usatoday--2020-06-24--'Athlete A' tells part of the Larry Nassar investigation. This is the story you didn't see

In March 2016 , I was recovering from a serious heart attack .
My mother , for whom I ’ d been the primary caregiver for more than two years , had just died .
And after nearly a decade on the investigations team , I was transitioning into a new role as IndyStar 's consumer watchdog .
I felt oddly adrift — personally and professionally .
It didn ’ t help when I saw my former investigative team colleagues , Marisa Kwiatkowski and Mark Alesia , huddled with IndyStar ’ s top editors behind the glass wall of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what they were talking about , but I knew Marisa had just flown to Georgia chasing a hot tip .
I was used to being in those meetings .
Now I was literally on the outside looking in .
To be honest , I was a little jealous .
All that changed a few days later when investigations editor Steve Berta asked if I ’ d be willing to help with what had the potential to be a big story .
I couldn ’ t say yes fast enough .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be huge — exposing officials at USA Gymnastics and their team doctor , Larry Nassar , in what unfolded into the largest sexual abuse scandal in the world of sports .
It is by far THE story of my 40-year newspaper career .
We exposed a dangerous predator and broken sports system , won a number of awards and our team is still in demand for speaking engagements ( we 've been all over the U.S. , as well as Europe , India and South America ) .
And now there 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped reinforce the importance of real journalism in an era when hard truths are too often dismissed as `` fake news '' and , more importantly to me personally , it revived my focus and commitment to the career I love .
But back in 2016 , none of us had any idea how far our investigation into sexual abuse inside the Indianapolis-based Olympic organization would take us over the next four years .
The new documentary , “ Athlete A , ” which debuts today on Netflix , chronicles some of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
This is my story about the story behind what you see in the documentary .
Before I get to the background stuff , though , I want to remind you what the prosecutor said at Nassar ’ s sentencing and make a plea for your help and support .
Her words are a reminder of the inestimable power and value of investigative journalism : “ What finally started this reckoning and ended this decades-long cycle of abuse was investigative reporting .
Without that first Indianapolis Star story in August 2016 ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) came forward publicly shortly thereafter — he would still be practicing medicine , treating athletes and abusing kids .
Let that sink in for a minute.
” The editors at IndyStar and the USA Today Network made an open-ended commitment to chasing the story .
As you can imagine a two-year investigation with three reporters and an editor , including travel to 12 states , is an expensive endeavor .
And , with the recent fall-off in advertising revenue , such efforts increasingly rely on support from readers like you .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider supporting important and insightful reporting .
To start my story I 'm going to share a secret .
Larry Nassar wasn ’ t even on our radar when we began the investigation back in March 2016 .
In fact , the whole project — like a lot of great journalism — grew out of two local stories Marisa was investigating .
They were cases about sexual abuse by school officials and the disappointing reality that administrators failed to immediately report that abuse as Indiana law requires .
Failure to report was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our years of reporting on child sex abuse and she was trying to drill down on the “ why ” when she got a tip .
Indianapolis attorney Jessica Wegg told Marisa she should talk to another local attorney , Jon Little , who had represented survivors of sexual abuse in Olympic sports .
Marisa followed up and Little suggested she look into how USA Gymnastics handled allegations of sexual abuse .
He said she could learn plenty from court records in a Georgia lawsuit .
He also connected her with Brian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survivor of sexual abuse by a former coach .
Both Little and Cornwell urged Marisa to move quickly , though , because records in that case might soon be sealed .
After learning the only way to access the documents was in person , the editors told her to fly to Georgia immediately .
She left that night .
Marisa was waiting at the courthouse when it opened the next morning and asked for copies of all the documents in the file .
She was given hundreds of pages of records .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her rental car , she called Cornwell to make sure she had everything .
When the attorney asked about several key documents Marisa didn ’ t have , she checked back with the court .
It was a smart decision : There were hundreds more pages in the judge ’ s chamber — and some of them were the documents we needed .
After securing copies , she flew back to Indianapolis and shared what she had found with the editors .
Former gymnasts played key role in the story Little and Cornwell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Neither are several former gymnasts — including Becca Seaborn , Kaylin Brietzke , Courtney Kiehl and Molly Shawen-Kollmann — who shared their troubling stories about abusive coaches and the culture inside USA Gymnastics .
But they were critical in helping us get the project off the ground and deserve much more than this shout out .
Video : Out of Balance : How USA Gymnastics protected coaches over athletes Sex abuse in gymnastics was nothing new when we stated our investigation .
It had been written about before .
But most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or coaches .
We wanted to find out if there was a cultural issue within the sport .
And we soon discovered that it wasn ’ t rogue bad actors , but a systemic failure driven — in at least some cases — by the priority USA Gymnastics placed on winning gold medals , attracting sponsorship dollars and avoiding bad publicity .
When we started asking questions , gymnastics officials accused us of conducting a `` witch hunt , '' of having `` bad motives '' and berated IndyStar for planning what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ readers .
At the time , we had no idea USA Gymnastics was desperately trying to hide a ticking time bomb in the run-up to the 2016 Summer Olympics .
With the benefit of hindsight , the organization ’ s combative responses make a lot more sense .
They likely feared we had heard the devastating allegations top officials had received nearly a year earlier that Nassar was molesting some of the sport ’ s biggest stars .
What we were digging into still was critical even if it wasn ’ t Nassar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at USA Gymnastics in excerpts of depositions of the organization 's top leaders in the Georgia lawsuit .
Those officials , including then-CEO Steve Penny , basically admitted they didn ’ t report all allegations of abuse to police or child welfare authorities .
And they would only act on claims submitted in writing and signed by the athlete , guardian or a witness .
To us , as well as several child advocates , that appeared to violate the spirit , if not the letter , of reporting laws across the U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world of gymnastics , where powerful coaches and their friends can make or break an athlete ’ s dreams , getting someone — even an abuse victim or parent — to lodge a complaint or speak up was a high bar .
And that was especially true at the sport ’ s elite levels , where the window to the Olympics is small and the team selection process is subjective .
As troubling as the USA Gymnastics policy sounded , we needed more to really move the needle .
We looked for evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the policy allow coaches to escape allegations , continue working in the sport , and then go on to molest other gymnasts ?
Investigation publishes just before 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio That took good , old-fashion reporting .
Weeks and weeks of compiling news stories , police and court records , and the backgrounds of coaches who were quietly banned by USA Gymnastics .
Marisa , Mark and I divided up a list of more than 100 coaches we suspected to be serial molesters and looked for evidence that USA Gymnastics had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After about a month we found four indisputable examples .
One was Marvin Sharp of Indianapolis , who had coached two Olympians before committing suicide in Marion County Jail in 2015 after being accused of sexual abusing a young gymnast .
USA Gymnastics had been warned about Sharp four years earlier but had n't taken any action .
We started pulling together a story in early June , but knew that the court files in Georgia contained complaint files on 54 coaches .
Those records had been sealed from public view by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they might reveal .
So our attorneys continued to fight for access to the records .
We won the court case , but still didn ’ t get the files because USA Gymnastics appealed the decision to the Georgia Supreme Court .
( We later won the Supreme Court case , too . )
By late July , we decided we had enough evidence to publish our first article about the executive policy .
In a coordinated effort with the USA Today Network , versions of our story ran on Aug. 4 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. As you can imagine , it caused a giant splash just days before the Summer Olympics opened in Rio .
The immediate social media buzz caught the attention of a young mother in Louisville , who was looking at her Facebook page with an infant in a carrier strapped to her chest .
She quickly read our article and reached out to us by email at 10:32 a.m. that morning : “ To whom it may concern , “ I recently read the article titled ‘ Out of Balance ’ published by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be relevant to your investigation , but I am emailing to report an incident that may be .
“ I was not molested by my coach , but I was molested by Dr. Larry Nassar , the team doctor for USAG .
I was fifteen years old , and it was under the guise of medical treatment for my back … “ I am writing now because this article has made me wonder if it is possible that reports were made about Nassar as well as coaches .
Given his status , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolutely would have been as well .
“ I ’ m not sure that would fit within the scope of your reporting , but if it does , I am now willing to communicate regarding the abuse ...
I have seen little hope that any light would be shed by coming forward , so I have remained quiet .
If there is a possibility that is changing , I will come forward as publicly as necessary .
That email was soon followed by calls from another former gymnast in New York and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They both shared similar accounts of abuse by Nassar .
That 's when the direction of our investigation shifted to USA Gymnastics ' longtime team doctor .
Filmmakers Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen do a great job in “ Athlete A ” of picking up the story from there , rounding it out with a dive into the history of big-time gymnastics and the struggles and successes of gymnast Maggie Nichols , who became Athlete A when she reported Nassar to USA Gymnastic a year before we started digging into the story .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the old , fat guy they got to portray me .

'Athlete A' tells part of the Larry Nassar investigation. This is the story you didn't see
Show Caption Hide Caption The impact of IndyStar's USA Gymnastics investigation The impact of IndyStar's USA Gymnastics investigation Stephen J. Beard, Indianapolis Star
In March 2016, I was recovering from a serious heart attack.
My mother, for whom I’d been the primary caregiver for more than two years, had just died. And after nearly a decade on the investigations team, I was transitioning into a new role as IndyStar's consumer watchdog.
I felt oddly adrift — personally and professionally. It didn’t help when I saw my former investigative team colleagues, Marisa Kwiatkowski and Mark Alesia, huddled with IndyStar’s top editors behind the glass wall of a conference room.
I didn’t know what they were talking about, but I knew Marisa had just flown to Georgia chasing a hot tip. I was used to being in those meetings. Now I was literally on the outside looking in. To be honest, I was a little jealous.
Jumping into the Larry Nassar story
All that changed a few days later when investigations editor Steve Berta asked if I’d be willing to help with what had the potential to be a big story. I couldn’t say yes fast enough. And he was right. It turned out to be huge — exposing officials at USA Gymnastics and their team doctor, Larry Nassar, in what unfolded into the largest sexual abuse scandal in the world of sports.
It is by far THE story of my 40-year newspaper career. We exposed a dangerous predator and broken sports system, won a number of awards and our team is still in demand for speaking engagements (we've been all over the U.S., as well as Europe, India and South America). And now there's a documentary about the case. The work helped reinforce the importance of real journalism in an era when hard truths are too often dismissed as "fake news" and, more importantly to me personally, it revived my focus and commitment to the career I love.
How Larry Nassar abused gymnasts for so long Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is serving long sentences for decades of sexual abuse of young gymnasts. But how did the sports doctor get away with his crimes for so long? Dwight Adams/IndyStar, Wochit
Netflix movie 'Athlete A' debuts
But back in 2016, none of us had any idea how far our investigation into sexual abuse inside the Indianapolis-based Olympic organization would take us over the next four years. The new documentary, “Athlete A,” which debuts today on Netflix, chronicles some of that amazing journey. But not all of it.
This is my story about the story behind what you see in the documentary.
Before I get to the background stuff, though, I want to remind you what the prosecutor said at Nassar’s sentencing and make a plea for your help and support.
Her words are a reminder of the inestimable power and value of investigative journalism: “What finally started this reckoning and ended this decades-long cycle of abuse was investigative reporting. Without that first Indianapolis Star story in August 2016; without the story where Rachael (Denhollander) came forward publicly shortly thereafter — he would still be practicing medicine, treating athletes and abusing kids. Let that sink in for a minute.”
The editors at IndyStar and the USA Today Network made an open-ended commitment to chasing the story. As you can imagine a two-year investigation with three reporters and an editor, including travel to 12 states, is an expensive endeavor. And, with the recent fall-off in advertising revenue, such efforts increasingly rely on support from readers like you. So this might be a good time to consider supporting important and insightful reporting.
Sex abuse in USA Gymnastics
To start my story I'm going to share a secret. Larry Nassar wasn’t even on our radar when we began the investigation back in March 2016. In fact, the whole project — like a lot of great journalism — grew out of two local stories Marisa was investigating. They were cases about sexual abuse by school officials and the disappointing reality that administrators failed to immediately report that abuse as Indiana law requires. Failure to report was a common theme Marisa and I had encountered in our years of reporting on child sex abuse and she was trying to drill down on the “why” when she got a tip.
Indianapolis attorney Jessica Wegg told Marisa she should talk to another local attorney, Jon Little, who had represented survivors of sexual abuse in Olympic sports. Marisa followed up and Little suggested she look into how USA Gymnastics handled allegations of sexual abuse. He said she could learn plenty from court records in a Georgia lawsuit. He also connected her with Brian Cornwell, the Georgia attorney representing a survivor of sexual abuse by a former coach.
Both Little and Cornwell urged Marisa to move quickly, though, because records in that case might soon be sealed. After learning the only way to access the documents was in person, the editors told her to fly to Georgia immediately. She left that night. Marisa was waiting at the courthouse when it opened the next morning and asked for copies of all the documents in the file. She was given hundreds of pages of records. After rifling through the trove while sitting in her rental car, she called Cornwell to make sure she had everything.
When the attorney asked about several key documents Marisa didn’t have, she checked back with the court. It was a smart decision: There were hundreds more pages in the judge’s chamber — and some of them were the documents we needed. After securing copies, she flew back to Indianapolis and shared what she had found with the editors.
Former gymnasts played key role in the story
Little and Cornwell aren’t part of the documentary. Neither are several former gymnasts — including Becca Seaborn, Kaylin Brietzke, Courtney Kiehl and Molly Shawen-Kollmann — who shared their troubling stories about abusive coaches and the culture inside USA Gymnastics. But they were critical in helping us get the project off the ground and deserve much more than this shout out.
Video: Out of Balance: How USA Gymnastics protected coaches over athletes
Sex abuse in gymnastics was nothing new when we stated our investigation. It had been written about before. But most of the reporting had focused on individual incidents or coaches. We wanted to find out if there was a cultural issue within the sport. And we soon discovered that it wasn’t rogue bad actors, but a systemic failure driven — in at least some cases — by the priority USA Gymnastics placed on winning gold medals, attracting sponsorship dollars and avoiding bad publicity.
When we started asking questions, gymnastics officials accused us of conducting a "witch hunt," of having "bad motives" and berated IndyStar for planning what they called a National Enquirer-like expose to attract readers.
At the time, we had no idea USA Gymnastics was desperately trying to hide a ticking time bomb in the run-up to the 2016 Summer Olympics. With the benefit of hindsight, the organization’s combative responses make a lot more sense. They likely feared we had heard the devastating allegations top officials had received nearly a year earlier that Nassar was molesting some of the sport’s biggest stars.
If only.
USA Gymnastics, Steve Penny didn't report abuse allegations
What we were digging into still was critical even if it wasn’t Nassar. We discovered a troubling executive policy at USA Gymnastics in excerpts of depositions of the organization's top leaders in the Georgia lawsuit. Those officials, including then-CEO Steve Penny, basically admitted they didn’t report all allegations of abuse to police or child welfare authorities. And they would only act on claims submitted in writing and signed by the athlete, guardian or a witness. To us, as well as several child advocates, that appeared to violate the spirit, if not the letter, of reporting laws across the U.S.
But in the insular, top-down world of gymnastics, where powerful coaches and their friends can make or break an athlete’s dreams, getting someone — even an abuse victim or parent — to lodge a complaint or speak up was a high bar. And that was especially true at the sport’s elite levels, where the window to the Olympics is small and the team selection process is subjective.
As troubling as the USA Gymnastics policy sounded, we needed more to really move the needle. We looked for evidence of a pattern of harm. Did the policy allow coaches to escape allegations, continue working in the sport, and then go on to molest other gymnasts?
Investigation publishes just before 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio
That took good, old-fashion reporting. Weeks and weeks of compiling news stories, police and court records, and the backgrounds of coaches who were quietly banned by USA Gymnastics. Marisa, Mark and I divided up a list of more than 100 coaches we suspected to be serial molesters and looked for evidence that USA Gymnastics had failed to act on warnings about them. After about a month we found four indisputable examples. One was Marvin Sharp of Indianapolis, who had coached two Olympians before committing suicide in Marion County Jail in 2015 after being accused of sexual abusing a young gymnast. USA Gymnastics had been warned about Sharp four years earlier but hadn't taken any action.
We started pulling together a story in early June, but knew that the court files in Georgia contained complaint files on 54 coaches. Those records had been sealed from public view by the judge and we wondered what else they might reveal. So our attorneys continued to fight for access to the records.
We won the court case, but still didn’t get the files because USA Gymnastics appealed the decision to the Georgia Supreme Court. (We later won the Supreme Court case, too.)
By late July, we decided we had enough evidence to publish our first article about the executive policy. In a coordinated effort with the USA Today Network, versions of our story ran on Aug. 4, 2016, in 31 newspapers across the U.S. As you can imagine, it caused a giant splash just days before the Summer Olympics opened in Rio.
Rachel Denhollander names Larry Nassar
The immediate social media buzz caught the attention of a young mother in Louisville, who was looking at her Facebook page with an infant in a carrier strapped to her chest. She quickly read our article and reached out to us by email at 10:32 a.m. that morning:
“To whom it may concern,
“I recently read the article titled ‘Out of Balance’ published by the Indy Star. My experience may not be relevant to your investigation, but I am emailing to report an incident that may be.
“I was not molested by my coach, but I was molested by Dr. Larry Nassar, the team doctor for USAG. I was fifteen years old, and it was under the guise of medical treatment for my back …
“I am writing now because this article has made me wonder if it is possible that reports were made about Nassar as well as coaches. Given his status, if these coaches were protected, he absolutely would have been as well.
“I’m not sure that would fit within the scope of your reporting, but if it does, I am now willing to communicate regarding the abuse ... I have seen little hope that any light would be shed by coming forward, so I have remained quiet. If there is a possibility that is changing, I will come forward as publicly as necessary.
“Sincerely, Rachael Denhollander”
That email was soon followed by calls from another former gymnast in New York and a California attorney representing an Olympic medalist. They both shared similar accounts of abuse by Nassar. That's when the direction of our investigation shifted to USA Gymnastics' longtime team doctor.
Filmmakers Jon Shenk and Bonni Cohen do a great job in “Athlete A” of picking up the story from there, rounding it out with a dive into the history of big-time gymnastics and the struggles and successes of gymnast Maggie Nichols, who became Athlete A when she reported Nassar to USA Gymnastic a year before we started digging into the story.
My only gripe with the documentary is the old, fat guy they got to portray me.
Follow Tim Evans on Twitter: @starwatchtim.


usatoday--2020-06-24--NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace reacts to FBI investigation: 'People are trying to test my character'

Hours after the FBI concluded its investigation into the noose that was found in his No .
43 Richard Petty Motorsports garage stall , NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace appeared on CNN to speak out about the incident that took place at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama .
Wallace admitted to following too much into what the general public was saying about the incident and the personal impact of those questioning his truthfulness in the incident .
`` I 'm pissed .
I 'm mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am and my integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview with Don Lemon .
`` They 're not stealing that from me , but trying to test that .
`` And as a person that does n't need the fame , does n't need the hype , does n't need the media , I could care less .
I could give two craps about that .
But , to sit there and read — that 's my problem I 'm reading too much into ( what 's being said on social media ) and investing too much time into it . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into noose at Talladega On Tuesday , the U.S. attorney and FBI announced that the noose found in Wallace 's garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday was not a federal crime , stating : `` The investigation also revealed evidence , including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR , that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019 . ''
Following law enforcement 's announcement , NASCAR put out a statement of its own , saying in part : `` The FBI report concludes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall . ''
NASCAR president Steve Phelps later told reporters that the organization 's governing body will continue its own investigation to figure out how and why a rope in the garage was made into a noose .
Wallace said he did n't see the actual noose that was found in his garage at Talladega Superspeedway , but his crew had photos .
`` The image that I have seen of what was hanging in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've been racing all my life .
We 've raced out of hundreds of garages that never had garage pulls like that , '' Wallace said on CNN .
`` People that want to call it a 'garage pull ' will put out videos and photos of knots as their evidence .
`` From the evidence that we have and I have , it 's a straight-up noose .
The FBI has stated that it was a noose over and over again .
NASCAR leadership has stated it was a noose .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of what was hanging in my garage , over my car , around my pit crew guys , to confirm that it was a noose .
It was a noose that was whether tied in 2019 or whenever , it was a noose .
It was n't directed at me , but somebody tied a noose . ''

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace reacts to FBI investigation: 'People are trying to test my character'
Show Caption Hide Caption Where NASCAR goes from here after despicable noose incident SportsPulse: The sports world rallied around Bubba Wallace after a noose was found in his garage at Talladega Motor Speedway this past weekend. Now NASCAR is looking to bring the hammer down on whoever is responsible. USA TODAY
Hours after the FBI concluded its investigation into the noose that was found in his No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports garage stall, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace appeared on CNN to speak out about the incident that took place at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.
Wallace admitted to following too much into what the general public was saying about the incident and the personal impact of those questioning his truthfulness in the incident.
"I'm pissed. I'm mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am and my integrity," Wallace said in the CNN interview with Don Lemon. "They're not stealing that from me, but trying to test that.
"And as a person that doesn't need the fame, doesn't need the hype, doesn't need the media, I could care less. I could give two craps about that. But, to sit there and read — that's my problem I'm reading too much into (what's being said on social media) and investing too much time into it."
"I'm pissed. I'm mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am and my integrity." - NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace on social media reaction to the conclusion of the FBI investigation into the noose found in his team's garage https://t.co/YH4ynYqv64 pic.twitter.com/fB0m9Yj9FD — CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) June 24, 2020
FBI: No federal crime committed after noose found at Talladega
NASCAR: Organization vows to continue investigation into noose at Talladega
MORE: Former NASCAR driver's son apologizes for cheering noose in Bubba Wallace's garage
On Tuesday, the U.S. attorney and FBI announced that the noose found in Wallace's garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday was not a federal crime, stating: "The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019."
Following law enforcement's announcement, NASCAR put out a statement of its own, saying in part: "The FBI report concludes, and photographic evidence confirms, that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall." NASCAR president Steve Phelps later told reporters that the organization's governing body will continue its own investigation to figure out how and why a rope in the garage was made into a noose.
Wallace said he didn't see the actual noose that was found in his garage at Talladega Superspeedway, but his crew had photos.
"The image that I have seen of what was hanging in my garage is not a garage pull. I've been racing all my life. We've raced out of hundreds of garages that never had garage pulls like that," Wallace said on CNN. "People that want to call it a 'garage pull' will put out videos and photos of knots as their evidence.
"From the evidence that we have and I have, it's a straight-up noose. The FBI has stated that it was a noose over and over again. NASCAR leadership has stated it was a noose. I can confirm that I actually got evidence of what was hanging in my garage, over my car, around my pit crew guys, to confirm that it was a noose. It was a noose that was whether tied in 2019 or whenever, it was a noose. It wasn't directed at me, but somebody tied a noose."


usatoday--2020-06-24--New coronavirus health concern as colleges reopen: Contaminated water sitting in pipes

Three months ago , the COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to close their doors .
With no students , faculty or staff washing their hands and drinking from water fountains , the plumbing has gone almost as unused as the buildings themselves .
That ’ s a problem .
Stagnant water in buildings made long-vacant due to coronavirus concerns is a health risk .
“ Plumbing is meant to be used , ” said Andrew Whelton , an associate professor of civil engineering at Purdue University in Indiana .
When plumbing goes unused , water sits in pipes , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonies can increase .
When students , faculty and employees return to campus and water starts flowing again , these contaminants could end up in water bottles and showerheads , adding one more health concern for campuses already scrambling to minimize exposure to COVID-19 .
Universities are not alone in these concerns .
But campuses are particularly vulnerable .
Behind the walls of each building , a complex network of pipes , pumps , tanks and heaters supply water to a similarly complex collection of drinking fountains , bathroom sinks , toilets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Use , age and architecture all affect how water moves through the building .
Different plumbing lines are required for hard and soft water .
Buildings that have 10 stories have different plumbing than those with one or two .
And newer buildings may be designed with water conservation in mind .
Even the water sources may be different .
The University of Iowa has its own water supply system ; the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire runs off a city system .
Because of the sheer number and variety of buildings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hinders a uniform approach to maintain water quality after extended vacancies .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidelines for minimizing risks in water systems for Legionella — the bacteria that causes Legionnaires ’ disease .
The guidelines suggest running water and making sure to clean out basins and faucets when buildings are reoccupied .
But Whelton noted that Legionnaires ’ disease isn ’ t the only health concern .
Higher copper and lead levels can show up in stagnant water , and the amount of disinfectants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bacteria colonies to grow .
What ’ s more , Whelton said there have been no studies of water quality for water that has been in pipes for months at a time , and the CDC guidelines are not tailored to specific plumbing systems , which can vary greatly .
In previous studies of how water quality changes when it sits stagnant in pipes , Whelton has looked at how three days or seven days of stagnation affects water quality .
According to Whelton , whenever he and his team have done these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their approach “ is unrealistic ” and “ no drinking water system or plumbing system would ever be stagnated for more than three days.
” Now , in the absence of evidence of how to best maintain water quality during long term shutdowns , universities are going to have to be thoughtful about the steps they take to keep their buildings ’ water safe .
And the clock is ticking .
Some employees are already returning to university campuses , including researchers and student athletes .
Some schools are planning to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open — although some in a limited fashion — by early September .
Every school seems to have developed its own response .
In mid-March , it became clear to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire facilities staff that the campus was shutting down .
They immediately recognized the potential for water problems , said Michael Rindo , assistant chancellor for facilities and university relations .
Day after day for the last three months , a team of workers has gone through the 33 buildings on upper and lower campus .
They flush every toilet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the sinks .
They turn on the showers in the residence halls .
They run the water fountains .
And with each test , they keep their eyes and ears open for any color or smell that could be a warning .
Mohammad Attalla , executive director of facilities and services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , recalls “ marathon meetings ” on March 21 and 22 to plan out his department ’ s game plan .
Twice a week , the campus ’ water station staff flushes main water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campus ’ 507 buildings .
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison , Meredith McGlone , a spokesperson for the university , said they are following CDC guidelines , and restroom sinks and toilets are flushed “ at least weekly.
” As people return to buildings , they are recommending that people let taps run for a few minutes to clear them .
David Jackson , assistant director of facilities management at the University of Iowa , said flushing water in “ sinks , drinking fountains and restrooms ” will start in early June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until building occupancy increases .
Officials from the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities also indicated that regular flushing is taking place in low occupancy buildings .
The variety of university responses reflects a common refrain from the past three months .
“ We ’ re all kind of new to that part of this , ” said Andrew DeWeese , a program manager at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources .
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and University of Illinois developed their water management plans internally .
McGlone at UW-Madison says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the University of Iowa , water flushing started in June , not March .
And no matter what they 're doing , no one is sure it 's enough .
Even with twice weekly flushing , Attalla estimates that water use at the University of Illinois has dropped by 20 % .
In an article published online on June 16 in AWWA Water Science , Whelton and collaborators at seven other research institutions described the challenges facing building managers as they work to keep water quality safe .
In the article , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Develop water management plans that are specific to each building ’ s unique needs .
• Flushing is good , but remember that it ’ s not clear yet how much flushing is required and how often systems should be flushed .
• Check regularly for leaks and other damages .
• Inform building occupants of risk and of potential changes in water quality .
All of this comes as universities juggle dozens of issues as they prepare to reopen .
Rindo said that the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has purchased fogging machines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms at night after lectures .
At the University of Illinois , Attalla says they are dropping room occupancies across campus to maintain social distancing .
Campus laboratories produced 4,000 gallons of hand sanitizer that will be distributed to various departments .
At University of Wisconsin-Whitewater , water fountains in student housing have been modified so they are water bottle-filling stations only , and the staff is considering making stairwells “ one-way ” to prevent students from passing by one another .
`` We ’ ve never had a summer off , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university housing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater .
“ This is totally uncharted territory for us .
”

Jordan Nutting, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

New coronavirus health concern as colleges reopen: Contaminated water sitting in pipes
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Three months ago, the COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to close their doors. With no students, faculty or staff washing their hands and drinking from water fountains, the plumbing has gone almost as unused as the buildings themselves.
That’s a problem. Stagnant water in buildings made long-vacant amid coronavirus concerns is a health risk.
“Plumbing is meant to be used,” said Andrew Whelton, an associate professor of civil engineering at Purdue University in Indiana.
When plumbing goes unused, water sits in pipes, where the level of leached metals and harmful bacteria colonies can increase.
When students, faculty and employees return to campus and water starts flowing again, these contaminants could end up in water bottles and showerheads, adding one more health concern for campuses already scrambling to minimize exposure to COVID-19.
Universities are not alone in these concerns. But campuses are particularly vulnerable.
Behind the walls of each building, a complex network of pipes, pumps, tanks and heaters supply water to a similarly complex collection of drinking fountains, bathroom sinks, toilets, ice machines, sprinkler systems and more. Use, age and architecture all affect how water moves through the building.
Different plumbing lines are required for hard and soft water. Buildings that have 10 stories have different plumbing than those with one or two. And newer buildings may be designed with water conservation in mind.
Even the water sources may be different. The University of Iowa has its own water supply system; the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire runs off a city system.
Coronavirus and college: In person, online classes or a mix: Colleges' fall reopening plans, detailed
Because of the sheer number and variety of buildings, water management at university campuses is challenging and hinders a uniform approach to maintain water quality after extended vacancies.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidelines for minimizing risks in water systems for Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. The guidelines suggest running water and making sure to clean out basins and faucets when buildings are reoccupied.
But Whelton noted that Legionnaires’ disease isn’t the only health concern. Higher copper and lead levels can show up in stagnant water and the amount of disinfectants in the water can fall, which allows other bacteria colonies to grow.
What’s more, Whelton said, there have been no studies of water quality for water that has been in pipes for months at a time, and the CDC guidelines are not tailored to specific plumbing systems, which can vary greatly.
In previous studies of how water quality changes when it sits stagnant in pipes, Whelton has looked at how three days or seven days of stagnation affects water quality. According to Whelton, whenever he and his team have done these studies, they’ve received pushback that their approach “is unrealistic” and “no drinking water system or plumbing system would ever be stagnated for more than three days.”
But then COVID-19 arrived.
Now, in the absence of evidence of how to best maintain water quality during long-term shutdowns, universities are going to have to be thoughtful about the steps they take to keep their buildings’ water safe.
And the clock is ticking. Some people are already returning to university campuses, including researchers and student athletes. Some schools are planning to open in August, and many others will open – although some in a limited fashion – by early September.
Responses vary
Every school seems to have developed its own response.
In mid-March, it became clear to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire facilities staff that the campus was shutting down. They immediately recognized the potential for water problems, said Michael Rindo, assistant chancellor for facilities and university relations.
Day after day for the past three months, a team of workers has gone through the 33 buildings on upper and lower campus.
They flush every toilet. They run hot and cold water in the sinks. They turn on the showers in the residence halls. They run the water fountains.
And with each test, they keep their eyes and ears open for any color or smell that could be a warning.
Coronavirus and colleges: Historically black colleges fight for survival, reopening amid coronavirus pandemic
Mohammad Attalla, executive director of facilities and services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, recalls “marathon meetings” on March 21 and 22 to plan out his department’s game plan. Twice a week, the campus’ water station staff flushes main water lines and runs all water sources inside the campus’ 507 buildings.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Meredith McGlone, a spokesperson for the university, said the school is following CDC guidelines, and restroom sinks and toilets are flushed “at least weekly.” As people return to buildings, they are recommending that people let taps run for a few minutes to clear them.
David Jackson, assistant director of facilities management at the University of Iowa, said flushing water in sinks, drinking fountains and restrooms will start in early June and will continue “approximately monthly” until building occupancy increases.
Officials from the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities also indicated that regular flushing is taking place in low occupancy buildings.
The variety of university responses reflects a common refrain from the past three months.
“We’re all kind of new to that part of this,” said Andrew DeWeese, a program manager at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and University of Illinois developed their water management plans internally. McGlone at UW-Madison says the university is following CDC guidelines. At the University of Iowa, water flushing started in June, not March.
And no matter what they're doing, no one is sure it's enough. Even with twice-weekly flushing, Attalla estimates that water use at the University of Illinois has dropped by 20%.
Juggling multiple other problems
In an article published online June 16 in AWWA Water Science, Whelton and collaborators at seven other research institutions described the challenges facing building managers as they work to keep water quality safe.
In the article, Whelton laid out several recommendations:
Develop water management plans that are specific to each building’s unique needs.
Flushing is good, but remember that it’s not clear yet how much flushing is required and how often systems should be flushed.
Check regularly for leaks and other damages.
Test water quality for multiple possible contaminants.
Adjust plans as building occupancy changes.
Inform building occupants of risk and of potential changes in water quality.
All of this comes as universities juggle dozens of questions as they prepare to reopen.
Rindo said the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has purchased fogging machines that can be used to disinfect large rooms at night after lectures.
At the University of Illinois, Attalla says the school is dropping room occupancies across campus to maintain social distancing. Campus laboratories produced 4,000 gallons of hand sanitizer that will be distributed to various departments.
At University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, water fountains in student housing have been modified so they are water-bottle-filling stations only, and the staff is considering making stairwells “one-way” to prevent students from passing one another.
"We’ve never had a summer off,” said Frank Bartlett, executive director of university housing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. “This is totally uncharted territory for us.”


usatoday--2020-06-23--A dozen states now part of outbreak linked to salad mixes sold at Jewel-Osco, Hy-Vee and Aldi

Health officials are expanding a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections `` potentially linked '' to certain store brands of garden salad mixes .
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new safety alerts Tuesday recalling more select salads sold at Aldi , Hy-Vee and Jewel-Osco stores in a dozen states .
Last week , the FDA and CDC advised consumers in six Midwestern states to not eat certain salads bought at those supermarkets .
At that point , there had been 76 confirmed illnesses and 16 hospitalizations in Iowa , Illinois , Kansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the CDC .
In updated alerts , the agencies said the number of confirmed illnesses had grown to 122 – with 19 hospitalizations – from those states with the addition of Wisconsin .
So far , the health agencies have reported no related deaths .
Health officials say the illnesses have occurred from May 11 to June 15 .
Weddings during coronavirus : What couples are spending on instead of big ceremony -- dream home , a vintage school bus The investigation involves Cyclospora infections linked to bagged salad mixes containing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lettuce purchased at the three supermarket chains .
The microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis can cause symptoms including diarrhea , loss of appetite , weight loss , stomach cramps , bloating , increased gas , nausea and fatigue , according to the CDC .
The CDC and FDA recommend that supermarkets , shoppers and restaurants do not sell , eat or serve these products : • Aldi Little Salad Bar brand Garden Salad , sold in Arkansas , Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , North Dakota , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have recalled the salad mixes .
Consumers should discard or return the product to the grocer where it was purchased .
The CDC says that the investigation indicates recalled salads are `` a likely source of this outbreak , '' the trio of salad mixes `` do not explain all of the illnesses in this outbreak . ''
So , the CDC and FDA will continue the investigation into other possible products , the agencies say .

A dozen states now part of outbreak linked to salad mixes sold at Jewel-Osco, Hy-Vee and Aldi
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Health officials are expanding a multistate warning after an outbreak of Cyclospora infections "potentially linked" to certain store brands of garden salad mixes.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new safety alerts Tuesday recalling more select salads sold at Aldi, Hy-Vee and Jewel-Osco stores in a dozen states.
Last week, the FDA and CDC advised consumers in six Midwestern states to not eat certain salads bought at those supermarkets. At that point, there had been 76 confirmed illnesses and 16 hospitalizations in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota, according to the CDC.
In updated alerts, the agencies said the number of confirmed illnesses had grown to 122 – with 19 hospitalizations – from those states with the addition of Wisconsin. So far, the health agencies have reported no related deaths. Health officials say the illnesses occurred from May 11 to June 15.
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The investigation involves Cyclospora infections linked to bagged salad mixes containing carrots, red cabbage and iceberg lettuce purchased at the three supermarket chains. The microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis can cause symptoms including diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue, according to the CDC.
The CDC and FDA recommend that supermarkets, shoppers and restaurants do not sell, eat or serve these products:
Aldi Little Salad Bar brand Garden Salad, sold in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Hy-Vee brand 12-ounce bagged Garden Salad sold in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin
Jewel-Osco Signature Farms brand 12-ounce bagged Garden Salad sold in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.
All three supermarkets have recalled the salad mixes. Consumers should discard or return the product to the grocer where it was purchased.
The CDC says that the investigation indicates recalled salads are "a likely source of this outbreak," the trio of salad mixes "do not explain all of the illnesses in this outbreak."
The CDC and FDA will continue the investigation into other possible products, the agencies say.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.


usatoday--2020-06-24--Terry Crews: 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' scraps first four episodes amid protests over racial injustice

Star Terry Crews revealed that the Fox comedy will scrap the first four planned episode scripts and start again to reflect the changed social landscape amid protests over racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd .
The reboot decision came following a `` Brooklyn Nine-Nine '' cast Zoom call with show runner Dan Goor .
`` We talked about what ’ s happening in this country and we talked about the shift of consciousness going on , '' Crews , 51 , told `` Access Hollywood '' Tuesday .
`` They had four episodes all ready to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trash .
It 's like , 'We have to start over . '
`` '' We ’ ve had a lot of somber talks and very deep conversations , '' Crews added .
`` Through this we hope to bring something that will be truly groundbreaking this year .
We have an opportunity and we plan to use it in the best way possible . ''
Crews admitted its too early to know exactly how that opportunity will be capitalized upon once production resumes on the comedy centered around a fictional Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know which direction we ’ re going to go in , '' Crews said , adding it was incumbent on the diverse cast and crew to `` unite , get together and understand what this is and that we have to battle this together . ''
`` Brooklyn Nine-Nine '' show representatives did not respond immediately to an email request from USA TODAY for comment on the Season 8 changes .
Crews also talked about his own harrowing experiences growing up as a Black man dealing with police .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crews says police perceived him as a `` threat '' even when he was walking in the mall .
`` I ’ ve had guns pointed at me by police officers in LA .
This was before I was famous .
But the thing is , they had the wrong guy , '' Crews said .
`` It ’ s something that every Black man has been through . ''
After the shocking video of a police officer kneeling on Floyd 's neck until he died , the world suddenly started to understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on right now is Black America ’ s # MeToo movement .
We always knew this was happening , but now white people are understanding . ''

Terry Crews: 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' scraps first four episodes amid protests over racial injustice
Show Caption Hide Caption An emotional Terry Crews hits golden buzzer for Detroit Youth Choir Holding back tears, Terry Crews saw a piece of himself in the Detroit Youth Choir. Then, he hit the golden buzzer. USA TODAY
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is rebooting Season 8.
Star Terry Crews revealed that the NBC comedy will scrap the first four planned episode scripts and start again to reflect the changed social landscape amid protests over racial injustice following the police killing of George Floyd.
The reboot decision came following a "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" cast Zoom call with show runner Dan Goor.
"We talked about what’s happening in this country and we talked about the shift of consciousness going on," Crews, 51, told "Access Hollywood" Tuesday. "They had four episodes all ready to go, and they just threw them in the trash. It's like, 'We have to start over.' "
"We’ve had a lot of somber talks and very deep conversations," Crews added. "Through this we hope to bring something that will be truly groundbreaking this year. We have an opportunity and we plan to use it in the best way possible."
Crews admitted its too early to know exactly how that opportunity will be capitalized upon once production resumes on the comedy centered around a fictional Brooklyn police precinct.
"Right now we don’t know which direction we’re going to go in," Crews said, adding it was incumbent on the diverse cast and crew to "unite, get together and understand what this is and that we have to battle this together."
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" show representatives did not respond immediately to an email request from USA TODAY for comment on the Season 8 changes.
Crews also talked about his own harrowing experiences growing up as a Black man dealing with police. Before he was a recognizable movie star, Crews says police perceived him as a "threat" even when he was walking in the mall.
"I’ve had guns pointed at me by police officers in LA. This was before I was famous. But the thing is, they had the wrong guy," Crews said. "It’s something that every Black man has been through."
After the shocking video of a police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck until he died, the world suddenly started to understand, said Crews. "What is going on right now is Black America’s #MeToo movement. We always knew this was happening, but now white people are understanding."


usatoday--2020-06-24--'It was so crazy': Man grabs shark with bare hands on Delaware beach in viral video

SALISBURY , Md .
— A swimmer was caught on camera handling a shark off the coast of Cape Henlopen State Park Beach in Delaware this weekend .
The video , shared on Facebook by Delaware native Rachael Foster , depicts a man grabbing onto the shark , trying to unhook the shark after it had been caught .
The video yielded a combined 200,000 views on Facebook and TikTok .
“ Everyone started yelling , ‘ Shark , shark , get out of the water ! '
” Foster said .
“ It was so crazy , like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 20 people were on the shore watching this all unfold .
The man in the video was not the person who caught the shark , Foster said .
After his friend caught the shark , the man went in the water to open the shark ’ s mouth to get the hook out .
Then , the shark was let go .
This is totally legal in Delaware .
Shark attacks have dropped worldwide : The reason ?
It 's likely due to the coronavirus .
According to the Delaware Division of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sandbar sharks are prohibited from being kept and those that are not retained must be immediately released to ensure survival .
Although park rangers were on site to assist and monitor the matter on Sunday , Cape Henlopen is no stranger to sharks .
A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized at the beginning of June after being bitten at the park , causing a surfing and swimming shutdown at Herring Point .
The bite was believed to be from a sand shark , according to a news release obtained by Delmarva Daily Times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach , Foster said she felt a little worried , but never unsafe .
“ It was so cool , ” Foster said .
“ And we come on the beaches a lot .
Probably two to three times a week .
But we ’ ve never experienced anything like that .
”

'It was so crazy': Man grabs shark with bare hands on Delaware beach in viral video
Show Caption Hide Caption Viral video shows man handling shark with bare hands on Delaware beach A beachgoer captured this viral video of a man holding a shark off the coast of Cape Henlopen State Park Beach in Delaware over the weekend. Courtesy of Rachael Foster, Salisbury Daily Times
SALISBURY, Md. — A swimmer was caught on camera handling a shark off Cape Henlopen State Park Beach in Delaware last weekend.
The video, shared on Facebook by Delaware native Rachael Foster, depicts a man grabbing onto the shark, trying to unhook the shark after it had been caught. The video yielded a combined 200,000 views on Facebook and TikTok.
“Everyone started yelling, ‘Shark, shark, get out of the water!'” Foster said. “It was so crazy, like a movie. Like Jaws.”
Foster said about 20 people were on the shore watching this all unfold.
The man in the video was not the person who caught the shark, Foster said. After his friend caught the shark, the man went in the water to open the shark’s mouth to get the hook out.
Then, the shark was let go.
This is totally legal in Delaware.
Shark attacks have dropped worldwide: The reason? It's likely due to the coronavirus.
According to the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, sand tiger and sandbar sharks are prohibited from being kept and those that are not retained must be immediately released to ensure survival.
Although park rangers were on site to assist and monitor the matter on Sunday, Cape Henlopen is no stranger to sharks.
A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized at the beginning of June after being bitten at the park, causing a surfing and swimming shutdown at Herring Point. The bite was believed to be from a sand shark, according to a news release obtained by Delmarva Daily Times.
Despite the presence of sharks on the beach, Foster said she felt a little worried, but never unsafe.
“It was so cool,” Foster said. “And we come on the beaches a lot. Probably two to three times a week. But we’ve never experienced anything like that.”


usatoday--2020-06-24--Foul play suspected in Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen's disappearance

U.S. Army officials now say foul play is suspected regarding the disappearance of missing Fort Hood Texas soldier Pfc .
Vanessa Guillen , her family ’ s attorney said Tuesday .
Fort Hood officials addressed their suspicions while meeting with several members of Guillen ’ s family on Tuesday to provide an update in the case , according to attorney Natalie Khawam .
“ Our meeting today was very good , ” Khawam told reporters outside the gates of Fort Hood .
“ We got a few answers we wanted .
Not all of them , but a few .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we .
We are hoping our investigation goes further and we learn who it is.
” However , Guillen ’ s younger sister on Tuesday maintained that she believes the missing soldier is still alive .
Guillen , a 20-year-old Houston native , was last seen April 22 in the middle of a workday at Fort Hood near Killeen .
The soldier ’ s identification card , wallet and the keys to her car and base apartment were later found in the armory room where she had been earlier in the day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s commander , Col. Ralph Overland , and Army investigators on Tuesday showed Guillen ’ s family her work area and the parking lot where she was last seen .
“ We all have the same goal : to find Vanessa and bring her home , ” Overland said .
“ The regiment is fully committed to this and we will not stop until we find her.
” U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia , D-Houston , who also attended the Fort Hood meeting , said officials on Tuesday told the family that phone records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. the day she was last seen .
However , Guillen ’ s phone has yet to be found .
One text message sent on Guillen ’ s private cellphone to a supervisor that day was a serial number of a gun she was tasked with reviewing , according to Khawam .
The attorney called the text message “ disturbing ” and said she suspects Guillen may not have been the one to send the message .
Several people also reported seeing Guillen that day .
However , Garcia said base officials Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see her , citing an active investigation .
“ A lot of this does not connect , ” Khawam said .
“ We don ’ t care who messed up , we just want answers .
We want to know what time , where , who and why.
” Guillen is not the only soldier at Fort Hood who investigators believe is a victim of foul play .
On Friday , the body of 24-year-old Gregory Scott Morales was found in a field in Killeen .
Morales was last seen driving his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Aug. 19 , 2019 .
The last known verbal contact with Morales was the following day , officials said .
Morales was scheduled to be discharged from the Army within a few days of when he disappeared , officials said .
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command special agents said they received information leading to the location of the body Friday .
An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause and manner of death .
Investigators have said they have no credible information indicating that the Guillen and Morales cases are connected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month , Guillen ’ s family said they believe the soldier was being sexually harassed by at least one supervisor .
On Tuesday , the family told Fort Hood officials that Guillen accused one of her supervisors of walking into the shower while she was naked .
“ She did report that to her family and to her friends , ” Khawam said .
“ We suspect it ’ s the same person who was her supervisor that same day after she went missing.
” However , Fort Hood officials have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Khawam .
Khawam said Fort Hood officials began an investigation into the sexual harassment claims last week .
She said she hopes they will take the new information the family provided Tuesday and use that in both the sexual harassment and missing persons investigations .
U.S. Army investigators last week increased the reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Guillen to $ 25,000 .
League of United Latin American Citizens , also known as LULAC , is one of several organizations working alongside Guillen ’ s family to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , LULAC officials released a statement saying they are now demanding immediate steps be taken by the highest levels of the nation ’ s military , members of Congress and the White House to find the missing soldier .
“ It is heartbreaking and we are filled with both anger and anguish over the disappearance of Vanessa on an American military installation , ” a statement from LULAC said .
“ Even more troubling is the total and reckless mishandling of the investigation or the lack of care for her life and well-being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ command at Fort Hood .
”

Foul play suspected in Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen's disappearance
Show Caption Hide Caption 'Foul play' suspected in case of missing Fort Hood soldier Officials to discuss the latest findings in the search for Guillen and what the family intends to do moving forward. Fox - 7 Austin
U.S. Army officials now say foul play is suspected regarding the disappearance of missing Fort Hood Texas soldier Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, her family’s attorney said Tuesday.
Fort Hood officials addressed their suspicions while meeting with several members of Guillen’s family on Tuesday to provide an update in the case, according to attorney Natalie Khawam.
“Our meeting today was very good,” Khawam told reporters outside the gates of Fort Hood. “We got a few answers we wanted. Not all of them, but a few. They suspect foul play; so do we. We are hoping our investigation goes further and we learn who it is.”
However, Guillen’s younger sister on Tuesday maintained that she believes the missing soldier is still alive.
Guillen, a 20-year-old Houston native, was last seen April 22 in the middle of a workday at Fort Hood near Killeen.
The soldier’s identification card, wallet and the keys to her car and base apartment were later found in the armory room where she had been earlier in the day, Army officials have said.
Guillen’s commander, Col. Ralph Overland, and Army investigators on Tuesday showed Guillen’s family her work area and the parking lot where she was last seen.
“We all have the same goal: to find Vanessa and bring her home,” Overland said. “The regiment is fully committed to this and we will not stop until we find her.”
U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, who also attended the Fort Hood meeting, said officials on Tuesday told the family that phone records show Guillen was last contacted at 11:30 a.m. the day she was last seen. However, Guillen’s phone has yet to be found.
One text message sent on Guillen’s private cellphone to a supervisor that day was a serial number of a gun she was tasked with reviewing, according to Khawam. The attorney called the text message “disturbing” and said she suspects Guillen may not have been the one to send the message.
Several people also reported seeing Guillen that day. However, Garcia said base officials Tuesday would not disclose who was the last to see her, citing an active investigation.
“A lot of this does not connect,” Khawam said. “We don’t care who messed up, we just want answers. We want to know what time, where, who and why.”
More foul play suspicions
Guillen is not the only soldier at Fort Hood who investigators believe is a victim of foul play.
On Friday, the body of 24-year-old Gregory Scott Morales was found in a field in Killeen.
Morales was last seen driving his vehicle outside of Fort Hood the night of Aug. 19, 2019. The last known verbal contact with Morales was the following day, officials said.
Morales was scheduled to be discharged from the Army within a few days of when he disappeared, officials said.
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command special agents said they received information leading to the location of the body Friday.
An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause and manner of death.
Investigators have said they have no credible information indicating that the Guillen and Morales cases are connected.
More: Army confirms body found near Fort Hood is missing soldier Gregory Morales
Sexual harassment allegations
During a protest outside of Fort Hood earlier this month, Guillen’s family said they believe the soldier was being sexually harassed by at least one supervisor.
On Tuesday, the family told Fort Hood officials that Guillen accused one of her supervisors of walking into the shower while she was naked.
“She did report that to her family and to her friends,” Khawam said. “We suspect it’s the same person who was her supervisor that same day after she went missing.”
However, Fort Hood officials have yet to disclose what supervisor was working, according to Khawam.
Khawam said Fort Hood officials began an investigation into the sexual harassment claims last week. She said she hopes they will take the new information the family provided Tuesday and use that in both the sexual harassment and missing persons investigations.
U.S. Army investigators last week increased the reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Guillen to $25,000.
League of United Latin American Citizens, also known as LULAC, is one of several organizations working alongside Guillen’s family to bring the missing soldier home.
On Tuesday, LULAC officials released a statement saying they are now demanding immediate steps be taken by the highest levels of the nation’s military, members of Congress and the White House to find the missing soldier.
“It is heartbreaking and we are filled with both anger and anguish over the disappearance of Vanessa on an American military installation,” a statement from LULAC said. “Even more troubling is the total and reckless mishandling of the investigation or the lack of care for her life and well-being. Both seem meaningless to those in command at Fort Hood.”


usatoday--2020-06-24--Ouch! COVID-19 is forcing some people to put retirement on hold

The pandemic has made Jennifer White , 47 , fearful about whether early retirement is possible .
White , director of education abroad at Eastern Kentucky University , is grappling with whether her goal of retiring at 60 is still achievable after the deadly virus upended the school ’ s study abroad programs in dozens of countries across Europe , Asia and South America .
“ I already felt like I was playing catch-up with retirement .
There ’ s a fear of what the future holds and an overwhelming sense of doom with the pandemic , ” White says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Universities all over the country are experiencing lower enrollment , so it ’ s going to be devastating for higher education.
” A dream home , a vintage school bus and quirky roller skates : Here 's what couples are buying with their pandemic wedding funds I was furloughed and got too many unemployment checks : Here ’ s how I sent the money back The recession has rattled retirement plans for Americans , as income and savings have been pressured by rising unemployment and market swings .
About 30 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very or somewhat likely they will delay the age at which they retire as a result of the recent economic downturn , according to the Wells Fargo/Gallup Investor and Retirement Optimism Index .
A similar percentage , 29 % , think it ’ s likely they will work more than they intended in their retirement .
In March , the Standard & Poor ’ s 500 index shed 30 % from its record in just 22 trading days , the swiftest such drop in history .
But stocks have recovered most of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried that they 'll have to delay retirement to offset recent stock market losses , '' says Dan Barry , regional president at Wells Fargo Advisors .
“ But market downturns are inevitable .
If folks are concerned , they should stay the course and rebalance their portfolio because markets have proven over time that it pays off to remain invested.
” The survey , conducted from May 11-17 and given to USA TODAY exclusively , is based on interviews with adults in a household with stocks , bonds , or mutual funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an investment account or in a self-directed IRA or 401 ( k ) retirement account .
Of total respondents , 40 % reported annual incomes of less than $ 90,000 ; 60 % reported $ 90,000 or more .
The median age of the nonretired investor is 45 and the retiree is 69 .
Investor optimism tumbled to a seven-year low in the second quarter due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic , the study showed .
In the April to June period , confidence hit its lowest point since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about-face after confidence had touched a 20-year high in the first three months of the year .
Optimism fell the most on unemployment and economic growth .
Investors have felt the effects of the pandemic on the job market .
As of the May survey , 27 % of nonretired investors had suffered a loss of income or pay , 15 % had been furloughed or temporarily laid off and 1 % had been permanently let go .
The coronavirus has also compelled one in four investors to take on more financial responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 16 % , reports providing greater financial assistance to an adult child , while 7 % say they have assisted a parent , and 7 % another relative .
To be sure , trends in the poll signal that investors view recent market disruption as temporary , not as an alarm of systemic problems that will harm their investments in the long term .
Most investors remain optimistic about reaching their five-year investing goals even as their 12-month outlook for their own investments is down sharply .
Roughly two-thirds of investors polled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goals , according to the study .
Six in 10 investors continue to say now is a good time to invest in the financial markets .
One reason why : cheaper stock prices .
“ It ’ s really important to stay invested in a well , thought-out plan that aligns with your goals , ” Barry says .
`` If you ’ re not invested , you can miss some of the market ’ s best days , which has historically shown could be detrimental to your portfolio in the long term @ @

Ouch! COVID-19 is forcing some people to put retirement on hold
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The pandemic has made Jennifer White, 47, fearful about whether early retirement is possible.
White, director of education abroad at Eastern Kentucky University, is grappling with whether her goal of retiring at 60 is still achievable after the deadly virus upended the school’s study abroad programs in dozens of countries across Europe, Asia and South America.
“I already felt like I was playing catch-up with retirement. There’s a fear of what the future holds and an overwhelming sense of doom with the pandemic,” White says, who has been working from home. “Universities all over the country are experiencing lower enrollment, so it’s going to be devastating for higher education.”
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Retirement security shaken
The recession has rattled retirement plans for Americans, as income and savings have been pressured by rising unemployment and market swings.
About 30% of employed investors say it’s very or somewhat likely that they will delay the age at which they retire as a result of the recent economic downturn, according to the Wells Fargo/Gallup Investor and Retirement Optimism Index. A similar percentage, 29%, think it’s likely they will work more than they intended in their retirement.
In March, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index shed 30% from its record in just 22 trading days, the swiftest such drop in history. But stocks have recovered most of their losses since then.
"Folks are worried that they'll have to delay retirement to offset recent stock market losses," says Dan Barry, regional president at Wells Fargo Advisors. “But market downturns are inevitable. If folks are concerned, they should stay the course and rebalance their portfolio because markets have proven over time that it pays off to remain invested.”
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The survey, conducted from May 11-17 and given exclusively to USA TODAY, is based on interviews with adults in a household with stocks, bonds, or mutual funds of $10,000 or more, either in an investment account or in a self-directed IRA or 401(k) retirement account.
Of total respondents, 40% reported annual incomes of less than $90,000; 60% reported $90,000 or more. The median age of the nonretired investor is 45 and the retiree is 69.
Optimism suffers record decline
Investor optimism tumbled to a seven-year low in the second quarter due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the study showed. In the April to June period, confidence hit its lowest point since the fourth quarter of 2013, an about-face after confidence had touched a 20-year high in the first three months of the year. Optimism fell the most on unemployment and economic growth.
Investors have felt the effects of the pandemic on the job market. As of the May survey, 27% of nonretired investors had suffered a loss of income or pay, 15% had been furloughed or temporarily laid off and 1% had been permanently let go.
The coronavirus has also compelled one in four investors to take on more financial responsibility for family members. The largest percentage, 16%, reports providing greater financial assistance to an adult child, while 7% say they have assisted a parent, and 7% another relative.
Investors confident over the long haul
To be sure, trends in the poll signal that investors view recent market disruption as temporary, not as an alarm of systemic problems that will harm their investments in the long term.
Most investors remain optimistic about reaching their five-year investing goals even as their 12-month outlook for their own investments is down sharply. Roughly two-thirds of investors polled remain optimistic about reaching their five-year investment goals, according to the study.
Six in 10 investors continue to say now is a good time to invest in the financial markets. One reason why: cheaper stock prices.
“It’s really important to stay invested in a well, thought-out plan that aligns with your goals,” Barry says. "If you’re not invested, you can miss some of the market’s best days, which has historically shown could be detrimental to your portfolio in the long term.”


usatoday--2020-06-24--Opinion: NBA players should not feel guilty for skipping season

Once the NBA playoffs start , teams depend on their players to fight through injuries .
They also expect players to forget about any personal problems once they step on the court .
With the NBA about five weeks away from resuming its season , it is unrealistic and unfair for any team to hold its players to this standard .
Not under these circumstances .
No longer are players concerned only about whether they can win an NBA championship .
With the NBA planning to host its season in Florida , a current coronavirus hot spot , players are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season taking place in a quarantined bubble at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando , players are more worried about spending between two to three months either without seeing their family or potentially putting them in harm ’ s way .
On top of all that , players are worried about whether sitting out or playing would give them the biggest platform to speak on racial inequalities and ensure change as social justice demonstrations continue across the country .
STAR AMONG POSITIVES : Nuggets star among NBA players to test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Antetokounmpo 's younger brother is officially going pro It should surprise no one that a handful of players have already informed their team they will sit out when the NBA resumes its season on July 30 .
Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans will sit out to ensure he remains healthy entering his free agency negotiations after having two ACL injuries .
Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza will sit out after the mother of his 12-year-old son granted a court-ordered , one-month visitation period .
And Los Angeles Lakers forward Avery Bradley will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6-year-old son could have experienced health issues in a bubble environment because of his history with respiratory illnesses .
Expect more players to opt out on Wednesday , since they are expected to notify their team and the NBA players union by the end of the day .
Will these absences put the NBA season in jeopardy ?
Not necessarily .
The NBA and the players union would not have agreed to resume the season had they sensed the majority of players would sit out .
Lakers center Dwight Howard and Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy and notable players who have signaled they might sit , too , to keep their focus on protesting racial inequality .
But those in NBA circles still believe the majority of the stars plan to play to pursue a championship , salvage some of their financial earnings and use that platform to speak out on racial issues .
None of the current absences should change the landscape drastically .
With the Wizards ( 24-40 ) trailing the Orlando Magic ( 30-35 ) by 5½ games for the Eastern Conference ’ s eighth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely Washington could sneak in with only eight regular-season games left .
The Trail Blazers ( 29-37 ) have a better shot at securing the eighth seed in the Western Conference since they trail the Memphis Grizzlies ( 32-33 ) by only 3½ games .
Ariza would have enhanced Portland ’ s playoff hopes with his perimeter defense .
But that would have only set up a first-round exit against the top-seeded Lakers ( 49-14 ) .
No doubt , Bradley ’ s absence will test the Lakers ’ championship mettle without his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lakers sign J.R. Smith or anyone else as Bradley ’ s replacement , their title fortunes still largely rest on how healthy and efficient LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain .
But these players sitting out are not quitting on their team when they need them the most .
Instead , they are placing higher priority on the health and well-being of both themselves and close ones .
All of these players might be vulnerable to varying degrees of pay cuts .
But the NBA and its players union established that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract termination .
During this environment , NBA teams should support these decisions .

Opinion: NBA players should not feel guilty for skipping season
Show Caption Hide Caption Here's how the NBA bubble looks for players at Disney World USA TODAY Sports' Mark Medina breaks down the details of the NBA bubble in Orlando. USA TODAY
Once the NBA playoffs start, teams depend on their players to fight through injuries. They also expect players to forget about any personal problems once they step on the court.
With the NBA about five weeks away from resuming its season, it is unrealistic and unfair for any team to hold its players to this standard. Not under these circumstances.
No longer are players concerned only about whether they can win an NBA championship. With the NBA planning to host its season in Florida, a current coronavirus hot spot, players are more worried about their lives. With the season taking place in a quarantined bubble at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, players are more worried about spending between two to three months either without seeing their family or potentially putting them in harm’s way. On top of all that, players are worried about whether sitting out or playing would give them the biggest platform to speak on racial inequalities and ensure change as social justice demonstrations continue across the country.
STAR AMONG POSITIVES: Nuggets star among NBA players to test positive for COVID-19
GOING PRO: Giannis Antetokounmpo's younger brother is officially going pro
It should surprise no one that a handful of players have already informed their team they will sit out when the NBA resumes its season on July 30.
Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans will sit out to ensure he remains healthy entering his free agency negotiations after having two ACL injuries. Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza will sit out after the mother of his 12-year-old son granted a court-ordered, one-month visitation period. And Los Angeles Lakers forward Avery Bradley will sit out, telling ESPN that his 6-year-old son could have experienced health issues in a bubble environment because of his history with respiratory illnesses. Expect more players to opt out on Wednesday, since they are expected to notify their team and the NBA players union by the end of the day.
Will these absences put the NBA season in jeopardy? Not necessarily. The NBA and the players union would not have agreed to resume the season had they sensed the majority of players would sit out. Lakers center Dwight Howard and Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams are among the healthy and notable players who have signaled they might sit, too, to keep their focus on protesting racial inequality. But those in NBA circles still believe the majority of the stars plan to play to pursue a championship, salvage some of their financial earnings and use that platform to speak out on racial issues.
None of the current absences should change the landscape drastically. With the Wizards (24-40) trailing the Orlando Magic (30-35) by 5½ games for the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot, it is unlikely Washington could sneak in with only eight regular-season games left. The Trail Blazers (29-37) have a better shot at securing the eighth seed in the Western Conference since they trail the Memphis Grizzlies (32-33) by only 3½ games. Ariza would have enhanced Portland’s playoff hopes with his perimeter defense. But that would have only set up a first-round exit against the top-seeded Lakers (49-14). No doubt, Bradley’s absence will test the Lakers’ championship mettle without his prized perimeter defense. Regardless of whether the Lakers sign J.R. Smith or anyone else as Bradley’s replacement, their title fortunes still largely rest on how healthy and efficient LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain.
But these players sitting out are not quitting on their team when they need them the most. Instead, they are placing higher priority on the health and well-being of both themselves and close ones. All of these players might be vulnerable to varying degrees of pay cuts. But the NBA and its players union established that no player would face any discipline or a contract termination. During this environment, NBA teams should support these decisions.
Follow NBA writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


usatoday--2020-06-24--Stevie Wonder calls for action on Black Lives Matter efforts: 'Move more than your mouth'

Quoting song lyrics and citing his past racial-justice efforts , Stevie Wonder delivered an emphatic , at times impatient video message Tuesday urging on the Black Lives Matter movement .
Saying he has listened to `` voices on the left , voices on the right , '' Wonder added , `` What I ’ ve not heard is a unanimous commitment to atone for the sins of this country . ''
The Michigan-born Motown star also singled out President Donald Trump as `` noncommittal '' and cited several previous remarks by the president , including a 2018 reference to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Wonder lamented that three states — North Dakota , South Dakota and Hawaii — have failed to formally recognize Juneteenth as a holiday .
`` I know that dance .
I 've heard those songs .
It was an 18-year fight to ( make ) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 's birthday a national holiday , '' said Wonder , who teamed with late U.S. Rep. John Conyers in that ultimately successful campaign .
`` Yet it was a fight I was not willing to lose . ''
More : Shay Mitchell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up about fears , talking racism with kids Alluding to the weeks of protests spurred by the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis , he encouraged more from those watching .
`` Systemic racism can have an ending .
Police brutality can have an ending .
Economic repression can have an ending , '' Wonder said .
`` A movement without action is a movement standing still .
To those who say they care : Move more than your mouth . ''
The short video , titled `` The Universe is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wonder 's social media channels Tuesday afternoon .
`` Black lives do matter .
And this is not another digital , viral trend , moment or hashtag , '' he said , adding : `` Yes , all lives do matter , but they only matter when black lives matter too . ''

Stevie Wonder calls for action on Black Lives Matter efforts: 'Move more than your mouth'
Quoting song lyrics and citing his past racial-justice efforts, Stevie Wonder delivered an emphatic, at times impatient video message Tuesday urging on the Black Lives Matter movement.
Saying he has listened to "voices on the left, voices on the right," Wonder added, "What I’ve not heard is a unanimous commitment to atone for the sins of this country."
The Michigan-born Motown star also singled out President Donald Trump as "noncommittal" and cited several previous remarks by the president, including a 2018 reference to "(expletive) countries in Africa."
Wonder lamented that three states — North Dakota, South Dakota and Hawaii — have failed to formally recognize Juneteenth as a holiday.
"I know that dance. I've heard those songs. It was an 18-year fight to (make) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday," said Wonder, who teamed with late U.S. Rep. John Conyers in that ultimately successful campaign. "Yet it was a fight I was not willing to lose."
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Alluding to the weeks of protests spurred by the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, he encouraged more from those watching.
"Systemic racism can have an ending. Police brutality can have an ending. Economic repression of Black and brown people can have an ending," Wonder said. "A movement without action is a movement standing still. To those who say they care: Move more than your mouth. Move your feet to the polls, and use your hands to vote."
The short video, titled "The Universe is Watching Us," was posted to Wonder's social media channels Tuesday afternoon.
"Black lives do matter. And this is not another digital, viral trend, moment or hashtag," he said, adding: "Yes, all lives do matter, but they only matter when black lives matter too."


usatoday--2020-06-24--Three Georgia men indicted on felony murder, malice charges in Ahmaud Arbery case

Three men in Georgia have been indicted on murder charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery , a prosecutor announced Wednesday .
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes said in a news 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 Bryan were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assault and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
Arbery , who was a 25-year-old Black man , was shot and killed Feb. 23 , about 2 miles from his home in a neighborhood outside Brunswick , Georgia .
Arbery had been jogging through the neighborhood when the McMichaels were armed in the middle of a street , looking for a suspected burglar .
More : Georgia hate crime bill heads to governor 's desk in wake of Ahmaud Arbery shooting 'Contentious ' or 'compassionate ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families meet with Donald Trump to talk police reform Surveillance video shows Arbery stopping at a house under construction before the McMichaels pursued him .
However , the owner of the property said nothing was taken and video shows several people had entered the construction site over the course of several months .
The case went largely ignored for a couple of months , until video of the incident surfaced .
On May 7 , the Georgia Bureau of Investigations charged both McMichaels , a white father and son , with murder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier in June that Bryan , who lives in the neighborhood where Arbery was shot , saw the McMichaels in their pursuit of the suspected burglar and joined in the chase .
It was Bryan 's May 5 leaked cellphone video of the incident that sparked outrage and criticism over the handling of the case .
Bryan was arrested weeks later and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
“ We welcome the action of the grand jury today , ” said attorney Kevin Gough , who represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , it ’ s an important step in the process to moving this case closer to the speedy trial that Roddie has demanded.
” Gough said his client has committed no crime and has cooperated with law enforcement officers from the beginning .
Bob Rubin , a lawyer for Travis McMichael , wrote in an email that the defense team has found other facts “ that are an integral part of the case ” and that Travis McMichael “ will plead not guilty.
” An autopsy report released by the GBI showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chest and a third bullet grazed his right wrist .
Arbery 's death was another in a series of incidents nationwide that have led to massive protests against systemic racism and bias over the past two months .
George Floyd , a 46-year-old Black man , was killed in Minneapolis on Memorial Day when former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes and ignored Floyd 's pleas for help .
Then , on June 12 , a 27-year-old Black man in Atlanta , Rayshard Brooks , was shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from police officers , who had been responding to a call about Brooks sleeping in his car outside a Wendy 's restaurant .

Three Georgia men indicted on felony murder, malice charges in Ahmaud Arbery case
Show Caption Hide Caption Ahmaud Arbery: 3 Georgia men indicted on felony murder, malice charges Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. have been indicted on charges including murder and malice in Ahmaud Arbery's death. USA TODAY
Three men in Georgia have been indicted on murder charges in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes said in a news 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 Bryan were each charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
Arbery, who was a 25-year-old Black man, was shot and killed Feb. 23, about 2 miles from his home in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia. Arbery had been jogging through the neighborhood when the McMichaels were armed in the middle of a street, looking for a suspected burglar.
More: Georgia hate crime bill heads to governor's desk in wake of Ahmaud Arbery shooting
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Surveillance video shows Arbery stopping at a house under construction before the McMichaels pursued him. However, the owner of the property said nothing was taken and video shows several people had entered the construction site over the course of several months.
The case went largely ignored for a couple of months, until video of the incident surfaced. On May 7, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations charged both McMichaels, a white father and son, with murder and aggravated assault.
A GBI agent testified earlier in June that Bryan, who lives in the neighborhood where Arbery was shot, saw the McMichaels in their pursuit of the suspected burglar and joined in the chase. It was Bryan's May 5 leaked cellphone video of the incident that sparked outrage and criticism over the handling of the case.
How a grand jury works, why some are contentious A previous version of this video generalized what occurs if a grand jury decides not to indict; jurisdictions have different protocols. USA TODAY
Bryan was arrested weeks later and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
“We welcome the action of the grand jury today,” said attorney Kevin Gough, who represents Bryan. “While we disagree with it, it’s an important step in the process to moving this case closer to the speedy trial that Roddie has demanded.”
Gough said his client has committed no crime and has cooperated with law enforcement officers from the beginning.
Bob Rubin, a lawyer for Travis McMichael, wrote in an email that the defense team has found other facts “that are an integral part of the case” and that Travis McMichael “will plead not guilty.”
An autopsy report released by the GBI showed that Arbery was shot twice in the chest and a third bullet grazed his right wrist.
Arbery's death was another in a series of incidents nationwide that have led to massive protests against systemic racism and bias over the past two months.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed in Minneapolis on Memorial Day when former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes and ignored Floyd's pleas for help. Then, on June 12, a 27-year-old Black man in Atlanta, Rayshard Brooks, was shot and killed after he tried to flee from police officers, who had been responding to a call about Brooks sleeping in his car outside a Wendy's restaurant.
Contributing: Nicquel Terry-Ellis; Associated Press