usatoday--2020-10-18--At 87, all my mom wanted was to vote in this election

At 87 , my mother had not voted in years .
So , a couple of weeks ago when she told me and my sister Peaches that she wanted to vote in the upcoming general election , I was glad to go online and register her .
I quickly recalled the 1970s , when as a single mother she raised four children on her own at a time when women had few rights and fewer avenues to advance in the workplace .
Jobs were scarce in our new hometown of Flagstaff , but she found work as a hostess at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often brought home its famous hamburgers .
She often would take me with her when she voted .
Later , after several previous attempts , she finally passed the employment exam for the phone company and was hired as a switchboard operator .
She worked a lot for us , but simply by dialing “ 0 , ” I usually could get my mom instantly on the phone .
We were poor .
There really is no other way to put it .
Although every penny counted , mom still joined the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she believed in worker rights .
I remember her taking me to hear a union leader speak in 1972 .
I was 11 .
We were at a union hall in East Flagstaff and the union leader even got on the back of a flatbed truck to make his point about boycotting lettuce .
His name was Cesar Chavez .
I was mesmerized .
Here was somebody who looked like me ( or maybe I looked like him ) who spoke about fair wages for hard work and the right to unionize .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kid , I used to do a pretty comical Cesar Chavez impression : “ Don ’ t eat lettuce .
Your tacos are still good without them.
” Deaths of despair : America is still in the middle of an opioid epidemic .
Why did we stop talking about it ?
My mom was a pioneer of sorts .
She was among the first women to work in the supply yard , a hold-out bastion of machismo .
On her first day , she found the office full of pornographic magazines and pin-ups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left a note for all the men to see : “ If any of these are yours , claim them today because tomorrow they go in the trash.
” Later , the woman who years before had repeatedly flunked her driver ’ s test would drive a fork lift .
Failure was never an option .
She became a union steward and later became a union officer .
Although she didn ’ t finish high school , she graduated to eventually becoming president of the Communications Workers of America union for northern Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a union grievance against a manager or the company still stands today .
Her ballot arrived , but I 'll vote instead I once asked her for her “ secret weapon.
” She said it ’ s no secret ; it ’ s called “ integrity ” – and it ’ s there in the open for all to see , but it ’ s also there when nobody is looking .
As a longtime journalist , as a public policy researcher/author/communicator , as a teacher , as a co-worker and as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as a friend/neighbor/family member , as a person , I ’ ve tried to always abide by that “ secret weapon.
” My mom was fortunate enough to retire some 25 years ago .
As she grew frail and more vulnerable , I welcomed her into my home to care for her as she once cared for me .
As she advanced in age , she wasn ’ t as plugged into current events and politics like she was before .
Fast-forward to 2020 , and mom was ready to vote again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important election in our lifetime .
“ We ’ re so proud of you , ” my sister told my mom .
I had the distinct honor of registering to vote this lovely person , mother of seven children and grandmother/great-grandmother/great-great-grandmother of so many more .
Wendy R. Sherman and David Gergen : If we are patient , election will deliver peaceful transfer of power Her ballot arrived by mail the other day , but it won ’ t be completed or mailed back .
With her integrity fully intact , Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day before early voting began and ballots were mailed out .
Although she won ’ t be voting , saddened but resolved I pledge in her name that my mail ballot will be filled out , signed , sealed and delivered .
I ask you to make a similar pledge for someone special in your life – past , present or future — and make sure you vote in this important election .
Democracy must live on .
Families are counting on us .
Joseph Garcia is executive director of Chicanos Por La @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofit advocacy organization for equity and social justice via empowerment , education and engagement of the electorate and elected officials .
This column originally appeared in the Arizona Republic .

At 87, all my mom wanted was to vote in this election As her health deteriorated, Virginia Garcia stopped voting. But this year was different. This year, she wanted to have a say.
Show Caption Hide Caption Why voter suppression in the US has increased since 2013 Civil rights experts point to long wait times to vote as a sign of growing voter suppression in the U.S. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
At 87, my mother had not voted in years. So, a couple of weeks ago when she told me and my sister Peaches that she wanted to vote in the upcoming general election, I was glad to go online and register her.
I quickly recalled the 1970s, when as a single mother she raised four children on her own at a time when women had few rights and fewer avenues to advance in the workplace. Jobs were scarce in our new hometown of Flagstaff, but she found work as a hostess at Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant and often brought home its famous hamburgers.
She often would take me with her when she voted.
Later, after several previous attempts, she finally passed the employment exam for the phone company and was hired as a switchboard operator. She worked a lot for us, but simply by dialing “0,” I usually could get my mom instantly on the phone.
My mom was a pioneer
We were poor. There really is no other way to put it. Although every penny counted, mom still joined the union and gladly paid her union dues because she believed in worker rights.
I remember her taking me to hear a union leader speak in 1972. I was 11. We were at a union hall in East Flagstaff and the union leader even got on the back of a flatbed truck to make his point about boycotting lettuce. His name was Cesar Chavez.
I was mesmerized. Here was somebody who looked like me (or maybe I looked like him) who spoke about fair wages for hard work and the right to unionize. And people listened. A somewhat dramatic kid, I used to do a pretty comical Cesar Chavez impression: “Don’t eat lettuce. Your tacos are still good without them.”
Deaths of despair: America is still in the middle of an opioid epidemic. Why did we stop talking about it?
My mom was a pioneer of sorts. She was among the first women to work in the supply yard, a hold-out bastion of machismo. On her first day, she found the office full of pornographic magazines and pin-ups. She boxed them all up and left a note for all the men to see: “If any of these are yours, claim them today because tomorrow they go in the trash.”
Nobody claimed them.
Later, the woman who years before had repeatedly flunked her driver’s test would drive a fork lift. Failure was never an option.
She became a union steward and later became a union officer. Although she didn’t finish high school, she graduated to eventually becoming president of the Communications Workers of America union for northern Arizona. The distinction of never having lost a union grievance against a manager or the company still stands today.
Her ballot arrived, but I'll vote instead
I once asked her for her “secret weapon.” She said it’s no secret; it’s called “integrity” – and it’s there in the open for all to see, but it’s also there when nobody is looking.
As a longtime journalist, as a public policy researcher/author/communicator, as a teacher, as a co-worker and as a manager, as a volunteer board member, as a friend/neighbor/family member, as a person, I’ve tried to always abide by that “secret weapon.”
My mom was fortunate enough to retire some 25 years ago. As she grew frail and more vulnerable, I welcomed her into my home to care for her as she once cared for me. As she advanced in age, she wasn’t as plugged into current events and politics like she was before.
She quit voting.
Fast-forward to 2020, and mom was ready to vote again in what rightfully is being calling the most important election in our lifetime. “We’re so proud of you,” my sister told my mom. I had the distinct honor of registering to vote this lovely person, mother of seven children and grandmother/great-grandmother/great-great-grandmother of so many more.
Wendy R. Sherman and David Gergen: If we are patient, election will deliver peaceful transfer of power
Her ballot arrived by mail the other day, but it won’t be completed or mailed back. With her integrity fully intact, Virginia Garcia died on Oct. 6, the day before early voting began and ballots were mailed out.
Although she won’t be voting, saddened but resolved I pledge in her name that my mail ballot will be filled out, signed, sealed and delivered.
I ask you to make a similar pledge for someone special in your life – past, present or future — and make sure you vote in this important election.
Democracy must live on. Families are counting on us.
Joseph Garcia is executive director of Chicanos Por La Causa Action Fund, CPLCActionFund.org, a nonprofit advocacy organization for equity and social justice via empowerment, education and engagement of the electorate and elected officials. This column originally appeared in the Arizona Republic.


usatoday--2020-10-18--College football winners and losers from Week 7 include Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee and Notre Dame

Conference-only schedules continued to chew up several of the leading contenders in the SEC , leaving the league hinging its College Football Playoff hopes on a select few only four games into the regular season .
After a tough Saturday , the SEC has just four teams with fewer than two losses and a dwindling list of options for the national semifinals .
This isn ’ t to say the SEC champion isn ’ t a lock for the top four , or even that the conference won ’ t again have a case for making up half of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular season .
And the SEC still has a monopoly on the college football spotlight .
Alabama 's 41-24 win against Georgia was one of the most anticipated games of the regular season and perhaps the most important matchup in terms of its impact on the playoff .
In advance of the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs , however , Auburn and Tennessee fell to 2-2 after losing as favorites against long-suffering opponents — the Tigers to South Carolina and Tennessee at home to Kentucky .
The Tigers and Volunteers join LSU , Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduling model that eliminated the warm-up period of non-league games against pushovers and forced teams to step right into more demanding matchups against SEC opponents .
Saturday was n't a complete disaster .
Texas A & M moved to 3-1 after beating Mississippi State 28-14 , the Aggies ' second win in a row after a lopsided loss against Alabama to start October .
Arkansas is now a very impressive and unexpected 2-2 after beating Ole Miss 33-21 .
And Alabama made a strong case for being No .
1 in this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disappointing loss , Georgia will remain the team to beat in the East division and a threat to win the SEC and return to the playoff .
Here are the rest of Saturday 's winners and losers in college football : The list of eye-popping numbers from Clemson 's 73-7 rout of Georgia Tech includes 17 players who made at least one reception , which is absolutely ridiculous .
( Both of coach Dabo Swinney 's kids , Will and Drew , made a catch . )
Behind Trevor Lawrence 's 404 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tigers remained unbeaten and might have done enough to stay atop the Coaches Poll .
The Wildcats have followed two close losses , to Auburn ( 29-13 ) and Ole Miss ( 42-41 ) , with back-to-back wins against Mississippi State and Tennessee .
Both wins have been paced by the defense .
The Wildcats returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the game 's first five minutes and held Tennessee to just 287 yards of offense in winning 34-7 , the program 's first victory in Knoxville since 1984 .
NCAA EXECUTIVE : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until 2023 There was understandable concern over how well the Hurricanes would bounce back after losing to Clemson , especially against a motivated opponent in Pittsburgh looking to rewrite its season after losing two straight games by a single point .
Not that it was a banner performance : Miami 's 31-19 win did n't include much from the running game ( 2.6 yards per carry ) and saw quarterback D'Eriq King throw two interceptions for the second game in a row .
But King tossed a season-high four touchdowns and the Hurricanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the New Year 's Six bowl conversation .
The Razorbacks are the biggest surprise in the Bowl Subdivision and one of the great success stories in recent SEC history .
After picking off six Ole Miss passes in the 12-point win , Arkansas is sitting at 2-2 under first-year coach Sam Pittman after being picked in some circles to win no more than once against this SEC-only schedule .
The Mike Norvell era has its defining moment .
After a horrible start — a lopsided loss to rival Miami , Norvell sidelined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Seminoles pulled off the year 's biggest upset by dominating North Carolina early and then holding on for a 31-28 win .
The decision to name Jordan Travis the starting quarterback has paid off for the offense , which has rallied around the former Louisville transfer .
Travis finished with 191 passing yards and 107 yards rushing , one of two Seminoles to crack the 100-yard mark on the ground .
Pushed and threatened by a Georgia offense that hit on explosive plays through the air and a Georgia defense that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alabama responded to a 24-17 deficit by scoring the game 's final 24 points .
Credit goes to quarterback Mac Jones , who had another outstanding day , but the win was keyed by an unlikely source : Alabama 's defense .
Maligned through three games , the Crimson Tide made two key interceptions in the third quarter to spark the impressive win .
South Carolina had never beaten Auburn as a member of the SEC .
The Tigers had n't lost to the Gamecocks , period , since 1933 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After spotting Auburn a 16-7 lead in the second quarter , South Carolina went on a 23-6 run to win 30-22 and knock the Tigers out of the playoff chase .
Auburn lost despite running for 209 yards on the ground , marking the program ’ s first loss when cracking the 200-yard mark since early in the 2016 season .
Here 's where we nitpick a win , which is unfair given how many other preseason contenders have already suffered one , two or even three losses .
But the Fighting Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisville , which had allowed 38.7 points per game and 6.8 yards per play in losing three straight in ACC play .
While able to dominate the clock , run the ball effectively and avoid any crucial turnovers , Notre Dame 's overall listlessness does n't breed confidence in how the Irish will fare against Clemson next month .
Needing a win to stay within range of Cincinnati and SMU in the American , UCF coughed up leads of 21 , 14 and 12 points in the second half and missed the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lose 50-49 to Memphis .
For the Tigers , who were led by senior quarterback Brady White 's 486 passing yards and six touchdowns , the win snaps a 13-game losing streak to the Knights dating to 1990 .
After seeing its slim hopes of making the playoff outright eliminated in a loss earlier this month to Tulsa , falling to Memphis endangers UCF 's chances of claiming the access-bowl bid given to the best team in the Group of Five .
Combined , White and UCF sophomore quarterback Dillon Gabriel accounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The sky is n't falling .
Even after losing to Alabama , the Bulldogs remain in the thick of the playoff chase and the likeliest candidate to come out of the East division and meet the Crimson Tide in December for the SEC championship .
The loss does raise questions about Stetson Bennett 's future as the starting quarterback and about the health of a defense that had dominated through three games but allowed 564 yards to the Crimson Tide .
Both issues can and will be addressed before these two teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are Georgia and Kirby Smart ever going to beat Nick Saban and Alabama ?

College football winners and losers from Week 7 include Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee and Notre Dame
Conference-only schedules continued to chew up several of the leading contenders in the SEC, leaving the league hinging its College Football Playoff hopes on a select few only four games into the regular season.
After a tough Saturday, the SEC has just four teams with fewer than two losses and a dwindling list of options for the national semifinals.
This isn’t to say the SEC champion isn’t a lock for the top four, or even that the conference won’t again have a case for making up half of the playoff field, especially during this unique regular season.
And the SEC still has a monopoly on the college football spotlight. Alabama's 41-24 win against Georgia was one of the most anticipated games of the regular season and perhaps the most important matchup in terms of its impact on the playoff.
In advance of the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs, however, Auburn and Tennessee fell to 2-2 after losing as favorites against long-suffering opponents — the Tigers to South Carolina and Tennessee at home to Kentucky.
The Tigers and Volunteers join LSU, Florida and others in struggling with the conference-only scheduling model that eliminated the warm-up period of non-league games against pushovers and forced teams to step right into more demanding matchups against SEC opponents.
Saturday wasn't a complete disaster. Texas A&M moved to 3-1 after beating Mississippi State 28-14, the Aggies' second win in a row after a lopsided loss against Alabama to start October. Arkansas is now a very impressive and unexpected 2-2 after beating Ole Miss 33-21.
And Alabama made a strong case for being No. 1 in this week's Amway Coaches Poll. Even after a disappointing loss, Georgia will remain the team to beat in the East division and a threat to win the SEC and return to the playoff.
Here are the rest of Saturday's winners and losers in college football:
WINNERS
Clemson
The list of eye-popping numbers from Clemson's 73-7 rout of Georgia Tech includes 17 players who made at least one reception, which is absolutely ridiculous. (Both of coach Dabo Swinney's kids, Will and Drew, made a catch.) Behind Trevor Lawrence's 404 passing yards and five touchdowns, the Tigers remained unbeaten and might have done enough to stay atop the Coaches Poll.
Kentucky
The Wildcats have followed two close losses, to Auburn (29-13) and Ole Miss (42-41), with back-to-back wins against Mississippi State and Tennessee. Both wins have been paced by the defense. The Wildcats returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the game's first five minutes and held Tennessee to just 287 yards of offense in winning 34-7, the program's first victory in Knoxville since 1984.
PENALTY: Tennessee player flagged for kicking Kentucky player in groin
NCAA EXECUTIVE: College sports' financial woes could linger until 2023
Miami
There was understandable concern over how well the Hurricanes would bounce back after losing to Clemson, especially against a motivated opponent in Pittsburgh looking to rewrite its season after losing two straight games by a single point. Not that it was a banner performance: Miami's 31-19 win didn't include much from the running game (2.6 yards per carry) and saw quarterback D'Eriq King throw two interceptions for the second game in a row. But King tossed a season-high four touchdowns and the Hurricanes held on to remain in the thick of the New Year's Six bowl conversation.
Arkansas
The Razorbacks are the biggest surprise in the Bowl Subdivision and one of the great success stories in recent SEC history. After picking off six Ole Miss passes in the 12-point win, Arkansas is sitting at 2-2 under first-year coach Sam Pittman after being picked in some circles to win no more than once against this SEC-only schedule.
Florida State
The Mike Norvell era has its defining moment. After a horrible start — a lopsided loss to rival Miami, Norvell sidelined following a positive test for COVID-19 — the Seminoles pulled off the year's biggest upset by dominating North Carolina early and then holding on for a 31-28 win. The decision to name Jordan Travis the starting quarterback has paid off for the offense, which has rallied around the former Louisville transfer. Travis finished with 191 passing yards and 107 yards rushing, one of two Seminoles to crack the 100-yard mark on the ground.
Alabama
Pushed and threatened by a Georgia offense that hit on explosive plays through the air and a Georgia defense that is dangerous when able to attack the passer, Alabama responded to a 24-17 deficit by scoring the game's final 24 points. Credit goes to quarterback Mac Jones, who had another outstanding day, but the win was keyed by an unlikely source: Alabama's defense. Maligned through three games, the Crimson Tide made two key interceptions in the third quarter to spark the impressive win.
LOSERS
Auburn
South Carolina had never beaten Auburn as a member of the SEC. The Tigers hadn't lost to the Gamecocks, period, since 1933. It's been that kind of year. After spotting Auburn a 16-7 lead in the second quarter, South Carolina went on a 23-6 run to win 30-22 and knock the Tigers out of the playoff chase. Auburn lost despite running for 209 yards on the ground, marking the program’s first loss when cracking the 200-yard mark since early in the 2016 season.
Notre Dame
Here's where we nitpick a win, which is unfair given how many other preseason contenders have already suffered one, two or even three losses. But the Fighting Irish were uninspiring in a 12-7 win against Louisville, which had allowed 38.7 points per game and 6.8 yards per play in losing three straight in ACC play. While able to dominate the clock, run the ball effectively and avoid any crucial turnovers, Notre Dame's overall listlessness doesn't breed confidence in how the Irish will fare against Clemson next month.
Central Florida
Needing a win to stay within range of Cincinnati and SMU in the American, UCF coughed up leads of 21, 14 and 12 points in the second half and missed the potential game-winning field goal with 19 seconds left to lose 50-49 to Memphis. For the Tigers, who were led by senior quarterback Brady White's 486 passing yards and six touchdowns, the win snaps a 13-game losing streak to the Knights dating to 1990. After seeing its slim hopes of making the playoff outright eliminated in a loss earlier this month to Tulsa, falling to Memphis endangers UCF's chances of claiming the access-bowl bid given to the best team in the Group of Five. Combined, White and UCF sophomore quarterback Dillon Gabriel accounted for 1,034 passing yards and 11 scores.
Georgia
The sky isn't falling. Even after losing to Alabama, the Bulldogs remain in the thick of the playoff chase and the likeliest candidate to come out of the East division and meet the Crimson Tide in December for the SEC championship. The loss does raise questions about Stetson Bennett's future as the starting quarterback and about the health of a defense that had dominated through three games but allowed 564 yards to the Crimson Tide. Both issues can and will be addressed before these two teams meet again. The bigger concern: Are Georgia and Kirby Smart ever going to beat Nick Saban and Alabama?
Follow USA TODAY Sports colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg


usatoday--2020-10-18--Coronavirus updates: Patriots will play Broncos; Saban, Alabama get their game in; Trump urges belea

Coronavirus updates: Patriots will play Broncos; Saban, Alabama get their game in; Trump urges beleaguered Wisconsin to open up

The National Football League was planning a full slate of games Sunday despite another outbreak of positive virus tests , while President Donald Trump continued his campaign to reopen schools and ease other restrictions despite alarming increases in new infections and hospitalizations .
In the NFL , the New England Patriots were scheduled to play the Denver Broncos despite announcing that three Patriots players had tested positive for the virus .
The Broncos said one of their coaches also tested positive .
The game was supposed to be played a week ago but was delayed because of other positive tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been delayed in recent weeks as the league struggles to contain outbreaks .
Average daily U.S. infections have climbed above 60,000 .
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations are rising steadily , the daily number now up more than 30 % from just four weeks ago .
Among the hardest hit states is New Mexico , where Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham said hospitalizations have more than doubled in less than three weeks .
She urged residents to `` do their part '' to stop the spread by staying home , limiting their interactions with others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't matter if you 're young , does n't matter if you do n't believe in it , '' Grisham said Saturday .
`` The virus is real and it continues to spread , wreaking havoc on New Mexicans ' lives . ''
Wisconsin was hit with its biggest single day for infections on Friday .
On Saturday , Trump visited the state , urging Gov .
Tony Evers to ease restrictions .
`` I wish you had a Republican governor because frankly you 've got to open your state up , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ south of Madison .
`` You 've got to open your state up , get everyone back to school . ''
• Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , will resume in-person campaigning Monday with stops in Florida .
Harris suspended attending events this week after two people associated with the campaign tested positive for COVID-19 .
• More than 6 million households failed to make their rent or mortgage payments in September , according to the Mortgage Bankers Association 's Research Institute for Housing America .
• Alabama football coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities after testing positive earlier this week for COVID-19 , and he was on the sideline when the No .
2 Crimson Tide played No .
3 Georgia .
📈 Today 's numbers : The U.S. has reported more than 8 million cases and 218,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins data .
There have been more than 39 million confirmed cases around the world and nearly 1.1 million deaths .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak in your state This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Briefing newsletter .
Alabama won a college football game – as usual – Saturday night with their coach Nick Saban stalking the sideline after a COVID-19 scare .
The Southeastern Conference cleared Saban hours before the game pitting the second-ranked Crimson Tide against the No .
3 Bulldogs .
Saban tested positive on Wednesday , along with athletic director Greg Byrne .
Team physician Jimmy Robinson said Saban was tested the next three mornings , and the initial result was deemed a false positive .
The news was all good for Saban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Georgia .
They fell to the Tide , 41-24 .
Trump touts recovery from COVID , urges Americans not to fear virus President Donald Trump is claiming victory over the virus in his re-election campaign ads .
One ad claims that Trump `` is recovering from the coronavirus and so is America , '' adding that he `` tackled the virus head-on , as leaders should . ''
Though the ad claims the U.S. is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic , nearly 70,000 new cases were reported across the nation Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the peak of the mid-summer surge .
And while the vast majority of those who have become infected recover , about 2.7 % of the more than 8 million confirmed cases in the U.S. have died – leading to a death toll of nearly 220,000 Americans that grows each day .
“ Don ’ t let it dominate you .
Don ’ t be afraid of it , ” said Trump , who suggested he might be immune .
“ You ’ re going to beat it.
” 6M households missed their rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are slowing momentum in the labor market , which bodes poorly for the broader U.S. recovery as millions of out-of-work Americans delay their mortgage and rent payments .
More than 6 million households failed to make their rent or mortgage payments in September , according to the Mortgage Bankers Association 's Research Institute for Housing America , a sign that the economic fallout from the pandemic is weighing on jobless Americans as Congress stalls on relief measures .
In the third quarter , the percent of homeowners and renters behind on their payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , the overall amount remains high , experts caution .
New York movie theaters can reopen with limited capacity , Cuomo says New York will start allowing movie theaters to reopen with limited capacity Friday in areas of the state where COVID-19 rates are low , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced .
Theaters will be able to reopen outside New York City in counties that are below a 2 % infection rate on a 14-day average and have no COVID hot spots , which would rule out Rockland and Orange counties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Broome .
Theaters will be allowed to reopen at 25 % capacity with up to 50 people per screen .
The announcement comes after movie theaters have been pressing to reopen in New York , where infection rate is among the lowest in the nation .
Nearly 10 % of Vatican 's Swiss Guard positive for COVID-19 The Vatican says someone who lives in the same Vatican hotel as Pope Francis has tested positive for the coronavirus , adding to the 11 cases of COVID-19 among the Swiss Guards , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , guard the Vatican City gates and protect the pope .
The Vatican said Saturday that the resident of the Domus Sanctae Marthae has moved out temporarily and is in isolation , as are all the people who came into direct contact with him .
The hotel serves as a residence for Vatican-based priests as well as visiting clerics and lay people .
Francis chose to live there permanently after his 2013 election , shunning the Apostolic Palace , because he said he needed to be around ordinary people .
The hotel has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Francis celebrates Mass each morning .
At 83 and with part of a lung removed when he was in his 20s due to illness , the pope would be at high-risk for COVID-19 complications .
• In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter .
• Tips for coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for Staying Apart , Together .
• On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .

Coronavirus updates: Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell face stimulus deal deadline; Sturgis rally linked to cases; 219K US deaths
Show Caption Hide Caption Holidays 2020: Tips to help keep you stay safe from COVID-19 Holidays are usually for gatherings but many get-togethers are complicated or canceled because of COVID-19. USA TODAY
Crucial talks scheduled for Monday could determine the fate of a COVID-19 stimulus package as the nation grapples with a rising number of new infections and hospitalizations.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are scheduled to discuss terms of a package that finds Democrats and President Donald Trump pushing for an expansive and expensive bill in the area of $2 trillion. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and many congressional Republicans, however, are opting for a "targeted" and much cheaper solution.
Pelosi has set a deadline of Tuesday if a deal is to be cut by Election Day.
Average daily U.S. infections have climbed above 60,000. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations are rising steadily, the daily number now up more than 30% from just four weeks ago. Among the hardest hit states is New Mexico, where Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said hospitalizations have more than doubled in less than three weeks.
"Doesn't matter if you're young, doesn't matter if you don't believe in it," Grisham said Saturday. "The virus is real and it continues to spread, wreaking havoc on New Mexicans' lives."
The Upper Midwest continues to struggle. The ripple effect of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August is hard to decipher. In Wisconsin, Friday was the biggest single day for infections yet. On Saturday, Trump visited the state, urging Gov. Tony Evers to ease restrictions.
"I wish you had a Republican governor because frankly you've got to open your state up," Trump said in Janesville, 40 miles south of Madison. "You've got to open your state up, get everyone back to school."
Some significant developments:
Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, will resume in-person campaigning Monday with stops in Florida. Harris suspended attending events this week after two people associated with the campaign tested positive for COVID-19.
More than 6 million households failed to make their rent or mortgage payments in September, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Research Institute for Housing America.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban was cleared to resume normal activities after testing positive earlier this week for COVID-19, and he was on the sideline when the No. 2 Crimson Tide played No. 3 Georgia.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 8.1 million cases and almost 220,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins data. Ten states set records for new cases in the week ending Saturday: Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wyoming, and also Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. Worldwide, there have been almost 40 million confirmed cases and more than 1.1 million deaths.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
One of the nation's largest Christian megachurches resumed in-person services on Sunday in Texas after months of holding only online services due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lakewood Church in Houston opened at 25% capacity under new city guidelines. People had to sign up online to attend services at the non-denominational megachurch run by Joel Osteen.
A recording on Lakewood's Facebook page of Sunday's services showed people complying with requirements that they wear face masks and sit spaced apart inside the church's cavernous arena, the former Compaq Center, once the home of the Houston Rockets.
"So awesome to have you back. We've missed you guys. We love you. It's not the same without you here," Osteen said.
More than 330 coronavirus cases and one death have been directly linked to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally centered in the South Dakota City two months ago, according to a Washington Post survey of health departments in 23 states that provided information. But the Post says many experts believe the 10-day event, which drew hundreds of thousands of bikers, was responsible for many times that number of infections. They say contact tracing often doesn’t capture the source of an infection, and asymptomatic spread often goes unnoticed. Attendees came from every state, packing bars, restaurants and tattoo parlors in the area.
“Holding a half-million-person rally in the midst of a pandemic is emblematic of a nation as a whole that maybe isn’t taking (the pandemic) as seriously as we should," Josh Michaud, an epidemiologist and associate director for global health policy for the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation, told the Post.
President Donald Trump is claiming victory over the virus in his reelection campaign ads. One ad claims that Trump "is recovering from the coronavirus and so is America," adding that he "tackled the virus head-on, as leaders should."
Though the ad claims the U.S. is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 70,000 new cases were reported across the nation Friday, the highest number since July, during the peak of the mid-summer surge. And while the vast majority of those who have become infected recover, about 2.7% of the more than 8 million confirmed cases in the U.S. have died – leading to a death toll of nearly 220,000 Americans that grows each day.
“Don’t let it dominate you. Don’t be afraid of it,” said Trump, who suggested he might be immune. “You’re going to beat it.”
– Bart Jansen
Persistent layoffs are slowing momentum in the labor market, which bodes poorly for the broader U.S. recovery as millions of out-of-work Americans delay their mortgage and rent payments.
More than 6 million households failed to make their rent or mortgage payments in September, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Research Institute for Housing America, a sign that the economic fallout from the pandemic is weighing on jobless Americans as Congress stalls on relief measures.
In the third quarter, the percent of homeowners and renters behind on their payments fell slightly from the prior quarter. Still, the overall amount remains high, experts caution.
– Jessica Menton
New York will start allowing movie theaters to reopen with limited capacity Friday in areas of the state where COVID-19 rates are low, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced. Theaters will be able to reopen outside New York City in counties that are below a 2% infection rate on a 14-day average and have no COVID hot spots, which would rule out Rockland and Orange counties, as well as a few counties upstate, including Broome. Theaters will be allowed to reopen at 25% capacity with up to 50 people per screen.
The announcement comes after movie theaters have been pressing to reopen in New York, where infection rate is among the lowest in the nation.
– Joseph Spector, New York State Team
The Vatican says someone who lives in the same Vatican hotel as Pope Francis has tested positive for the coronavirus, adding to the 11 cases of COVID-19 among the Swiss Guards, who serve as ceremonial guards at papal Masses, guard the Vatican City gates and protect the pope. The Vatican said Saturday that the resident of the Domus Sanctae Marthae has moved out temporarily and is in isolation, as are all the people who came into direct contact with him.
The hotel serves as a residence for Vatican-based priests as well as visiting clerics and lay people. Francis chose to live there permanently after his 2013 election, shunning the Apostolic Palace, because he said he needed to be around ordinary people. The hotel has a communal dining room and chapel where Francis celebrates Mass each morning. At 83 and with part of a lung removed when he was in his 20s due to illness, the pope would be at high-risk for COVID-19 complications.
COVID resources from USA TODAY
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Contributing: The Associated Press.


usatoday--2020-10-18--Anchorage chooses first woman, openly gay acting mayor, report says

Following a week rocked by a mayor 's scandal and resignation , Austin Quinn-Davidson is set to make local history in Anchorage , Alaska , as the city 's new acting mayor , starting next week .
Quinn-Davidson , 40 , will be the first woman and openly gay person to serve as mayor or acting mayor of Anchorage , the Anchorage Daily News reported .
The Anchorage Assembly voted Friday to appoint Quinn-Davidson , an attorney , to the role .
During a special meeting on Friday , Felix Rivera — who as the chair of the Assembly was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first openly gay mayor , as well as its youngest and first Latino mayor — said he recommended Quinn-Davidson for the job .
Rivera praised Quinn-Davidson as a `` compassionate and dedicated public servant . ''
The Assembly 's reorganization means Quinn-Davidson temporarily takes over Rivera 's job , which he will resume when she becomes acting mayor next week .
Addressing community members who may have been disappointed that the city will not have its first person of color serve as mayor , Rivera said : `` Do n't you worry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If I were a betting person , I 'd bet on sooner . ''
Anchorage resident Tara Wheatland congratulated Quinn-Davidson during public comment at the meeting : `` While the circumstances may not be what we might have wished for , I am also so proud to see you take office as the first woman to serve as the mayor of Anchorage . ''
The scramble to appoint an acting mayor came days after Democrat Ethan Berkowitz submitted his resignation to the Anchorage Assembly .
The mayor 's resignation followed Berkowitz 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aninappropriate sexting — he called it “ messaging '' — relationship with an anchor at a TVstation in Anchorage .

Anchorage chooses first woman, openly gay acting mayor, report says
Following a week rocked by a mayor's scandal and resignation, Austin Quinn-Davidson is set to make local history in Anchorage, Alaska, as the city's new acting mayor, starting next week.
Quinn-Davidson, 40, will be the first woman and openly gay person to serve as mayor or acting mayor of Anchorage, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The Anchorage Assembly voted Friday to appoint Quinn-Davidson, an attorney, to the role.
During a special meeting on Friday, Felix Rivera — who as the chair of the Assembly was himself poised to be the city’s first openly gay mayor, as well as its youngest and first Latino mayor — said he recommended Quinn-Davidson for the job.
Rivera praised Quinn-Davidson as a "compassionate and dedicated public servant." The Assembly's reorganization means Quinn-Davidson temporarily takes over Rivera's job, which he will resume when she becomes acting mayor next week.
Addressing community members who may have been disappointed that the city will not have its first person of color serve as mayor, Rivera said: "Don't you worry. It will happen sooner or later. If I were a betting person, I'd bet on sooner."
Oct. 13: Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz resigns after admitting 'unacceptable' relationship with TV anchorwoman
Anchorage resident Tara Wheatland congratulated Quinn-Davidson during public comment at the meeting: "While the circumstances may not be what we might have wished for, I am also so proud to see you take office as the first woman to serve as the mayor of Anchorage."
The scramble to appoint an acting mayor came days after Democrat Ethan Berkowitz submitted his resignation to the Anchorage Assembly. The mayor's resignation followed Berkowitz's admission Monday that he was involved in aninappropriate sexting — he called it “messaging" — relationship with an anchor at a TV station in Anchorage.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-10-17--Arizona scammers used threats, fake phone numbers to collect $1.6M, attorney general says

PHOENIX – Nakyah Wilson will never forget the panicked call she received from her mother-in-law last year .
A sheriff 's deputy had phoned the elderly woman , threatening to arrest her son and daughter-in-law if they did n't contact a debt collection agency and pay off an old debt right away .
When the Wilsons reached the debt collector , he demanded $ 6,000 immediately , then offered a payment plan when they balked .
`` He said we have 24 hours to make the first payment or the sheriff will come knocking on our door and put handcuffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of our kids , '' Wilson , 33 , remembered .
`` That was very alarming for us . ''
Only later would Wilson learn the sheriff 's deputy was fake , the debt collector did n't have a legal right to collect money from her family and no one was in danger of arrest .
Now the suspected perpetrators of the scheme , Mark Anthony Smith and Deborah Ann Butler , are being sued in a civil case by the Arizona attorney general and accused of defrauding hundreds , possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 1.6 million they did n't owe to the defendants .
Sorry Tabaholics : Tab , the iconic diet soda , will be gone by end of the year The attorney general has accused Smith and Butler of impersonating law enforcement officers , process servers and lawyers ; using fake phone numbers that appeared to come from courthouses , jails and sheriff 's offices ; falsely threatening to suspend driver 's licenses , garnish wages , take away tax returns , place liens on houses and cars and freeze bank accounts ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people 's homes and jobs to arrest them .
`` Debt collectors can not pretend to be law enforcement and they can not threaten to arrest consumers , '' Attorney General Mark Brnovich said .
`` If consumers get phone calls threatening arrests , they should hang up the phone and report it to our office . ''
The experience was harrowing for the whole family , including Wilson 's mother-in-law , who has heart problems and previously survived a heart attack , Wilson said .
`` I was completely outraged because she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson , an Oro Valley , Arizona , political campaign staffer , said .
`` I had to calm her down and get my composure as well because we all were terrified . ''
The defendants , who did not return an email or voice messages from The Arizona Republic , deceived people who could least afford to be scammed , Wilson said .
`` I feel like that was so wrong , '' Wilson said .
`` I really hope the victims get their money back .
I really hope ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the full extent of the law . ''
AG : No authority to collect debts in the first place Although debt collectors are allowed in most cases to contact people who owe debts , file lawsuits and garnish wages with a judge 's approval , there are restrictions , according to the Federal Trade Commission .
The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits `` deceptive , unfair and abusive debt collection practices , '' such as using obscene language , threatening violence or arrest , calling consumers repeatedly or at unreasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of debts , pretending to be a lawyer or government representative , obtaining information through false pretenses or misrepresenting a consumer 's legal rights , according to the FTC .
The debt collector also must have the authority to collect on a debt , whether through a contract with the creditor or by purchasing the right to go after it .
Smith and Butler , a married couple in Phoenix who operated under the company names CMS Financial Group , John Lee Group & Associates and TD Financial Solutions Group AZ , did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Attorney General 's Office .
`` We allege they didn ’ t have authority to collect the debt in the first place , '' spokesperson Katie Conner said .
`` And they used a number of false representations to threaten and intimidate consumers into paying their alleged debt . ''
Wilson started having doubts about paying the debt soon after the so-called sheriff 's deputy called her mother-in-law , Wilson said .
The debt collector insisted on a money order instead of a card payment and gave a mailing address that turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
`` That sent up a red flag , '' Wilson said .
When she checked the case number the man said corresponded to the debt collection lawsuit against her family , a courthouse employee told her it was bogus , Wilson said .
She also was sure that the $ 6,000 balance the debt collector claimed the family owed was far higher than the amount she and her husband had once defaulted on for a television and watch .
One sign of a debt collection scam can be an inflated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General 's Office .
Debt collectors are not allowed to collect interest , fees or other charges on top of the original debt unless the original contract or state law says they can , according to the FTC .
After Wilson called the original creditor , she confirmed the debt had been written off and was not owed , she said .
Wilson told the debt collector she refused to pay , she said .
He became angry , warned of arrest and harassed her with follow-up phone calls , she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Wilson said .
`` I was really about to send this man my entire paycheck .
And then I was going to have to worry about : How are we going to eat the next two weeks ?
How am I going to afford to get gas to go to work ?
Those things were playing over and over in my head . ''
Texas residents Sandi Lopez , 32 , and James Wheeler , 23 , said they had similar experiences .
Lopez , a mother of two , received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was walking into her job as a bank teller , she said .
`` It was a police officer , or so they said , '' Lopez said , recalling her heart pounding and her eyes welling up with tears .
`` I was initially so shocked I did n't notice he did n't give me his name .
It ’ s a very small town , and if he gave me a name , I would probably know him . ''
The caller said he had tried serving Lopez with court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense .
`` I was like , 'What ?
I wouldn ’ t be dodging the law or anything .
I don ’ t understand how you missed me .
I never got anything at my door , ' '' Lopez said .
But when she looked at the incoming phone number , the call appeared to be coming from the nearby Karnes County Courthouse , so Lopez believed the officer was legitimate , she said .
Lopez and others were fooled , the Attorney General 's Office said because the debt collectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65,800 times to mask their real phone number with local numbers , including those associated with courthouses , sheriff 's offices and jails .
The so-called officer instructed Lopez to call a phone number to resolve the problem .
A man who answered told Lopez she owed nearly $ 3,700 for a repossessed car and accurately described the vehicle 's make , model and color , as well as her Social Security number , Lopez said .
If she paid within 30 minutes , he offered to lower the payment to $ 1,200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a federal COVID-19 stimulus check , she said .
Otherwise , he would garnish her wages , Lopez said .
`` He was always rushing me , '' Lopez said .
`` His voice was always authoritative , always angry ...
He sounded big and aggressive . ''
She was relieved that the doors to her office were locked to the public because of pandemic precautions .
`` At least now I have a half a second to think '' if he appears , Lopez thought to herself .
High-pressure tactics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours or less to pay , are often signs of a scam , according to the Attorney General 's Office .
`` Fear is the oldest tool in the scammer 's toolbox , '' Conner said .
Officials also are investigating how the debt collectors obtained detailed debt information , such as vehicle models and Social Security numbers , if they did n't own the accounts , she said .
After Lopez hung up , she called her wife crying and was so upset her boss sent her home , she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm going to lose my vehicle or my home or something , ' '' Lopez said .
`` I ca n't afford my checks to be garnished .
I 'm not even making enough to get by right now . ''
' I am still traumatized to this day' But something did n't seem right to Lopez .
The car had been repossessed in 2015 at her request after she paid on it for 18 months , Lopez said .
At the time , she had lost a job and could n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I didn ’ t know when I was going to find a job and didn ’ t want to keep something that ’ s not mine , '' Lopez said .
The creditor had sold the vehicle and written off the remaining $ 3,000 that was owed , Lopez said .
Her credit report showed the account as closed and owing $ 0 , she said .
Lopez started feeling suspicious .
She called the debt collector back and asked for more information on the account , which he refused , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and learned the number that had appeared on her phone from the officer was a fax .
Then she called the auto lender and verified she owed nothing .
`` Now I 'm putting everything together , '' Lopez said .
`` I don ’ t think this is real . ''
Lopez decided not to pay but kept getting calls from the debt collector on her cellphone and work phone , she said .
Her boss finally warned the debt collector that the bank would sue if he did n't stop harassing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this day , '' Lopez said .
She worries that others could fall for such scams if they do n't have access to the internet or the skills to research if a debt collector is real , she said .
`` I was a split second away from sending that money , '' Lopez said .
`` I would have had to go without bills being paid .
Or if my manager hadn ’ t been as understanding , maybe I could have lost my job .
These are all things that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Wheeler was n't as lucky as the others .
He lost $ 300 to the scheme this summer .
He was living with his aunt after being laid off from Subway during the pandemic , he said and was driving for a food delivery service to make ends meet .
A person claiming to be a sheriff 's deputy left him a voicemail , claiming law enforcement had visited his home without finding him and Wheeler needed to call a phone number right away , he said .
When Wheeler dialed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owed $ 5,000 for a car repossessed in 2017 .
`` He said if I don ’ t make this payment , we ’ re taking you to court , '' Wheeler said .
`` It sounded like a legit thing , so I went ahead . ''
Although friends and family warned it might be a scam , Wheeler said he was scared of the consequences .
`` I 'm trying to not take any chances .
I don ’ t want to go to jail , '' Wheeler said .
Wheeler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 150 each and borrowed money from his aunt , he said .
Still , the situation did n't sit right with Wheeler .
He filed a complaint online but did n't hear anything until the Attorney General 's Office recently contacted him .
Wilson also filed a complaint with the FTC , while Lopez alerted the FTC , Better Business Bureau and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau .
Their complaints and others helped spur a nationwide investigation into the debt collectors by the attorney general , the FTC and more than 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perpetrating the scam while the country is reeling from an economic shutdown is especially disheartening , Conner , of the attorney general 's office , said .
`` There are so many people under financial stress .
It 's really disappointing with everything going on right now that they would exploit this pandemic , '' Conner said .
The lawsuit calls for the defendants to pay restitution of $ 1.6 million to victims and $ 31.7 million in fines , plus be banned for life from working in debt collection .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will contact victims directly , although it can take years for such cases to be resolved , Conner said .
'All that money gone' Wheeler said he was shocked when he found out he was targeted by the fraudsters .
`` Damn , all that money completely gone .
I could have used it for something else , '' Wheeler said .
`` I was tricked , and they took money from me .
It 's not right . ''
Although he feels bad about falling for the scheme , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening .
`` They even had a case number , '' he said .
`` To me , it was n't a scam at the time . ''
What are your rights when a debt collector calls ?
Debt collectors generate more complaints to the Federal Trade Commission than any other industry , the federal agency says .
Here are some of the rules debt collectors must follow under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act , according to state and federal agencies .
The regulations apply to credit card debt , auto loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortgages and other household debts , but not business debts .
• May not contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. , unless you agree to it .
• Must restrict all communication to your attorney if you are represented by one .
• May not contact you at work if you or someone else tells them not to .
• May not contact you if you have informed the collecting agent that the debt is not yours .
• May not contact third-party individuals , such as friends and family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the contact is limited to requests for your contact information .
• May not publicly share your debts , including by sending postcards or putting information on envelopes .
• May not use obscene or profane language .
• May not make threats of arrest .
• May not threaten property seizure or garnishment of wages , unless the collector is legally allowed to , and intends to , pursue property seizure or garnishment .
• May not make false statements in an attempt to collect a debt .
This includes saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually owe , pretending to be from the government or an attorney if they are not or threatening to take legal action they are not allowed or do n't intend to .
• Must send a written “ validation notice ” telling you the amount you owe within five days after they first contact you .
This notice must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money , how to determine the original creditor and how to proceed if you don ’ t believe that you owe the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest , fees or other charges on top of the amount you owe , unless the original contract or your state law says they can .
• Must put your payment toward the debt you choose , if you have more than one .
• May not sue you and win if the debt is too old , or `` time-barred . ''
The length of time depends on the kind of debt , the credit contract and state laws .
In some states , you have to tell the court your debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed .
In other states , the clock starts ticking again if you make a payment or acknowledge you owe the debt in writing .
Ask the collector when its records show you made your last payment .
A collector must stop trying to collect until it gives you verification .
If you pay nothing , the collector can continue to contact you unless you mail a letter asking for contact to stop .
• Must stop contacting you if you send a letter by mail asking for contact to stop .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by certified mail and pay for a return receipt , as well as to keep a copy for yourself . )
The exceptions are to confirm the collector will end communication or to notify you of a pending action such as filing a lawsuit or reporting you to a credit bureau .
You should consider talking to the collector at least once to confirm it ’ s really your debt and to find more information about it .
But be careful about sharing too much of your personal or financial information , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the collector .
If it is your debt , you may be able to negotiate to reduce the total amount owed or set up a payment plan .
Before paying any settlement , however , request a signed form or letter from the collector that says the amount you ’ re paying settles the entire debt and releases you from any further obligation and keep a record of your payments .
How to protect yourself from debt collection scams • Find out who 's calling .
Write down the full name of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address and phone number .
If the collector refuses to give this information , it 's a red flag .
• Ask for validation of the debt .
Within five days of contacting you , the debt collector must send you a written notice of how much you owe including interest and fees , the name of the current creditor , how to find out the name of the original creditor and what to do if you don ’ t think it ’ s your debt .
In most cases , the collector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately .
It is also recommended to ask what the debt is for and when the debt was incurred .
Be wary if the collector refuses .
• Do n't respond to threats or immediate deadlines .
If someone threatens to arrest you , suspend your driver 's license , call your employer if you do n't pay immediately or makes other threats , hang up and report it immediately .
The same applies if the debt collector requires you to act immediately .
You can file a complaint with Arizona Attorney General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 602-542-5763 in the Phoenix area , 520-628-6648 in the Tucson area or 800-352-8431 anywhere else .
You can also complain to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint .
• Do your own detective work .
Check with the original creditor .
Is the debt yours ?
Did they sell the debt or hire a company to collect it ?
If so , is the debt collector calling you the collector they hired ?
• Dispute the debt .
If you think you do n't owe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt , dispute it with the collector by mail or online .
• Keep evidence .
Maintain copies of any correspondence with the debt collector , including letters , emails , text messages and dates , times and phone numbers of calls .
If you send a letter , use certified mail to ensure it 's received .
• Use forms to communicate with the debt collector .
The CFPB has sample letters for when you do not owe a debt , need more information about a debt , want the debt collector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt collector to only contact your lawyer or want to specify how the debt collector can contact you .
Find the forms at www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/debt-collection .
Consumer reporter Rebekah L. Sanders investigates issues of fraud and abuse involving businesses , health care and government agencies .
Contact her at rsanders @ azcentral.com or follow her on Twitter at @ RebekahLSanders .

Arizona scammers used threats, fake phone numbers to collect $1.6M, attorney general says
PHOENIX – Nakyah Wilson will never forget the panicked call she received from her mother-in-law last year. A sheriff's deputy had phoned the elderly woman, threatening to arrest her son and daughter-in-law if they didn't contact a debt collection agency and pay off an old debt right away.
When the Wilsons reached the debt collector, he demanded $6,000 immediately, then offered a payment plan when they balked.
"He said we have 24 hours to make the first payment or the sheriff will come knocking on our door and put handcuffs on us and take us to jail in front of our kids," Wilson, 33, remembered. "That was very alarming for us."
Only later would Wilson learn the sheriff's deputy was fake, the debt collector didn't have a legal right to collect money from her family and no one was in danger of arrest.
Now the suspected perpetrators of the scheme, Mark Anthony Smith and Deborah Ann Butler, are being sued in a civil case by the Arizona attorney general and accused of defrauding hundreds, possibly thousands, of people out of more than $1.6 million they didn't owe to the defendants.
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The attorney general has accused Smith and Butler of impersonating law enforcement officers, process servers and lawyers; using fake phone numbers that appeared to come from courthouses, jails and sheriff's offices; falsely threatening to suspend driver's licenses, garnish wages, take away tax returns, place liens on houses and cars and freeze bank accounts; and claiming that law enforcement would visit people's homes and jobs to arrest them.
"Debt collectors cannot pretend to be law enforcement and they cannot threaten to arrest consumers," Attorney General Mark Brnovich said. "If consumers get phone calls threatening arrests, they should hang up the phone and report it to our office."
The experience was harrowing for the whole family, including Wilson's mother-in-law, who has heart problems and previously survived a heart attack, Wilson said.
"I was completely outraged because she was really scared for us," Wilson, an Oro Valley, Arizona, political campaign staffer, said. "I had to calm her down and get my composure as well because we all were terrified."
The defendants, who did not return an email or voice messages from The Arizona Republic, deceived people who could least afford to be scammed, Wilson said.
"I feel like that was so wrong," Wilson said. "I really hope the victims get their money back. I really hope (the suspects and their) accomplices get punished by the full extent of the law."
AG: No authority to collect debts in the first place
Although debt collectors are allowed in most cases to contact people who owe debts, file lawsuits and garnish wages with a judge's approval, there are restrictions, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits "deceptive, unfair and abusive debt collection practices," such as using obscene language, threatening violence or arrest, calling consumers repeatedly or at unreasonable hours, informing family members or employers of debts, pretending to be a lawyer or government representative, obtaining information through false pretenses or misrepresenting a consumer's legal rights, according to the FTC.
The debt collector also must have the authority to collect on a debt, whether through a contract with the creditor or by purchasing the right to go after it.
Smith and Butler, a married couple in Phoenix who operated under the company names CMS Financial Group, John Lee Group & Associates and TD Financial Solutions Group AZ , did not follow the rules, according to the Attorney General's Office.
"We allege they didn’t have authority to collect the debt in the first place," spokesperson Katie Conner said. "And they used a number of false representations to threaten and intimidate consumers into paying their alleged debt."
Red flags signal scam
Wilson started having doubts about paying the debt soon after the so-called sheriff's deputy called her mother-in-law, Wilson said.
The debt collector insisted on a money order instead of a card payment and gave a mailing address that turned out to be a UPS box, she said.
"That sent up a red flag," Wilson said.
When she checked the case number the man said corresponded to the debt collection lawsuit against her family, a courthouse employee told her it was bogus, Wilson said.
She also was sure that the $6,000 balance the debt collector claimed the family owed was far higher than the amount she and her husband had once defaulted on for a television and watch.
One sign of a debt collection scam can be an inflated amount due, according to the Attorney General's Office. Debt collectors are not allowed to collect interest, fees or other charges on top of the original debt unless the original contract or state law says they can, according to the FTC.
After Wilson called the original creditor, she confirmed the debt had been written off and was not owed, she said.
Wilson told the debt collector she refused to pay, she said. He became angry, warned of arrest and harassed her with follow-up phone calls, she said.
"Thank God I found out," Wilson said. "I was really about to send this man my entire paycheck. And then I was going to have to worry about: How are we going to eat the next two weeks? How am I going to afford to get gas to go to work? Those things were playing over and over in my head."
More threats of arrest
Texas residents Sandi Lopez, 32, and James Wheeler, 23, said they had similar experiences.
Lopez, a mother of two, received a threatening phone call in May 2019 as she was walking into her job as a bank teller, she said.
"It was a police officer, or so they said," Lopez said, recalling her heart pounding and her eyes welling up with tears. "I was initially so shocked I didn't notice he didn't give me his name. It’s a very small town, and if he gave me a name, I would probably know him."
The caller said he had tried serving Lopez with court paperwork twice, which didn't make sense.
"I was like, 'What? I wouldn’t be dodging the law or anything. I don’t understand how you missed me. I never got anything at my door,'" Lopez said.
But when she looked at the incoming phone number, the call appeared to be coming from the nearby Karnes County Courthouse, so Lopez believed the officer was legitimate, she said.
Lopez and others were fooled, the Attorney General's Office said because the debt collectors used "spoofing" technology more than 65,800 times to mask their real phone number with local numbers, including those associated with courthouses, sheriff's offices and jails.
The so-called officer instructed Lopez to call a phone number to resolve the problem.
A man who answered told Lopez she owed nearly $3,700 for a repossessed car and accurately described the vehicle's make, model and color, as well as her Social Security number, Lopez said.
If she paid within 30 minutes, he offered to lower the payment to $1,200, the amount Lopez had recently received from a federal COVID-19 stimulus check, she said. Otherwise, he would garnish her wages, Lopez said.
"He was always rushing me," Lopez said. "His voice was always authoritative, always angry ... He sounded big and aggressive."
She was relieved that the doors to her office were locked to the public because of pandemic precautions. "At least now I have a half a second to think" if he appears, Lopez thought to herself.
High-pressure tactics, such as threatening someone or giving 24 hours or less to pay, are often signs of a scam, according to the Attorney General's Office.
"Fear is the oldest tool in the scammer's toolbox," Conner said.
Officials also are investigating how the debt collectors obtained detailed debt information, such as vehicle models and Social Security numbers, if they didn't own the accounts, she said.
After Lopez hung up, she called her wife crying and was so upset her boss sent her home, she said.
"I just kept thinking, 'I'm going to lose my vehicle or my home or something,'" Lopez said. "I can't afford my checks to be garnished. I'm not even making enough to get by right now."
'I am still traumatized to this day'
But something didn't seem right to Lopez.
The car had been repossessed in 2015 at her request after she paid on it for 18 months, Lopez said. At the time, she had lost a job and couldn't afford the remaining payments, she said.
"I didn’t know when I was going to find a job and didn’t want to keep something that’s not mine," Lopez said.
The creditor had sold the vehicle and written off the remaining $3,000 that was owed, Lopez said. Her credit report showed the account as closed and owing $0, she said.
Lopez started feeling suspicious. She called the debt collector back and asked for more information on the account, which he refused, she said. Lopez called the courthouse and learned the number that had appeared on her phone from the officer was a fax. Then she called the auto lender and verified she owed nothing.
"Now I'm putting everything together," Lopez said. "I don’t think this is real."
Lopez decided not to pay but kept getting calls from the debt collector on her cellphone and work phone, she said. Her boss finally warned the debt collector that the bank would sue if he didn't stop harassing her.
"I am traumatized to this day," Lopez said.
She worries that others could fall for such scams if they don't have access to the internet or the skills to research if a debt collector is real, she said.
"I was a split second away from sending that money," Lopez said. "I would have had to go without bills being paid. Or if my manager hadn’t been as understanding, maybe I could have lost my job. These are all things that could affect you in a very big way."
Not taking any chances
Wheeler wasn't as lucky as the others. He lost $300 to the scheme this summer.
He was living with his aunt after being laid off from Subway during the pandemic, he said and was driving for a food delivery service to make ends meet.
A person claiming to be a sheriff's deputy left him a voicemail, claiming law enforcement had visited his home without finding him and Wheeler needed to call a phone number right away, he said.
When Wheeler dialed the number, a man said he owed $5,000 for a car repossessed in 2017.
"He said if I don’t make this payment, we’re taking you to court," Wheeler said. "It sounded like a legit thing, so I went ahead."
Although friends and family warned it might be a scam, Wheeler said he was scared of the consequences.
"I'm trying to not take any chances. I don’t want to go to jail," Wheeler said.
Wheeler negotiated the amount down to two payments of $150 each and borrowed money from his aunt, he said.
Complaints lead to action
Still, the situation didn't sit right with Wheeler.
He filed a complaint online but didn't hear anything until the Attorney General's Office recently contacted him. Wilson also filed a complaint with the FTC, while Lopez alerted the FTC, Better Business Bureau and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Their complaints and others helped spur a nationwide investigation into the debt collectors by the attorney general, the FTC and more than 50 other federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Perpetrating the scam while the country is reeling from an economic shutdown is especially disheartening, Conner, of the attorney general's office, said.
"There are so many people under financial stress. It's really disappointing with everything going on right now that they would exploit this pandemic," Conner said.
The lawsuit calls for the defendants to pay restitution of $1.6 million to victims and $31.7 million in fines, plus be banned for life from working in debt collection. If the Attorney General's Office wins restitution, it will contact victims directly, although it can take years for such cases to be resolved, Conner said.
'All that money gone'
Wheeler said he was shocked when he found out he was targeted by the fraudsters.
"Damn, all that money completely gone. I could have used it for something else," Wheeler said. "I was tricked, and they took money from me. It's not right."
Although he feels bad about falling for the scheme, he said it felt real when it was happening.
"They even had a case number," he said. "To me, it wasn't a scam at the time."
What are your rights when a debt collector calls?
Debt collectors generate more complaints to the Federal Trade Commission than any other industry, the federal agency says.
Here are some of the rules debt collectors must follow under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, according to state and federal agencies. The regulations apply to credit card debt, auto loans, medical bills, student loans, mortgages and other household debts, but not business debts.
Debt collectors:
May not contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you agree to it.
Must restrict all communication to your attorney if you are represented by one.
May not contact you at work if you or someone else tells them not to.
May not contact you if you have informed the collecting agent that the debt is not yours.
May not contact third-party individuals, such as friends and family, more than a single time, and the contact is limited to requests for your contact information.
May not publicly share your debts, including by sending postcards or putting information on envelopes.
May not use obscene or profane language.
May not make threats of arrest.
May not threaten property seizure or garnishment of wages, unless the collector is legally allowed to, and intends to, pursue property seizure or garnishment.
May not make false statements in an attempt to collect a debt. This includes saying you owe a different amount than you actually owe, pretending to be from the government or an attorney if they are not or threatening to take legal action they are not allowed or don't intend to.
Must send a written “validation notice” telling you the amount you owe within five days after they first contact you. This notice must include the name of the creditor to whom you owe the money, how to determine the original creditor and how to proceed if you don’t believe that you owe the money.
May not try to collect interest, fees or other charges on top of the amount you owe, unless the original contract or your state law says they can.
May not deposit a post-dated check early.
Must put your payment toward the debt you choose, if you have more than one.
May not sue you and win if the debt is too old, or "time-barred." The length of time depends on the kind of debt, the credit contract and state laws. In some states, you have to tell the court your debt is time-barred for the lawsuit to be dismissed. In other states, the clock starts ticking again if you make a payment or acknowledge you owe the debt in writing. Ask the collector when its records show you made your last payment. A collector must stop trying to collect until it gives you verification. If you pay nothing, the collector can continue to contact you unless you mail a letter asking for contact to stop.
Must stop contacting you if you send a letter by mail asking for contact to stop. (It's best to send the letter by certified mail and pay for a return receipt, as well as to keep a copy for yourself.) The exceptions are to confirm the collector will end communication or to notify you of a pending action such as filing a lawsuit or reporting you to a credit bureau. You should consider talking to the collector at least once to confirm it’s really your debt and to find more information about it. But be careful about sharing too much of your personal or financial information, especially if you’re not already familiar with the collector. If it is your debt, you may be able to negotiate to reduce the total amount owed or set up a payment plan. Before paying any settlement, however, request a signed form or letter from the collector that says the amount you’re paying settles the entire debt and releases you from any further obligation and keep a record of your payments.
How to protect yourself from debt collection scams
Find out who's calling. Write down the full name of the collector, collection company, its address and phone number. If the collector refuses to give this information, it's a red flag.
Write down the full name of the collector, collection company, its address and phone number. If the collector refuses to give this information, it's a red flag. Ask for validation of the debt. Within five days of contacting you, the debt collector must send you a written notice of how much you owe including interest and fees, the name of the current creditor, how to find out the name of the original creditor and what to do if you don’t think it’s your debt. In most cases, the collector should be able to provide the information immediately. It is also recommended to ask what the debt is for and when the debt was incurred. Be wary if the collector refuses.
Within five days of contacting you, the debt collector must send you a written notice of how much you owe including interest and fees, the name of the current creditor, how to find out the name of the original creditor and what to do if you don’t think it’s your debt. In most cases, the collector should be able to provide the information immediately. It is also recommended to ask what the debt is for and when the debt was incurred. Be wary if the collector refuses. Don't respond to threats or immediate deadlines. If someone threatens to arrest you, suspend your driver's license, call your employer if you don't pay immediately or makes other threats, hang up and report it immediately. The same applies if the debt collector requires you to act immediately. You can file a complaint with Arizona Attorney General's office at www.azag.gov/complaints/consumer or by calling 602-542-5763 in the Phoenix area, 520-628-6648 in the Tucson area or 800-352-8431 anywhere else. You can also complain to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint.
If someone threatens to arrest you, suspend your driver's license, call your employer if you don't pay immediately or makes other threats, hang up and report it immediately. The same applies if the debt collector requires you to act immediately. You can file a complaint with Arizona Attorney General's office at www.azag.gov/complaints/consumer or by calling 602-542-5763 in the Phoenix area, 520-628-6648 in the Tucson area or 800-352-8431 anywhere else. You can also complain to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Do your own detective work. Check with the original creditor. Is the debt yours? Did they sell the debt or hire a company to collect it? If so, is the debt collector calling you the collector they hired?
Check with the original creditor. Is the debt yours? Did they sell the debt or hire a company to collect it? If so, is the debt collector calling you the collector they hired? Dispute the debt. If you think you don't owe some, or all, of the debt, dispute it with the collector by mail or online.
If you think you don't owe some, or all, of the debt, dispute it with the collector by mail or online. Keep evidence. Maintain copies of any correspondence with the debt collector, including letters, emails, text messages and dates, times and phone numbers of calls. If you send a letter, use certified mail to ensure it's received.
Maintain copies of any correspondence with the debt collector, including letters, emails, text messages and dates, times and phone numbers of calls. If you send a letter, use certified mail to ensure it's received. Use forms to communicate with the debt collector. The CFPB has sample letters for when you do not owe a debt, need more information about a debt, want the debt collector to stop contacting you, want the debt collector to only contact your lawyer or want to specify how the debt collector can contact you. Find the forms at www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/debt-collection.
Consumer reporter Rebekah L. Sanders investigates issues of fraud and abuse involving businesses, health care and government agencies. Contact her at rsanders@azcentral.com or follow her on Twitter at @RebekahLSanders.


usatoday--2020-10-18--2020 election live updates: Trump goes to church event in Las Vegas as Biden heads to Durham, NC

With only sixteen days before the Nov. 3 presidential election , there is no shortage of drama in the final stretch as President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden make their final pitches to voters as campaigns up and down the ballot .
Trump , once again on the campaign trail after being hospitalized for COVID-19 , held a rally in Muskegon , Michigan on Saturday where he led supporters in a chant of “ Lock her up !
” referring to the state ’ s Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , who was recently the target of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to stump around the country today .
Trump will attend a church service in Las Vegas at 9:00 a.m. PDT , then a campaign fundraiser in Santa Ana , California at mid-day .
He will finish his Sunday at a campaign rally in Carson City , Nevada at 7:00 p.m. PDT .
Biden will travel to North Carolina Sunday , where he will attend an event in Durham encouraging North Carolinians to plan to vote by mail and in-person during the state ’ s early voting period , which began Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIA Director John Brennan is worried about the social and political havoc Trump may unleash if he loses on Election Day .
• Both Trump and Biden are working hard to win over crucial older voters in their campaign ads .
• Thursday 's competing town halls between Trump and Biden provided the perfect inspiration for the opening skit on `` Saturday Night Live . ''
• Sen. Ben Sasse , R-Neb.
, has ramped up his criticism of Trump 's election strategy drawing the ire of the president who called Sasse `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days until Election Day , four days until the final presidential debate , 94 days until Inauguration Day , 76 days left in 2020 .
🗳 Voting : See USA TODAY 's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote , when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues .
We will update this article throughout the day .
You can follow all of USA TODAY 's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter .
WASHINGTON – More and more people are attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the supporters packed together without masks despite a resurgence of COVID-19 .
Do n't expect that to change during the last two weeks of the campaign .
`` People do n't want to be living in fear , '' Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller said when asked about the rallies during an appearance on Fox News Sunday .
Trump survived a bout with COVID-19 earlier this month .
There is evidence some of his supporters contracted the coronavirus after attending his campaign events .
The Minnesota Department of Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a Sept. 18 Trump rally in Bemidji ( plus four more to an anti-Trump rally just outside that event ) .
Three more cases have been traced to a Trump event in Duluth on Sept. 30 , less than two days before Trump tested positive for the virus .
In the Fox interview , Miller said `` we do pass out masks at the rallies . ''
He also said the campaign conducts temperature checks on attendees and give out hand sanitizer – and will continue to do so right up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admonished President Donald Trump ’ s leading a crowd to chant “ Lock her up !
” about Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer during a rally in Muskegon , Michigan on Saturday evening as “ irresponsible.
” The president ’ s calls come a little over a week after federal agents said they thwarted a plot to kidnap the governor .
“ The president has to realize that the words of the president of the United States weigh a ton .
And in our political dialogue , to inject fear tactics into it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is so irresponsible , ” the speaker said .
`` The biggest antidote to his poison is the vote , ” Pelosi emphasized .
On Saturday Whitmer said Trump 's incendiary tone needs to stop .
`` This is exactly the rhetoric that has put me , my family , and other government officials ’ lives in danger while we try to save the lives of our fellow Americans , '' the governor tweeted after Trump 's rally .
GOP senators try to save majority by distancing themselves from Trump Senate Majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken deliberate steps to distance themselves from Trump as recent polls and independent analyses show Democrats with a better than 50-50 chance of flipping the necessary number of seats ( three if Biden wins , four if Trump does ) to retake the upper chamber .
It 's a balancing act for Republican Senate candidates running for re-election in battleground states who need the GOP base to win as well as a significant share of independents who may be turned off by Trump 's rhetoric , behavior and policies .
`` These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Jessica Taylor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report .
`` They can ’ t irritate the very conservative Trump base but they also need independents to win the general election .
It ’ s a no-win situation for them in many regards .
”

Matthew Brown, David Jackson and William Cummings, USA TODAY

2020 election live updates: Pelosi says 48-hour deadline to get stimulus done by Nov. 3; Trump gives wad of $20s at church
Show Caption Hide Caption How the Federal Reserve's interest rates affect the economy and you The Federal Reserve has lowered interest rates over the past few months. Here's how their actions affect you. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday the White House has 48 hours to reach a deal on COVID-19 relief before the Nov. 3 election.
"I’m optimistic," Pelosi told ABC News "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos. "Because again, we’ve been back and forth on all of this."
When pressed on whether Americans would see a COVID relief package passed before the Nov. 3 election, Pelosi said “that depends on the administration.
“With all due respect to some of the people in the president’s administration, they are not legislators,” Pelosi said. The speaker then said that “we now have agreement in the language,” though talks remained ongoing.
“When you say ‘may’ you give the president a slush fund. When you say ‘shall,’ you are going with what the science tells us must happen,” Pelosi said to explain the legislative semantics.
Pelosi also admonished President Donald Trump’s leading a crowd to chant “Lock her up!” about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during a rally in Muskegon, Michigan on Saturday evening as “irresponsible.” The president’s calls come a little over a week after federal agents said they thwarted a plot to kidnap the governor.
“The president has to realize that the words of the president of the United States weigh a ton. And in our political dialogue, to inject fear tactics into it, especially a woman governor and her family, is so irresponsible,” the speaker said.
"The biggest antidote to his poison is the vote,” Pelosi said.
– Matthew Brown
☕ The latest:
📆 16 days until Election Day, four days until the final presidential debate, 94 days until Inauguration Day, 76 days left in 2020.
🗳 Voting: See USA TODAY's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote, when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues.
We will update this article throughout the day. You can follow all of USA TODAY's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter.
Trump drops a fistful of $20s into Las Vegas church collection bucket
Mike Pence headlines rally in keystone state With barely two weeks left before Election Day, the battleground state of Pennsylvania is being flooded with visits by the presidential candidates and their campaign surrogates. Vice President Mike Pence headlines a rally in Reading on Saturday. (Oct. 17) AP
As Las Vegas churchgoers prayed for good political fortune, President Donald Trump was not shy when the collection bucket came around.
Trump placed what witnesses called a handful of $20 bills into the bucket during a friendly service at the International Church of Las Vegas.
"The Lord said, ‘he is ready for the next four years and he will have a second wind,’” preached church leader Denise Goulet.
At one point, she asked Trump, seated in the front row, “do you love your job?"
"Yes," Trump replied, "I love my job."
The service also featured music performances with a band on stage and members twirling U.S. flags.
The event began a busy for Trump. After church, he headed to Newport Beach, Calif., for fundraisers. Later Sunday, it's back to Nevada for an airport rally in Carson City.
– David Jackson
Biden pushes Democrats in NC to get out and vote
Former Vice President Joe Biden appeared at a voter mobilization event in Durham, North Carolina on Sunday. The visit comes as Democrats invest deeply in the battleground state, seeing strong pickup opportunities down the entire ballot.
"Don’t just vote for me and Senator Harris," Biden told a socially distant crowd. “You’ve got a governor’s race, a senate race, a record number of black women on the ballot.”
Biden emphasized his policy plans for health care and jobs, linking them with his criticisms of the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Folks are worried about making their next mortgage payment, whether their healthcare will be ripped away during a pandemic, worried about sending their kids to school … well, that’s Donald Trump’s presidency,” Biden declared.
Biden also addressed the protests and civil unrest still apparent in the country, asserting that “We have no need for militias to be patrolling our streets.” The former vice president also referenced some of Durham’s history while speaking about the need for greater economic opportunity.
“It was right here in Durham, on Parrish Street, that an oasis of Black-owned businesses thrived, even during Jim Crow," Biden said. "Place that offered the country a glimpse of what we could become if we chose to live up to our founding values."
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the race in North Carolina, causing a record number of absentee ballots to be requested in the state. Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis contracted COVID-19 in early October, just as it was revealed his Democratic rival, Cal Cunningham, was had exchanged apparently romantic texts with a woman who was not his wife.
– Matthew Brown
Whitmer: Trump rhetoric is inciting 'domestic terrorism'
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the target of a recent alleged kidnapping plot, accused President Donald Trump of inciting domestic terrorism Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press," in her strongest criticism of Trump to date.
"It's incredibly disturbing that the president of the United States, 10 days after a plot to kidnap, put me on trial, and execute me … is at it again and inspiring and incentivizing and inciting this kind of domestic terrorism," Whitmer said.
During a Trump campaign appearance in Michigan Saturday, the crowd chanted "lock her up" when Trump criticized the Democratic governor.
"Lock 'em all up," Trump said.
On Sunday Trump campaign adviser told CNN her father-in-law didn't do anything "to provoke people to threaten this woman at all."
"He was having fun at a Trump rally," she said on "State of the Union."
– William Cummings
Campaign adviser: Packed Trump rallies won't stop, despite COVID-19 resurgence
WASHINGTON – More and more people are attending President Donald Trump's airport rallies, many of the supporters packed together without masks despite a resurgence of COVID-19.
Don't expect that to change during the last two weeks of the campaign.
"People don't want to be living in fear," Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller said when asked about the rallies during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.
Trump survived a bout with COVID-19 earlier this month. There is evidence some of his supporters contracted the coronavirus after attending his campaign events.
The Minnesota Department of Public Health reported it has traced 16 COVID cases to a Sept. 18 Trump rally in Bemidji (plus four more to an anti-Trump rally just outside that event). Three more cases have been traced to a Trump event in Duluth on Sept. 30, less than two days before Trump tested positive for the virus.
In the Fox interview, Miller said "we do pass out masks at the rallies." He also said the campaign conducts temperature checks on attendees and give out hand sanitizer – and will continue to do so right up to the election.
– David Jackson
Pelosi slams Trump 'irresponsible rhetoric on Whitmer
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admonished President Donald Trump’s leading a crowd to chant “Lock her up!” about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during a rally in Muskegon, Michigan on Saturday evening as “irresponsible.” The president’s calls come a little over a week after federal agents said they thwarted a plot to kidnap the governor.
“The president has to realize that the words of the president of the United States weigh a ton. And in our political dialogue, to inject fear tactics into it, especially a woman governor and her family, is so irresponsible,” the speaker said Sunday on ABC News' "This Week."
"The biggest antidote to his poison is the vote,” Pelosi emphasized.
On Saturday Whitmer said Trump's incendiary tone needs to stop.
"This is exactly the rhetoric that has put me, my family, and other government officials’ lives in danger while we try to save the lives of our fellow Americans," the governor tweeted after Trump's rally.
– Matthew Brown
Trump heads to Nevada, Biden to North Carolina
With only sixteen days before the Nov. 3 presidential election, there is no shortage of drama in the final stretch as President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden make their final pitches to voters as campaigns up and down the ballot pour resources into key races.
Both candidates will continue to stump around the country today. Trump, once again on the campaign trail after being hospitalized for COVID-19, will attend a church service in Las Vegas at 9:00 a.m. PDT, then a campaign fundraiser in Santa Ana, California at mid-day. He will finish his Sunday at a campaign rally in Carson City, Nevada at 7:00 p.m. PDT.
Biden will travel to North Carolina Sunday, where he will attend an event in Durham encouraging North Carolinians to plan to vote by mail and in-person during the state’s early voting period, which began Thursday and ends Oct. 31.
– Matthew Brown
Trump goes after NBC reporter Welker, moderator for final debate
WASHINGTON – The next (and final debate) isn't until Thursday, but President Donald Trump is already trying to pressure and intimidate the moderator, NBC News White House Correspondent Kristen Welker.
"She’s always been terrible & unfair, just like most of the Fake News reporters, but I’ll still play the game," Trump tweeted Saturday. "The people know!"
Welker hasn't commented, but plenty of colleagues and competitors testified to her fairness and professionalism. They said she will do great when moderating Thursday's showdown between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden in Nashville, Tenn.
"Kristen is one of the toughest, fairest reporters you’ll ever meet," tweeted Kathryn Watson, a White House reporter for CBS News.
Trump, who criticized moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News ahead of the Sept. 29 debate with Biden, also went after Welker during a Saturday night rally in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Yet many people have praised Welker's reporting during the Trump administration – including Trump himself.
Calling on Welker during a news conference in Switzerland in January, Trump complimented her for landing a weekend anchor gig on NBC's Today show.
"They made a very wise decision," Trump told Welker.
– David Jackson
GOP senators try to save majority by distancing themselves from Trump
Senate Majority Leaders Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans have taken deliberate steps to distance themselves from Trump as recent polls and independent analyses show Democrats with a better than 50-50 chance of flipping the necessary number of seats (three if Biden wins, four if Trump does) to retake the upper chamber.
It's a balancing act for Republican Senate candidates running for re-election in battleground states who need the GOP base to win as well as a significant share of independents who may be turned off by Trump's rhetoric, behavior and policies.
"These senators are pulled in two different directions," said Jessica Taylor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. "They can’t irritate the very conservative Trump base but they also need independents to win the general election. It’s a no-win situation for them in many regards.”
– Phillip M. Bailey and Ledyard King
Contributing: Bart Jansen and Sean Rossman, USA TODAY; Paul Egan. Detroit Free Press