usatoday--2020-07-01--CBP postpones Trusted Traveler enrollment centers reopening until Aug. 10

Customs and Border Protection has postponed the reopening of its trusted traveler enrollment centers through at least Aug. 10 , the agency said Wednesday .
CBP was scheduled to reopen the centers , which handle Global Entry enrollment , on July 6 .
The move comes as coronavirus cases are surging , particularly in Southern and Western states .
Program applicants who made appointments in July and early August must reschedule .
The Trusted Traveler program includes Global Entry , which allows travelers returning from overseas a faster re-entry process .
Global Entry also meets REAL ID requirements , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the Department of Homeland Security moved the deadline to Oct. 1 , 2021 .
Travelers who have already begun the Global Entry application process can complete their enrollment on arrival at a number of U.S. airports .
Other Trusted Traveler programs include Nexus , which allows expedited entry to the U.S. from Canada , and Sentri , which allows expedited entry to the U.S. from Canada and Mexico .
The northern and southern borders are currently closed to most travelers .
Due to a dispute with New York officials over a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eligible to apply for any Trusted Traveler programs .

CBP postpones Trusted Traveler enrollment centers reopening until Aug. 10
Show Caption Hide Caption CBP El Paso Port Director talks about lane closures El Paso Ports Director Beverly Good talks about lane closures and wait times Friday, Oct. 25, at the Bridge of the Americas CBP offices in El Paso. BRIANA SANCHEZ/EL PASO TIMES, BRIANA SANCHEZ/EL PASO TIMES
Customs and Border Protection has postponed the reopening of its trusted traveler enrollment centers through at least Aug. 10, the agency said Wednesday.
CBP was scheduled to reopen the centers, which handle Global Entry enrollment, on July 6. The move comes as coronavirus cases are surging, particularly in Southern and Western states.
Program applicants who made appointments in July and early August must reschedule.
The Trusted Traveler program includes Global Entry, which allows travelers returning from overseas a faster re-entry process.
Global Entry also meets REAL ID requirements, which were supposed to become mandatory in October before the Department of Homeland Security moved the deadline to Oct. 1, 2021.
Travelers who have already begun the Global Entry application process can complete their enrollment on arrival at a number of U.S. airports.
Other Trusted Traveler programs include Nexus, which allows expedited entry to the U.S. from Canada, and Sentri, which allows expedited entry to the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. The northern and southern borders are currently closed to most travelers.
Due to a dispute with New York officials over a state law, New York residents are not eligible to apply for any Trusted Traveler programs.


usatoday--2020-07-01--Essence magazine names temporary CEO; launches internal investigation into anonymous claims

Essence magazine named new temporary leadership days after someone claiming to be an employee posted anonymous allegations of mistreatment and abuse within the company .
The beauty and lifestyle publication , which caters to Black women , said in a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday that its interim CEO Richelieu Dennis will be replaced by Caroline Wanga .
Wanga had joined the company just days earlier as chief growth officer after serving as a diversity and inclusion officer at Target .
While Dennis , a hair care mogul , is vacating the CEO position , he still owns the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until a permanent CEO is identified .
`` Out of an abundance of caution and an unwavering commitment to transparency , ESSENCE is in the process of hiring law firms and other independent external experts to assess and review the company ’ s policies , '' Essence said in a statement that was posted on Twitter by news commentator Roland Martin .
'Keep this energy up ' : Black-owned businesses see surge of interest amid racism protests The news of the CEO change comes just days after Essence refuted claims of a toxic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anonymous essay was posted on Medium.com under the byline `` Black Female Anonymous . ''
The blog post alleges that senior staffers at Essence mistreated Black female employees for the past two years .
It said there was sexual harassment , pay inequity and bullying happening within the company .
Black Female Anonymous said : `` We present ourselves under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation , intimidation & the maligning of our media careers . ''
Essence immediately denounced the allegations on Monday .
The publication released a statement calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our brand and assassinate personal character . ''
Dennis took on the interim CEO role in March after Essence Communications , which runs the magazine , announced that Michelle Ebanks was stepping down .
Ebanks left to pursue a position at its parent company Essence Ventures .
The process of finding a permanent CEO was delayed due to COVID-19 , according to the publication .
The first issue of Essence magazine was launched by four Black businessmen in 1970 .
Time Inc. acquired 49 % of the company in 2000 and bought the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who founded the hair care company SheaMoisture , bought it for an undisclosed amount in 2018 .

Essence magazine names temporary CEO; launches internal investigation into anonymous claims
Corrections and clarifications: A previous version of this story incorrectly described the company's leadership succession.
Essence magazine named new temporary leadership days after someone claiming to be an employee posted anonymous allegations of mistreatment and abuse within the company.
The beauty and lifestyle publication, which caters to Black women, said in a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday that its owner Richelieu Dennis named Caroline Wanga as its interim CEO.
Wanga had joined the company just days earlier as chief growth officer after serving as a diversity and inclusion officer at Target.
The company's CEO position has been open since March when the magazine announced that Michelle Ebanks was stepping down from the role. Ebanks left to pursue a position at its parent company Essence Ventures. At the time, the company said Dennis, would have direct oversight of the company, working closely with its senior leadership team on its transformation and strategy.
Wanga will now oversee all operations until a permanent CEO is identified.
'Keep this energy up': Black-owned businesses see surge of interest amid racism protests
"Out of an abundance of caution and an unwavering commitment to transparency, ESSENCE is in the process of hiring law firms and other independent external experts to assess and review the company’s policies," Essence said in a statement that was posted on Twitter by news commentator Roland Martin.
Essence Communications, which runs the magazine, said the process of finding a permanent CEO has been delayed due to COVID-19. The temporary CEO news comes just days after the publication refuted claims of a toxic workplace environment.
On Sunday, an anonymous essay was posted on Medium.com under the byline "Black Female Anonymous." The blog post alleges that senior staffers at Essence mistreated Black female employees for the past two years. It said there was sexual harassment, pay inequity and bullying happening within the company.
Black Female Anonymous said: "We present ourselves under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, intimidation & the maligning of our media careers."
Essence immediately denounced the allegations on Monday. The publication released a statement calling the claims "unfounded attempts to discredit our brand and assassinate personal character."
The first issue of Essence magazine was launched by four Black businessmen in 1970. Time Inc. acquired 49% of the company in 2000 and bought the remaining 51% by 2005.
Dennis, who founded the hair care company SheaMoisture, bought it for an undisclosed amount in 2018.
Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.


usatoday--2020-07-01--'MythBusters' star Adam Savage's sister accuses him of sexual abuse when they were kids

Former `` MythBusters '' co-host Adam Savage has been accused of sexual abuse by his sister .
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Westchester Supreme Court , Miranda Pacchiana says she was `` sexually abused as a child by her brother . ''
Documents state that from 1976 to 1979 , when they lived together in Sleepy Hollow , New York , Savage , now 52 , `` would repeatedly rape Miranda Pacchiana and force oral sex upon her , and forced Miranda to perform oral sex on him , along with other forms of sexual abuse . ''
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pacchiana was 7 to 10 years old and Savage was 9 to 12 , according to the documents .
The lawsuit states Pacchiana was `` horrified and traumatized '' by the abuse and seeks to `` recover for the emotional and physical suffering she incurred and to make sure that no other child is forced to suffer the abuse and physical and mental trauma she felt and continues to feel . ''
In a statement to USA TODAY provided by attorney Andrew Brettler , Savage denied the allegations .
`` While I hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to find peace , this needs to end .
For many years , she has relentlessly and falsely attacked me and other members of my family to anyone that will listen , '' the statement says .
`` By spreading numerous untrue stories about us in pursuit of a financial bonanza , she has tortured our entire family and estranged herself from all of us .
I will fight this groundless and offensive lawsuit and work to put this to rest once and for all . ''
Brettler also provided a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karen Savage .
`` It makes me very sad to say this , but my daughter suffers from severe mental health challenges , and it ’ s devastating that she ’ s putting Adam and our entire family through this , '' she said .
`` Adam is a good man , and I support him completely . ''
Savage 's science series `` MythBusters '' ran from 2003 to 2016 on the Discovery Channel , and it was later revived for a run on the Science Channel .

'MythBusters' star Adam Savage's sister accuses him of sexual abuse when they were kids
Show Caption Hide Caption Comedian Chris D'Elia latest accused of sexual misconduct Comedian and "You" actor Chris D'Elia has been accused of sexual misconduct with several underage girls. USA TODAY, Wochit
Former "MythBusters" co-host Adam Savage has been accused of sexual abuse by his sister.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Westchester Supreme Court, Miranda Pacchiana says she was "sexually abused as a child by her brother."
Documents state that from 1976 to 1979, when they lived together in Sleepy Hollow, New York, Savage, now 52, "would repeatedly rape Miranda Pacchiana and force oral sex upon her, and forced Miranda to perform oral sex on him, along with other forms of sexual abuse."
At the time of the alleged abuse, Pacchiana was 7 to 10 years old and Savage was 9 to 12, according to the documents.
The lawsuit states Pacchiana was "horrified and traumatized" by the abuse and seeks to "recover for the emotional and physical suffering she incurred and
to make sure that no other child is forced to suffer the abuse and physical and mental trauma she felt and continues to feel."
In a statement to USA TODAY provided by attorney Andrew Brettler, Savage denied the allegations.
"While I hope that my sister gets the help she needs to find peace, this needs to end. For many years, she has relentlessly and falsely attacked me and other members of my family to anyone that will listen," the statement says.
"By spreading numerous untrue stories about us in pursuit of a financial bonanza, she has tortured our entire family and estranged herself from all of us. I will fight this groundless and offensive lawsuit and work to put this to rest once and for all."
Brettler also provided a statement from Savage and Pacchiana's mother, Karen Savage.
"It makes me very sad to say this, but my daughter suffers from severe mental health challenges, and it’s devastating that she’s putting Adam and our entire family through this," she said. "Adam is a good man, and I support him completely."
Savage's science series "MythBusters" ran from 2003 to 2016 on the Discovery Channel, and it was later revived for a run on the Science Channel.
Previously: Ansel Elgort denies accusations of sexually assaulting 17-year-old girl
Reports: Justin Bieber files $20 million lawsuit over sexual assault allegations


usatoday--2020-07-01--John Bolton's controversial book hits No. 1 on USA TODAY best-sellers list

Americans want a glimpse into the room where `` it '' happened , if sales of John Bolton 's book are any indication .
The memoir by the president 's former national security adviser sold more than 780,000 copies in its first week and landed the top spot on USA TODAY 's Best-Selling books list .
The full list will be published Thursday .
“ John Bolton ’ s The Room Where It Happened has been the subject of intense interest since its announcement , and it is selling in extraordinary numbers across all editions and across the entire country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and publisher of Simon & Schuster .
`` The public clearly is fascinated in what Bolton has to say in this election year , and we expect the curiosity to continue.
” The publisher has ordered an 11th printing of the book .
When that is complete , it will bring the number of hardcover copies in print to a million .
Trump 's Justice Department went to court June 16 to block publication of the memoir stating the manuscript contained classified information and that Bolton was in breach of contract .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defendant to abide by his contractual and fiduciary duties to complete the pre-publication review process and not disclose classified information without written authorization , thereby protecting the national security of the United States , '' according to the filing .
More : Exclusive : John Bolton says Trump 's White House was 'like living inside a pinball machine' A federal judge later ruled that with numerous copies already distributed , it would be futile to stop it .
“ With hundreds of thousands of copies around the globe – many in newsrooms – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the Federal District Court of the District of Columbia .
`` There is no restoring the status quo.
” The judge rebuked Bolton for not following the government 's pre-publication clearance protocols .
“ Bolton has gambled with the national security of the United States , ” the judge wrote .
“ He has exposed his country to harm and himself to civil ( and potentially criminal ) liability .
But these facts do not control the motion before the court .
The government has failed to establish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” President Donald Trump quickly weighed in on Twitter , calling the ruling a `` big court win '' against Bolton who , he said , will have a `` really big price to pay . ''
`` He likes dropping bombs on people , and killing them , '' the president wrote .
`` Now he will have bombs dropped on him ! ''
More : Schiff : Bolton could have made a difference , but he chose to make a profit with his book More : John Bolton : Pence was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' by some Trump actions While Bolton is not the only former Trump official to depict the president in a negative light , he was the highest-ranking .
In an exclusive print interview with USA TODAY 's Susan Page , Bolton admitted if he had been a senator during the president 's impeachment trial , he would have voted to convict .
`` I think I probably would have '' voted to convict , Bolton said , `` although , honestly , we still do n't know everything there is to know about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reprehensible without being impeachable . ''

John Bolton's controversial book hits No. 1 on USA TODAY best-sellers list
Show Caption Hide Caption John Bolton would have convicted Trump, says he's not 'competent' In his new book, John Bolton issues a scathing criticism of Donald Trump as president, including that he would have convicted him of abuse of power. USA TODAY
Americans want a glimpse into the room where "it" happened, if sales of John Bolton's book are any indication.
The memoir by the president's former national security adviser sold more than 780,000 copies in its first week and landed the top spot on USA TODAY's Best-Selling books list. The full list will be published Thursday.
“John Bolton’s The Room Where It Happened has been the subject of intense interest since its announcement, and it is selling in extraordinary numbers across all editions and across the entire country," says Jonathan Karp, CEO and publisher of Simon & Schuster. "The public clearly is fascinated in what Bolton has to say in this election year, and we expect the curiosity to continue.”
The publisher has ordered an 11th printing of the book. When that is complete, it will bring the number of hardcover copies in print to a million.
Trump's Justice Department went to court June 16 to block publication of the memoir stating the manuscript contained classified information and that Bolton was in breach of contract.
"The United States seeks an order requiring Defendant to abide by his contractual and fiduciary duties to complete the pre-publication review process and not disclose classified information without written authorization, thereby protecting the national security of the United States," according to the filing.
More: Exclusive: John Bolton says Trump's White House was 'like living inside a pinball machine'
More: Three takeaways from USA TODAY's interview with John Bolton
A federal judge later ruled that with numerous copies already distributed, it would be futile to stop it. “With hundreds of thousands of copies around the globe – many in newsrooms – the damage is done," wrote Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the Federal District Court of the District of Columbia. "There is no restoring the status quo.”
The judge rebuked Bolton for not following the government's pre-publication clearance protocols. “Bolton has gambled with the national security of the United States,” the judge wrote. “He has exposed his country to harm and himself to civil (and potentially criminal) liability. But these facts do not control the motion before the court. The government has failed to establish that an injunction will prevent irreparable harm.”
President Donald Trump quickly weighed in on Twitter, calling the ruling a "big court win" against Bolton who, he said, will have a "really big price to pay."
"He likes dropping bombs on people, and killing them," the president wrote. "Now he will have bombs dropped on him!"
More: Schiff: Bolton could have made a difference, but he chose to make a profit with his book
More: John Bolton: Pence was a 'consistent ally' and equally 'stunned' by some Trump actions
While Bolton is not the only former Trump official to depict the president in a negative light, he was the highest-ranking.
In an exclusive print interview with USA TODAY's Susan Page, Bolton admitted if he had been a senator during the president's impeachment trial, he would have voted to convict. "I think I probably would have" voted to convict, Bolton said, "although, honestly, we still don't know everything there is to know about Ukraine. A lot of conduct can be reprehensible without being impeachable."
Contributing: Susan Page, David Jackson, Doug Stanglin


usatoday--2020-07-01--Despite warnings, the US wasn't prepared with masks for coronavirus. Now it's too late

Treating coronavirus patients in one of the busiest emergency rooms in Manhattan , Dr. Jason Hill wore the same disposable respirator mask for up to four shifts in a row .
He ’ d take the mask home from Columbia University Medical Center , his coffee-flavored breath clinging to its fibers .
Then he ’ d bake it in an oven to kill any viral hitchhikers .
A half-hour at 140 degrees .
For months as the virus filled hospitals in New York and across the nation , doctors , nurses and other medical workers risked their lives in similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks or going without – simply because there weren ’ t enough to go around .
Thousands of health care workers got sick , and hundreds died .
Nurses at Mount Sinai West hospital in New York City wore Hefty trash bags to protect themselves .
Doctors at a California veterans hospital were handed one single-use disposable respirator in a brown paper bag at the beginning of the day to use for an entire shift .
The stories spawned a massive volunteer network to make cotton masks and donate supplies .
The Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of President Donald Trump , created an airlift to bring in emergency supplies from around the world .
U.S. companies that had never made personal protective gear filled in as pinch-hitters , all in an effort to ease shortages .
Six months into the nation ’ s battle with the coronavirus , doctors and nurses still face a dearth of supplies as coronavirus cases rise nationwide .
Nearly 45 % of those surveyed by the American Nurses Association said they experienced protective gear shortages as late as May 31 .
Almost 80 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reuse disposable equipment .
More : Tracking the coronavirus outbreak in the USA Things have improved since the severe shortages in March .
Major mask manufacturers increased production .
Federal officials eased some rules for masks and other personal protective equipment , commonly known as PPE , allowing reuse and cleaning .
But those efforts haven ’ t matched , much less gotten ahead of , the demand .
The USA TODAY Network analyzed dozens of government reports and interviewed more than 50 experts – including health care administrators , traders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially the disposable masks that cost a few pennies to a dollar .
The blame , experts agreed , goes beyond any single person or agency but is the culmination of decades of change in the nation ’ s manufacturing capabilities , a worldwide shift in how goods are delivered and the country ’ s long battle with medical costs .
Warnings about how these factors set the stage for shortages during a worst-case scenario went unheeded , leaving the country unprepared for a pandemic .
By the time the coronavirus arrived , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was left with massive shortages and a ruptured supply chain that won ’ t be an easy fix .
Michael Alkire , president of Premier , one of the nation ’ s largest hospital purchasing organizations , is optimistic the supply chain problems can be corrected .
“ Nothing is insurmountable , ” Alkire said .
He and others recommended moving manufacturing of critical supplies out of China and closer to home , better coordinating supplies during emergencies and ramping up emergency manufacturing when needed .
Will the country be ready if a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall ?
It ’ s too soon to say , Alkire said .
Much depends on how many hospitalizations occur and where .
“ If we get another New York City that goes all over the country , ” he said , “ obviously we ’ re going to be in short supply , even though everybody is working like the dickens to get product.
” Some of the PPE shortages are being addressed by U.S. manufacturers who continue to add manufacturing lines and capacity , Alkire said , but fully resolving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planners , scholars and some manufacturers warned for at least 15 years that shortages of respirator masks and other supplies , including prescription drugs , were likely during a pandemic .
They warned billions of masks would be needed .
“ All of us knew how desperate the need was , ” said Dr. Sonja Rasmussen , a University of Florida professor who co-wrote a federal study at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017 on the lessons learned about personal protective equipment from public health responses .
• Decades of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cut costs and make more money left the country ill-prepared for a pandemic .
• A shift of manufacturing overseas , especially to China , meant more than 90 % of the world ’ s masks and respirators are made outside the USA , far away and difficult to reach , especially during a global crisis .
• Hospitals wouldn ’ t have the supplies they needed .
In a 16-state survey in 2014 , not a single hospital reported having a stockpile or emergency cache .
As the Asian Development Bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The combination of offshoring , lean manufacturing and just in time inventory to cut costs may have stretched the global supply chain to a breaking point.
” Troubles began with mask production weeks after China , which produces more masks than any other country , reported the first coronavirus cases Dec. 31 .
Chinese provinces near the outbreak went into lockdown .
For weeks , the government required most masks produced in China to stay there .
The filtering fabrics factories used to make masks ran low .
Dozens of countries limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies .
By late January , masks began disappearing off shelves in the USA , and stores had a hard time restocking .
Hospitals found their supply lines drying up by early March .
They dug into reserves designed to buy them a little time during normal surges in activity .
It quickly became apparent the coronavirus was nothing like a bad flu season .
Production in China rebounded a few weeks later , but it was too late .
The demand for masks was so high the world ’ s shipping industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the USA reported acute shortages .
Fierce competition for protective gear among hospitals , clinics , states and the federal government drove up prices and attracted con artists .
“ The magnitude and speed of the spread of coronavirus just overwhelmed the entire supply chain from A to Z , ” said Mike Crotty , an Ohio-born Shanghai textile broker with more than 35 years in the business .
“ It was a madhouse.
” China ’ s move toward manufacturing dominance began more than 30 years ago when the country adopted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granted China permanent normal trade relations status in 2000 , and in 2001 , China joined the World Trade Organization .
As trade restrictions were lifted , China attracted investors and companies looking to lower manufacturing costs .
U.S. companies were among those setting up shop in China , including maskmakers 3M and Honeywell .
By 2011 , China ’ s exports had grown by more than 500 % while manufacturing employment in the USA dropped by almost 20 % , at least 2 million jobs .
China became the biggest supplier of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 452 billion worth in 2019 .
“ America ’ s maskmakers left America in an uncoordinated mass exodus , ” said Mike Bowen , CEO of Texas-based Prestige Ameritech , one of the nation ’ s few domestic mask manufacturers .
Less than 10 % of the masks used in the USA are made here .
China makes almost half the world ’ s masks , gowns , gloves and other PPE .
When China nationalized its factories in February and directed all mask production to domestic use , that left much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA TODAY Network investigation showed imports of goods to the USA plunged in the category that includes masks .
As other parts of the world began battling the coronavirus in January and February , China rushed to import millions of protective items .
Exports to China from the USA surged .
Emails among U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials in late January and early February , released as part of a whistleblower complaint , showed a flurry of confusion , delays and debates as the virus began to spread .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was director of the department ’ s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority .
Bowen sent near-daily emails to the department in late January .
“ If the supply stops , ” he warned on Jan. 25 , U.S. hospitals would run out of masks .
Speaking about the virus on Jan. 30 , Trump said , “ We think we have it very well under control.
” On Feb. 7 , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the United States had shipped 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies – including masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days later , according to a memo included in the whistleblower complaint , Peter Navarro , a senior adviser to Trump on trade , recommended the United States halt the export of respirator masks and try to ramp up production .
In mid-February , the U.S. Commerce Department published a flyer with tips for U.S. companies that wanted to ship face masks , ventilators and other supplies to China , which had temporarily lifted some registration requirements for imports .
China pushed factories to increase production .
New companies jumped in to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast , ” said Crotty , president of Golden Pacific Fashion and Design in Shanghai .
His company started to sell masks in the midst of the pandemic .
As production increased , manufacturers encountered shortages of the specialized , nonwoven fabric called polypropylene , used to make the masks , said Renaud Anjoran , a China-based quality engineering consultant and auditor with Sofeast .
The material is “ melt blown ” to create small , electrically charged fibers that trap small particles and prevent the spread of infectious diseases .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March – even before COVID-19 cases began to multiply – because of the busy flu season , said Valerie Griffeth , a doctor with specialties in emergency medicine and intensive care at Oregon Health and Science University .
Griffeth works with GetUsPPE.org , an effort organized by health care workers in response to the coronavirus-driven shortages to match providers with supplies and raise awareness .
Before the pandemic , emergency room doctors rarely used the disposable N95 respirator masks , Hill said .
Hill had worn one only a few times over his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while treating a patient with tuberculosis .
By mid-March , some hospitals were using up to 17 times more masks and gloves than normal .
The N95 disposable respirator is essential for controlling infectious diseases such as the coronavirus .
It filters out 95 % of the harmful particles in the air and is more comfortable to wear and less scary for patients than masks that provide greater filtration .
When the coronavirus struck , use of the N95s in the USA shot from 50 million per month , 10 % -15 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to 300 million a month , mostly for health care , said Gary Gereffi , who directs the Global Value Chains Center at Duke University .
That ’ s almost 1 billion masks over three months , as experts had predicted .
Nested in a row , that ’ s enough masks to reach from Seattle to Miami , and back .
Some East Coast hospitals used 40,000 masks a day , said Mike Schiller , senior director of supply chain for the Association for Health Care Resource and Materials Management .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey in March by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology were either out of N95 respirators ( 20 % ) or almost out ( 28 % ) .
When the coronavirus hit a rural , predominantly African American community in Georgia in March with devastating consequences , a stockpile at Phoebe Memorial Hospital that normally would have lasted six-months was gone in a week , Dr. Shanti Akers told a U.S. House subcommittee .
“ We were and still are forced to make that supply stretch , '' Akers said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortages across the country illustrated the pitfalls of the lean ordering systems hospitals put into place over three decades to cut costs .
“ It ’ s no secret that the margins in hospitals are being tightened , ” Schiller said .
For years , hospitals have faced constraints on reimbursement levels from insurers .
They eliminated warehouses full of supplies and equipment and adopted “ just-in-time ” practices to keep stockpiles as low as possible to cut costs , ordering supply shipments to arrive as needed instead .
In turn , distributors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and depend on deliveries from their own suppliers , who rely on shipments from the countries making masks , including China , Taiwan and India .
“ Just like everywhere across the country , I think it ’ s pretty clear that we are not prepared for these types of pandemics , and that ’ s showing itself in spades right now , ” said Joseph Fifer , president and CEO of the Healthcare Financial Management Association .
Most hospitals keep five to nine days of N95s in stock , said Dr. Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Virginia Commonwealth University ’ s Medical Center and a professor .
One night in mid-March , when Hill ’ s hospital was “ awash in a sea of COVID , ” he had to intubate a patient , forcing a breathing tube into the patient ’ s airway .
The coronavirus spreads through fluids from the nose and mouth , but no one in the emergency room could find a face shield , so Hill performed one of the riskiest procedures without one .
He rounded up a group of 3D-printing friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make face shields .
Working around the clock for weeks , the volunteers printed thousands .
As the shortages grew more severe , states and hospitals looked for help from the federal Strategic National Stockpile , a collection of drugs , antitoxins , respirators , ventilators and other supplies overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services .
Former officials and other experts said the stockpile was never adequately funded as congressional priorities and budgets shifted from year to year .
By early April , 90 % of the stockpile ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the marketplace , where purchasing officials for states and hospitals encountered extreme competition and soaring prices .
Many vendors , scenting profits , looked to break into the business .
Many sellers required cash up front before they would ship masks and other supplies .
Dr. Andrew Artenstein , an infectious disease specialist for Baystate Health in western Massachusetts , wound up in an out-of-state parking lot in April , wheeling and dealing to buy masks .
Just when he thought the supplies were safely rolling away in disguised trucks , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know where they were headed .
“ It ’ s pretty chaotic and difficult , ” said William Tong , Connecticut ’ s attorney general as he helped to find supplies and check vendors ’ backgrounds .
“ I am aware of offers to sell PPE to hospitals at exorbitant prices.
” In Louisiana , emergency officials put together a list of potential vendors for masks and other supplies .
Prices for N95s were as much as 28 times higher than before the pandemic .
Three companies on the list showed prices higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 10 times higher than normal .
State records show the highest quote , from a company named Deera Bituach , was $ 14.63 .
Per mask .
Other proposed contracts so alarmed Louisiana officials they turned them over to the attorney general ’ s office for further investigation .
Businesses also faced a chaotic environment .
Mask manufacturer 3M filed four lawsuits across the nation against vendors it said tried to sell tens of millions of nonexistent 3M N95 masks .
Amazon removed 6,000 accounts it identified as price gouging attempts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly with state attorneys general “ to prosecute bad actors and hold them accountable.
” The online retailer proved a boon for volunteers throughout the nation looking for elastic , cotton fabric and other supplies to make homemade masks for health care workers and first responders .
Elizabeth Townsend Gard , a law professor at Tulane University in New Orleans , launched the MillionMasksADay.com website with friend and fellow quilter Seth Hackler .
They were among dozens of groups across the country that donated tens of thousands of colorful cotton masks .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who died , ” Townsend Gard said .
“ How could we not be making masks ?
” Even for states and hospitals that managed to find supplies , getting freight from China to the USA became “ a cluster , ” said Steve Keats of Miami , a partner in Kestrel Liner Agencies , an international shipping company .
Cargo comes from China in two ways , Keats said : a 12-20-day journey on a cargo ship or in a matter of hours in the belly of a jet .
Everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but fewer passenger jets were flying across the Pacific , and that meant less space in their cargo holds for shipments .
Air-freight wait times increased to almost a week , Keats and others said .
They watched in shock as shipping costs quadrupled .
Passenger airlines American and Delta started making cargo-only flights , in some cases stowing cargo in space normally used for passengers .
Eventually , the Federal Emergency Management Agency intervened to speed things up and get supplies where they were needed most .
Dubbing the effort “ Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial cargo companies , including UPS and FedEx , to pick up supplies from manufacturers in Asia and Latin America and deliver to U.S. distributors for sale at market prices .
Through mid-May , the project distributed 768,000 N95 respirators and 75.5 million surgical masks to areas prioritized by FEMA and HHS .
FEMA said it would build up a 90-day supply of masks , respirators and other items .
As deaths mount and the fight against the virus continues , lawmakers , manufacturers and others say it ’ s time for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warnings and develop the ability to respond more quickly .
The situation this spring was “ a complete and utter train wreck , ” said Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn. “ It was ‘ Lord of the Flies ’ out there.
” Overseeing purchasing for more than 4,000 hospitals , Premier President Alkire is keenly aware of every failure and bottleneck in the supply chain .
He worked with FEMA on the air bridge .
He and others said three big things need to happen : • Some manufacturing of essential raw materials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should return to the USA , or at least Canada and Mexico .
• A high-tech coordinated national system should locate products and determine where they ’ re needed during emergencies .
• The federal government needs to provide incentives to companies to maintain the ability to ramp up emergency production of masks and other medical supplies when needed .
Murphy and other federal lawmakers launched legislation aimed at correcting some of the problems .
But some experts noted disasters tend to fade quickly into memory when a new disaster occurs .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said neuroscientist David Rock , founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute .
Humans unconsciously let one threat fade into the background and move on to the next .
“ Something that feels far away – like it happened 100 years ago or in another country – just isn ’ t given importance.
” The role of leaders in any organization , he said , “ is to think at longer-term horizons and make sure the important , not just urgent , things get done.
” Dinah Voyles Pulver , Erin Mansfield and Katie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Contact Dinah at dpulver @ gatehousemedia.com , Erin at emansfield @ gatehousemedia.com and Katie at kwedell @ gatehousemedia.com .
Dian Zhang is a data journalist for USA TODAY .
Contact her at dzhang @ gatehousemedia.com .
Emily LeCoz is the regional investigations editor for USA TODAY .
Contact her at elecoz @ gatehousemedia.com .

By Dinah Voyles Pulver, Katie Wedell and Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY

Despite warnings, the US wasn’t prepared with masks for coronavirus. Now it’s too late
Show Caption Hide Caption Face mask care: Use your washer and dryer to clean your mask This is how often you should wash your cloth face mask. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
Treating coronavirus patients in one of the busiest emergency rooms in Manhattan, Dr. Jason Hill wore the same disposable respirator mask for up to four shifts in a row.
He’d take the mask home from Columbia University Medical Center, his coffee-flavored breath clinging to its fibers. Then he’d bake it in an oven to kill any viral hitchhikers. A half-hour at 140 degrees.
For months as the virus filled hospitals in New York and across the nation, doctors, nurses and other medical workers risked their lives in similar ways – sharing protective gear, reusing masks or going without – simply because there weren’t enough to go around.
Thousands of health care workers got sick, and hundreds died.
Nurses at Mount Sinai West hospital in New York City wore Hefty trash bags to protect themselves. Doctors at a California veterans hospital were handed one single-use disposable respirator in a brown paper bag at the beginning of the day to use for an entire shift.
The stories spawned a massive volunteer network to make cotton masks and donate supplies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, under the direction of President Donald Trump, created an airlift to bring in emergency supplies from around the world. U.S. companies that had never made personal protective gear filled in as pinch-hitters, all in an effort to ease shortages.
Six months into the nation’s battle with the coronavirus, doctors and nurses still face a dearth of supplies as coronavirus cases rise nationwide. Nearly 45% of those surveyed by the American Nurses Association said they experienced protective gear shortages as late as May 31. Almost 80% said their employers encouraged or required them to reuse disposable equipment.
More: Tracking the coronavirus outbreak in the USA
Things have improved since the severe shortages in March. Major mask manufacturers increased production. Federal officials eased some rules for masks and other personal protective equipment, commonly known as PPE, allowing reuse and cleaning. But those efforts haven’t matched, much less gotten ahead of, the demand.
The USA TODAY Network analyzed dozens of government reports and interviewed more than 50 experts – including health care administrators, traders and lawmakers – about the PPE shortages, especially the disposable masks that cost a few pennies to a dollar.
The blame, experts agreed, goes beyond any single person or agency but is the culmination of decades of change in the nation’s manufacturing capabilities, a worldwide shift in how goods are delivered and the country’s long battle with medical costs. Warnings about how these factors set the stage for shortages during a worst-case scenario went unheeded, leaving the country unprepared for a pandemic.
By the time the coronavirus arrived, it was too late. The nation was left with massive shortages and a ruptured supply chain that won’t be an easy fix.
Michael Alkire, president of Premier, one of the nation’s largest hospital purchasing organizations, is optimistic the supply chain problems can be corrected.
“Nothing is insurmountable,” Alkire said. He and others recommended moving manufacturing of critical supplies out of China and closer to home, better coordinating supplies during emergencies and ramping up emergency manufacturing when needed.
Nurses protest lack of PPE during COVID-19 pandemic National Nurses United protest in front of the White House calling attention to the health care workers lacking PPE. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
Will the country be ready if a second surge of the virus hits this fall? It’s too soon to say, Alkire said. Much depends on how many hospitalizations occur and where.
“If we get another New York City that goes all over the country,” he said, “obviously we’re going to be in short supply, even though everybody is working like the dickens to get product.”
Some of the PPE shortages are being addressed by U.S. manufacturers who continue to add manufacturing lines and capacity, Alkire said, but fully resolving the situation could take years.
The problems span multiple federal administrations.
Federal pandemic planners, scholars and some manufacturers warned for at least 15 years that shortages of respirator masks and other supplies, including prescription drugs, were likely during a pandemic. They warned billions of masks would be needed.
“All of us knew how desperate the need was,” said Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a University of Florida professor who co-wrote a federal study at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017 on the lessons learned about personal protective equipment from public health responses.
Multiple studies had warned:
Decades of pressure on hospitals, businesses and governments to cut costs and make more money left the country ill-prepared for a pandemic.
A shift of manufacturing overseas, especially to China, meant more than 90% of the world’s masks and respirators are made outside the USA, far away and difficult to reach, especially during a global crisis.
Hospitals wouldn’t have the supplies they needed. In a 16-state survey in 2014, not a single hospital reported having a stockpile or emergency cache.
As the Asian Development Bank put it in a briefing statement, “The combination of offshoring, lean manufacturing and just in time inventory to cut costs may have stretched the global supply chain to a breaking point.”
A pandemic begins
Troubles began with mask production weeks after China, which produces more masks than any other country, reported the first coronavirus cases Dec. 31.
Chinese provinces near the outbreak went into lockdown. For weeks, the government required most masks produced in China to stay there. The filtering fabrics factories used to make masks ran low.
Dozens of countries limited or banned the export of masks and supplies.
By late January, masks began disappearing off shelves in the USA, and stores had a hard time restocking.
Hospitals found their supply lines drying up by early March. They dug into reserves designed to buy them a little time during normal surges in activity. It quickly became apparent the coronavirus was nothing like a bad flu season.
Production in China rebounded a few weeks later, but it was too late. The demand for masks was so high the world’s shipping industry couldn’t keep up. Hospitals across the USA reported acute shortages.
Fierce competition for protective gear among hospitals, clinics, states and the federal government drove up prices and attracted con artists.
“The magnitude and speed of the spread of coronavirus just overwhelmed the entire supply chain from A to Z,” said Mike Crotty, an Ohio-born Shanghai textile broker with more than 35 years in the business. “It was a madhouse.”
‘Mass exodus’
China’s move toward manufacturing dominance began more than 30 years ago when the country adopted a series of economic measures. Congress granted China permanent normal trade relations status in 2000, and in 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization. As trade restrictions were lifted, China attracted investors and companies looking to lower manufacturing costs.
U.S. companies were among those setting up shop in China, including maskmakers 3M and Honeywell.
By 2011, China’s exports had grown by more than 500% while manufacturing employment in the USA dropped by almost 20%, at least 2 million jobs. China became the biggest supplier of imports to the USA, about $452 billion worth in 2019.
“America’s maskmakers left America in an uncoordinated mass exodus,” said Mike Bowen, CEO of Texas-based Prestige Ameritech, one of the nation’s few domestic mask manufacturers.
Less than 10% of the masks used in the USA are made here. China makes almost half the world’s masks, gowns, gloves and other PPE.
When China nationalized its factories in February and directed all mask production to domestic use, that left much of the world in a quandary.
A USA TODAY Network investigation showed imports of goods to the USA plunged in the category that includes masks.
As other parts of the world began battling the coronavirus in January and February, China rushed to import millions of protective items. Exports to China from the USA surged.
Emails among U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials in late January and early February, released as part of a whistleblower complaint, showed a flurry of confusion, delays and debates as the virus began to spread. The complaint was filed by Rick Bright, who was director of the department’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
Bowen sent near-daily emails to the department in late January. “If the supply stops,” he warned on Jan. 25, U.S. hospitals would run out of masks.
Speaking about the virus on Jan. 30, Trump said, “We think we have it very well under control.”
On Feb. 7, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the United States had shipped 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies – including masks and respirators – to China.
Two days later, according to a memo included in the whistleblower complaint, Peter Navarro, a senior adviser to Trump on trade, recommended the United States halt the export of respirator masks and try to ramp up production.
In mid-February, the U.S. Commerce Department published a flyer with tips for U.S. companies that wanted to ship face masks, ventilators and other supplies to China, which had temporarily lifted some registration requirements for imports.
China pushed factories to increase production. New companies jumped in to start producing masks. “Everybody was moving fast,” said Crotty, president of Golden Pacific Fashion and Design in Shanghai. His company started to sell masks in the midst of the pandemic.
As production increased, manufacturers encountered shortages of the specialized, nonwoven fabric called polypropylene, used to make the masks, said Renaud Anjoran, a China-based quality engineering consultant and auditor with Sofeast. The material is “melt blown” to create small, electrically charged fibers that trap small particles and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
#GetUsPPE
In the USA, supplies were running low in March – even before COVID-19 cases began to multiply – because of the busy flu season, said Valerie Griffeth, a doctor with specialties in emergency medicine and intensive care at Oregon Health and Science University. Griffeth works with GetUsPPE.org, an effort organized by health care workers in response to the coronavirus-driven shortages to match providers with supplies and raise awareness.
Before the pandemic, emergency room doctors rarely used the disposable N95 respirator masks, Hill said. Hill had worn one only a few times over his nine-year career, usually to protect himself while treating a patient with tuberculosis.
By mid-March, some hospitals were using up to 17 times more masks and gloves than normal.
The N95 disposable respirator is essential for controlling infectious diseases such as the coronavirus. It filters out 95% of the harmful particles in the air and is more comfortable to wear and less scary for patients than masks that provide greater filtration.
When the coronavirus struck, use of the N95s in the USA shot from 50 million per month, 10%-15% of which were used in health care, to 300 million a month, mostly for health care, said Gary Gereffi, who directs the Global Value Chains Center at Duke University.
That’s almost 1 billion masks over three months, as experts had predicted. Nested in a row, that’s enough masks to reach from Seattle to Miami, and back.
Some East Coast hospitals used 40,000 masks a day, said Mike Schiller, senior director of supply chain for the Association for Health Care Resource and Materials Management.
Almost half the hospitals that answered a survey in March by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology were either out of N95 respirators (20%) or almost out (28%).
When the coronavirus hit a rural, predominantly African American community in Georgia in March with devastating consequences, a stockpile at Phoebe Memorial Hospital that normally would have lasted six-months was gone in a week, Dr. Shanti Akers told a U.S. House subcommittee.
“We were and still are forced to make that supply stretch," Akers said in late May.
‘Just in time’
The critical supply shortages across the country illustrated the pitfalls of the lean ordering systems hospitals put into place over three decades to cut costs.
“It’s no secret that the margins in hospitals are being tightened,” Schiller said. For years, hospitals have faced constraints on reimbursement levels from insurers.
They eliminated warehouses full of supplies and equipment and adopted “just-in-time” practices to keep stockpiles as low as possible to cut costs, ordering supply shipments to arrive as needed instead.
In turn, distributors don’t carry as much inventory and depend on deliveries from their own suppliers, who rely on shipments from the countries making masks, including China, Taiwan and India.
“Just like everywhere across the country, I think it’s pretty clear that we are not prepared for these types of pandemics, and that’s showing itself in spades right now,” said Joseph Fifer, president and CEO of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Most hospitals keep five to nine days of N95s in stock, said Dr. Stephen Kates, a chair of orthopedic surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical Center and a professor.
One night in mid-March, when Hill’s hospital was “awash in a sea of COVID,” he had to intubate a patient, forcing a breathing tube into the patient’s airway. The coronavirus spreads through fluids from the nose and mouth, but no one in the emergency room could find a face shield, so Hill performed one of the riskiest procedures without one.
He rounded up a group of 3D-printing friends and the Columbia University Design Center to make face shields. Working around the clock for weeks, the volunteers printed thousands.
‘The Wild West’
As the shortages grew more severe, states and hospitals looked for help from the federal Strategic National Stockpile, a collection of drugs, antitoxins, respirators, ventilators and other supplies overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Former officials and other experts said the stockpile was never adequately funded as congressional priorities and budgets shifted from year to year. By early April, 90% of the stockpile’s PPE supplies were gone.
That left the marketplace, where purchasing officials for states and hospitals encountered extreme competition and soaring prices. Many vendors, scenting profits, looked to break into the business. Many sellers required cash up front before they would ship masks and other supplies.
Dr. Andrew Artenstein, an infectious disease specialist for Baystate Health in western Massachusetts, wound up in an out-of-state parking lot in April, wheeling and dealing to buy masks. Just when he thought the supplies were safely rolling away in disguised trucks, he said, federal agents arrived, demanding to know where they were headed.
Some state officials dubbed it “the Wild West.”
“It’s pretty chaotic and difficult,” said William Tong, Connecticut’s attorney general as he helped to find supplies and check vendors’ backgrounds. “I am aware of offers to sell PPE to hospitals at exorbitant prices.”
In Louisiana, emergency officials put together a list of potential vendors for masks and other supplies. Prices for N95s were as much as 28 times higher than before the pandemic. Three companies on the list showed prices higher than $10 per mask, more than 10 times higher than normal. State records show the highest quote, from a company named Deera Bituach, was $14.63. Per mask.
Other proposed contracts so alarmed Louisiana officials they turned them over to the attorney general’s office for further investigation.
Businesses also faced a chaotic environment. Mask manufacturer 3M filed four lawsuits across the nation against vendors it said tried to sell tens of millions of nonexistent 3M N95 masks.
Amazon removed 6,000 accounts it identified as price gouging attempts, and the company said it was working directly with state attorneys general “to prosecute bad actors and hold them accountable.”
The online retailer proved a boon for volunteers throughout the nation looking for elastic, cotton fabric and other supplies to make homemade masks for health care workers and first responders.
Elizabeth Townsend Gard, a law professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, launched the MillionMasksADay.com website with friend and fellow quilter Seth Hackler. They were among dozens of groups across the country that donated tens of thousands of colorful cotton masks.
“We knew people who were sick and people who died,” Townsend Gard said. “How could we not be making masks?”
‘A cluster’
Even for states and hospitals that managed to find supplies, getting freight from China to the USA became “a cluster,” said Steve Keats of Miami, a partner in Kestrel Liner Agencies, an international shipping company.
Cargo comes from China in two ways, Keats said: a 12-20-day journey on a cargo ship or in a matter of hours in the belly of a jet. Everyone wanted their mask deliveries via air, but fewer passenger jets were flying across the Pacific, and that meant less space in their cargo holds for shipments.
Air-freight wait times increased to almost a week, Keats and others said. They watched in shock as shipping costs quadrupled.
Passenger airlines American and Delta started making cargo-only flights, in some cases stowing cargo in space normally used for passengers.
Eventually, the Federal Emergency Management Agency intervened to speed things up and get supplies where they were needed most. Dubbing the effort “Project Air Bridge,” FEMA worked with commercial cargo companies, including UPS and FedEx, to pick up supplies from manufacturers in Asia and Latin America and deliver to U.S. distributors for sale at market prices.
Through mid-May, the project distributed 768,000 N95 respirators and 75.5 million surgical masks to areas prioritized by FEMA and HHS. FEMA said it would build up a 90-day supply of masks, respirators and other items.
‘A complete and utter train wreck’
As deaths mount and the fight against the virus continues, lawmakers, manufacturers and others say it’s time for the United States to heed the years of warnings and develop the ability to respond more quickly.
The situation this spring was “a complete and utter train wreck,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “It was ‘Lord of the Flies’ out there.”
Overseeing purchasing for more than 4,000 hospitals, Premier President Alkire is keenly aware of every failure and bottleneck in the supply chain. He worked with FEMA on the air bridge.
He and others said three big things need to happen:
Some manufacturing of essential raw materials, medical supplies and prescription drugs , should return to the USA, or at least Canada and Mexico.
A high-tech coordinated national system should locate products and determine where they’re needed during emergencies.
The federal government needs to provide incentives to companies to maintain the ability to ramp up emergency production of masks and other medical supplies when needed.
Murphy and other federal lawmakers launched legislation aimed at correcting some of the problems.
But some experts noted disasters tend to fade quickly into memory when a new disaster occurs.
That’s a natural response in part, said neuroscientist David Rock, founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute. Humans unconsciously let one threat fade into the background and move on to the next. “Something that feels far away – like it happened 100 years ago or in another country – just isn’t given importance.”
The role of leaders in any organization, he said, “is to think at longer-term horizons and make sure the important, not just urgent, things get done.”
Contributing: Dian Zhang and Emily Le Coz
Dinah Voyles Pulver, Erin Mansfield and Katie Wedell are investigative reporters for USA TODAY. Contact Dinah at dpulver@gatehousemedia.com, Erin at emansfield@gatehousemedia.com and Katie at kwedell@gatehousemedia.com. Dian Zhang is a data journalist for USA TODAY. Contact her at dzhang@gatehousemedia.com. Emily LeCoz is the regional investigations editor for USA TODAY. Contact her at elecoz@gatehousemedia.com.


usatoday--2020-07-02--Black and Asian Americans report increased discrimination during pandemic

According to a Pew Research Center report , discrimination and racism have increased in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @

Black, Asian Americans report increased discrimination during pandemic
According to a Pew Research Center report, discrimination and racism have increased in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, particularly for Asians.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-01--Why inmates are allowed to make below minimum wage in the U.S.

Why inmates are able to make below the minimum wage Prisoners are allowed to make bellow the minimum wage because @ @ @ @ @ 13th Amendment .

Why inmates are able to make below the minimum wage
Prisoners are allowed to make bellow the minimum wage because of a loophole in the 13th Amendment.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-01--5-term Rep. Tipton backed by Trump loses in Colorado primary, upset by businesswoman Lauren Boebert

Rep. Scott Tipton , a five-term incumbent from Colorado who was endorsed by President Donald Trump , lost in Tuesday 's Republican primary to a restaurant owner and outspoken gun rights activist who ran to the right of Tipton and questioned his commitment to the president 's agenda .
Lauren Boebert 's campaign site describes her as an `` avid supporter of President Trump and his policies to Make America Great Again '' who `` believes in personal freedom , citizen rights , and upholding the Constitution of the United States . ''
Often photographed with a holstered pistol at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Shooter 's Grill in Rifle , Colorado , where the staff `` proudly open carry as they serve their customers . ''
`` Victory !
I ca n't thank you enough for all of your support .
We are going to take our fight for freedom to the Democrats and then we are going to take it to D.C .
I will always fight for you ! ''
Boebert said on her Facebook page after pulling off her upset .
Tipton conceded in an email sent by his longtime campaign consultant Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have decided who they want to run against the Democrats this November , '' Tipton wrote .
`` I want to congratulate Lauren Boebert and wish her and her supporters well . ''
Trump tweeted his support for Tipton the night before the election .
`` Congressman @ ScottRTipton is a great supporter of the # MAGA Agenda !
He fights for your # 2A rights and the Border Wall .
Scott is working hard for Colorado and has my Complete and Total Endorsement !
# CO03 , '' Trump wrote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet to endorse Tipton in December .
`` Congratulations on a really great win ! ''
Trump told Boebert in a tweet after she defeated Tipton by nearly 10 percentage points .
Boebert was featured in national news segments about her restaurant and its open carry policy for staff as far back as 2014 .
In September 2019 , she confronted then-Democratic presidential candidate Beto O ’ Rourke during a stop last year in the Denver suburb of Aurora about his desire to confiscate semiautomatic rifles .
`` Hell no , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't take our guns . ''
That incident led to an appearance on Fox News .
Boebert arose as a critic of Democratic Gov .
Jared Polis ' lockdown measures requiring businesses to temporarily shutter to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
She reopened Shooters Grill in defiance of Polis ' orders .
In addition to her passion for gun rights , she supports the construction of a border wall , opposes immigration `` amnesty , '' wants to eliminate the Department of Education and says she wo n't support any federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an op-ed for The Aspen Times , Boebert accused Tipton of capitulating to Democrats and said in `` Tipton ’ s 10 years in Congress he has shown a consistent instinct to run from core conservative positions . ''
`` A sober look at the Tipton Record shows a back-burner representative that has failed to live up to his conservative chops that he touted on his Tea Party-inspired campaign trail .
If his record lived up to his campaign rhetoric , I wouldn ’ t feel so compelled to run , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she was `` very familiar '' with the QAnon far-right conspiracy theory , but she stopped short of saying she was a follower .
QAnon followers say Trump is fighting enemies in the `` deep state '' and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals .
The QAnon name comes from online clues purportedly posted by a high-ranking government official known as `` Q . ''
`` Everything that I ’ ve heard of Q , I hope that this is real because it only means that America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are returning to conservative values , '' she told interviewer Ann Vandersteel .
Boebert , who has never held public office , will run in November ’ s general election against Diane Mitsch Bush , a former state lawmaker who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday by defeating businessman James Iacino .
Tipton defeated Mitsch Bush by 8 percentage points in the 2018 election to represent the 3rd Congressional District , which encompasses a swath of southern and western Colorado .
Before Boebert 's win , The Cook Political Report categorized the district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Virginia 's Center for Politics saw it as slightly more competitive and listed it as `` likely Republican . ''
The Denver Post said Tipton 's defeat `` is likely to upend the political dynamics for the fall race . ''

5-term Rep. Tipton backed by Trump loses in Colorado primary, upset by businesswoman Lauren Boebert
Show Caption Hide Caption Republican tops Trump-backed Rep. in primary Five-term Colorado U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton was upset in Tuesday’s Republican Party primary by Lauren Boebert, a pistol-packing businesswoman, ardent defender of gun rights and border wall supporter who wants to abolish the U.S. Dept. of Education. (July 1) AP
Rep. Scott Tipton, a five-term incumbent from Colorado who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, lost in Tuesday's Republican primary to a restaurant owner and outspoken gun rights activist who ran to the right of Tipton and questioned his commitment to the president's agenda.
Lauren Boebert's campaign site describes her as an "avid supporter of President Trump and his policies to Make America Great Again" who "believes in personal freedom, citizen rights, and upholding the Constitution of the United States." Often photographed with a holstered pistol at her side, Boebert is the owner of Shooter's Grill in Rifle, Colorado, where the staff "proudly open carry as they serve their customers."
"Victory! I can't thank you enough for all of your support. We are going to take our fight for freedom to the Democrats and then we are going to take it to D.C. I will always fight for you!" Boebert said on her Facebook page after pulling off her upset.
Tipton conceded in an email sent by his longtime campaign consultant Michael Fortney.
"(Third) District Republicans have decided who they want to run against the Democrats this November," Tipton wrote. "I want to congratulate Lauren Boebert and wish her and her supporters well."
Trump tweeted his support for Tipton the night before the election.
"Congressman @ScottRTipton is a great supporter of the #MAGA Agenda! He fights for your #2A rights and the Border Wall. Scott is working hard for Colorado and has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #CO03," Trump wrote, repeating the exact language he used in a tweet to endorse Tipton in December.
Congressman @ScottRTipton is a great supporter of the #MAGA Agenda! He fights for your #2A rights and the Border Wall. Scott is working hard for Colorado and has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #CO03 https://t.co/T42kUChFsi — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2020
"Congratulations on a really great win!" Trump told Boebert in a tweet after she defeated Tipton by nearly 10 percentage points.
Boebert was featured in national news segments about her restaurant and its open carry policy for staff as far back as 2014.
In September 2019, she confronted then-Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke during a stop last year in the Denver suburb of Aurora about his desire to confiscate semiautomatic rifles. "Hell no," she told him, "you won't take our guns." That incident led to an appearance on Fox News.
Boebert arose as a critic of Democratic Gov. Jared Polis' lockdown measures requiring businesses to temporarily shutter to slow the spread of the coronavirus. She reopened Shooters Grill in defiance of Polis' orders.
Colorado primary: John Hickenlooper wins Colorado Democratic primary, will face Sen. Cory Gardner
In addition to her passion for gun rights, she supports the construction of a border wall, opposes immigration "amnesty," wants to eliminate the Department of Education and says she won't support any federal budget that results in additional debt.
In an op-ed for The Aspen Times, Boebert accused Tipton of capitulating to Democrats and said in "Tipton’s 10 years in Congress he has shown a consistent instinct to run from core conservative positions."
"A sober look at the Tipton Record shows a back-burner representative that has failed to live up to his conservative chops that he touted on his Tea Party-inspired campaign trail. If his record lived up to his campaign rhetoric, I wouldn’t feel so compelled to run," she wrote.
This year, Boebert said she was "very familiar" with the QAnon far-right conspiracy theory, but she stopped short of saying she was a follower.
QAnon followers say Trump is fighting enemies in the "deep state" and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals. The QAnon name comes from online clues purportedly posted by a high-ranking government official known as "Q."
"Everything that I’ve heard of Q, I hope that this is real because it only means that America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values," she told interviewer Ann Vandersteel.
Boebert, who has never held public office, will run in November’s general election against Diane Mitsch Bush, a former state lawmaker who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday by defeating businessman James Iacino. Tipton defeated Mitsch Bush by 8 percentage points in the 2018 election to represent the 3rd Congressional District, which encompasses a swath of southern and western Colorado.
Before Boebert's win, The Cook Political Report categorized the district as "solid Republican" while the University of Virginia's Center for Politics saw it as slightly more competitive and listed it as "likely Republican." The Denver Post said Tipton's defeat "is likely to upend the political dynamics for the fall race."
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-07-01--South Dakota tribal leader joins call to remove Mount Rushmore ahead of Trump visit

SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
– Another South Dakota tribal leader is calling for the removal of Mount Rushmore as President Donald Trump 's visit to the monument draws near .
Harold Frazier , chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe , said in a release that , `` Nothing stands as a greater reminder to the Great Sioux Nation of a country that can not keep a promise or treaty than the faces carved into our sacred land on what the United States calls Mount Rushmore . ''
Frazier also criticized the upcoming July 3 visit from Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kristi Noem have worked to bring back the monument 's annual fireworks show , which one fire expert has called `` ill-advised '' due to dry conditions .
`` We are now being forced to witness the lashing of our land with pomp , arrogance and fire hoping our sacred lands survive , '' Frazier said .
`` This brand on our flesh needs to be removed and I am willing to do it free of charge to the United States , by myself if I must . ''
Oglala Sioux President Julian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also believed the monument should be removed , calling it `` a great sign of disrespect . ''
The monument is carved in the Black Hills , land that was given to Native American tribes through the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 before miners seeking gold came to the area in 1874 , demanding the protection of the U.S. Army .
The Indian Appropriations Act of 1876 cut off all rations until the Lakota ended hostilities and ceded the Black Hills to the federal government .
The U.S. Court of Claims found in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 17.1 million in compensation due to the federal government 's seizure of the Black Hills .
The following year , the U.S. Supreme Court decided 8-1 that the federal government had violated the Fifth Amendment and that the tribes were entitled to compensation in United State v. Sioux Nation of Indians .
The tribes declined the compensation because it would legally end their demand for the Black Hills to be returned to them .
Mount Rushmore should be 'removed , ' tribal president says ahead of Trump visit : What 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidents carved into the stone themselves are not without controversy , either — George Washington and Thomas Jefferson held slaves , Abraham Lincoln approved the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Minnesota after a conflict with white settlers , and Theodore Roosevelt is reported to have said `` I don ’ t go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians , but I believe nine out of every 10 are . ''
`` Visitors look upon the faces of those presidents and extol the virtues that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , '' Frazier said .
`` Lakota see the faces of the men who lied , cheated and murdered innocent people whose only crime was living on the land they wanted to steal . ''
When contacted for a statement , Noem 's office responded with a link to an interview with Noem from the June 30 edition of `` The Fox News Rundown Podcast . ''
Asked about Bear Runner 's comments , Noem said “ I think President Bear Runner is focusing on divisions .
I ’ d like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That all men are created equal .
That ’ s the vision these four men fought to achieve .
That 's what we should be continuing to fight for each and every day . ''
Gov .
Noem on taking down Mount Rushmore : 'Not on my watch' '' He can choose to continue the same rhetoric that he always has , '' Noem continued , `` he ’ s an activist that is always using inflammatory language , or we can choose to focus on what we can learn from these individuals.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove the monument last week , when conservative pundit Ben Shapiro tweeted `` So , when is our woke historical revisionist priesthood going to insist on blowing up Mount Rushmore ? ''
in the wake of Confederate memorials around the country being removed , either by law or by force .
`` Not on my watch . ''
Noem replied .
Noem also replied to a now-deleted tweet from the Twitter account of the Democratic National Committee reading `` Trump has disrespected Native communities time and again .
He 's attempted to limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief .
Now he 's holding a rally glorifying white supremacy at Mount Rushmore — a region once sacred to tribal communities . ''
Noem said in her own tweet that `` George Washington unified our nation .
Thomas Jefferson wrote 'All men are created equal . '
Abraham Lincoln ended slavery .
Teddy Roosevelt was the first President to dine with a black man at the White House .
It is shameful for @ TheDemocrats to slander these great leaders . ''
The governor 's office did not immediately reply when asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls to remove the monument .
Experts : We 're one-third of the way to a widely available coronavirus vaccine The last to abolish state whippings : Delaware to remove public whipping post Wednesday

Trevor J. Mitchell, Sioux Falls Argus Leader

South Dakota tribal leader joins call to remove Mount Rushmore ahead of Trump visit
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Another South Dakota tribal leader is calling for the removal of Mount Rushmore as President Donald Trump's visit to the monument draws near.
Harold Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, said in a release that, "Nothing stands as a greater reminder to the Great Sioux Nation of a country that cannot keep a promise or treaty than the faces carved into our sacred land on what the United States calls Mount Rushmore."
Frazier also criticized the upcoming July 3 visit from Trump, where he and South Dakote Gov. Kristi Noem have worked to bring back the monument's annual fireworks show, which one fire expert has called "ill-advised" due to dry conditions.
"We are now being forced to witness the lashing of our land with pomp, arrogance and fire hoping our sacred lands survive," Frazier said. "This brand on our flesh needs to be removed and I am willing to do it free of charge to the United States, by myself if I must."
Oglala Sioux President Julian Bear Runner said last week that he also believed the monument should be removed, calling it "a great sign of disrespect."
The monument is carved in the Black Hills, land that was given to Native American tribes through the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 before miners seeking gold came to the area in 1874, demanding the protection of the U.S. Army. The Indian Appropriations Act of 1876 cut off all rations until the Lakota ended hostilities and ceded the Black Hills to the federal government.
The U.S. Court of Claims found in 1979 that the Sioux Nation was entitled to $17.1 million in compensation due to the federal government's seizure of the Black Hills. The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court decided 8-1 that the federal government had violated the Fifth Amendment and that the tribes were entitled to compensation in United State v. Sioux Nation of Indians. The tribes declined the compensation because it would legally end their demand for the Black Hills to be returned to them.
Mount Rushmore should be 'removed,' tribal president says ahead of Trump visit: What's behind the site's controversial history
The presidents carved into the stone themselves are not without controversy, either — George Washington and Thomas Jefferson held slaves, Abraham Lincoln approved the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Minnesota after a conflict with white settlers, and Theodore Roosevelt is reported to have said "I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every 10 are."
"Visitors look upon the faces of those presidents and extol the virtues that they believe make America the country it is today," Frazier said. "Lakota see the faces of the men who lied, cheated and murdered innocent people whose only crime was living on the land they wanted to steal."
When contacted for a statement, Noem's office responded with a link to an interview with Noem from the June 30 edition of "The Fox News Rundown Podcast."
Asked about Bear Runner's comments, Noem said “I think President Bear Runner is focusing on divisions. I’d like to focus on what makes us special. That all men are created equal. That’s the vision these four men fought to achieve. That's what we should be continuing to fight for each and every day."
Gov. Noem on taking down Mount Rushmore: 'Not on my watch'
"He can choose to continue the same rhetoric that he always has," Noem continued, "he’s an activist that is always using inflammatory language, or we can choose to focus on what we can learn from these individuals.”
Noem responded to theoretical calls to remove the monument last week, when conservative pundit Ben Shapiro tweeted "So, when is our woke historical revisionist priesthood going to insist on blowing up Mount Rushmore?" in the wake of Confederate memorials around the country being removed, either by law or by force.
"Not on my watch." Noem replied.
Not on my watch. https://t.co/U6gGap5Ib6 — Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) June 23, 2020
Noem also replied to a now-deleted tweet from the Twitter account of the Democratic National Committee reading "Trump has disrespected Native communities time and again. He's attempted to limit their voting rights and blocked critical pandemic relief. Now he's holding a rally glorifying white supremacy at Mount Rushmore — a region once sacred to tribal communities."
George Washington unified our nation.
Thomas Jefferson wrote "All men are created equal."
Abraham Lincoln ended slavery.
Teddy Roosevelt was the first President to dine with a black man at the White House.
It is shameful for @TheDemocrats to slander these great leaders. pic.twitter.com/AWchCxYhVi — Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) June 30, 2020
Noem said in her own tweet that "George Washington unified our nation. Thomas Jefferson wrote 'All men are created equal.' Abraham Lincoln ended slavery. Teddy Roosevelt was the first President to dine with a black man at the White House. It is shameful for @TheDemocrats to slander these great leaders."
The governor's office did not immediately reply when asked for a comment on the tribe's calls to remove the monument.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Follow reporter Trevor J. MItchell on Twitter: @TJM613
Experts: We're one-third of the way to a widely available coronavirus vaccine
The last to abolish state whippings: Delaware to remove public whipping post Wednesday