usatoday--2020-12-23--'It's OK to say this is my value': 'Wonder Woman' Gal Gadot opens up about her Hollywood ascension

Let ’ s face it , even Wonder Woman has had to manage her expectations this year .
In a parallel universe , “ Wonder Woman 1984 ” could have marked a billion-dollar moment for one of the DC Universe ’ s most popular cinematic characters .
But nine months into a wearying pandemic , the sequel instead lassos an oh-so-2020 kind of milestone : It 's biggest streaming release of the year , arriving on HBO Max ( while also playing in theaters ) on Christmas Day .
“ There comes the point where you just need to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy one , trust me , ” says Gal Gadot , 35 , of the pandemic-fueled choice to stream Wonder Woman ’ s return .
“ But , you know , the thought of having families watching this movie on Christmas Day just warmed my heart .
And it 's come to a place where I do n't know when the theaters are going to be back.
” Even on a small screen , `` 1984 '' is grandly imagined : Directed by Patty Jenkins , the film allows for a 60-year time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plausible return of the dead Steve Trevor ( Chris Pine ) , plus a new villain , the huckster Max Lord ( Pedro Pascal ) .
The sequel also serves up an unexpected foe ( Kristen Wiig as Cheetah/Barbara Minerva ) for Diana Prince , who now works as a cultural anthropologist for the Smithsonian in Washington .
For the record , the plan had always been to keep Steve around .
“ The first one , toward the end , Patty had already been thinking about it .
I remember she came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ I have a great idea for how you could come back , ' ” says Pine .
Gadot was in .
“ Chris was one of the reasons why the first movie was such a big success , and it was weird thinking about going and shooting another one without him , ” she says .
Back in 2017 , Gadot and Jenkins broke records launching the Wonder Woman franchise to the tune of $ 822 million globally : Wherever the earnest , raven-haired superhero swung on her golden lasso , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In turn , the Israel-born Gadot became a superstar .
“ It 's interesting , my personal evolution with this character , '' says Gadot .
`` The first movie , when I was told I 'm going to shoot my own Wonder Woman , I was like , ‘ Oh , my God , they 're going to find out I ’ m not a real actress and I can ’ t do it .
They 're going to call my bluff .
And then Patty and I did it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the WWI-set “ Wonder Woman , ” Gadot kept on her superhero treadmill , shooting “ Justice League ” before filming “ 1984.
” ( She squeezed in “ Death on the Nile , '' too , which has been pushed to 2021 . )
Industry watchers are still waiting to see how Gadot 's box-office potential unfolds outside of superhero films .
“ Her status is still an unknown commodity , albeit one on the rise and with unlimited potential , ” says Jeff Bock , senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gamble when you try to transform from superhero back to a civilian.
” Go on the set : How 'Wonder Woman 1984 ' took over an empty mall to create a rad '80s experience Inside the DC Universe , close doesn ’ t do justice to the partnership Gadot and Jenkins have forged .
Gadot describes them as family , their partners and children merging for dinners off camera .
At work , “ we 're like one organism now , ” says Jenkins .
“ It 's crazy that she 's on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm on this side of the camera , but we 're just both driving in the exact same direction together and kind of seamlessly doing it.
” The sequel , stuffed with '80s nostalgia and centered on an artifact whose wish fulfillment can bring down the world , is “ ambitious , ” allows Gadot , who is also a producer this time .
“ If there 's something that I learned out of this experience is just , there 's no shortcuts .
Nothing happens quick .
Even my breakout – it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that 's why I was ready when it happened.
” By day Gadot put sweat equity into her `` 1984 '' stunts , which were largely practical instead of computer-generated .
The fight scenes were so intense , she and Wiig found their fists accidentally connecting .
“ We would do these scenes and we 'd be like , 'Oh , sorry , sorry !
Was that too hard ?
Did I hit you ? '
” Wiig recalls .
Off camera , Gadot has developed thicker skin in Hollywood , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or to ask what you 're worth … and that we should n't be shy about it .
That it 's OK to say , this is my value , and this is what I want .
And this , for me , was a process .
Because ( by ) default I 'm a pleaser and I do n't want to fight with people and I want people to like me.
” She adds : “ But essentially I 've learned that work is work.
” Gadot is speaking broadly , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent negotiation to head to HBO Max .
To get Gadot and Jenkins on board with a streaming release , the two were offered $ 10 million , according to The New York Times .
The rest of Warner Bros. ' 2021 slate was also soon shuffled to HBO Max , sending the industry into an uproar .
“ First of all , I hope that the decision is not going to last a year , ” says Gadot .
“ I hope that the decision will last only for the period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopeful that within a year , the world will be back to itself with the vaccinations and everything .
With us … we shot the movie in 2018 .
The movie was ready for a long time and it felt like we did n't have other good options .
We did n't want to wait with a movie for another year .
And we did feel like the movie was more relevant than ever.
” Gadot ’ s own pandemic ?
It ’ s been “ a roller coaster , ” she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world .
The spring found her in Los Angeles , juggling Zoom school for her daughters , Alma , 9 , and Maya , 3 , wiping down groceries and keeping her household running with husband Jaron Varsano , with whom she shares a production company .
This summer she and her brood flew back to Israel , which was then past the first wave : Schools were open , numbers were low and it felt like “ some sanity , finally , ” she recalls .
But then fall brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the thriller “ Red Notice ” with Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds .
Sequestered again with her family outside of work and worrying if she or the crew would contract COVID-19 was destabilizing .
After wrapping , the family has returned to their home in Los Angeles and rebubbled .
Raising two daughters as one of the most recognizable women in the world , Gadot seems determined to keep it simple .
“ I just try to make sure that they 're grounded and they do n't feel like they are entitled of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You know , they clean their dishes and they tidy up after their stuff.
” It 's in line with how those who work with Gadot describe her : patently unchanged .
“ Gal is really one of those rare individuals in that she 's transparently herself .
She 's a bright , positive – relentlessly positive – force of nature , ” says Pine .
When Wiig got to the set , “ I remember the three of us ate lunch in Patty 's office and we just immediately started talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just felt totally normal .
We 're like sitting on the floor and it was just like , 'OK , these are my girls , ’ `` says Wiig , calling Gadot “ one of my closest friends now.
” And with her own James Bond-like film `` Heart of Stone '' on the horizon , Gadot may soon embark on a new chapter of her action career .
At least , once the COVID-19 forecast clears .
“ I just hope that soon it will be figured out and it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she says .
`` I hope it 's going to be a memory in a few months . ''

'It's OK to say this is my value': 'Wonder Woman' Gal Gadot opens up about her Hollywood ascension
Show Caption Hide Caption 'Wonder Woman 1984': Gal Gadot on how Brooke Shields inspired her look Gal Gadot chats with USA TODAY's Andrea Mandell about her '80s wardrobe in "Wonder Woman 1984," and what it was like filming 2017's "Wonder Woman." Entertain This!, USA TODAY
Let’s face it, even Wonder Woman has had to manage her expectations this year.
In a parallel universe, “Wonder Woman 1984” could have marked a billion-dollar moment for one of the DC Universe’s most popular cinematic characters. But nine months into a wearying pandemic, the sequel instead lassos an oh-so-2020 kind of milestone: It's biggest streaming release of the year, arriving on HBO Max (while also playing in theaters) on Christmas Day.
“There comes the point where you just need to take a decision and it wasn't an easy one, trust me,” says Gal Gadot, 35, of the pandemic-fueled choice to stream Wonder Woman’s return. “But, you know, the thought of having families watching this movie on Christmas Day just warmed my heart. And it's come to a place where I don't know when the theaters are going to be back.”
Even on a small screen, "1984" is grandly imagined: Directed by Patty Jenkins, the film allows for a 60-year time hop to the neon-hued-'80s, a fairly plausible return of the dead Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), plus a new villain, the huckster Max Lord (Pedro Pascal). The sequel also serves up an unexpected foe (Kristen Wiig as Cheetah/Barbara Minerva) for Diana Prince, who now works as a cultural anthropologist for the Smithsonian in Washington.
Review: 'Wonder Woman 1984' is a rousing, retro throwback to Christopher Reeve's 'Superman'
For the record, the plan had always been to keep Steve around. “The first one, toward the end, Patty had already been thinking about it. I remember she came to the set, she was like, ‘I have a great idea for how you could come back,' ” says Pine.
Gadot was in. “Chris was one of the reasons why the first movie was such a big success, and it was weird thinking about going and shooting another one without him,” she says.
Back in 2017, Gadot and Jenkins broke records launching the Wonder Woman franchise to the tune of $822 million globally: Wherever the earnest, raven-haired superhero swung on her golden lasso, audiences (and Halloween costumes) followed. In turn, the Israel-born Gadot became a superstar.
“It's interesting, my personal evolution with this character," says Gadot. "The first movie, when I was told I'm going to shoot my own Wonder Woman, I was like, ‘Oh, my God, they're going to find out I’m not a real actress and I can’t do it. They're going to call my bluff. And then Patty and I did it. We did it together.”
After wrapping the WWI-set “Wonder Woman,” Gadot kept on her superhero treadmill, shooting “Justice League” before filming “1984.” (She squeezed in “Death on the Nile," too, which has been pushed to 2021.)
Industry watchers are still waiting to see how Gadot's box-office potential unfolds outside of superhero films. “Her status is still an unknown commodity, albeit one on the rise and with unlimited potential,” says Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. “It’s always a gamble when you try to transform from superhero back to a civilian.”
Kristen Wiig's Cheetah roars in new 'Wonder Woman 1984' trailer Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman gets a new nemesis in the Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) in director Patty Jenkins' superhero sequel 'Wonder Woman 1984.' USA TODAY
Go on the set: How 'Wonder Woman 1984' took over an empty mall to create a rad '80s experience
Inside the DC Universe, close doesn’t do justice to the partnership Gadot and Jenkins have forged. Gadot describes them as family, their partners and children merging for dinners off camera. At work, “we're like one organism now,” says Jenkins. “It's crazy that she's on that side of the camera and I'm on this side of the camera, but we're just both driving in the exact same direction together and kind of seamlessly doing it.”
The sequel, stuffed with '80s nostalgia and centered on an artifact whose wish fulfillment can bring down the world, is “ambitious,” allows Gadot, who is also a producer this time. “If there's something that I learned out of this experience is just, there's no shortcuts. Nothing happens quick. Even my breakout – it took me 13 years before my breakout. But that's why I was ready when it happened.”
By day Gadot put sweat equity into her "1984" stunts, which were largely practical instead of computer-generated. The fight scenes were so intense, she and Wiig found their fists accidentally connecting. “We would do these scenes and we'd be like, 'Oh, sorry, sorry! Was that too hard? Did I hit you?' ” Wiig recalls.
Off camera, Gadot has developed thicker skin in Hollywood, learning “it's OK to demand or to ask what you're worth … and that we shouldn't be shy about it. That it's OK to say, this is my value, and this is what I want. And this, for me, was a process. Because (by) default I'm a pleaser and I don't want to fight with people and I want people to like me.” She adds: “But essentially I've learned that work is work.”
Gadot is speaking broadly, but it sheds light on the film's recent negotiation to head to HBO Max. To get Gadot and Jenkins on board with a streaming release, the two were offered $10 million, according to The New York Times. The rest of Warner Bros.' 2021 slate was also soon shuffled to HBO Max, sending the industry into an uproar.
Box office: 'Wonder Woman 1984' launches with $38.5 million overseas as COVID cases climb
“First of all, I hope that the decision is not going to last a year,” says Gadot. “I hope that the decision will last only for the period of the pandemic time because I'm truly hopeful that within a year, the world will be back to itself with the vaccinations and everything. With us … we shot the movie in 2018. The movie was ready for a long time and it felt like we didn't have other good options. We didn't want to wait with a movie for another year. And we did feel like the movie was more relevant than ever.”
Gadot’s own pandemic? It’s been “a roller coaster,” she says, split into “chapters” spent around the world.
The spring found her in Los Angeles, juggling Zoom school for her daughters, Alma, 9, and Maya, 3, wiping down groceries and keeping her household running with husband Jaron Varsano, with whom she shares a production company. This summer she and her brood flew back to Israel, which was then past the first wave: Schools were open, numbers were low and it felt like “some sanity, finally,” she recalls.
But then fall brought her to Atlanta, where she shot the thriller “Red Notice” with Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds. Sequestered again with her family outside of work and worrying if she or the crew would contract COVID-19 was destabilizing. After wrapping, the family has returned to their home in Los Angeles and rebubbled.
Raising two daughters as one of the most recognizable women in the world, Gadot seems determined to keep it simple. “I just try to make sure that they're grounded and they don't feel like they are entitled of anything,” says Gadot. “You know, they clean their dishes and they tidy up after their stuff.”
It's in line with how those who work with Gadot describe her: patently unchanged. “Gal is really one of those rare individuals in that she's transparently herself. She's a bright, positive – relentlessly positive – force of nature,” says Pine.
When Wiig got to the set, “I remember the three of us ate lunch in Patty's office and we just immediately started talking about really personal intimate stuff, and it just felt totally normal. We're like sitting on the floor and it was just like, 'OK, these are my girls,’ " says Wiig, calling Gadot “one of my closest friends now.”
And with her own James Bond-like film "Heart of Stone" on the horizon, Gadot may soon embark on a new chapter of her action career. At least, once the COVID-19 forecast clears.
“I just hope that soon it will be figured out and it will be contained and we'll get the vaccinations," she says. "I hope it's going to be a memory in a few months."
Contributing: Brian Truitt


usatoday--2020-12-23--Use a cookie scoop for the perfect size cookies

Use a cookie scoop for the perfect size cookies What you may know as an ice cream scoop is better @ @ @ @ @ cookies .

Cookie scoop is the one tool for perfect cookies
What you may know as an ice cream scoop is better suited for portioning the perfect cookies.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-24--Trump pardons former officer convicted in police brutality, dog bite case

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned a former Maryland police officer who served 10 years in prison in a police brutality case after her canine partner attacked a man suspected of burglary .
Stephanie Mohr , a former officer with the Prince George 's County Police Department , was among the dozens of people who received clemency from Trump in the waning weeks of his presidency .
Trump has wielded his clemency powers in an unusual way , granting them to several allies , some of whom were convicted in cases tied to the president , and undercutting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This week , Trump has issued several dozen clemencies , pardoning his former campaign chairman , Paul Manafort ; his longtime ally , Roger Stone ; his former campaign aide , George Papadopoulos ; and his son-in-law 's father , Charles Kushner , to name a few .
Trump also stirred controversy by pardoning four Blackwater security guards imprisoned for a mass shooting that killed 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians and wounded 17 others in 2007 .
More : Trump pardons former campaign chairman Paul Manafort along with Charles Kushner , other allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican members of Congress in raft of clemency grants For Mohr , who has maintained her innocence , the pardon is a long-awaited closure to a saga that has haunted her for 25 years .
`` So many emotions flooding through me .
It ’ s been a long , long , long battle for this .
I ’ m just so grateful , '' Mohr said after hearing the news of her pardon , her voice breaking .
Mohr said she was traveling with her parents and significant other when they heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's about time .
We 've gone through a lot , '' said Mohr 's father , Stan Mohr .
Mohr 's pardon comes amid a nationwide reckoning on police brutality following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .
But Mohr , now 50 , said her actions did not amount to police brutality .
`` There are issues with police brutality in our country , '' she said .
`` I was not a police officer who participated in that . ''
Mohr 's case was the result of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prince George 's County Police Department , which had been facing allegations of police brutality .
Her conviction stems from an incident in 1995 when she was a new canine handler with the department .
She was among several police officers who responded to a possible burglary in Takoma Park , Md.
, just outside of Washington , D.C. , where two men were found on the roof of a building .
Mohr said the area , at that time , had been experiencing a spate of burglaries .
Trump pardons : They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than 100 years Trial testimonies painted different versions of how the incident unfolded .
According to the government 's version of events , the two suspects followed orders from police officers , climbed down to the ground with their hands raised and did not try to flee .
But after a brief conversation with her training officer , Mohr , without a warning , released her dog , which bit one of the men in the leg as police helicopters circled the area .
The two men were also not burglars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the roof , according to court documents .
Mohr testified that she repeatedly ordered one of the men to raise his hands , but he did n't , and instead kept them near his waistband .
She said she released her dog after one of the men tried to escape , and she acted based on how she was trained .
`` My thought process was … you do n't know what they 're going to do when they come down .
They could surrender , they could run – which they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could just fight , '' Mohr said .
`` My thought process was I have to be prepared … We had no idea about their status .
We had n't approached them , had n't touched them , had n't searched them . ''
‘ Like I was being eaten ’ : When police dogs bite , no one is accountable Five years after the incident , the Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation into the Prince George 's County Police Department .
Mohr and her training officer were each charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were tried twice after a jury could not reach a verdict on all the charges during the first trial .
`` The police consciously , deliberately put a police dog on men who were surrendering with their hands up , '' then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach said during one of the trials , according to the Associated Press .
`` After that , the officers on the scene adhered to a code of silence that kept them from saying what happened that night . ''
Dettelbach , who later became a U.S. attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice , did not respond to a request for comment .
It was unclear if the Justice Department recommended Mohr for a pardon , or if the White House consulted with the Office of the Pardon Attorney .
The Justice Department said recommendations on pending pardon petitions are confidential .
A White House spokesman did not answer questions from USA TODAY about Mohr 's petition .
During Mohr 's second trial , the government introduced testimony that painted Mohr as a problematic police officer with a history of targeting minorities .
One witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mohr threatened to have her dog come after `` your black ass . ''
Mohr testified she does not recognize the witness and has only a vague recollection of the incident .
In her interview with USA TODAY , she said : `` That could n't be further from the truth .
I am disgusted and appalled by those … I have never used racially demeaning language in my lifetime . ''
Mohr was convicted and her training officer was acquitted following a two-week trial .
She was sentenced to 120 months in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long sentence … I personally think it 's harsh , very harsh , '' said her pardon attorney Margaret Love , who served as the Justice Department 's pardon attorney under George H.W .
Bush and Bill Clinton .
`` Somebody who got a harsh sentence might have been bitter about it , but she is not and has not been . ''
Mohr was released from prison in 2011 .
She now works as a construction inspector in St. Mary 's County in southern Maryland .
While incarcerated , she sought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request was denied .
In a 2008 letter to the Justice Department in support of her commutation request , the Rev .
James G. Kirk , Mohr 's pastor , described her as a `` conscientious mother '' who saw people for what they are , regardless of race or background and without perceived judgments or stereotypes .
Mohr 's son , Adam Popielarcheck was only a toddler when she was imprisoned and remembers his father waking him up early in the morning on Saturdays so they can drive to visit Mohr in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why they always had to drive several hours to see his mother , why she was always in a brown jumpsuit every time he saw her , or why there were guards every time they visited .
`` I really want you to let my mother come home .
I miss her so very much – to the moon and back is how much I miss her , '' Popielarcheck , now 21 , wrote in a 2008 letter in support of Mohr 's commutation request .
Popielarcheck said he plans to also @ @ @ @ @

Trump pardons former officer convicted in police brutality, dog bite case
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump grants pardons to 26 people including Paul Manafort, Roger Stone President Trump has granted pardons to 26 people including Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and many other allies. Staff video, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned a former Maryland police officer who served 10 years in prison in a police brutality case after her canine partner attacked a man suspected of burglary.
Stephanie Mohr, a former officer with the Prince George's County Police Department, was among the dozens of people who received clemency from Trump in the waning weeks of his presidency.
Trump has wielded his clemency powers in an unusual way, granting them to several allies, some of whom were convicted in cases tied to the president, and undercutting his own Justice Department in the process.
This week, Trump has issued several dozen clemencies, pardoning his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; his longtime ally, Roger Stone; his former campaign aide, George Papadopoulos; and his son-in-law's father, Charles Kushner, to name a few.
Trump also stirred controversy by pardoning four Blackwater security guards imprisoned for a mass shooting that killed 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians and wounded 17 others in 2007.
More: Trump pardons former campaign chairman Paul Manafort along with Charles Kushner, other allies
More: Trump pardons Papadopoulos and former Republican members of Congress in raft of clemency grants
For Mohr, who has maintained her innocence, the pardon is a long-awaited closure to a saga that has haunted her for 25 years.
"So many emotions flooding through me. It’s been a long, long, long battle for this. I’m just so grateful," Mohr said after hearing the news of her pardon, her voice breaking.
Mohr said she was traveling with her parents and significant other when they heard the news Wednesday night.
"It's about time. We've gone through a lot," said Mohr's father, Stan Mohr.
Mohr's pardon comes amid a nationwide reckoning on police brutality following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. But Mohr, now 50, said her actions did not amount to police brutality.
"There are issues with police brutality in our country," she said. "I was not a police officer who participated in that."
In an op-ed published by the Washington Post, Alex Busansky, a former Justice Department lawyer who helped prosecute Mohr, called the pardon "the most insensitive and inflaming" granted by Trump "in a year that witnessed the killing of George Floyd."
"This was no accident or split-second mistake," Busansky wrote. "It was a willful and deliberate act of police brutality."
Mohr's case was the result of a Justice Department civil rights investigation into the Prince George's County Police Department, which had been facing allegations of police brutality.
Her conviction stems from an incident in 1995 when she was a new canine handler with the department. She was among several police officers who responded to a possible burglary in Takoma Park, Md., just outside of Washington, D.C., where two men were found on the roof of a building. Mohr said the area, at that time, had been experiencing a spate of burglaries.
Trump pardons: They sparked controversy but have been the fewest in more than 100 years
Can Trump pardon himself?: What's a preemptive pardon? Experts explain the sweeping power
Trial testimonies painted different versions of how the incident unfolded.
According to the government's version of events, the two suspects followed orders from police officers, climbed down to the ground with their hands raised and did not try to flee. But after a brief conversation with her training officer, Mohr, without a warning, released her dog, which bit one of the men in the leg as police helicopters circled the area. The two men were also not burglars, but were homeless men sleeping on the roof, according to court documents.
Busansky wrote in his op-ed that the man's only crime was "seeking a safe place to eat and sleep." He said Mohr released her dog after her supervising officer asked a sergeant, "Hey Sarge, we got a new dog. Mind if it gets a bite?"
Mohr testified that she repeatedly ordered one of the men to raise his hands, but he didn't, and instead kept them near his waistband. She said she released her dog after one of the men tried to escape, and she acted based on how she was trained.
"My thought process was … you don't know what they're going to do when they come down. They could surrender, they could run – which they did, one tried to – or they could just fight," Mohr said. "My thought process was I have to be prepared … We had no idea about their status. We hadn't approached them, hadn't touched them, hadn't searched them."
‘Like I was being eaten’: When police dogs bite, no one is accountable
Mohr and her training officer were each charged with civil rights violation and conspiracy five years after the incident, following the federal civil rights investigation into the Prince George's County Police Department. They were tried twice after a jury could not reach a verdict on all the charges during the first trial.
"The police consciously, deliberately put a police dog on men who were surrendering with their hands up," then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach said during one of the trials, according to the Associated Press. "After that, the officers on the scene adhered to a code of silence that kept them from saying what happened that night."
Dettelbach, who later became a U.S. attorney in Ohio and is now in private practice, did not respond to a request for comment.
It was unclear if the Justice Department recommended Mohr for a pardon, or if the White House consulted with the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The Justice Department said recommendations on pending pardon petitions are confidential. A White House spokesman did not answer questions from USA TODAY about Mohr's petition.
During Mohr's second trial, the government introduced testimony that painted Mohr as a problematic police officer with a history of targeting minorities. One witness, who's Black, testified that Mohr threatened to have her dog come after "your black ass." Mohr testified she does not recognize the witness and has only a vague recollection of the incident.
In her interview with USA TODAY, she said: "That couldn't be further from the truth. I am disgusted and appalled by those … I have never used racially demeaning language in my lifetime."
Mohr was convicted and her training officer was acquitted following a two-week trial. She was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
"She had a very long sentence … I personally think it's harsh, very harsh," said her pardon attorney Margaret Love, who served as the Justice Department's pardon attorney under George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. "Somebody who got a harsh sentence might have been bitter about it, but she is not and has not been."
Mohr was released from prison in 2011. She now works as a construction inspector in St. Mary's County in southern Maryland.
While incarcerated, she sought to have her sentence commuted, but the request was denied. In a 2008 letter to the Justice Department in support of her commutation request, the Rev. James G. Kirk, Mohr's pastor, described her as a "conscientious mother" who saw people for what they are, regardless of race or background and without perceived judgments or stereotypes.
Mohr's son, Adam Popielarcheck was only a toddler when she was imprisoned and remembers his father waking him up early in the morning on Saturdays so they can drive to visit Mohr in prison. He said he remembers wondering why they always had to drive several hours to see his mother, why she was always in a brown jumpsuit every time he saw her, or why there were guards every time they visited.
"I really want you to let my mother come home. I miss her so very much – to the moon and back is how much I miss her," Popielarcheck, now 21, wrote in a 2008 letter in support of Mohr's commutation request.
Popielarcheck said he plans to also become a police officer.


usatoday--2020-12-24--National defense bill vetoed by President Donald Trump can still be enacted

National defense bill vetoed by President Donald Trump can still be enacted President Donald Trump vetoed the National Defense Authorization @ @ @ @ @ provisions he wanted .

President Donald Trump vetoes National Defense Authorization Act
President Donald Trump vetoed the National Defense Authorization Act because it left out provisions he wanted.
USA TODAY, Wochit


usatoday--2020-12-24--Tensions between Trump and GOP lawmakers increase amid attempt to overturn election, COVID relief ef

WASHINGTON — A rift has been growing between President Donald Trump and some of the Republicans whom he once praised , as he continues his baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and President-elect Joe Bi prepares to take office in less than a month .
Meanwhile , Republicans are battling to keep their Senate majority with two seats up for grabs in January runoff elections , and Americans are waiting on further economic relief amid the coronavirus pandemic .
All these circumstances have seen contentious moments between Trump and his party members .
Here 's a look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has left in his wake : Much of Trump 's focus has been placed on Georgia , where Republicans are campaigning for incumbent Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue — and where Trump insists he must have won the presidential race , with no evidence , despite the state 's electors voting for Biden and an 11,000-vote margin .
The president has blamed Georgia 's Republican officials , Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , for refusing to go along with his attempts to overturn the state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence of widespread fraud , and the state 's recounts showed Biden won .
Trump , who endorsed both Kemp and Raffensperger in their previous elections and sung their praises , tweeted last month that they were `` hapless '' and `` obstinate . ''
He has also singled out Republican Gov .
Doug Ducey of Arizona .
Attorney General Bill Barr left the Justice Department this week after serving as one of Trump ’ s staunchest supporters , before ultimately breaking with the president ’ s efforts to overturn the November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice Department had found no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the vote , in contrast to Trump 's repeated claims of fraud .
Barr submitted his resignation this month while questions about whether Trump would dismiss him circled .
On Monday Barr again indicated there was no reason have a special counsel to pursue the unfounded claims of election fraud .
Earlier this election season Trump dismissed Chris Krebs , who was the former election security chief for the Department of Homeland Security , after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most secure in the country 's history .
Krebs has since called on Republicans to oppose harassment and threats against election officials who have countered the baseless claims of fraud .
Trump 's election efforts have virtually all met dead ends , and Republican lawmakers have had to answer to whether they will admit his loss or prop up his claims of election fraud .
After state electors convened on Dec. 14 to cast their votes , confirming that Biden will be the next president , more Republicans began publicly acknowledging Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. McConnell said form the Senate floor , `` The Electoral College has spoken , '' as he offered congratulations to Biden , referring to him as `` the president-elect . ''
He had previously not acknowledged Biden as the winner despite Biden 's victory being evident for weeks .
Trump later tweeted , `` .
@ senatemajldr and Republican Senators have to get tougher , or you won ’ t have a Republican Party anymore .
We won the Presidential Election , by a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t let them take it away ! ''
Trump slammed the sweeping government spending package and COVID-19 relief legislation that was passed through Congress on a bipartisan basis — after months of stalled negotiations between top leaders in both parties .
`` It 's called the COVID relief bill , but it has almost nothing to do with COVID , '' he said in a video , appearing to conflate the government spending measure with the attached COVID relief bill .
The president demanded that Congress up the amount that would go directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 , a proposal that Democrats in Congress quickly jumped on board with .
Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib , D-Mich. , and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , already have drafted language for a proposal to raise the amount .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and other Democrats had been pushing for $ 2,000 in payments , but Republicans led by McConnell shot the idea down during negotiations .
The amount Congress approved in the deal passed on Monday was proposed by Trump 's own Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin .

Tensions between Trump and GOP lawmakers increase amid attempt to overturn election, COVID relief efforts
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: President Trump denounces new relief bill, demands changes President Trump denounced the new COVID-19 relief package he's expected to sign and urged congressional leaders to make several changes to the bill. Staff video, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — A rift has been growing between President Donald Trump and some of the Republicans whom he once praised, as he continues his baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in less than a month.
Meanwhile, Republicans are battling to keep their Senate majority with two seats up for grabs in January runoff elections, and Americans are waiting on further economic relief amid the coronavirus pandemic. All these circumstances have seen contentious moments between Trump and his party members.
Here's a look at the fractured relationships with GOP officials Trump has left in his wake:
Trump rails against GOP swing state leaders
Much of Trump's focus has been placed on Georgia, where Republicans are campaigning for incumbent Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue — and where Trump insists he must have won the presidential race, with no evidence, despite the state's electors voting for Biden and an 11,000-vote margin.
The president has blamed Georgia's Republican officials, Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, for refusing to go along with his attempts to overturn the state's results. Raffensperger has said there was no evidence of widespread fraud, and the state's recounts showed Biden won.
Trump, who endorsed both Kemp and Raffensperger in their previous elections and sung their praises, tweeted last month that they were "hapless" and "obstinate." He has also singled out Republican Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona.
Between Governor @DougDucey of Arizona and Governor @BrianKempGA of Georgia, the Democrat Party could not be happier. They fight harder against us than do the Radical Left Dems. If they were with us, we would have already won both Arizona and Georgia... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2020
Officials out after contradicting fraud claims
Attorney General Bill Barr left the Justice Department this week after serving as one of Trump’s staunchest supporters, before ultimately breaking with the president’s efforts to overturn the November election.
Barr said this month that the Justice Department had found no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the vote, in contrast to Trump's repeated claims of fraud.
Barr submitted his resignation this month while questions about whether Trump would dismiss him circled. On Monday Barr again indicated there was no reason have a special counsel to pursue the unfounded claims of election fraud.
Earlier this election season Trump dismissed Chris Krebs, who was the former election security chief for the Department of Homeland Security, after he concluded that the November general election was the most secure in the country's history. Krebs has since called on Republicans to oppose harassment and threats against election officials who have countered the baseless claims of fraud.
Republicans acknowledge Biden's election victory
Trump's election efforts have virtually all met dead ends, and Republican lawmakers have had to answer to whether they will admit his loss or prop up his claims of election fraud.
After state electors convened on Dec. 14 to cast their votes, confirming that Biden will be the next president, more Republicans began publicly acknowledging Biden's win for the first time, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
McConnell said form the Senate floor, "The Electoral College has spoken," as he offered congratulations to Biden, referring to him as "the president-elect." He had previously not acknowledged Biden as the winner despite Biden's victory being evident for weeks.
Trump later tweeted, ".@senatemajldr and Republican Senators have to get tougher, or you won’t have a Republican Party anymore. We won the Presidential Election, by a lot. FIGHT FOR IT. Don’t let them take it away!"
Joe Biden declares 'clear victory,' Sen. Mitch McConnell congratulates him Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated president-elect Joe Biden on winning the presidency. Staff video, USA TODAY
Trump decries COVID-19 relief bill
Trump slammed the sweeping government spending package and COVID-19 relief legislation that was passed through Congress on a bipartisan basis — after months of stalled negotiations between top leaders in both parties.
"It's called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID," he said in a video, appearing to conflate the government spending measure with the attached COVID relief bill.
The president demanded that Congress up the amount that would go directly to Americans from $600 to $2,000, a proposal that Democrats in Congress quickly jumped on board with. Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., already have drafted language for a proposal to raise the amount.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other Democrats had been pushing for $2,000 in payments, but Republicans led by McConnell shot the idea down during negotiations. The amount Congress approved in the deal passed on Monday was proposed by Trump's own Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
'Ridiculously low': Donald Trump demands bigger stimulus checks in $900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress
Contributing: Ledyard King, Nicholas Wu


usatoday--2020-12-23--New York, again, leads nation in population decline. And it could now lose two House seats.

ALBANY — The Big Apple continues to get smaller .
New York 's population continued to decline more than any state in the nation , new figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau show .
The Empire State 's population fell by 126,355 people between July 2019 and July 2020 , to 19.3 million , a drop of 0.65 % , according to the preliminary figures .
That 's the most of any state by total and by percentage .
Population decline continues to be a problem for New York , and it could play out in 2022 during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York could lose as many as two U.S. House seats ; it will certainly lose one , dropping it from 27 to 26 seats and impacting its clout in Washington .
New York could also be on the way to its first population decline in any decade since the 1970s , according to the Empire Center , a fiscally conservative think tank in Albany .
New York 's population has been boosted by immigrants and new births , but even that has tailed off in recent years , E.J .
McMahon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The 2020 estimated New York population represented a net decline of 41,326 , or 0.21 % , from the official decennial census count in 2010 — largely because foreign immigration into the state has fallen off sharply since 2017 , in line with a national trend , '' he wrote .
Florida surpassed New York in 2014 as the third largest state in the nation , and the gap has widened since then .
Florida gained 241,256 people since July 2019 , bringing its population to 21.7 million .
Only Texas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gained more people over the past year , the census data showed .
New York has had an exodus over the past decade of about 1.4 million people , and about 21 % of them went to Florida , by far the most of any other state , data last year showed .
The latest drop in New York was part of an overall decline of 153,065 people in the Northeast between July 2019 and July 2020 , the most of any region in the nation .
New Jersey , Massachusetts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connecticut all had modest population declines over the past year .
Nationally , only Illinois neared New York in percent of population decline , down 79,487 people , or 0.63 % , since last year .
Overall , the nation has gained nearly 21 million people since 2010 , the Empire Center said , up 6.7 % Another economic blow : A slowdown in US population growth worsened by the coronavirus pandemic Will San Francisco , New York and other big cities recover from COVID-19 ?
What a post-vaccine city could look like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population drop as the state faces criticism for high taxes driving people to less expensive states .
In 2018 , Cuomo was knocked for saying upstate 's winter weather was a significant factor in people moving elsewhere , particularly the South .
`` More people are leaving upstate net ?
Yes .
People will make demographic choices about where they want to live , '' Cuomo said two years ago .
`` Some of them are climate-based .
Some of them are based for personal reasons .
So the diminishing population in upstate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upstate New York because they had to in the past . ''
Cuomo has pointed to lower income taxes installed by his administration and a property-tax cap that has limited the growth since 2011 as ways the state has sought to lower the cost of living .

New York, again, leads nation in population decline: It could now lose two House seats
Show Caption Hide Caption Video: How New York is losing residents to Florida More New Yorkers are leaving for Florida than other states, new Census figures show. New York State Team
ALBANY, N.Y. – The Big Apple continues to get smaller.
New York's population continued to decline more than any state in the nation, new figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau show.
The Empire State's population fell by 126,355 people between July 2019 and July 2020, to 19.3 million, a drop of 0.65%, according to the preliminary figures. That's the most of any state by total and by percentage.
Population decline continues to be a problem for New York, and it could play out in 2022 during federal reapportionment. At this rate, New York could lose as many as two U.S. House seats; it will certainly lose one, dropping it from 27 to 26 seats and impacting its clout in Washington.
New York could also be on the way to its first population decline in any decade since the 1970s, according to the Empire Center, a fiscally conservative think tank in Albany.
New York's population has been boosted by immigrants and new births, but even that has tailed off in recent years, E.J. McMahon, the group's founder, wrote.
"The 2020 estimated New York population represented a net decline of 41,326, or 0.21%, from the official decennial census count in 2010 – largely because foreign immigration into the state has fallen off sharply since 2017, in line with a national trend," he wrote.
Florida surpassed New York in 2014 as the third-largest state in the nation, and the gap has widened since then.
Florida gained 241,256 people since July 2019, bringing its population to 21.7 million. Only Texas, the second-most populous state behind California, gained more people over the past year, the census data showed.
New York has had an exodus over the past decade of about 1.4 million people, and about 21% of them went to Florida, by far the most of any other state, data last year showed.
The latest drop in New York was part of an overall decline of 153,065 people in the Northeast between July 2019 and July 2020, the most of any region in the nation.
New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Connecticut all had modest population declines over the past year.
Nationally, only Illinois neared New York in percent of population decline, down 79,487 people, or 0.63%, since last year.
Overall, the nation has gained nearly 21 million people since 2010, the Empire Center said, up 6.7%
Another economic blow: A slowdown in US population growth worsened by the coronavirus pandemic
Will San Francisco, New York and other big cities recover from COVID-19? What a post-vaccine city could look like
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has downplayed the population drop as the state faces criticism for high taxes driving people to less expensive states.
In 2018, Cuomo was knocked for saying upstate's winter weather was a significant factor in people moving elsewhere, particularly the South.
"More people are leaving upstate net? Yes. People will make demographic choices about where they want to live," Cuomo said two years ago.
"Some of them are climate-based. Some of them are based for personal reasons. So the diminishing population in upstate is not new. People were leaving upstate New York because they had to in the past."
Cuomo has pointed to lower income taxes installed by his administration and a property-tax cap that has limited the growth since 2011 as ways the state has sought to lower the cost of living.
Follow Joseph Spector on Twitter: @GannettAlbany


usatoday--2020-12-24--Coronavirus updates: CDC says up to 420K deaths by mid-January; California first state to 2M cases;

Coronavirus updates: CDC says up to 420K deaths by mid-January; California first state to 2M cases; Vaccines given 'slower' than expected

USA TODAY is keeping track of the news surrounding COVID-19 as a pair of vaccines join the U.S. fight against a virus that has killed more than 325,000 Americans since the first reported fatality in February .
Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates on vaccine distribution , including who is getting the shots and where , as well as other COVID-19 news from across the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates directly to your inbox , join our Facebook group or scroll through our in-depth answers to reader questions for everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
►The federal government is close to delivering 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the month of December , as promised , but states are taking longer than expected to get those doses into people 's arms .
Here 's what officials are saying about immunizations .
►The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects there will be 378,000 to 419,000 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. by Jan. 16 , according to a projection published Wednesday .
►President Donald Trump has threatened to torpedo Congress ’ massive COVID-19 relief package , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
►California has become the first state to surpass 2 million cases , according to Johns Hopkins University data , a somber marker reached only by seven countries .
►A Black doctor who said she received racist treatment while hospitalized with COVID-19 has died , her son told the New York Times .
Dr. Susan Moore said her white doctor in Indiana `` made me feel like I was a drug addict '' and did not take her complaints of pain seriously .
Her son told the Times that while she eventually received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain , the case shows , as Moore put it , `` how Black people get killed , when you send them home and they don ’ t know how to fight for themselves . ''
►Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera chose not to suspend quarterback Dwayne Haskins after he violated COVID-19 protocols Sunday night , which the team learned of after a social media post showed the second-year pro partying at a strip club without a mask .
But Rivera did fine Haskins , and also stripped him of captain status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferred to the intensive care unit at Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport to continue treatment for COVID-19 , his spokesman told USA TODAY Network on Wednesday .
►Colorado has begun vaccinating workers insides its prisons as COVID-19 continues to spread in the facilities .
Annie Skinner , a corrections department spokesperson , said frontline health care workers in prisons were the focus of the vaccination efforts but other workers have received shots to avoid wasting doses .
Criminal justice advocates have pushed for prisons to be prioritized in vaccination efforts because outbreaks have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has more than 18.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 326,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
The global totals : More than 78.8 million cases and 1.7 million deaths .
USA TODAY panel says US has nailed science behind vaccines Experts are thrilled about the reported safety and effectiveness of two COVID-19 vaccines rolling out across the country .
But they remain concerned about what still could go wrong to shake the public 's fragile faith in it .
In interviews with USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dozen vaccine experts were more guarded .
Most believe vaccines wo n't become widely available until late spring or early summer , assuming no production problems and the authorization of two additional vaccines by sometime in February .
Every month , members of USA TODAY 's expert panel gauge the progress of COVID-19 vaccines by choosing the time on an imaginary clock that began at midnight with the discovery of the virus in early 2020 and ends at noon , when a vaccine is freely available across the U.S. Each month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midpoint of their estimates .
In June , that was 4 a.m. By October , the sun had risen and their consensus fell at 8 a.m .
The time for November shot ahead to 9:30 a.m. – the biggest advance in a month to that point .
For December , the panel returned to its steady pace and advanced the clock one hour to 10:30 a.m. What 's the point of failing students during COVID-19 ?
While a recent Rand Corp. study found just 6 in 10 U.S. teachers are assigning letter grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double what it was in this past spring .
Class failure rates have surged in districts across the country , from Virginia to Hawaii .
And those F ’ s tend to be concentrated among low-income students of color , data indicate , as well as those who are still learning to speak English or have disabilities .
Nationally , students whose grades are plummeting , including seniors whose graduation prospects are at stake , may not have the chance to recover .
“ There 's never a reason to fail a child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you absolutely have no possibility of mastering something , ” said Tanji Reed Marshall , of Ed Trust , a national nonprofit that seeks to close opportunity gaps in schools .
“ The idea of failing students right now seems pointless , particularly if a student 's ... 'lack of attendance ' is due to no fault of their own.
” Why Americans are traveling despite health officials ' advice Millions of Americans are traveling ahead of Christmas and New Year ’ s , despite pleas from public health experts that they stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t have many Christmases left .
Others are trying to keep long-distance romance alive .
Some just yearn for the human connection that ’ s been absent for the past nine months .
Many people at airports this week thought long and hard about whether to go somewhere and found a way to rationalize it .
Christmas Eve is Dr. Fauci 's 80th birthday .
Here 's how he 's celebrating during the pandemic .
Dr. Anthony Fauci will be celebrating his 80th birthday on Thursday , Christmas Eve .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the nation ’ s leading infectious disease expert will be spending his birthday and the holidays reconnecting with family over Zoom .
Fauci has three adult daughters who all live in different parts of the country .
“ The Christmas holiday is a special holiday for us because Christmas Eve is my birthday .
And Christmas Day is Christmas Day .
And they are not going to come home … that ’ s painful , ” he told The Washington Post .
“ But that ’ s just one of the things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept as we go through this unprecedented challenging time .
”

Elinor Aspegren and Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: Antibodies may provide protection for up to 6 months or longer; California reaches 2M cases
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 vaccine: Your most common questions answered In this special edition episode of States of America, experts answer the biggest questions Americans have about the vaccine, side effects, how it's getting to you and more. USA TODAY
USA TODAY is keeping track of the news surrounding COVID-19 as a pair of vaccines join the U.S. fight against a virus that has killed more than 325,000 Americans since the first reported fatality in February. Keep refreshing this page for the latest updates on vaccine distribution, including who is getting the shots and where, as well as other COVID-19 news from across the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter for updates directly to your inbox, join our Facebook group or scroll through our in-depth answers to reader questions for everything you need to know about the coronavirus.
In the headlines:
►The U.S. military is again tracking Santa Claus, although with some modifications because of the pandemic. The North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa tracking operations center usually has around 1,500 volunteers fielding calls from around the world, but this year they have scaled back. This year, Santa is wearing a mask, according to the tracker.
►Republicans blocked an effort Thursday to increase direct payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000 in the latest stimulus package. Democrats said they would try to push the increase through after President Donald Trump said this week he wanted bigger direct checks sent out.
►The federal government is close to delivering 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the month of December, as promised, but states are taking longer than expected to get those doses into people's arms. Here's what officials are saying about immunizations.
►The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects there will be 378,000 to 419,000 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. by Jan. 16, according to a projection published Wednesday.
►The Transportation Security Administration said it screened a pandemic-record 1,191,123 individuals at airports across the country on Wednesday. While Wednesday's total was still down 38% from the same weekday a year ago, which was Christmas Day, it was the fourth day during the Christmas holiday rush that traveler counts topped 1 million.
►California has become the first state to surpass 2 million cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data, a somber marker reached only by seven countries.
►A Black doctor who said she received racist treatment while hospitalized with COVID-19 has died, her son told the New York Times. Dr. Susan Moore said her white doctor in Indiana "made me feel like I was a drug addict" and did not take her complaints of pain seriously. Her son told the Times that while she eventually received care that "adequately treated" her pain, the case shows, as Moore put it, "how Black people get killed, when you send them home and they don’t know how to fight for themselves."
►Louisiana Rep.-elect Luke Letlow has been transferred to the intensive care unit at Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport to continue treatment for COVID-19, his spokesman told USA TODAY Network on Wednesday.
►Colorado has begun vaccinating workers insides its prisons as COVID-19 continues to spread in the facilities. Annie Skinner, a corrections department spokesperson, said frontline health care workers in prisons were the focus of the vaccination efforts but other workers have received shots to avoid wasting doses. Criminal justice advocates have pushed for prisons to be prioritized in vaccination efforts because outbreaks have been rampant in facilities across the U.S.
►In Oregon, one person who was sick went to work and later tested positive for COVID-19. That has led to two separate outbreaks, one of which has killed at least 7 people and the other forced 300 to quarantine, the Oregonian reported.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has more than 18.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 329,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 79 million cases and 1.7 million deaths.
📚 What we're reading: A new variant of coronavirus, with 17 mutations compared with its most recent ancestor, is spreading fast in the U.K. Here’s what scientists know.
Here's a closer look at today's top stories:
In March, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared that all claims of injury from COVID-19 vaccines would be handled through a program run by his agency.
Because the vaccine is for a once-in-a-century virus and hasn't been approved for routine use, anyone who seeks compensation for a serious side effect will be directed to a little-known federal program that rarely sides with consumers.
That program, the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, has rejected 90% of vaccine-injury claims over the last decade.
In contrast, the federal government's "vaccine court," which handles claims mainly involving routine childhood vaccines, has paid about 70% of claims from 2006 through 2018.
As COVID-19 vaccines are being shipped to millions of Americans, some attorneys and consumer advocates question whether people will get a fair review in the rare cases of alleged harm.
– Ken Alltucker
Evidence from two new studies suggest that antibodies from getting COVID-19 may provide protection against future infection.
Researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute found that people with antibodies from natural infection were less likely to test positive again for up to six months and maybe longer, according to one of the studies published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research looked at 12,500 health workers at Oxford University Hospitals in the U.K.
The second study, still undergoing peer-review, involved more than 3 million people who had antibody tests from two private labs in the United States. Only .03% of those who initially had antibodies later tested positive for the coronavirus, compared with 3% of those who lacked such antibodies.
The findings are “not a surprise,” said Joshua Wolf, an infectious disease specialist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis who is not affiliated with the study. “But it’s really reassuring because it tells people that immunity to the virus is common.”
– Adrianna Rodriguez
Millions of Americans are on the verge of being evicted with the federal eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of January, unleashing what advocates say could be a housing catastrophe of historic proportions: Without federal intervention, they fear, as many as 40 million people could be displaced amid an ongoing and still worsening pandemic.
“We’re facing potentially the worst housing and homelessness crisis in our country’s history,” said Diane Yentel, CEO and president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition in Washington, D.C.
The eviction moratorium approved by the CDC was originally set to end Dec. 3 and is expected to be extended through January by Congress under a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package that also includes offering $25 billion in emergency rental assistance.
But critics say the order’s vague wording has led to inconsistent implementation and allowed determined landlords to find loopholes. Moreover, tenants often aren’t aware of the order, and without legal representation, many aren’t equipped to follow through in court. Read more here.
– Marc Ramirez, Sarah Taddeo and Tiffany Cusaac-Smith
The vaccines are coming. Now, how many Americans will actually get them?
USA TODAY spoke with psychology experts to get advice on what you can do to encourage your family, friends and community members to get the vaccine. Here are some tips:
Don't judge people: Shame is not nearly as effective in changing behavior as some might think.
Shame is not nearly as effective in changing behavior as some might think. Don't dismiss people's concerns: Reasonable skeptics are not going to trust the vaccine just because someone says they should. If someone is skeptical of Big Pharma, for example, don't disregard that.
Reasonable skeptics are not going to trust the vaccine just because someone says they should. If someone is skeptical of Big Pharma, for example, don't disregard that. Is this person vaccine-hesitant or a hardcore anti-vaxxer? Asking questions will help you understand if people are persuadable and what may persuade them.
Asking questions will help you understand if people are persuadable and what may persuade them. Model the behavior you want to see: Telling people you plan to get the vaccine and posting a photo on social media when you do is far more potent than anything else you share.
Read more of their recommendations here.
– Alia E. Dastagir
Dr. Anthony Fauci will be celebrating his 80th birthday on Thursday, Christmas Eve.
However, similar to his Thanksgiving celebrations, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert will be spending his birthday and the holidays reconnecting with family over Zoom.
Fauci has three adult daughters who all live in different parts of the country.
“The Christmas holiday is a special holiday for us because Christmas Eve is my birthday. And Christmas Day is Christmas Day. And they are not going to come home … that’s painful,” he told The Washington Post. “But that’s just one of the things you’re going to have to accept as we go through this unprecedented challenging time.”
– Adrianna Rodriguez
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-12-24--Columbus officer who fatally shot unarmed Black man has history of excessive force, misconduct

COLUMBUS , Ohio — The Columbus police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Black man on the city 's Northwest Side on Tuesday has a history of complaints and issues with excessive force .
Adam Coy , 44 , has been a police officer in Columbus since July 2001 .
According to previous reporting by The Dispatch , part of the USA TODAY Network , Coy had nine complaints filed against him in 2003 , four of those coming in a one-month period .
Coy received written counseling , The Dispatch reported at the time .
In 2012 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who Coy had stopped for drunken driving one morning at 3 a.m .
According to reports from The Dispatch , a cruiser camera showed Coy `` banging the driver 's head into the hood four times during the arrest . ''
His actions were deemed `` excessive for the situation . ''
In addition to the city 's settlement with the driver for $ 45,000 , Coy was suspended for 160 hours .
'The community is exhausted ' : Mayor of Ohio 's largest city calls for officer 's badge and gun after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has requested a copy of Coy 's personnel file from the Division of Police .
Coy could not be reached for comment Wednesday .
His two-story home in Union County is decorated for Christmas but now has a store-bought `` No Trespassing '' sign taped to the front door .
On Tuesday , Coy shot and killed 47-year-old man , identified Wednesday as Andre ' Maurice Hill , at a home on the 1000 block of Oberlin Drive after responding to a complaint from a neighbor around 1:30 a.m. about a person sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on and off repeatedly .
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther said Coy and another officer who responded to the scene but did not fire a weapon did not turn on their body cameras until after the shooting .
The body cameras have a 60-second `` look-back '' feature that captures video , but not audio .
This look-back recorded the shooting , indicating the officers turned the cameras on within 60 seconds of the shooting taking place .
Division policy for the body cameras , which were a $ 5 million investment by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cameras on `` when dispatched or upon a self-initiated response to a Priority 1 or 2 call for service . ''
The complaint on Tuesday morning was made through the division 's non-emergency phone line and would have been considered a Priority 2 call .
Division policy states that officers should activate their body cameras when calls that are not for service become '' enforcement actions '' or become adversarial .
The camera should be turned on `` at the start of an enforcement action or at the first reasonable opportunity to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coy and the other officer , who has not been identified , also delayed giving medical aid to the man following the shooting , the city said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon .
Division policy says that all sworn personnel are required to render `` appropriate aid and/or summon emergency medical services … as soon as it is reasonable and safe to do so . ''
The body camera footage was released Wednesday .
Also on Wednesday , Ginther asked for Coy to be fired after being relieved of duty , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
Public Safety Director Ned Pettus said Coy will be served with a list of charges by the chief of police and then will have a hearing before Pettus prior to being terminated , in accordance with the United States Constitution and the collective bargaining agreement with the city and the Fraternal Order of Police .
The charges against Coy will likely focus on violations of division policy related to the failure of Coy and the female officer with him to turn on their body cameras until after the shooting or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Ginther 's press conference Wednesday afternoon , City Council President Shannon Hardin issued a statement calling for the immediate arrest of Coy , calling Hill 's death an `` unjustified killing . ''
Activists and community leaders have also expressed frustration and dismay .
`` We were outraged , '' said Nana Watson , the local NAACP chapter president .
“ It ’ s another sad day in the community . ''
“ Why do we have the body cameras if they aren ’ t going to be turned on ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question , when you don ’ t have the body camera on and something like this happens , what ’ s the punishment for not having it turned on ?
” Policies surrounding the use of police body cameras need to be closely examined , Watson said .
“ We need an explanation as to why this occurred , ” she said .
“ Law enforcement officers are going to have to be held accountable for their actions.
” State Sens .
Hearcel Craig and Erica Crawley , both Democrats from Columbus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were devastated and frustrated by Tuesday 's events .
`` We don ’ t know how much you can change the hearts and minds of individuals who will continue to see Black people as a threat , '' they said .
`` You can ’ t train that fear and hatred away .
There is something deeply wrong within the Columbus Police Department and there needs to be answers . ''
The pair of legislators did acknowledge that `` many members '' of the police division `` honor their positions with integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and malicious actions of those who abuse their authority and public trust must be swiftly and deliberately punished , '' they said .
`` The status quo is not working for our community , and the recently developed civilian review board needs to be activated and fully engaged to ensure justice is being served . ''
Columbus City Council said in a press release that council members “ are beyond frustrated at this senseless death.
” “ The compounding heartbreak of learning an unarmed black man was killed last night by a Columbus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the release said .
`` Thoughts and prayers can not soothe this pain . ''
Tuesday 's shooting came 18 days after 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. was fatally shot outside his Northland home by Franklin County Sheriff 's SWAT deputy Jason Meade .
“ I don ’ t know how much more this city can take , ” Watson said .
“ ( This month ) has been filled with anger , sadness and disappointment towards law enforcement who are supposed to defend and protect.
” “ There are not enough words to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that another Black man has been killed in our community at the hands of law enforcement in less than a month , ” she said in a statement .
“ I am greatly concerned and call into question police procedures as well as the timing and inconsistent use of body cameras.
” Keith Ferrell , the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No .
9 , said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that the union believes due process is important .
`` These investigations are meant to be independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of city officials to maintain the integrity of that investigation , '' Ferrell said .
The Goodson investigation is being handled by Columbus police , the FBI , the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and is being overseen by David DeVillers , U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio .
Contributing : Holly Zachariah , Columbus Dispatch .
Follow Columbus reporters Bethany Bruner and Megan Henry on Twitter : @ bethany_bruner and @ megankhenry .

Megan Henry, Bethany Bruner and Megan Henry, The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus officer who fatally shot unarmed Black man has history of excessive force, misconduct
Show Caption Hide Caption Black man shot after approaching Columbus police officer with phone Andre Hill was approaching a Columbus police officer with his phone in hand when he was fatally shot. USA TODAY
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Black man on the city's Northwest Side on Tuesday has a history of complaints and issues with excessive force.
Adam Coy, 44, has been a police officer in Columbus since July 2001.
According to previous reporting by The Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, Coy had nine complaints filed against him in 2003, four of those coming in a one-month period. Coy received written counseling, The Dispatch reported at the time.
In 2012, the city paid $45,000 to a man who Coy had stopped for drunken driving one morning at 3 a.m.
According to reports from The Dispatch, a cruiser camera showed Coy "banging the driver's head into the hood four times during the arrest." His actions were deemed "excessive for the situation."
In addition to the city's settlement with the driver for $45,000, Coy was suspended for 160 hours.
'The community is exhausted': Mayor of Ohio's largest city calls for officer's badge and gun after fatal shooting of Black man
The Dispatch has requested a copy of Coy's personnel file from the Division of Police.
Coy could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His two-story home in Union County is decorated for Christmas but now has a store-bought "No Trespassing" sign taped to the front door.
On Tuesday, Coy shot and killed 47-year-old man, identified Wednesday as Andre' Maurice Hill, at a home on the 1000 block of Oberlin Drive after responding to a complaint from a neighbor around 1:30 a.m. about a person sitting in a SUV and turning its engine on and off repeatedly.
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther said Coy and another officer who responded to the scene but did not fire a weapon did not turn on their body cameras until after the shooting.
The body cameras have a 60-second "look-back" feature that captures video, but not audio. This look-back recorded the shooting, indicating the officers turned the cameras on within 60 seconds of the shooting taking place.
Division policy for the body cameras, which were a $5 million investment by the city, requires officers to have the cameras on "when dispatched or upon a self-initiated response to a Priority 1 or 2 call for service."
The complaint on Tuesday morning was made through the division's non-emergency phone line and would have been considered a Priority 2 call.
Division policy states that officers should activate their body cameras when calls that are not for service become "enforcement actions" or become adversarial. The camera should be turned on "at the start of an enforcement action or at the first reasonable opportunity to do so," the policy states.
Coy and the other officer, who has not been identified, also delayed giving medical aid to the man following the shooting, the city said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
Division policy says that all sworn personnel are required to render "appropriate aid and/or summon emergency medical services … as soon as it is reasonable and safe to do so."
The body camera footage was released Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Ginther asked for Coy to be fired after being relieved of duty, what the division of police calls suspension, on Tuesday.
Public Safety Director Ned Pettus said Coy will be served with a list of charges by the chief of police and then will have a hearing before Pettus prior to being terminated, in accordance with the United States Constitution and the collective bargaining agreement with the city and the Fraternal Order of Police.
The charges against Coy will likely focus on violations of division policy related to the failure of Coy and the female officer with him to turn on their body cameras until after the shooting or immediately render aid to Hill.
Shortly after Ginther's press conference Wednesday afternoon, City Council President Shannon Hardin issued a statement calling for the immediate arrest of Coy, calling Hill's death an "unjustified killing."
Activists and community leaders have also expressed frustration and dismay.
"We were outraged," said Nana Watson, the local NAACP chapter president. “It’s another sad day in the community."
“Why do we have the body cameras if they aren’t going to be turned on?” Watson asked. “It begs the question, when you don’t have the body camera on and something like this happens, what’s the punishment for not having it turned on?”
Policies surrounding the use of police body cameras need to be closely examined, Watson said.
“We need an explanation as to why this occurred,” she said. “Law enforcement officers are going to have to be held accountable for their actions.”
State Sens. Hearcel Craig and Erica Crawley, both Democrats from Columbus, issued a joint statement Wednesday, saying they were devastated and frustrated by Tuesday's events.
"We don’t know how much you can change the hearts and minds of individuals who will continue to see Black people as a threat," they said. "You can’t train that fear and hatred away. There is something deeply wrong within the Columbus Police Department and there needs to be answers."
The pair of legislators did acknowledge that "many members" of the police division "honor their positions with integrity and responsibility."
"The flagrant and malicious actions of those who abuse their authority and public trust must be swiftly and deliberately punished," they said. "The status quo is not working for our community, and the recently developed civilian review board needs to be activated and fully engaged to ensure justice is being served."
Columbus City Council said in a press release that council members “are beyond frustrated at this senseless death.”
“The compounding heartbreak of learning an unarmed black man was killed last night by a Columbus police officer is beyond description," the release said. "Thoughts and prayers cannot soothe this pain."
Tuesday's shooting came 18 days after 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. was fatally shot outside his Northland home by Franklin County Sheriff's SWAT deputy Jason Meade.
“I don’t know how much more this city can take,” Watson said. “(This month) has been filled with anger, sadness and disappointment towards law enforcement who are supposed to defend and protect.”
U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty called Tuesday morning’s shooting “unacceptable.”
“There are not enough words to express the pain and anger I feel that another Black man has been killed in our community at the hands of law enforcement in less than a month,” she said in a statement. “I am greatly concerned and call into question police procedures as well as the timing and inconsistent use of body cameras.”
Read more: Faith leaders angry over Casey Goodson shooting, hot potato handling
Keith Ferrell, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that the union believes due process is important.
"These investigations are meant to be independent which should also include independence from influence of city officials to maintain the integrity of that investigation," Ferrell said.
The Goodson investigation is being handled by Columbus police, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and is being overseen by David DeVillers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
Contributing: Holly Zachariah, Columbus Dispatch. Follow Columbus reporters Bethany Bruner and Megan Henry on Twitter: @bethany_bruner and @megankhenry.


usatoday--2020-12-24--Opinion: These women changed sports, and the world, for good in 2020

Contradictory as they might seem , the protests by Naomi Osaka , WNBA and NWSL players this year , and the barrier-breaking achievements by women such as Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng , Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller and Cleveland Browns assistant Callie Brownson , all come from the same place .
“ We always feel like we ’ re at a disadvantage , ” the NWSL ’ s Crystal Dunn said , “ so it makes you feel fearless , in the same breath.
” It is not entirely accurate to call 2020 a watershed in women ’ s quest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
Women don ’ t have nearly the opportunities as men do , competitively or commercially .
Despite rises in TV ratings and sponsor spending for women ’ s sports , it ’ s still an uphill battle for visibility .
Even as women – Black women , in particular – lead the way in social justice efforts , they too often are overshadowed by male athletes .
And yet , there is no denying that 2020 saw a shift in the way women in sports are seen , that their voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a year in which so much was lost , here were measurable gains , advancements that will only be built on in years to come .
“ It really has been striking to see the resolve in terms of the global women ’ s sports community , ” said Ellen Staurowsky , a professor of sports media at Ithaca College ’ s Park School of Communications .
“ The framing of women ’ s sports has historically been from a deficit model … what women don ’ t have .
Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have resources , aren ’ t seen as equal partners , ” Staurowsky said .
“ But in this crisis , one of the things that has emerged in high relief is that women are having none of that anymore.
” They are simply doing what needs to be done .
And waiting for the rest of the world to catch up .
NWSL players were already feeling the weight of being the test case for every other North American league hoping to resume play in the midst of the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a police offcier .
Suddenly there were hard and painful , yet absolutely necessary , conversations being had among teammates .
GOOD SPORTS:20 sports figures who made the world a better place in 2020 COVID-19 DEATHS : COVID-19 killed race-car driver Bob Lazier and other sports figures in 2020 For the first time , though , it wasn ’ t just Black players in an overwhelmingly white sport begging to be seen and heard , Dunn said .
Instead , it was her white teammates telling her they had her back , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their message going forward would be .
When the North Carolina Courage , who Dunn played for then , and the Portland Thorns met for the opener of their Challenge Cup , the starters from both teams knelt during the national anthem .
“ Putting out a powerful message , a unified message , was incredible , ” Dunn said .
It also gave athletes in other sports cover to protest .
Many athletes had been visible presences at the demonstrations that followed Floyd ’ s death , and polls were showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing field .
But that was a hypothetical .
There hadn ’ t been a coordinated effort within a league since WNBA players protested police brutality of Black and brown people in 2016 , so the NWSL was a test run for this , too .
Within weeks , Major League Soccer , the NBA and the WNBA joined in with their own powerful statements .
Some were displays on the field , others were in the form of slogans on jerseys and courts .
At the U.S. Open , Osaka wore seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Black victim of police brutality .
“ It made it a movement , ” NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird said .
“ It was this constant … powerful imagery saying , ` We ’ ve had enough.
’ ” The WNBA even helped altera Senate race in Georgia , endorsing the Rev .
Raphael Warnock after Kelly Loeffler , his opponent and co-owner of the league 's Atlanta Dream , criticized players for their support of Black Lives Matter .
It was not a surprise to see women athletes exerting their power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 18 that she was opting out of the WNBA season to focus on social justice work .
Echoing Dunn , Montgomery said there is a bravery that comes with being constantly marginalized .
But there is a resoluteness , too .
“ It ’ s a moral compass that women are following , where right is right and wrong is wrong , ” Montgomery said .
It ’ s that same resoluteness that eventually brings down glass ceilings .
Hired last month as the general manager of the Marlins , Ng is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any of the major men ’ s professional sports leagues in North America .
It only took her three decades and three World Series titles to get there .
“ When I got into this business , it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team , ” Ng said when she was hired .
“ But I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals.
” At 31 , Brownson has already been an assistant high school football coach , an NFL intern ( twice ) , and both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college staff .
Now she ’ s the Cleveland Browns ’ chief of staff – similar to the job her boss had when he broke into the league – and , when tight ends coach Drew Petzing missed Cleveland ’ s Nov. 29 game following the birth of his first child , the first woman to coach a position group in an NFL regular-season game .
And Fuller , the Vanderbilt kicker , became the first woman to play and , two weeks later , score for a Power Five college football team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brownson and Fuller might appear singular , their power is not , Montgomery said .
A woman ’ s success emboldens other women , and shows both women and men the foolishness of prescribed limitations .
“ Women empowering women is a dangerous sight , ” Montgomery said , glee in her voice .
“ Women on their own are empowering enough , so I ’ m excited for the future.
” A future that , even in the darkness of 2020 , looks brighter than when the year began .

Opinion: These women changed sports, and the world, for good in 2020
Show Caption Hide Caption The changes we’ve seen in professional sports in the past year might be here to stay Sports Pulse: From no fans in the stands to programs being cut, what changes in the sports world are here to stay SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Contradictory as they might seem, the protests by Naomi Osaka, WNBA and NWSL players this year, and the barrier-breaking achievements by women such as Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng, Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller and Cleveland Browns assistant Callie Brownson, all come from the same place.
“We always feel like we’re at a disadvantage,” the NWSL’s Crystal Dunn said, “so it makes you feel fearless, in the same breath.”
It is not entirely accurate to call 2020 a watershed in women’s quest for respect and recognition in the sports world. Women don’t have nearly the opportunities as men do, competitively or commercially. Despite rises in TV ratings and sponsor spending for women’s sports, it’s still an uphill battle for visibility. Even as women – Black women, in particular – lead the way in social justice efforts, they too often are overshadowed by male athletes.
And yet, there is no denying that 2020 saw a shift in the way women in sports are seen, that their voices could finally be heard above the din. In a year in which so much was lost, here were measurable gains, advancements that will only be built on in years to come.
“It really has been striking to see the resolve in terms of the global women’s sports community,” said Ellen Staurowsky, a professor of sports media at Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications.
“The framing of women’s sports has historically been from a deficit model … what women don’t have. Women don’t have respect, don’t have resources, aren’t seen as equal partners,” Staurowsky said. “But in this crisis, one of the things that has emerged in high relief is that women are having none of that anymore.”
All the people that were telling me to “keep politics out of sports”, (which it wasn’t political at all), really inspired me to win. You better believe I’m gonna try to be on your tv for as long as possible. — NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) September 15, 2020
They are simply doing what needs to be done. And waiting for the rest of the world to catch up.
NWSL players were already feeling the weight of being the test case for every other North American league hoping to resume play in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic when George Floyd was killed by a police offcier. Suddenly there were hard and painful, yet absolutely necessary, conversations being had among teammates.
GOOD SPORTS: 20 sports figures who made the world a better place in 2020
COVID-19 DEATHS: COVID-19 killed race-car driver Bob Lazier and other sports figures in 2020
For the first time, though, it wasn’t just Black players in an overwhelmingly white sport begging to be seen and heard, Dunn said. Instead, it was her white teammates telling her they had her back, that while their experiences might not be similar, their message going forward would be.
When the North Carolina Courage, who Dunn played for then, and the Portland Thorns met for the opener of their Challenge Cup, the starters from both teams knelt during the national anthem.
“Putting out a powerful message, a unified message, was incredible,” Dunn said.
It also gave athletes in other sports cover to protest.
Many athletes had been visible presences at the demonstrations that followed Floyd’s death, and polls were showing a growing acceptance for protests on the playing field. But that was a hypothetical. There hadn’t been a coordinated effort within a league since WNBA players protested police brutality of Black and brown people in 2016, so the NWSL was a test run for this, too.
Within weeks, Major League Soccer, the NBA and the WNBA joined in with their own powerful statements. Some were displays on the field, others were in the form of slogans on jerseys and courts. At the U.S. Open, Osaka wore seven different masks, each with the name of a Black victim of police brutality.
“It made it a movement,” NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird said. “It was this constant … powerful imagery saying, `We’ve had enough.’”
The WNBA even helped altera Senate race in Georgia, endorsing the Rev. Raphael Warnock after Kelly Loeffler, his opponent and co-owner of the league's Atlanta Dream, criticized players for their support of Black Lives Matter.
It was not a surprise to see women athletes exerting their power, said Renee Montgomery, who announced June 18 that she was opting out of the WNBA season to focus on social justice work.
Echoing Dunn, Montgomery said there is a bravery that comes with being constantly marginalized. But there is a resoluteness, too.
“It’s a moral compass that women are following, where right is right and wrong is wrong,” Montgomery said.
It’s that same resoluteness that eventually brings down glass ceilings.
Hired last month as the general manager of the Marlins, Ng is believed to be the first female GM of any of the major men’s professional sports leagues in North America. It only took her three decades and three World Series titles to get there.
“When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team,” Ng said when she was hired. “But I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals.”
At 31, Brownson has already been an assistant high school football coach, an NFL intern (twice), and both an intern and an assistant on a college staff. Now she’s the Cleveland Browns’ chief of staff – similar to the job her boss had when he broke into the league – and, when tight ends coach Drew Petzing missed Cleveland’s Nov. 29 game following the birth of his first child, the first woman to coach a position group in an NFL regular-season game.
And Fuller, the Vanderbilt kicker, became the first woman to play and, two weeks later, score for a Power Five college football team.
While the accomplishments of Ng, Brownson and Fuller might appear singular, their power is not, Montgomery said. A woman’s success emboldens other women, and shows both women and men the foolishness of prescribed limitations.
“Women empowering women is a dangerous sight,” Montgomery said, glee in her voice. “Women on their own are empowering enough, so I’m excited for the future.”
A future that, even in the darkness of 2020, looks brighter than when the year began.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.


usatoday--2020-12-24--Kirk Cameron protests stay-at-home order with caroling event during California COVID surge

About 100 people organized by former child star Kirk Cameron , many of them without masks or practicing social distancing , gathered in Southern California Tuesday night to sing Christmas carols .
Cameron , 50 , a devout Christian , promoted the event , which took place in a mall parking lot in Thousand Oaks , Calif. , in advance on social media , just as he did with a previous one on Dec. 13 touted as a `` Christmas caroling peaceful protest . ''
Cameron , who famously starred in the `` Growing Pains '' TV sitcom , organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom 's latest stay-at-home order .
`` Have you ever sung Christmas carols by candlelight at a time where your state governor has prohibited you from doing that in America ? ''
Kirk said in an Instagram video posted Dec. 11 .
`` If you love God , if you love Christmas and you love liberty , you 're not gon na want to miss this . ''
Though his Dec. 13 protest stoked controversy , Cameron told Fox News that people are `` clamoring '' for community this holiday season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ free and the home of the brave , and there are thousands and thousands of people in our community who would rather not suffer in isolation and come out to sing and express their gratitude , '' Cameron told Fox News host Shannon Bream in a clip shared to his Instagram Dec. 18 .
`` We believe that there is immunity in community , but there is desolation in isolation , and I want to give people hope . ''
Cameron has shared Instagram videos from his previous protest that show a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shoulder .
Few wear masks in the videos .
Both events came as California is experiencing a COVID-19 surge .
As of Tuesday , the state has logged 1.9 million cases and 22,000 deaths , with new records seemingly set daily .
`` I guess they call themselves activists or protesters singing Christmas carols for a couple of hours , '' said Capt .
Eric Buschow , a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff 's Office .
He said at one point , sheriff 's deputies briefly responded to a report that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined no battery had occurred .
Counter-protesters accused Cameron of hosting a `` super-spreader '' event , which Buschow said lasted from about 5-7 p.m. '' And that was it , '' Buschow said .
`` No arrests .
No citations . ''
# SaveOurStages : How the new COVID-19 relief package will help entertainment venues The Oaks mall posted a statement on social media prior to Tuesday 's event saying , `` We do not condone this irresponsible – yet constitutionally protected – peaceful protest event planned .
`` We share your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office , '' the statement says .
`` As well , we have reached out to the event planner to ask that they do not use The Oaks as their venue . ''
The event occurred a few days after about 20 protesters without masks had tried to walk into a Sprouts Farmers Market near the mall , said Capt .
Dean Worthy of the sheriff 's office .
The store 's manager had immediately closed the store and refused to let the group enter , Worthy said .
Ellen DeGeneres tests positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine right now '

Charles Trepany and Mike Harris, USA TODAY NETWORK

Kirk Cameron protests stay-at-home order with caroling event during California COVID surge
Show Caption Hide Caption Celebs support student-led March for Our Lives rally Hundreds of thousands showed up in support of the March for Our Lives gun violence protest in Washington, D.C., including some celebrities. USA TODAY
About 100 people organized by former child star Kirk Cameron, many of them without masks or practicing social distancing, gathered in Southern California Tuesday night to sing Christmas carols.
Cameron, 50, a devout Christian, promoted the event, which took place in a mall parking lot in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in advance on social media, just as he did with a previous one on Dec. 13 touted as a "Christmas caroling peaceful protest."
Cameron, who famously starred in the "Growing Pains" TV sitcom, organized the event apparently to protest Gov. Gavin Newsom's latest stay-at-home order.
"Have you ever sung Christmas carols by candlelight at a time where your state governor has prohibited you from doing that in America?" Kirk said in an Instagram video posted Dec. 11. "If you love God, if you love Christmas and you love liberty, you're not gonna want to miss this."
Though his Dec. 13 protest stoked controversy, Cameron told Fox News that people are "clamoring" for community this holiday season.
"This is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and there are thousands and thousands of people in our community who would rather not suffer in isolation and come out to sing and express their gratitude," Cameron told Fox News host Shannon Bream in a clip shared to his Instagram Dec. 18. "We believe that there is immunity in community, but there is desolation in isolation, and I want to give people hope."
Cameron has shared Instagram videos from his previous protest that show a large crowd of people singing while standing shoulder to shoulder. Few wear masks in the videos.
Both events came as California is experiencing a COVID-19 surge. As of Tuesday, the state has logged 1.9 million cases and 22,000 deaths, with new records seemingly set daily.
"I guess they call themselves activists or protesters singing Christmas carols for a couple of hours," said Capt. Eric Buschow, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
He said at one point, sheriff's deputies briefly responded to a report that a counter-protester had been battered, but determined no battery had occurred.
Counter-protesters accused Cameron of hosting a "super-spreader" event, which Buschow said lasted from about 5-7 p.m.
"And that was it," Buschow said. "No arrests. No citations."
#SaveOurStages: How the new COVID-19 relief package will help entertainment venues
The Oaks mall posted a statement on social media prior to Tuesday's event saying, "We do not condone this irresponsible – yet constitutionally protected – peaceful protest event planned.
"We share your concern and have notified the sheriff's office," the statement says. "As well, we have reached out to the event planner to ask that they do not use The Oaks as their venue."
The event occurred a few days after about 20 protesters without masks had tried to walk into a Sprouts Farmers Market near the mall, said Capt. Dean Worthy of the sheriff's office.
The store's manager had immediately closed the store and refused to let the group enter, Worthy said.
Ellen DeGeneres tests positive for COVID-19, says she's 'feeling fine right now'
Contributing: Marco della Cava, USA TODAY