone. Days later, after getting precise data for where the drone fell — 150 feet offshore in four feet of water — the search was continued by EGLE Unmanned Aircraft Systems coordinator Arthur Ostaszewski. Two hours of shuffling his feet in soft muck turned no results and he had to abandon his search at the appearance of lightning. It seems the drone has been claimed by the waters of the Great Lake.
The drone team is considering ways to prevent future attacks, such as using designs that would make eagles less likely to mistake EGLE drones for seagulls.
While the attack is unfortunate, it points to a thriving eagle population. A 2019 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey showed 849 active nesting sites in Michigan, up from a low point of 76 nesting sites in the 1970s.
In regard to the attack, State Representative Beau M. LaFave had this to say on Twitter: "Bird can be heard singing 'I fought the law and I won."
Michigan Eagle takes on EGLE (Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy) and wins.
Bird can be heard singing “I fought the law, and I won”https://t.co/LXZ13wPjpE — Beau M. LaFave (@BeauMattLaFave) August 13, 2020
There's apparently little, legally, that can be done about the attack. EGLE reached out to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to see how it could take legal action against the eagle. A spokesperson said the agency has no mechanism or authority to issue corrective action notices against wildlife.
"Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do," the spokesman said. "Nature is a cruel and unforgiving mistress."


usatoday--2020-08-14--Friday to bring hot, dry forecast as 'hard to predict' Lake Fire grows in Southern California

A Southern California wildfire that has threatened more than 5,000 structures in rural Los Angeles County continued to rage Friday , with Angeles National Forest officials describing its movements as `` hard to predict . ''
The Lake Fire , burning between Lakes Hughes and Castaic , about 65 miles north of Los Angeles , had grown to about 17 square miles and was 5 % contained as of 7 p.m. PDT .
The blaze has destroyed three structures and forced evacuations near Lake Hughes .
There is no known cause , according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the slightly lower temperatures and moisture from Tropical Storm Elida hat moved across the region .
But hotter , drier conditions are forecast Friday , and near-critical fire weather conditions could develop in the afternoon with gusty onshore winds .
`` The primary driver of this fire has been heavy , thick , dense and dried out vegetation and steep terrain , '' said Seneca Smith , a public information officer with the Angeles National Forest in a press announcement posted to the L.A. County Fire Department 's Twitter account .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was feeding on chaparral and other brush , some of which had n't burned since 1968 , but the flames had moved into heavier forest on top of ridges , fire officials said .
“ This will be a major fire for several days , ” said Chief Robert Garcia with the U.S. Forest Service .
Plumes of smoke could be seen from dozens of miles away as the fire burned in steep terrain with difficult access for firefighters .
Resources were bolstered Thursday , Smith said , with over 1,000 personnel @ @ @ @

Friday to bring hot, dry forecast as 'hard to predict' Lake Fire grows in Southern California
Show Caption Hide Caption Lake Fire continues burning over 11,000 acres in Southern California The Southern California wildfire has burned over 11,000 acres in Los Angeles County since it first began on Wednesday. USA TODAY
A Southern California wildfire that has threatened more than 5,000 structures in rural Los Angeles County continued to rage Friday, with Angeles National Forest officials describing its movements as "hard to predict."
The Lake Fire, burning between Lakes Hughes and Castaic, about 65 miles north of Los Angeles, had grown to about 18 square miles and was 12% contained as of 8 a.m. PDT. The blaze has destroyed five structures and forced evacuations near Lake Hughes.
There is no known cause, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Fire crews on Thursday took advantage of the slightly lower temperatures and moisture from Tropical Storm Elida hat moved across the region. But hotter, drier conditions are forecast Friday, and near-critical fire weather conditions could develop in the afternoon with gusty onshore winds.
"The primary driver of this fire has been heavy, thick, dense and dried out vegetation and steep terrain," said Seneca Smith, a public information officer with the Angeles National Forest in a press announcement posted to the L.A. County Fire Department's Twitter account.
The fire, which broke out Wednesday afternoon, was feeding on chaparral and other brush, some of which hadn't burned since 1968, but the flames had moved into heavier forest on top of ridges, fire officials said.
“This will be a major fire for several days,” said Chief Robert Garcia with the U.S. Forest Service.
Plumes of smoke could be seen from dozens of miles away as the fire burned in steep terrain with difficult access for firefighters.
Resources were bolstered Thursday, Smith said, with over 1,000 personnel now on location.
Fires in Azusa and elsewhere
Meanwhile, there was no containment of a blaze that blackened foothills above the Los Angeles suburb of Azusa. It churned through nearly 4 square miles of brush on Thursday and was moving away from homes. Evacuation orders issued to residents were lifted early Friday.
Another blaze came dangerously close to a neighborhood in the city of Corona, east of Los Angeles, before crews controlled it. And a Northern California fire in the community of Sloughhouse, near Sacramento, burned about 500 acres before firefighters stopped its forward spread.
Contributing: Jeremy Childs, Ventura (Calif.) County Star; The Associated Press