usatoday--2020-06-25--'No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service': Will masks curb visitation in Las Vegas?

LAS VEGAS – This glittering desert destination has long been a place travelers visit to escape the rules of home .
But a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases across Nevada has created a new rule visitors ca n't ignore : wearing a mask in public .
Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak has ordered all Nevadans and Silver State tourists to wear face coverings in public and inside private businesses , like the many beckoning resorts dotting The Strip .
`` Wearing mask coverings save lives , period .
End of story , '' Sisolak said during a Wednesday evening press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other to accept the fact that wearing face mask coverings saves lives . ''
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill called it a `` smart decision '' that can prevent the spread of the contagious respiratory illness .
`` We have an obligation to take care of our employees and our customers , and it 's a business necessity as well , '' Hill said .
`` It is clearly the right thing to do , and the industry supports the determination the governor is making . ''
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an employee handing out masks with a tong estimated 80 % of visitors were n't wearing masks .
It 's a game with serious consequences : If people continue refusing masks , Hill said , Las Vegas could close .
`` It 's good policy , '' MGM Resorts Acting CEO Bill Hornbuckle told the USA TODAY Network .
`` Caution is critically important , and we have seen that those areas , those states , those businesses that required masks in the collective have fared better than those that have not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ got pretty carefree' Southern Nevada tourism authorities say research suggests a large number of vacationers indicated they would still visit Las Vegas if masks were required , but there 's no telling yet what impact the new requirements will have on travel .
“ People were pent up , looking at the four walls of their rooms for three months , and things had gotten better and some got pretty carefree when they had the opportunity to come back to town and escape that stay-at-home situation , '' Hill said .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , and I think the vast majority will understand the need for this step to be taken , and frankly if we do n't do it , I think that would have more of an impact on visitation than doing it . ''
Nevada crested 14,000 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday .
In total , 14,362 Nevadans have tested positive for coronavirus and 494 people have died , according the Nevada Health Alliance dashboard .
The state ’ s four highest single-day increases have all been recorded within the past week , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hornbuckle is optimistic people will continue returning to Las Vegas .
“ The reaction and response we ’ ve had after reopening has been beyond our expectations , ” Hornbuckle said .
“ We still think there ’ s opportunity to come.
” If you do n't wear a mask , will there be fines ?
Hours before Sisolak ordered Nevadans to wear masks in all public places , both MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment launched their own mandates for all hotel-casino guests .
The policy applies to all Caesars properties open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Missouri , Nevada and Indiana , as well as tribal properties in Arizona , California and North Carolina .
Anyone who refuses to wear a mask will be directed to leave the property .
`` You see signs at a lot of places that say 'No shirt , no shoes , no service , ' '' Hill said .
`` Well , I think we 're just going to add 'no masks . ''
'' Sisolak ’ s mandate stops short of fining those without masks , but the governor did not rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Businesses that fail to meet requirements in this directive will face violations from licensing agencies and regulatory authorities , in addition to Nevada OSHA , '' Sisolak said .
`` A reminder as well that businesses have the right to ask a patron to leave if they are not following this directive . ''
The governor said mask wearing should n't be a political issue .
“ A mask helps reduce the spread of infectious disease , ” Sisolak said .
“ Anyone who is denying that is denying reality.
” Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network .
Do you care about democracy ?
Then support local journalism by subscribing to the Reno Gazette Journal right here .

'No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no service': Will masks curb visitation in Las Vegas?
Show Caption Hide Caption Las Vegas Strip reopens, awakening from 80-day coronavirus coma The Las Vegas Strip is slowly awakening after a nearly 80-day slumber due to the coronavirus crisis. USA TODAY
LAS VEGAS – This glittering desert destination has long been a place travelers visit to escape the rules of home.
But a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases across Nevada has created a new rule visitors can't ignore: wearing a mask in public.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has ordered all Nevadans and Silver State tourists to wear face coverings in public and inside private businesses, like the many beckoning resorts dotting The Strip.
"Wearing mask coverings save lives, period. End of story," Sisolak said during a Wednesday evening press conference. "We owe it to each other to accept the fact that wearing face mask coverings saves lives."
Casino executives and tourism authorities applaud the mask decree.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill called it a "smart decision" that can prevent the spread of the contagious respiratory illness.
"We have an obligation to take care of our employees and our customers, and it's a business necessity as well," Hill said. "It is clearly the right thing to do, and the industry supports the determination the governor is making."
When Caesars Palace reopened June 4, an employee handing out masks with a tong estimated 80% of visitors weren't wearing masks. It's a game with serious consequences: If people continue refusing masks, Hill said, Las Vegas could close.
"It's good policy," MGM Resorts Acting CEO Bill Hornbuckle told the USA TODAY Network. "Caution is critically important, and we have seen that those areas, those states, those businesses that required masks in the collective have fared better than those that have not."
'Things had gotten better and some got pretty carefree'
Southern Nevada tourism authorities say research suggests a large number of vacationers indicated they would still visit Las Vegas if masks were required, but there's no telling what impact the new requirements will have on travel.
“People were pent up, looking at the four walls of their rooms for three months, and things had gotten better and some got pretty carefree when they had the opportunity to come back to town and escape that stay-at-home situation," Hill said. "But everyone can see the numbers at this point, and I think the vast majority will understand the need for this step to be taken, and frankly if we don't do it, I think that would have more of an impact on visitation than doing it."
Nevada crested 14,000 COVID-19 cases Wednesday. In total, 14,362 Nevadans have tested positive for coronavirus and 494 people have died, according to the Nevada Health Alliance dashboard.
The state’s four highest single-day increases have all been recorded within the past week, according to state data.
At MGM, Hornbuckle is optimistic people will continue returning to Las Vegas.
“The reaction and response we’ve had after reopening has been beyond our expectations,” Hornbuckle said. “We still think there’s opportunity to come.”
Las Vegas casinos reopen after coronavirus closure The coronavirus casino closure is ending, with cards to be dealt, dice to roll and slot jackpots to win starting Thursday in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada. (June 4) AP
If you don't wear a mask, will there be fines?
Hours before Sisolak ordered Nevadans to wear masks in all public places, both MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment launched their own mandates for all hotel-casino guests.
The policy applies to all Caesars properties open in Louisiana, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada and Indiana, as well as tribal properties in Arizona, California and North Carolina.
Anyone who refuses to wear a mask will be directed to leave the property.
"You see signs at a lot of places that say 'No shirt, no shoes, no service,'" Hill said. "Well, I think we're just going to add 'no masks.'"
Sisolak’s mandate stops short of fining those without masks, but the governor did not rule out the possibility of monetary penalties.
"Businesses that fail to meet requirements in this directive will face violations from licensing agencies and regulatory authorities, in addition to Nevada OSHA," Sisolak said. "A reminder as well that businesses have the right to ask a patron to leave if they are not following this directive."
The governor said mask wearing shouldn't be a political issue.
“A mask helps reduce the spread of infectious disease,” Sisolak said. “Anyone who is denying that is denying reality.”


usatoday--2020-06-25--Protests updates: House set to take up police reform bill; Colorado may look into Elijah McClain cas

Protests updates: House set to take up police reform bill; Colorado may look into Elijah McClain case; Tucson police chief resigns

The House of Representatives is preparing to move forward with its police reform bill Thursday , a day after Senate Democrats blocked a package proposed by Senate Republicans because they argued that it was n't enough to bring change needed in the aftermath of George Floyd 's death .
Protesters in Washington , D.C. , meanwhile , are vowing to tear down the Emancipation Statue in Lincoln Park on Thursday night .
The statue , erected in 1876 and paid for by freed slaves , honors President Lincoln , but many say it portrays a Black man in a demeaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been the 18th birthday of Tamir Rice , a Black 12-year-old who was fatally shot in 2014 by a police officer as he played with a toy gun at a park in Cleveland .
On Wednesday , three men in Georgia have been indicted on murder charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery , a prosecutor announced Wednesday .
“ This is another positive step , another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud , for finding justice for this family and the community beyond , ” Cobb County District Attorney Joyette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A closer look at some recent developments : • The District of Columbia National Guard said it is deploying unarmed troops in the nation 's capital to help secure monuments and infrastructure after protesters have sought to tear down statues related to the Confederacy and racial history .
• A professional soccer team in Tulsa , Oklahoma , decided to no longer play the U.S. national anthem at its home matches because they said it does not `` represent or unite their diverse players , fans and community . ''
• Colorado Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will look into how the state can get involved in probing the death of Elijah McClain , a 23-year-old Black man who died last August in police custody after officers restrained him by his neck .
Our live blog will be updated throughout the day .
For first-in-the-morning updates , sign up for The Daily Briefing .
Tamir Rice would have turned 18 on Thursday June 25 is tough for Samaria Rice .
Six years since her 12-year-old son , Tamir , was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer , she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of loss when you don ’ t have your puzzle complete . ''
“ You don ’ t get over nothing like this , '' Rice told USA TODAY .
Rice also often thinks about what Tamir could have become had he lived to see his 18th birthday this year .
More from Samaria Rice : ' I am building his legacy .
To show people my strength and to show people I have not given up . '
`` He mastered all the sports that could be mastered , '' Rice said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Odell Beckham .
...
I really do n't know because I was robbed of that.
” Ahead of what would have been Tamir 's 18th birthday , the USA TODAY Network talked to 31 teenagers about growing up Black in America .
Read their stories here .
Three North Carolina police officers were fired after a recording captured racist conversations they had , which included the use of racial slurs and discussion of killing Black people .
The Wilmington Police Department took the action on Tuesday against Cpl .
Jessie Moore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Each was accused of violating standards of conduct , criticism and use of inappropriate jokes and slurs .
“ When I first learned of these conversations , I was shocked , saddened and disgusted , ” Police Chief Donny Williams said at a news conference Wednesday .
“ There is no place for this behavior in our agency or our city and it will not be tolerated.
” The recording was discovered during a video audit as part of a monthly inspection , and a sergeant was reviewing footage from Piner ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ accidental activation.
” One of the conversation included talk of a civil war and the killing of Black people .
In addition to being fired , cases involving the Wilmington officers will be reviewed by the district attorney ’ s office to determine whether they committed any crimes or showed bias toward criminal defendants .
Oregon county drops mask exemption for people of color after 'racist commentary' Lincoln County , a region of 50,000 on a quiet part of the Oregon Coast , became a target of anger after passing a directive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoors –with a few exceptions , including for “ people of color worried about racial profiling and harassment due to wearing face coverings in public.
” The directive , passed June 16 , went viral after a New York Post story with the headline : “ Oregon county issues face mask order that exempts non-white people.
” By Wednesday , as the story spread and a small office in Newport was bombarded with thousands of angry emails and phone calls , the county revised the directive and eliminated the exception , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` We included the protections for those within our communities of color who historically , and often personally , found themselves the victims of harassment and violence , '' the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners and County Management team said in a statement Wednesday evening .
`` We are shocked and appalled at the volume of horrifically racist commentary we have received regarding this policy exemption . ''
Colorado governor says state may look into Elijah McClain case Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said his legal council is examining `` what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls for justice for Elijah McClain , who died in August after police stopped him and used a carotid hold , a type of restraint around his neck .
McClain , 23 , who was Black , was walking home from a convenience store , his family says , when officers with the Aurora Police Department received a call of a `` suspicious man '' wearing a ski mask .
Police used the carotid hold to restrain McClain , who became unresponsive .
When paramedics arrived on the scene , they injected McClain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was declared brain dead three days later .
An autopsy was unable to determine whether his death was an accident , a result of natural causes or a homicide .
In recent days , more than 2.5 million people have signed an online petition calling for Colorado officials to reopen the investigation into his death .
`` I am hearing from many Coloradans who have expressed concerns with the investigation of Elijah McClain ’ s death .
As a result , I have instructed my legal council to examine what the state can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Polis tweeted Wednesday .
Tucson police chief resigns after video released of man who died in custody Tucson 's police chief abruptly resigned Wednesday after video footage showed an April incident that led to the death of a man in police custody and many questions about how officers handled the incident .
The chief , Chris Magnus , said that while the three police officers involved in the incident – who have since resigned – have not yet been found criminally responsible in the death of 27-year-old Carlos Ingram Lopez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies during the arrest .
Magnus also apologized for the department ’ s delay in notifying the public , the city 's mayor and City Council of Ingram Lopez ’ s death and in reviewing the videos of the incident .
Tucson police officers arrived at the house of Ingram Lopez 's grandmother after she called them in the early morning hours of April 21 .
Police chased a distressed and naked Ingram Lopez into the dimly lit garage and wrestled him to the ground .
After being handcuffed and positioned face down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in body-worn camera footage .
He also told the officers he could n't breathe and asked for water .
He eventually became unresponsive , and emergency medical technicians later pronounced him dead .
Some leave Seattle 's CHOP while others stay ; businesses sue city Some protesters were leaving Seattle 's autonomous zone , known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest , or CHOP , days after the city 's mayor said officials would intervene following two shootings last weekend .
KIRO-TV reported that fewer tents were in the area early Wednesday but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , protesters sectioned off several city blocks after police abandoned their precinct following tense nights of protests .
Originally named the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone , or CHAZ , organizers said the area would be free of police .
However , two shootings last weekend led to Mayor Jenny Durkan saying police would return and shut down the protest zone .
It was n't clear when police would return .
Meanwhile , a collection of Seattle businesses , property owners and residents sued the city Wednesday over its tolerance of the zone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depriving them of their rights to their property .
Professional soccer team will no longer play national anthem before games Tulsa 's team in the semi-pro National Premier Soccer League has announced it will no longer play the U.S. national anthem at its home matches and will instead feature Woody Guthrie 's `` This Land Is Your Land '' as its designated `` song of patriotism . ''
After reviewing the lyrics , Tulsa Athletic officials did not feel the song `` represents or unites their diverse players , fans and community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team on Wednesday .
“ From our beginning , we have developed a culture of inclusion and acceptance at Tulsa Athletic , ” said team co-owner Sonny Dalesandro .
`` We live in a country that allows us to freely speak our voice .
We utilize this right as a club to continually try and improve our team and community . ''
• A month after George Floyd 's death , the hard work begins in Minneapolis , St. Paul • Fact check : Officer in Breonna Taylor killing not shot by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' : Returns to HBO Max with disclaimer , discussion on 'complicated legacy' • CrossFit : Founder Greg Glassman , who received backlash on comments about the death of George Floyd , is selling the company Protesters said they will tear down the Emancipation Statue in Washington Protesters in Washington , D.C. , plan to tear down the Emancipation Statue in Lincoln Park on Thursday evening , TV station WUSA reported .
Demonstrators gathered Tuesday during a protest organized by `` The Freedom Neighborhood '' to call for the removal of the statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-D.C. , is among those who say the statue should come down , saying that those who designed it `` didn ’ t take into account the views of African Americans .
It shows . ''
The statue depicts a shirtless Black man kneeling before Lincoln .
On Wednesday , 400 National Guard troops were activated in the city to guard monuments and statues as demonstrators have tried to pull bring them down .
Protesters also tried to remove the statue of Andrew Jackson at Lafayette Park near the White House Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secret Service were asked to leave .
Officials in Oakland , California , approved its city budget which includes $ 14.6 million in cuts to its police department , which is about half the amount that one council member proposed , San Francisco Chronicle reported .
The Oakland City Council voted 5-1 Tuesday .
On Twitter , Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas , the lone vote , called the approved budget `` a slap in the face to thousands of Oaklanders '' who demanded city council to cut $ 150 million from its police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I do not support this .
I voted NO .
Proud 2 stand on right side of history .
Elections matter , '' Bas , who proposed a $ 25M cut to the police department , said on Twitter .
The San Jose Mercury News reported that the Oakland Unified School District agreed to eliminate its own police force from campuses Wednesday night .
The $ 2.5 million spent per year on the force 's 10 officers is expected to be redirected toward student support services and restorative justice efforts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brett Hankison , who was terminated Tuesday for his actions in the March 13 fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor , is calling the dismissal a `` cowardly political act . ''
`` It would have taken courage and integrity to calmly state : 'We must wait until the investigations have been completed and the evidence is in hand before making any determinations regarding discipline , ' '' Louisville attorney David Leightty wrote in an appeal obtained by The Courier Journal , part of the USA TODAY Network .
Instead , Leightty argues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Robert Schroeder to fire Hankison `` before the facts have been fully assembled , '' and the two created a termination document `` amped up with hyperbole . ''
The appeal will be considered by the Police Merit Board , as required by state law , which will determine whether the chief 's action was `` unjustified or unsupported by proper evidence . ''
The board can uphold the firing or reinstate the officer , possibly with new punishment .
Three Georgia men indicted on felony murder , malice charges in Ahmaud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been indicted on murder charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery , a prosecutor announced Wednesday .
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes said in a press conference outside the Glynn County courthouse that a grand jury indicted Travis McMichael , Gregory McMichael and William “ Roddie ” Bryan Jr. on charges that include felony murder and malice .
“ This is another positive step , another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud , for finding justice for this family and the community beyond , ” Holmes said .
The McMichaels and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of aggravated assault and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
Arbery , a 25-year-old Black man , was shot and killed on Feb. 23 while jogging about two miles from his home .
Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked a police reform package they argue does not go far enough in implementing changes needed in the aftermath of George Floyd 's death .
The measure failed 55-45 , delivering a blow to the momentum on Capitol Hill to enact changes and likely lowering the chances that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the November elections .
`` I do n't know what it 's gon na take to wake up , '' Sen. Tim Scott , of South Carolina , the sole Black Republican in the Senate , said during an impassioned speech .
`` We 'll move on .
People will forget about it .
You know what 's gon na happen ?
Something bad – and we 'll be right back here talking about what should have been done , what could have been done , why we must act now . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the House is preparing to move forward on its own competing bill on Thursday – legislation that Democrats hope will pressure Senate Republicans to negotiate a bipartisan compromise .
The San Diego Police Department will now require the use of de-escalation in policing , including mandating an officer to step in if another is using unreasonable force , San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer said Wednesday .
“ This is a policy that will help make sure that what happened in Minneapolis does not happen here in San Diego , ” Faulconer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also “ requires officers , when safe and reasonable , to use techniques that can resolve situations , either through lowered levels of force or no force at all.
” The police can still use force if de-escalation tactics do not work , he said .
The decision comes after the San Diego City Council voted to increase funding for its police department June 9 , and after the police department banned carotid restraints June 1 .

Jessica Flores and Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY

Protest updates: NYPD officer charged with using banned chokehold; House passes police reform bill
As the New York Police Department announced on Thursday that an officer was arrested and charged after he was caught on video using a banned chokehold, the House of Representatives approved its own police reform bill.
The passage came one day after Senate Democrats blocked a package proposed by Senate Republicans because they argued that it wasn't enough to bring change needed in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.
Also on Thursday, NASCAR released an image of the noose found in the garage of Black driver Bubba Wallace. An FBI investigation found the rope was previously there before Wallace was assigned the garage at Talledega Superspeedway.
Thursday also marks what would have been the 18th birthday of Tamir Rice, a Black 12-year-old who was fatally shot in 2014 by a police officer as he played with a toy gun at a park in Cleveland.
A closer look at some recent developments:
An NYPD officer who was caught on camera Sunday using a banned chokehold during an altercation was arrested and charged with strangulation and attempted strangulation.
NASCAR revealed a picture of the noose found in the garage of Black driver Bubba Wallace that sparked an FBI investigation and was found to be a garage pulldown rope.
A professional soccer team in Tulsa, Oklahoma, decided to no longer play the U.S. national anthem at its home matches because they said it does not "represent or unite their diverse players, fans and community."
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said his legal council will look into how the state can get involved in probing the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who died last August in police custody after officers restrained him by his neck.
Our live blog will be updated throughout the day. For first-in-the-morning updates, sign up for The Daily Briefing.
House police reform bill passes, but future is uncertain
The House passed a sweeping police reform package on Thursday that would end certain legal protections for officers accused of misconduct and ban chokeholds in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.
The 236-181 vote, largely along party lines, comes one day after Democrats blocked the Senate from moving forward on a competing bill due to arguments the legislation did not go far enough.
The bill's future remains uncertain as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said the Republican-controlled chamber would not take up the legislation. Both chambers will have to negotiate a compromise but some lawmakers have expressed skepticism that Congress will be able to pass police reforms this year.
– Christal Hayes
NASCAR shares picture of noose from Bubba Wallace's garage
While an FBI investigation concluded on Tuesday that NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace was not the target of a hate crime, it did not dispute that there was a noose in the No. 4 garage at Talladega Superspeedway.
Pictures of the noose, released by NASCAR on Thursday, further confirm that conclusion.
NASCAR confirms photo of noose found in Bubba Wallace's garage stall #NASCAR @NASCARONFOX https://t.co/7eJRwdjqH3 — Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 25, 2020
In a conference call with reporters, NASCAR president Steve Phelps said it conducted a thorough sweep of all 1,684 garage stalls at the 29 tracks the league uses.
"They found only 11 total ropes that had a pulldown rope tied in a knot," he said, "and just one noose: The one in Bubba Wallace's garage."
– Chris Bumbaca
Pentagon considers ban on Confederate symbols at all military facilities
The Pentagon is considering a policy banning Confederate imagery across the military, aligning its policy with a growing movement but edging toward conflict with President Trump, Army Sec. Ryan McCarthy said Thursday.
Such a prohibition would follow bans already enacted by the Navy, Marine Corps and NASCAR on the war emblem of southern states that fought to maintain slavery. There is also legislation proposed in Congress that would strip the names of Confederate officers from 10 Army posts and buildings. Trump has been outspoken in opposition to such changes, arguing the names honor history not racism.
The Army has made its recommendation on Confederate symbolism to Defense Secretary Mark Esper. McCarthy declined to indicate the Army's position but said Esper is seeking a uniform policy for all the military.
– Tom Vanden Brook
NYPD officer charged with using banned chokehold
A New York City police officer who was suspended after putting a man in what authorities said was a banned chokehold now faces criminal charges.
The NYPD says officer David Afanador was arrested Thursday on charges of strangulation and attempted strangulation over an altercation last weekend on the Rockaway Beach boardwalk.
Afanador, 39, was expected to be arraigned at a criminal court in Queens.
In Sunday’s encounter, a video shot by one of the men involved in the altercation showed officers tackling Ricky Bellevue, a Black man. The footage showed that Afanador crooked his arm around Bellevue’s neck for several seconds as he lay face down on the boardwalk.
It was at least the second time Afanador has faced criminal charges over the alleged use of excessive force.
The Dixie Chicks are changing their name to The Chicks: 'We want to meet this moment'
The Dixie Chicks are now known as The Chicks.
The country trio changed its social media handles, and their official website now redirects to thechicks.com.
"We want to meet this moment," reads a message posted on the site, signed by members Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Strayer. They've also released a new song, "March March," with a video filled with footage of protests through the ages, and listing the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and dozens more.
The move follows fellow country trio Lady Antebellum's decision to change their name to Lady A, renouncing the term used particularly to describe existing before the American Civil War, and "associations that weigh down this word," including ties to slavery.
– Dave Paulson, The Tennessean
'Justice for Breonna' rally in Kentucky demands officers be charged with murder
Social justice group Until Freedom organized a rally in Frankfort, Kentucky, on Thursday, calling for people to join in demanding "Justice for Breonna."
The rally calls on Attorney General Daniel Cameron to charge the officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor with murder. The rally is also demanding a statewide ban on no-knock search warrants, which is what brought the officers inside Taylor's apartment on March 13.
Celebrities including Alicia Keys posted video call-outs for people who couldn't be in Frankfort to join a "virtual rally" and post videos at noon asking "How are you showing up for Breonna Taylor."
– Tessa Duvall and Mandy McLaren, Louisville Courier Journal
South Dakota tribal president: Mount Rushmore should be 'removed'
As President Donald Trump prepares to visit Mount Rushmore next week, a South Dakota tribal president is preparing a memo of disapproval.
Oglala Sioux President Julian Bear Runner says the president failed to consult with tribal leaders about the visit to the Black Hills, which the Sioux consider part of their Great Sioux Reservation, land that was never ceded to the United States. Bear Runner said Trump’s visit requited government-to-government consultation between the tribes and the federal government.
And one other thing: Bear Runner thinks Mount Rushmore should come down.
“I don’t believe it should be blown up, because it would cause more damage to the land,” he said, noting that Indian artifacts could be damaged. But there are other methods to take down the monument that would have less environmental impact.
“I agree,” he said. “Removed but not blown up.”
– Lisa Kaczke and Jonathan Ellis, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
3 charged after Black teen's death in Michigan ruled a homicide
Three staff members of a Michigan youth center have been charged in the death of a Black teenager who died while being restrained after throwing a sandwich, Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting announced Wednesday.
Cornelius Fredericks, 16, died May 1, two days after he lost consciousness while being restrained by staff at Lakeside Academy. The Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed Fredericks’ manner and cause of death was a homicide.
Michael Mosley of Battle Creek, Zachary Solis of Lansing and Heather McLogan of Kalamazoo are charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse.
In a civil lawsuit filed Monday against Lakeside Academy and its operator, Sequel Youth and Family Services, the family said the teen screamed “I can’t breathe” as staff members placed their weight on his chest for nearly 10 minutes.
Jenny Slate, Kristen Bell give up biracial cartoon characters
Jenny Slate and Kristen Bell will give up their roles on "Big Mouth" and "Central Park" respectively, saying it's inappropriate for them to voice biracial cartoon characters.
In an Instagram statement Wednesday, Slate explained her decision to no longer voice Missy on the animated series "Big Mouth," writing, "In me playing 'Missy,' I was engaging in an act of erasure of Black people."
Bell also took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce she will no longer voice Molly in the cartoon "Central Park." "Playing the character of Molly on Central Park shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege. Casting a mixed race character with a white actress undermines the specificity of the mixed race and Black American experience," Bell wrote.
– Charles Trepany
Tamir Rice would have turned 18 on Thursday
June 25 is tough for Samaria Rice. Six years since her 12-year-old son, Tamir, was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer, she says, "It's an empty feeling of loss when you don’t have your puzzle complete."
“You don’t get over nothing like this," Rice told USA TODAY.
Rice also often thinks about what Tamir could have become had he lived to see his 18th birthday this year.
More from Samaria Rice: 'I am building his legacy. To show people my strength and to show people I have not given up.'
"He mastered all the sports that could be mastered," Rice said. "So the next LeBron James, Odell Beckham. ... I really don't know because I was robbed of that.”
Ahead of what would have been Tamir's 18th birthday, the USA TODAY Network talked to 31 teenagers about growing up Black in America. Read their stories here.
– Nicquel Terry Ellis
3 North Carolina police officers fired over racist, violent rants
Three North Carolina police officers were fired after a recording captured racist conversations they had, which included the use of racial slurs and discussion of killing Black people.
The Wilmington Police Department took the action on Tuesday against Cpl. Jessie Moore, and officers Kevin Piner and Brian Gilmore. Each was accused of violating standards of conduct, criticism and use of inappropriate jokes and slurs.
“When I first learned of these conversations, I was shocked, saddened and disgusted,” Police Chief Donny Williams said at a news conference Wednesday. “There is no place for this behavior in our agency or our city and it will not be tolerated.”
The recording was discovered during a video audit as part of a monthly inspection, and a sergeant was reviewing footage from Piner’s car that had been classified as “accidental activation.” One of the conversations included talk of a civil war and the killing of Black people.
In addition to being fired, cases involving the Wilmington officers will be reviewed by the district attorney’s office to determine whether they committed any crimes or showed bias toward criminal defendants.
Oregon county drops mask exemption for people of color after 'racist commentary'
Lincoln County, a region of 50,000 on a quiet part of the Oregon Coast, became a target of anger after passing a directive that all residents wear masks indoors and outdoors –with a few exceptions, including for “people of color worried about racial profiling and harassment due to wearing face coverings in public.”
The directive, passed June 16, went viral after a New York Post story with the headline: “Oregon county issues face mask order that exempts non-white people.”
By Wednesday, as the story spread and a small office in Newport was bombarded with thousands of angry emails and phone calls, the county revised the directive and eliminated the exception, saying that it "does more harm than good."
"We included the protections for those within our communities of color who historically, and often personally, found themselves the victims of harassment and violence," the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners and County Management team said in a statement Wednesday evening. "We are shocked and appalled at the volume of horrifically racist commentary we have received regarding this policy exemption."
– Zach Urness, Salem Statesman Journal
Colorado governor says state may look into Elijah McClain case
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said his legal council is examining "what the state can do" amid renewed calls for justice for Elijah McClain, who died in August after police stopped him and used a carotid hold, a type of restraint around his neck.
McClain, 23, who was Black, was walking home from a convenience store, his family says, when officers with the Aurora Police Department received a call of a "suspicious man" wearing a ski mask.
Police used the carotid hold to restrain McClain, who became unresponsive. When paramedics arrived on the scene, they injected McClain with ketamine to sedate him. He was declared brain dead three days later. An autopsy was unable to determine whether his death was an accident, a result of natural causes or a homicide.
In recent days, more than 2.5 million people have signed an online petition calling for Colorado officials to reopen the investigation into his death.
"I am hearing from many Coloradans who have expressed concerns with the investigation of Elijah McClain’s death. As a result, I have instructed my legal council to examine what the state can do and we are assessing next steps," Polis tweeted Wednesday.
More on protests
Professional soccer team will no longer play national anthem before games
Tulsa's team in the semi-pro National Premier Soccer League has announced it will no longer play the U.S. national anthem at its home matches and will instead feature Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" as its designated "song of patriotism."
After reviewing the lyrics, Tulsa Athletic officials did not feel the song "represents or unites their diverse players, fans and community," according to a statement issued by the team on Wednesday.
“From our beginning, we have developed a culture of inclusion and acceptance at Tulsa Athletic,” said team co-owner Sonny Dalesandro. "We live in a country that allows us to freely speak our voice. We utilize this right as a club to continually try and improve our team and community."
– Steve Gardner
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-06-25--Ole Miss, Mississippi State football coaches expected to lobby legislature about state flag

Before either of them ever step foot on the home sidelines for Ole Miss or Mississippi State , Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach might first have to confront the Mississippi legislature .
Kiffin and Leach plan to address the state legislature on Thursday morning .
The coaches , along with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter and Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen , are expected to lobby the legislature about changing the Mississippi state flag to remove the emblem of the Confederate battle flag .
An Ole Miss spokesperson said the tentative list of Ole Miss representatives in attendance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kermit Davis and Yolett McPhee-McCuin , baseball coach Mike Bianco and track and field coach Connie Price-Smith .
Ole Miss chancellor Glenn Boyce will also be in attendance , according to the university .
Leach and Cohen will be joined by Mississippi State basketball coaches Ben Howland and Nikki McCray-Penson , baseball coach Chris Lemonis , softball coach Samantha Ricketts and track and field coach Chris Woods , according to a Mississippi State spokesman .
Last week , the NCAA and SEC both announced that they will be prohibiting postseason events from being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed .
Conference USA followed suit with a similar announcement on Monday .
Neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State fly the state flag on their campuses .
Representatives from both schools released statements advocating for the flag to be changed in response to the NCAA and SEC decisions .
Mississippi 's eight public universities released a joint statement on June 19 condemning the state flag .
`` Several years ago , our universities recognized that the Mississippi state flag in its current form is divisive and chose to lower the flag on our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Today , we are committed to continuing to do our part to ensure Mississippi is united in its pursuit of a future that is free of racism and discrimination .
Such a future must include a new state flag . ''
Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill took a stand of his own on Monday .
Hill tweeted that unless the state flag is changed he wo n't `` be representing this state anymore . ''
According to a poll from the Mississippi Economic Council , 55 % of voters support changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mississippi voters polled opposed a change to the flag .
Several high-ranking officials in the Mississippi government have also voiced support for changing the flag , including Lt. Gov .
Delbert Hosemann and attorney general Lynn Fitch .

Ole Miss, Mississippi State football coaches expected to lobby legislature about state flag
Show Caption Hide Caption 2020 ESPYs inspire fans while keeping attention on social justice issues Sports Pulse: Reporter Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the top 5 moments from the 2020 ESPYS SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Before either of them ever step foot on the home sidelines for Ole Miss or Mississippi State, Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach might first have to confront the Mississippi legislature.
Kiffin and Leach plan to address the state legislature on Thursday morning. The coaches, along with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter and Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen, are expected to lobby the legislature about changing the Mississippi state flag to remove the emblem of the Confederate battle flag.
An Ole Miss spokesperson said the tentative list of Ole Miss representatives in attendance includes Kiffin, Carter, basketball coaches Kermit Davis and Yolett McPhee-McCuin, baseball coach Mike Bianco and track and field coach Connie Price-Smith. Ole Miss chancellor Glenn Boyce will also be in attendance, according to the university.
Leach and Cohen will be joined by Mississippi State basketball coaches Ben Howland and Nikki McCray-Penson, baseball coach Chris Lemonis, softball coach Samantha Ricketts and track and field coach Chris Woods, according to a Mississippi State spokesman.
Last week, the NCAA and SEC both announced that they will be prohibiting postseason events from being played in Mississippi until the flag is changed. Conference USA followed suit with a similar announcement on Monday.
Neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State fly the state flag on their campuses. Representatives from both schools released statements advocating for the flag to be changed in response to the NCAA and SEC decisions.
Mississippi's eight public universities released a joint statement on June 19 condemning the state flag.
"Several years ago, our universities recognized that the Mississippi state flag in its current form is divisive and chose to lower the flag on our campuses," the statement read. "Today, we are committed to continuing to do our part to ensure Mississippi is united in its pursuit of a future that is free of racism and discrimination. Such a future must include a new state flag."
Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill took a stand of his own on Monday. Hill tweeted that unless the state flag is changed he won't "be representing this state anymore."
According to a poll from the Mississippi Economic Council, 55% of voters support changing the flag. Just 41% of Mississippi voters polled opposed a change to the flag. Several high-ranking officials in the Mississippi government have also voiced support for changing the flag, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and attorney general Lynn Fitch.
Follow the Mississippi Clarion Ledger's Nick Suss on Twitter @nicksuss.


usatoday--2020-06-25--Grand Canyon quarantines entire men's basketball team after positive tests

The Grand Canyon University men 's basketball team has been placed on quarantine after six people in the program tested positive for COVID-19 , according to a press release from the school today .
Four players and two staff members tested positive , GCU reported , leading to a quarantine of the entire team at a designated residence hall on campus where they will stay for the next two weeks .
The other 12 players on the team tested negative but were included in the quarantine .
Two additional staff members who tested positive will remain at home for two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players who tested positive were asymptomatic , according to the press release , and were tested before being allowed to participate in voluntary workouts on campus , the university said .
“ The University has been working diligently over the last few months to ensure that proper protocols and procedures are in place and , as a result , we were able to quickly address the positive COVID-19 cases , '' GCU Interim Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said via email .
`` The safety of our student-athletes , staff and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we will continue to follow local and national guidelines , work closely with our team doctor and campus health center , and revise procedures as needed to ensure the continued safety of our student-athletes and the GCU community.
” The university reports GCU 's weight room , sports medicine clinic and basketball offices have been sanitized , along with the players ' dorm rooms .

Grand Canyon quarantines entire men's basketball team after positive tests
Show Caption Hide Caption Why NCAA offer on name, image and likeness is 'worthless' USA TODAY Sports spoke with Charles Grantham, Director of Sports Management at Seton Hall, about how the NCAA is taking advantage of student-athletes. USA TODAY
The Grand Canyon University men's basketball team has been placed on quarantine after six people in the program tested positive for COVID-19, according to a press release from the school today.
Four players and two staff members tested positive, GCU reported, leading to a quarantine of the entire team at a designated residence hall on campus where they will stay for the next two weeks.
The other 12 players on the team tested negative but were included in the quarantine. Two additional staff members who tested positive will remain at home for two weeks per GCU policy.
The four players who tested positive were asymptomatic, according to the press release, and were tested before being allowed to participate in voluntary workouts on campus, the university said.
College sports and coronavirus: Schools reporting positive tests among athletes
“The University has been working diligently over the last few months to ensure that proper protocols and procedures are in place and, as a result, we were able to quickly address the positive COVID-19 cases," GCU Interim Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said via email.
"The safety of our student-athletes, staff and the GCU community is of the highest priority and we will continue to follow local and national guidelines, work closely with our team doctor and campus health center, and revise procedures as needed to ensure the continued safety of our student-athletes and the GCU community.”
The university reports GCU's weight room, sports medicine clinic and basketball offices have been sanitized, along with the players' dorm rooms.


usatoday--2020-06-25--'No way to do this virtually': Reopening technical schools offer preview for fall colleges

MILWAUKEE — Under normal circumstances , there would be nothing particularly extraordinary about a group of aspiring surgical technicians gathering for a lab course at Milwaukee Area Technical College .
But when a group of seven students sat around a room at the school 's downtown campus earlier this month , they became some of the first collegians to return to the classrooms they had walked away from when the coronavirus pandemic hit .
They also got a glimpse of what things could look like for college students across the country come fall .
They all wore masks .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had their temperatures taken upon arrival and followed markings on the floor to their classrooms .
At Wisconsin 's technical colleges , the rapid shift to online-learning was particularly challenging .
Rather than heading home and switching on their laptops , students in hands-on programs saw their courses derailed , as faculty struggled to replicate remotely the experience of drilling into a piece of metal with heavy machinery , or sitting behind the wheel of a semi-truck , or watching their students shimmy into a surgical gown .
`` There is no way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kunicki , the director of MATC 's surgical technology program , said as she watched her students put on their gowns .
`` You can watch a million videos but you have to do it . ''
As a result , as most other colleges and universities continue planning for the fall , technical colleges are slowly bringing back some classes this summer , so students can complete the courses they were forced to cut short .
Most have started with makeup courses from the spring , with the intention to also start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall .
Of course , the colleges look and feel different .
At MATC , students check in at a single point of entry and have their temperature taken by a screener contracted by the college .
They have to fill out a health questionnaire and complete a 30-minute training on campus expectations .
There are signs everywhere , telling students and staff where to go and where not to go .
Areas of the buildings are blocked off to sections that are cleaned regularly .
Masks are required .
Stickers on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elevators are limited to four passengers at a time .
It 's all part of planning that has been underway since March 16 , when the campus first closed .
By late June , MATC planned to have some 500 students back in classes .
Simply stocking enough masks , hand sanitizer and cleaning products is a major task .
`` It 's a daily activity to obtain personal protective equipment , '' said James Weishan , MATC 's senior director of facilities development , operations and construction .
Weishan has a background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not unfamiliar with the precautions he 's been working to put in place .
Still , he admits he never imagined doing all this at a college .
The work is constant .
`` It 's just something that will have to be continually evaluated , '' said Weishan .
Kunicki 's students said they felt safe and were happy to get back on track with their schooling , even if that meant summer classes .
`` I 'm glad we came back because it gives us a chance to catch up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I do n't want to graduate late . ''
Kunicki moved part of her course online , delivering lectures on theory and administering exams remotely , a transition she knew was difficult for her students .
Jason Palmatier , 42 , said he struggled because he thrives on learning in a group .
He said on his first exam in the remote setting , he earned a 78 % , despite testing in the 90 % or higher range prior to the shutdown .
`` The readjusting was very hard for me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were glad to have been able to keep some learning going during the campus closure , Palmatier and Barakat agreed their labs could not have moved online .
Palmatier said he believed reopening colleges and workplaces was a must , as long as it is done in a way that allowed people to resume life while protecting those who are at risk of severe COVID-19 complications .
He spent the lockdown working an essential job at Children 's Hospital of Wisconsin .
`` We have to keep the world running , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to in-person classes was important because it brought her students that much closer to entering the workforce , where they are sorely needed .
`` There is a critical shortage of surgical techs in the Milwaukee area and I can not graduate enough to fill the need out there right now , '' Kunicki said .
`` So I 'm really glad that we were able to finish this course . ''
About 20 minutes west , students at the Waukesha County Technical College are also coming back to the classroom .
Instructors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine tool operation programs said they tried to adapt their curriculum by asking students to watch video demonstrations and assigning research papers , but there was nothing that could replace getting their hands back on the equipment .
`` They 're learning feeds and speeds .
They 're learning the sound and the feel of making a chip , cutting something .
Sometimes , if something is burning , it 's the smell , '' said Dennis Pollari , tool and die instructor .
`` Hearing and smelling it — you need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's why we 're doing this . ''
The campus has about 100 classes back , with the intention of bringing more students back this fall under a hybrid online and in-person model .
The college is screening people , requiring they report if they test positive for COVID-19 .
It also is working with the local health department to conduct contact tracing .
Only one door is used for entering and exiting the campus , and everyone must check in with a campus security officer .
There is no temperature testing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-report symptoms .
Justin Haessly , 23 , is a student in the machine tool program .
He said he 's happy to be back to life .
When the pandemic hit , he started picking up shifts at a local Target store .
He has a bachelor 's in marketing and just got a new job at Rogers Behavioral Health in that field .
But he wants to shift his career toward machine tool operation .
`` This is something I prioritize , I 'm focused on , '' Haessly said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be ( taken ) to finish my schooling .
I missed out on a couple months .
I planned to finish this summer .
I was going to be moving on to a job in the fall , you know , start my life . ''
He said he feels safe being back , wearing masks and wiping down the equipment he uses .
In another class , CNC Turning Operation , students have to work in groups to operate the machinery , so the college also provided face shields because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While some of his peers seem to be chafing at the masks and other restrictions , including the loss of a break in their three-and-a-half-hour class , he said people have been following the new requirements .
Across the hall in the gas tungsten arc welding lab , instructor Dan Still was back to working with students in the college 's dual enrollment academy high school program .
`` It was a little hard getting started back , '' said Austin Wegner , who just graduated from Mukwonago High School and plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
`` But after the first hour or two , it was back to where I left off , I feel like . ''

Devi Shastri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

‘No way to do this virtually’: Reopening technical schools offer preview for fall colleges
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: College grad shares job search journey amid pandemic With hiring freezes and new competition, job searching for college graduates continue to become complicated during the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY
MILWAUKEE – Under normal circumstances, there would be nothing particularly extraordinary about a group of aspiring surgical technicians gathering for a lab course at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
But when a group of seven students sat around a room at the school's downtown campus earlier this month, they became some of the first collegians to return to the classrooms they had walked away from when the coronavirus pandemic hit. They also got a glimpse of what things could look like for college students across the country come fall.
They all wore masks. They kept their distance when possible. They had their temperatures taken upon arrival and followed markings on the floor to their classrooms.
At Wisconsin's technical colleges, the rapid shift to online learning was particularly challenging.
Rather than heading home and switching on their laptops, students in hands-on programs saw their courses derailed as faculty struggled to replicate remotely the experience of drilling into a piece of metal with heavy machinery, or sitting behind the wheel of a semi-truck, or watching their students shimmy into a surgical gown.
"There is no way to do this virtually," Mary Kunicki, director of the college's surgical technology program, said as she watched her students put on their gowns. "You can watch a million videos, but you have to do it."
As a result, as most other colleges and universities plan for the fall, technical colleges are slowly bringing back some classes this summer so students can complete the courses they were forced to cut short.
Most have started with make-up courses from the spring, with the intention to also start new in-person courses in the summer and fall.
In person, online classes or a mix: Colleges' fall 2020 coronavirus reopening plans, detailed
Of course, the colleges look and feel different. At MATC, students check in at a single point of entry and have their temperature taken by a screener contracted by the college. They have to fill out a health questionnaire and complete a 30-minute training course on campus expectations.
There are signs everywhere telling students and staff where to go and where not to go. Areas of the buildings are blocked off to sections that are cleaned regularly. Masks are required. Stickers on the floor tell people where to stand. Elevators are limited to four people at a time.
It's all part of planning that has been underway since March 16, when the campus first closed. By late June, MATC planned to have about 500 students back in classes. Simply stocking enough masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning products is a major task.
"It's a daily activity to obtain personal protective equipment," said James Weishan, the college's senior director of facilities development, operations and construction.
Weishan has a background in industrial hygiene, so he's not unfamiliar with the precautions he has been working to put in place. Still, he says he never imagined doing all this at a college. The work is constant.
"It's just something that will have to be continually evaluated," Weishan said.
'Don't want to graduate late'
Kunicki's students said they felt safe and were happy to get back on track with their schooling, even if that meant summer classes.
"I'm glad we came back because it gives us a chance to catch up," said Hala Barakat, 20. "I don't want to graduate late."
Kunicki moved part of her course online, delivering lectures on theory and administering exams remotely, a transition she knew was difficult for her students.
Jason Palmatier, 42, said he struggled because he thrives on learning in a group. He said on his first exam in the remote setting, he earned a 78%, despite testing in the 90% or higher range before the shutdown.
"The readjusting was very hard for me," Palmatier said.
And while they were glad to have been able to keep some learning going during the campus closure, Palmatier and Barakat agreed their labs could not have moved online.
Palmatier said he believed reopening colleges and workplaces was a must, as long as it is done in a way that allowed people to resume life while protecting those who are at risk of severe COVID-19 complications. He spent the lockdown working an essential job at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
"We have to keep the world running," he said.
Kunicki said getting back to in-person classes was important because it brought her students that much closer to entering the workforce, where they are sorely needed.
"There is a critical shortage of surgical techs in the Milwaukee area and I cannot graduate enough to fill the need out there right now," Kunicki said. "So I'm really glad that we were able to finish this course."
Back to the machines
About 20 minutes west, students at the Waukesha County Technical College also are coming back to the classroom.
Instructors in the school's metal fabrication/welding and machine tool operation programs said they tried to adapt their curriculum by asking students to watch video demonstrations and assigning research papers, but there was nothing that could replace getting their hands back on the equipment.
"They're learning feeds and speeds. They're learning the sound and the feel of making a chip, cutting something. Sometimes, if something is burning, it's the smell," said Dennis Pollari, tool and die instructor. "Hearing and smelling it – you need to have that element in there. That's why we're doing this."
The campus has about 100 classes back and plans to bring more students back this fall under a hybrid online and in-person model.
Colleges and coronavirus: Historically black colleges fight for survival, reopening amid coronavirus pandemic
The college is screening people, requiring they report if they test positive for COVID-19. It also is working with the local health department to conduct contact tracing. Only one door is used for entering and exiting the campus, and everyone must check in with a campus security officer. There is no temperature testing, but students and staff are required to self-report symptoms.
Justin Haessly, 23, is a student in the machine tool program. He said he's happy to be back to life. When the pandemic hit, he started picking up shifts at a local Target store. He has a bachelor's in marketing and just got a new job at Rogers Behavioral Health in that field. But he wants to shift his career toward machine tool operation.
"This is something I prioritize, I'm focused on," Haessly said. "I will take whatever the precautions need to be (taken) to finish my schooling. I missed out on a couple of months. I planned to finish this summer. I was going to be moving on to a job in the fall, you know, start my life."
He said he feels safe being back, wearing masks and wiping down the equipment he uses. In another class, CNC Turning Operation, students have to work in groups to operate the machinery, so the college also provided face shields because students can't practice social distancing.
While some of his peers seem to be chafing at the masks and other restrictions, including the loss of a break in their 3½-hour class, he said people have been following the new requirements.
Across the hall in the gas tungsten arc welding lab, instructor Dan Still was back to working with students in the college's dual enrollment academy high school program.
"It was a little hard getting started back," said Austin Wegner, who just graduated from Mukwonago High School and plans to continue his education at WCTC next school year. "But after the first hour or two, it was back to where I left off, I feel like."


usatoday--2020-06-25--House to vote on sweeping police reform package that would ban chokeholds, end qualified immunity af

House to vote on sweeping police reform package that would ban chokeholds, end qualified immunity after George Floyd death

WASHINGTON – The House is set to vote Thursday on a sweeping police reform package that would end certain legal protections for officers accused of misconduct and ban chokeholdsin response to the death of George Floyd , who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes .
The vote comes one day after Democrats blocked the Senate from moving forward on a competing bill due to arguments the legislation did not go far enough to enacting meaningful changes demanded by protesters in dozens of cities across the country .
The House bill , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , aims to bolster police accountability and end the practice of aggressive officers moving from one department to another by creating a national registry to track those with checkered records .
It also would end certain police practices , such as the use of no-knock warrants and chokeholds , which have been under scrutiny after the recent deaths of Black Americans .
Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old Louisville ER technician , was shot and killed in her Kentucky home March 13 after police used a no-knock warrant to enter her house .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immunity for police officers , making them personally liable for constitutional violations such as excessive force .
`` We have reached a critical juncture in our history where the steps we take can change a generation .
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act championed by the Congressional Black Caucus is the first ever comprehensive legislation to reform law enforcement but also empower communities to reimagine what just and equitable policing must look like , '' Karen Bass , Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus , said in a statement Tuesday urging Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's what the House bill would do : Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill While Democrats in the House will likely have the votes to pass the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 , its future remains uncertain as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said the chamber would not take up the legislation .
Both chambers will have to negotiate a compromise but some lawmakers have expressed skepticism that Congress will be able to pass police reforms this year after the Senate measure was blocked before debate or talk of changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats have expressed optimism that the House legislation along with ongoing protests would put pressure on Republicans , forcing them to the negotiating table .
`` I think it 's a better chance than people think , '' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , told reporters on the chances of passing a police reform bill this Congress after the Senate bill failed Wednesday .
`` That 's our hope , our prayer and what we will work for , '' Schumer added .
Here 's what the GOP bill would do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop using chokeholds but would n't ban them Senate Republicans , meanwhile , lambasted Democrats for the stalemate .
`` I do n't know what it 's gon na take to wake up , '' said Sen. Tim Scott , the sole Black Republican in the Senate who championed the chamber 's police reform proposal .
`` We 'll move on .
People will forget about it .
You know what 's gon na happen ?
Something bad — and we 'll be right back here talking about what should have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , why we must act now . ''
`` I 'm telling you I had this conversation five years ago , '' the South Carolina Republican continued .
`` We could do something right now . ''
The package by Scott aims to increase transparency at police agencies while incentivizing — but not mandating — departments to use body cameras and ban chokeholds by withholding federal grant money .

House approves sweeping police reform package that would ban chokeholds, end qualified immunity after George Floyd death
Show Caption Hide Caption George Floyd: Brother gets emotional before House Judiciary Committee George Floyd's brother gets emotional as he testified before the House Judiciary Committee on policing reforms. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – The House passed a sweeping police reform package on Thursday that would end certain legal protections for officers accused of misconduct and ban chokeholds in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.
The 236-181 vote, largely along party lines, comes one day after Democrats blocked the Senate from moving forward on a competing bill due to arguments the legislation did not go far enough to enacting meaningful changes demanded by protesters in dozens of cities across the country. Three Republicans, Reps. Will Hurd, Brian Fitzpatrick and Fred Upton, joined Democrats in voting in favor of the measure.
The House bill, which was crafted by the Congressional Black Caucus, aims to bolster police accountability and end the practice of aggressive officers moving from one department to another by creating a national registry to track those with checkered records. It also would end certain police practices, such as the use of no-knock warrants and chokeholds, which have been under scrutiny after the recent deaths of Black Americans.
Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Louisville ER technician, was shot and killed in her Kentucky home March 13 after police used a no-knock warrant to enter her house.
The Democrats' bill would also end qualified immunity for police officers, making them personally liable for constitutional violations such as excessive force.
"George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and that was the beginning of a new chapter in a long history to transform policing in America," Karen Bass, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Thursday morning. "This time hundreds of thousands of people in every state in the Union are marching to make sure that he did not die in vain. His death will not be just another Black man dead at the hands of the police."
Here's what the House bill would do: Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill
More: Senate Democrats block movement on Republican policing bill
Democrats honor George Floyd with moment of silence Nancy Pelosi named George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and more before kneeling for a moment of silence that lasted 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Associated Press, USA TODAY
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who joined Bass and fellow Democrats on the steps of the Capitol, said the vote would honor Floyd and ensure his death, and the deaths of other African Americans, were not in vain.
"Americans from every walk of life and corner of the country have been marching, protesting and demanding that this moment of national agony become one of national action," Pelosi said. "Today with the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the House is honoring his life and the lives of all killed by police brutality and pledging, never again."
As the House debated the measure, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who represents the district where Floyd died, said those in her home of Minneapolis were "angry" and "tired of being murdered at the hands of police."
"I rise on behalf of George Floyd, who was brutally murdered. And, his brutal murder touched our nation," she said. "I rise because so many can no longer rise. When we build a system that provides equal justice for everyone here in America, we might finally all rise."
Omar has become one of the only members of Congress who has called for even tougher measures to reshape policing through the defund the police movement. While a host of civil and human rights groups back the Democratic legislation, there are some who argue even more is needed.
Philomena Wankenge, a co-founder of the activist group Freedom Fighters D.C., doesn’t think measures in the House or Senate go far enough and says police departments should be disbanded and started over from scratch.
“I want the police defunded,’’ she said. “I want those funds to go our communities. We are owed that.’’
While Democrats had the numbers in the House to easily pass the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, its future remains uncertain as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said the Republican-controlled chamber would not take up the legislation.
Both chambers will have to negotiate a compromise but some lawmakers have expressed skepticism that Congress will be able to pass police reforms this year after the Senate measure was blocked before debate or talk of changes to the measure could really begin.
Democrats have expressed optimism that the House legislation along with ongoing protests would put pressure on Republicans, forcing them to the negotiating table.
"I think it's a better chance than people think," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters on the chances of passing a police reform bill this Congress after the Senate bill failed Wednesday. "That's our hope, our prayer and what we will work for," Schumer added.
Here's what the GOP bill would do: GOP police bill would incentivize cities to stop using chokeholds but wouldn't ban them
A dividing issue on reform: As Congress debates police reform, qualified immunity emerges as key dividing issue
Republicans, meanwhile, lambasted Democrats for the stalemate.
"I don't know what it's gonna take to wake up," said Sen. Tim Scott, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, who championed the chamber's police reform proposal. "We'll move on. People will forget about it. You know what's gonna happen? Something bad – and we'll be right back here talking about what should have been done, what could have been done, why we must act now.
"I'm telling you I had this conversation five years ago," the South Carolina Republican continued. "We could do something right now."
The package by Scott aims to increase transparency at police agencies while incentivizing – but not mandating – departments to use body cameras and ban chokeholds by withholding federal grant money.
As House members on both sides of the aisle debated the House bill, Republicans highlighted the defund the police movement, which most congressional Democrats have distanced themselves from, and their qualms with the legislation, including halting legal protections for officers and limiting the accessibility for departments to access surplus military equipment.
"Everyone in this chamber wants justice for George Floyd and his family, and they will get in a court of law, where justice belongs," Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., said on the House floor. "If the Democratic majority truly wants to reform our police departments, and if they truly want to fix the problems, then the focus should be on the agencies with the problems and their leadership, not passing a progressive messaging bill in an election year that you know has no chance of becoming law.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., told the story of police officers saving the lives of him and other congressional Republicans in 2017 after a gunman targeted them during a baseball practice. He and other Republicans who brought up the shooting on the House floor Thursday noted they wouldn't support a measure that could make the jobs of officers harder.
"I don't know why the media and some here want to take the action of one or two or a few and apply it to law enforcement all across the board when I've seen what these law enforcement officers do," he argued. "They put their lives on the line daily for us."
Contributing: Deborah Berry


usatoday--2020-06-25--Silence isn't an option

Silence isn't an option

The senseless killings of George Floyd , Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor are but a few recent examples of the @ @ @ @ @ faced for far too long .
These deaths are not outliers , rather the outcomes @ @ @ @ @ injustice and inequalities that have plagued our history as a nation .
Gannett , along @ @ @ @ @ 260 local daily publications and USA TODAY , stands in solidarity with Black communities as @ @ @ @ @ against systemic racism , racial injustice and discrimination in all its forms – Black lives @ @

Donald Trump faces sweeping charges in Georgia indictment: recap
A grand jury in Georgia indicted Donald Trump Monday, accusing the former president and his allies of trying to steal President Joe Biden’s win.


usatoday--2020-06-26--House approves sweeping police reform package that would ban chokeholds, end qualified immunity afte

House approves sweeping police reform package that would ban chokeholds, end qualified immunity after George Floyd death

WASHINGTON – The House passed a sweeping police reform package on Thursday that would end certain legal protections for officers accused of misconduct and ban chokeholds in response to the death of George Floyd , who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes .
The 236-181 vote , largely along party lines , comes one day after Democrats blocked the Senate from moving forward on a competing bill due to arguments the legislation did not go far enough to enacting meaningful changes demanded by protesters in dozens of cities across the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian Fitzpatrick and Fred Upton , joined Democrats in voting in favor of the measure .
The House bill , which was crafted by the Congressional Black Caucus , aims to bolster police accountability and end the practice of aggressive officers moving from one department to another by creating a national registry to track those with checkered records .
It also would end certain police practices , such as the use of no-knock warrants and chokeholds , which have been under scrutiny after the recent deaths of Black Americans .
Breonna Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot and killed in her Kentucky home March 13 after police used a no-knock warrant to enter her house .
The Democrats ' bill would also end qualified immunity for police officers , making them personally liable for constitutional violations such as excessive force .
`` George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis , Minnesota , and that was the beginning of a new chapter in a long history to transform policing in America , '' Karen Bass , chair of the Congressional Black Caucus , said on the steps of the U.S. Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of people in every state in the Union are marching to make sure that he did not die in vain .
His death will not be just another Black man dead at the hands of the police . ''
Here 's what the House bill would do : Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who joined Bass and fellow Democrats on the steps of the Capitol , said the vote would honor Floyd and ensure his death , and the deaths of other African Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from every walk of life and corner of the country have been marching , protesting and demanding that this moment of national agony become one of national action , '' Pelosi said .
`` Today with the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act , the House is honoring his life and the lives of all killed by police brutality and pledging , never again . ''
As the House debated the measure , Rep. Ilhan Omar , D-Minn. , who represents the district where Floyd died , said those in her home of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tired of being murdered at the hands of police . ''
`` I rise on behalf of George Floyd , who was brutally murdered .
And , his brutal murder touched our nation , '' she said .
`` I rise because so many can no longer rise .
When we build a system that provides equal justice for everyone here in America , we might finally all rise . ''
Omar has become one of the only members of Congress who has called for even tougher measures to reshape policing through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host of civil and human rights groups back the Democratic legislation , there are some who argue even more is needed .
Philomena Wankenge , a co-founder of the activist group Freedom Fighters D.C. , doesn ’ t think measures in the House or Senate go far enough and says police departments should be disbanded and started over from scratch .
“ I want the police defunded , ’ ’ she said .
“ I want those funds to go our communities .
We are owed that.
’ ’ While Democrats had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 , its future remains uncertain as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said the Republican-controlled chamber would not take up the legislation .
Both chambers will have to negotiate a compromise but some lawmakers have expressed skepticism that Congress will be able to pass police reforms this year after the Senate measure was blocked before debate or talk of changes to the measure could really begin .
Democrats have expressed optimism that the House legislation along with ongoing protests would put pressure on Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think it 's a better chance than people think , '' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , told reporters on the chances of passing a police reform bill this Congress after the Senate bill failed Wednesday .
`` That 's our hope , our prayer and what we will work for , '' Schumer added .
Here 's what the GOP bill would do : GOP police bill would incentivize cities to stop using chokeholds but would n't ban them Republicans , meanwhile , lambasted Democrats for the stalemate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's gon na take to wake up , '' said Sen. Tim Scott , the sole Black Republican in the Senate , who championed the chamber 's police reform proposal .
`` We 'll move on .
People will forget about it .
You know what 's gon na happen ?
Something bad – and we 'll be right back here talking about what should have been done , what could have been done , why we must act now .
`` I 'm telling you I had this conversation five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued .
`` We could do something right now . ''
The package by Scott aims to increase transparency at police agencies while incentivizing – but not mandating – departments to use body cameras and ban chokeholds by withholding federal grant money .
As House members on both sides of the aisle debated the House bill , Republicans highlighted the defund the police movement , which most congressional Democrats have distanced themselves from , and their qualms with the legislation , including halting legal protections for officers and limiting the accessibility for departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everyone in this chamber wants justice for George Floyd and his family , and they will get in a court of law , where justice belongs , '' Rep. Greg Steube , R-Fla. , said on the House floor .
`` If the Democratic majority truly wants to reform our police departments , and if they truly want to fix the problems , then the focus should be on the agencies with the problems and their leadership , not passing a progressive messaging bill in an election year that you know has no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loudermilk , R-Ga. , told the story of police officers saving the lives of him and other congressional Republicans in 2017 after a gunman targeted them during a baseball practice .
He and other Republicans who brought up the shooting on the House floor Thursday noted they would n't support a measure that could make the jobs of officers harder .
`` I do n't know why the media and some here want to take the action of one or two or a few and apply it to law enforcement all across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement officers do , '' he argued .
`` They put their lives on the line daily for us . ''


usatoday--2020-06-25--NASCAR shares picture of noose from Bubba Wallace's garage, says search at all tracks found only one

NASCAR said Thursday its investigation into the discovery of a noose in a Talladega Superspeedway garage stall did not reveal information about how it was placed there or who was responsible .
For the first time Thursday , NASCAR released a photograph of the noose , which was hanging from the stall used by Black driver Bubba Wallace and the Richard Petty Motorsports team last weekend .
The FBI determined that a hate crime had not been committed in relation to the noose , and said it had been in the stall since the NASCAR series visited the track last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the organization continued its investigation of the incident after the conclusion of the FBI investigation .
Phelps said sweeps of every track in the Cup Series were conducted as part of the NASCAR investigation .
That included 29 speedways and 1,684 garage stalls , and Phelps said 11 pull-down ropes with knot ties had been found , but the only one fashioned like a noose was in the Talladega garage .
“ I know we like to have complete resolution here and have all the answers , ” Phelps said .
“ Based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all the interviews , we were not able to determine who crafted the noose .
I know that ’ s unfulfilling .
I wish there was more we could do , but we can ’ t , so we ’ ve drawn this matter to a close.
” After Sunday ’ s discovery of the noose , Phelps used the term “ heinous act ” to describe the situation , implying that it had been placed in Wallace ’ s stall as an act of intimidation .
Phelps said Thursday he should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments .
“ The noose was real , as was our concern for Bubba , ” Phelps said .
“ Upon learning of and seeing the noose , our initial reaction was to protect our driver .
We ’ re living in a highly charged and emotional time .
What we saw was a symbol of hate and was only present in one area of the garage , and that was of the 43 car of Bubba Wallace.
” After NASCAR announced two weeks ago a ban on Confederate flags at its tracks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday at Talladega , adding to tension Monday as drivers and teams gathered at the track for the rescheduled GEICO 500 , which was rained out Sunday .
Prior to Monday ’ s race , other drivers and team members gathered on pit road as several pushed Wallace ’ s car to the front of the grid in a dramatic show of support for the series ’ only Black driver .
After the FBI determined that there was no hate crime involved with the noose , Wallace and NASCAR were criticized on social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was staged for publicity purposes .
“ Bubba Wallace and the No .
43 team had nothing to do with this , ” Phelps said .
“ Bubba Wallace has done nothing but represent this sport with courage , class and dignity .
It is offensive seeing anyone suggest otherwise , and frankly , it is further evidence of how far we still need to go as a society.
” Phelps said security around Wallace would be increased for this weekend ’ s dual races at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania .

Mike Hembree, Special to USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR shares picture of noose from Bubba Wallace's garage, says search at all tracks found only one pulldown rope in noose
Show Caption Hide Caption Armour on NASCAR's noose incident: 'Things don't happen in a vacuum' SportsPulse: While NASCAR has handled the past weeks well the latest release of the noose photo in Bubba Wallace's garage continues to raise concerns. USA TODAY
NASCAR said Thursday its investigation into the discovery of a noose in a Talladega Superspeedway garage stall did not reveal information about how it was placed there or who was responsible.
For the first time Thursday, NASCAR released a photograph of the noose, which was hanging from the stall used by Black driver Bubba Wallace and the Richard Petty Motorsports team last weekend. The FBI determined that a hate crime had not been committed in relation to the noose, and said it had been in the stall since the NASCAR series visited the track last October.
NASCAR president Steve Phelps said the organization continued its investigation of the incident after the conclusion of the FBI investigation. Phelps said sweeps of every track in the Cup Series were conducted as part of the NASCAR investigation. That included 29 speedways and 1,684 garage stalls, and Phelps said 11 pull-down ropes with knot ties had been found, but the only one fashioned like a noose was in the Talladega garage.
“I know we like to have complete resolution here and have all the answers,” Phelps said. “Based on all the video and photographic evidence and all the interviews, we were not able to determine who crafted the noose. I know that’s unfulfilling. I wish there was more we could do, but we can’t, so we’ve drawn this matter to a close.”
After Sunday’s discovery of the noose, Phelps used the term “heinous act” to describe the situation, implying that it had been placed in Wallace’s stall as an act of intimidation. Phelps said Thursday he should have used “alleged” in his comments.
“The noose was real, as was our concern for Bubba,” Phelps said. “Upon learning of and seeing the noose, our initial reaction was to protect our driver. We’re living in a highly charged and emotional time. What we saw was a symbol of hate and was only present in one area of the garage, and that was of the 43 car of Bubba Wallace.”
After NASCAR announced two weeks ago a ban on Confederate flags at its tracks, there were protests by flag supporters Sunday at Talladega, adding to tension Monday as drivers and teams gathered at the track for the rescheduled GEICO 500, which was rained out Sunday.
Prior to Monday’s race, other drivers and team members gathered on pit road as several pushed Wallace’s car to the front of the grid in a dramatic show of support for the series’ only Black driver.
After the FBI determined that there was no hate crime involved with the noose, Wallace and NASCAR were criticized on social media, with some suggesting the incident was staged for publicity purposes.
“Bubba Wallace and the No. 43 team had nothing to do with this,” Phelps said. “Bubba Wallace has done nothing but represent this sport with courage, class and dignity. It is offensive seeing anyone suggest otherwise, and frankly, it is further evidence of how far we still need to go as a society.”
Phelps said security around Wallace would be increased for this weekend’s dual races at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.


usatoday--2020-06-26--Tiffany Haddish recalls a scary time police pulled guns on her: I was 'afraid for my life'

For Tiffany Haddish , protesting against police brutality is personal .
During an appearance on the `` Hustling with Vivica A .
Fox '' podcast Thursday , the comedian opened up about a `` traumatic '' experience she had with Beverly Hills police in California when she was homeless after being forced out of the foster system at age 18 .
`` I was sleeping in my car , and I was smoking ( marijuana ) in my car … and they pulled guns on me , '' Haddish , 40 , told Fox .
`` They searched my vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuss about it or nothing , I just let them know I was scared , that I 'm not doing anything wrong . ''
The aspiring comic said at the time she used jokes to defuse the situation despite being terrified : `` The more that I talked to them – I was trying to crack jokes to try and lighten the mood , even though I was super afraid for my life . ''
Haddish walked away with a ticket for possession that was reduced to disturbing the peace , but more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
Tiffany Haddish : Hundreds of Black stars call on Hollywood to quit glorifying police , commit to anti-racist content More : 'SNL ' alum Jay Pharoah says police pulled guns on him mid-workout , knelt on his neck Haddish has vocally protested the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Kentucky , on her social media platforms , as well as in the streets .
The comedian attended Floyd 's Minneapolis memorial service on June 4 , alongside Kevin Hart , Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles earlier this month , Haddish told CNN that she ca n't even drive through Beverly Hills without being pulled over , a common type of profiling known as `` driving while Black , '' according to the ACLU .
`` I ca n't even drive to Beverly Hills without getting pulled over – and I got a Tesla , '' she said on June 12 .
`` Every time I get pulled over , I think to myself , like , 'Damn , you know , I work all hard to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afraid when I see those lights come on behind me , right ?
I should n't feel like , 'Is this gon na be the last day that I 'm on earth ?
I should n't feel like it 's dangerous to be born the way I was born . '
'' Haddish continued : `` It 's supposed to be the land of the free , the home of the brave and you 're supposed to be able to have a pursuit of happiness .
We 're just trying to pursue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Breonna Taylor : Her mom and Beyoncé 's mom get emotional talking Heroes Act , voting reform George Floyd 's death : Kanye , Banksy , Drake and more stars take action

Tiffany Haddish recalls a scary time police pulled guns on her: I was 'afraid for my life'
Show Caption Hide Caption Tiffany Haddish explains canceling Georgia show Tiffany Haddish says she joined a Hollywood boycott of Georgia over the state's new restrictive abortion law because she "read the bill." (June 19) AP
For Tiffany Haddish, protesting against police brutality is personal.
During an appearance on the "Hustling with Vivica A. Fox" podcast Thursday, the comedian opened up about a "traumatic" experience she had with Beverly Hills police in California when she was homeless after being forced out of the foster system at age 18.
"I was sleeping in my car, and I was smoking (marijuana) in my car … and they pulled guns on me," Haddish, 40, told Fox. "They searched my vehicle. … I didn't make no fuss about it or nothing, I just let them know I was scared, that I'm not doing anything wrong."
The comic said at the time she used jokes to defuse the situation despite being terrified: "The more that I talked to them – I was trying to crack jokes to try and lighten the mood, even though I was super afraid for my life."
Haddish walked away with a ticket for possession that was reduced to disturbing the peace, but more importantly, she walked away with her life.
Tiffany Haddish: Hundreds of Black stars call on Hollywood to quit glorifying police, commit to anti-racist content
More: 'SNL' alum Jay Pharoah says police pulled guns on him mid-workout, knelt on his neck
Haddish has vocally protested the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, on her social media platforms, as well as in the streets. The comedian attended Floyd's Minneapolis memorial service on June 4, alongside Kevin Hart, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris.
While attending a protest in Los Angeles earlier this month, Haddish told CNN that she can't even drive through Beverly Hills without being pulled over, a common type of profiling known as "driving while Black," according to the ACLU.
"I can't even drive to Beverly Hills without getting pulled over – and I got a Tesla," she said on June 12. "Every time I get pulled over, I think to myself, like, 'Damn, you know, I work all hard to be recognized.' I shouldn't be afraid when I see those lights come on behind me, right? I shouldn't feel like, 'Is this gonna be the last day that I'm on earth? I shouldn't feel like it's dangerous to be born the way I was born.'"
Haddish continued: "It's supposed to be the land of the free, the home of the brave and you're supposed to be able to have a pursuit of happiness. We're just trying to pursue that you don't get killed today."
Breonna Taylor: Her mom and Beyoncé's mom get emotional talking Heroes Act, voting reform
George Floyd's death: Kanye, Banksy, Drake and more stars take action