mercurynews--2020-05-24--The Latest: Montana outbreak tied to Schwab country club

By The Associated Press The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic .
The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness or death .
— Montana outbreak tied to golf and country club developed by Charles Schwab — Pasta factory in Spokane reports virus outbreak as Washington state prepare to reopen — Sunday ’ s New York Times devotes entire front page to list of COVID-19 victims .
— Protesters gather outside California ’ s state Capitol to rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
— An outbreak of COVID-19 in western Montana is tied to an exclusive golf and country club developed by financial executive Charles Schwab .
Stock Farm Club General Manager Steve Buck says the eight people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Ravalli County are employees of the club near Hamilton .
One person had been hospitalized and seven others remained in isolation on Saturday .
The health department has said it was believed the first person who tested positive had contracted the respiratory virus outside the county .
Montana reported no new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
The state has had 479 confirmed cases .
ANCHORAGE , Alaska — The Alaska Baseball League has canceled its summer season , as the future of sports worldwide remains uncertain during the coronavirus pandemic .
The summer league season was scheduled to begin on June 29 .
The league website says this season will be canceled to keep everyone safe from exposure to COVID-19 .
KTVA-TV reported that if competition resumed on time there would have been travel and housing challenges during the seven weeks of play .
The five-team league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly the Lower 48 but also from places as far away as Taiwan .
SPOKANE , Wash. — A pasta company has announced there was a coronavirus outbreak at its Spokane factory as Washington state prepares to reopen parts of its economy .
The Spokesman-Review reported that Philadelphia Macaroni Company Inc. said in a statement Friday that 72 workers were tested for COVID-19 and 24 were positive .
Health officials say there was an increase in Spokane County with 31 new positive cases between Thursday and Friday .
Company officials say all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the facility was disinfected .
The company is working with the Spokane Regional Health District to conduct contact tracing and determine further prevention measures .
BEIJING — China on Sunday reported three new confirmed cases of coronavirus .
Two of the cases were brought from outside the country and one locally transmitted in the northeastern province of Jilin that has experienced a minor outbreak now apparently largely contained .
No new deaths were reported and 79 people remain in treatment , with another 380 under isolation and monitoring for being suspected cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing any symptoms .
China has reported a total of 4,634 COVID-19 deaths out of 82,974 cases .
CANBERRA , Australia — Government officials says six million Australians have downloaded a mobile telephone app that helps health authorities trace coronavirus infections Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the COVIDSafe app is playing a strong role in Australia ’ s response to the pandemic and several countries have expressed interest in learning from its positive impacts .
If a user is diagnosed , the app works to identify other users who have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the previous three weeks .
The government has said at least 40 % of Australia ’ s 26 million people need to use the app for it to be effective .
There are approximately 17 million mobile phones in Australia .
The government and states have been easing restrictions on travel and increased use of restaurants and bars in the past few weeks .
Australia has recorded more than 7,100 cases of COVID-19 , with 102 deaths .
NEW YORK — The New York Times has devoted Sunday ’ s entire front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic .
The names and brief descriptions culled from obituaries from around the country fill six columns under the headline “ U.S .
Deaths Near 100,000 , an Incalculable Loss , ” with a subheadline reading : “ They Were Not Simply Names on a List .
They Were Us.
” The all-text list takes the place of the usual articles , photographs and graphics in an effort to convey the vastness and variety of lives lost , according to Simone Landon , assistant editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept by Johns Hopkins University says more than 96,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States .
Tom Bodkin , chief creative officer of The Times , said he did not remember any front pages without images , though there have been pages with only graphics , during his 40 years at the newspaper .
SANTA FE , N.M. — A New Mexico state official says gatherings of more than 100 people may not be possible for more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Tourism Secretary Jen Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or 18 months before there ’ s either a vaccine or herd immunity .
That creates the prospect that sports stadiums , concert halls and conference centers in the state could remain empty for months .
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Schroer spoke during a webinar Thursday on reopening the state ’ s hospitality industry .
The state had nearly 6,800 cases of COVID-19 with 308 deaths as of Saturday .
SACRAMENTO , Calif. — Hundreds of protesters rallied outside California ’ s state Capitol on Saturday to protest stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend with newly expanded options for leisure .
California Highway Patrol officers closed the Capitol lawn to demonstrators , so speakers addressed the crowd from the back of a flatbed truck as an airplane flew above towing a banner with a picture of Gov .
Gavin Newsom and the words “ End his tyranny !
” Protesters waved dozens of flags and signs , many in support of President Donald Trump .
Few people wore masks and there was little room for social distancing .
The protest came as restrictions eased across much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores and many public spaces by meeting state standards for controlling the novel coronavirus .
Authorities continue to warn people to practice social distancing and other anti-virus measures , noting that the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to rise .
HAGATNA , Guam — The Department of Agriculture in Guam has invited hunters to participate in a pig-hunting derby to provide food for families in need during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Pacific Daily News reported that the department announced that the two-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The department released a statement saying the derby is intended to feed families , foster familial hunter development and reduce the feral pig population .
Event organizers are working with mayors to distribute pigs whole and unprocessed to residents within their villages and provide safe handling guidelines .
RALEIGH , N.C. — Coronavirus outbreaks at meat processing plants are forcing North Carolina farmers to euthanize 1.5 million chickens , according to a state official .
Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Joe Reardon told The News & Observer that this is the first time during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had to euthanize their animals .
Roughly a third of the 1.5 million chickens already had been killed , Reardon said .
Chicken and hog farmers in other states also have been euthanizing millions of animals during the COVID-19 pandemic .
North Carolina hog farmers have not taken steps to euthanize their animals , Reardon said .
FORT CAMPBELL , Ky. — Eighteen soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army ’ s 101st Airborne Division have returned to Fort Campbell after spending more than a month in New Jersey helping with COVID-19 response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers deployed April 14 to help provide logistical support for the response to the new coronavirus outbreak throughout the Northeast .
The troops helped receive , process and move supplies , equipment and personnel in critical areas affected by the virus outbreak .
The soldiers will undergo a precautionary quarantine under medical supervision .
An official welcome-home event is being planned , officials said .
The Fort Campbell Army post is located along the Kentucky-Tennessee border .
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz is scrapping his 10-person limit on group gatherings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occupancy if certain safety guidelines are met .
Walz ’ s decision comes after the state reported a record number of COVID-19 cases .
He says the issue has been “ a challenging one ” because large gatherings raise the risk of spreading the virus .
Walz says he understands the toll the pandemic has taken on the spiritual health of residents .
His new executive order applies only to religious gatherings and not receptions .
While the leader of the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis welcomed the change , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t feel they can meet safety measures .
Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in a letter to parishioners that limiting gatherings to 10 people had “ burdened the Church ’ s ability to fully meet the sacramental needs of our faithful.
” TALLAHASSEE , Fla. — A woman who raised questions about Florida ’ s COVID-19 data after being ousted as the data ’ s curator had been reprimanded several times for violating Health Department policy , including for posting political commentary about the information , state records show .
Rebekah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a half in emails to researchers , interviews with a handful of media outlets , and blog posts have sought to sow doubt about the credibility of the data now that she is no longer in that role .
State health officials strenuously deny any issue with the information ’ s accuracy as Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis seeks to make a data-driven case for a step-by-step reopening of the state ’ s battered economy following safer-at-home orders .
Jones has not alleged any tampering with data on deaths , hospital symptom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new confirmed cases , or overall testing rates .
She has , however , suggested Health Department managers wanted her to manipulate information to paint a rosier picture and that she pushed back .
SPRINGFIELD , Mo .
— A hairstylist served 84 clients over eight days recently while experiencing symptoms of coronavirus , Missouri health officials say .
The Springfield-Greene County Health Department said in a news briefing that the stylist worked between May 12-20 and announced in a Facebook post Saturday that 56 other clients were potentially exposed by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 16-20 while experiencing very mild symptoms of the coronavirus .
All clients of the two stylists wore masks and will be tested .
The owner of the business said in a statement that the salon will be closed until it goes through sanitizing and deep cleaning The state health department reported 218 new confirmed cases of the new coronavirus , bringing the total to 11,558 since the pandemic began .
That was the largest one-day total since 319 cases were reported May 1 .
Ten new deaths brought that total to 671 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has failed to change its election laws to ensure that voters can safely cast ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic , voting rights advocates claim in a federal lawsuit .
The nonprofit Democracy North Carolina and the League of Women Voters of North Carolina sued Friday on behalf of several elderly or disabled residents whose medical conditions make them more vulnerable to coronavirus .
The lawsuit alleges that several aspects of North Carolina ’ s absentee vote-by-mail requirements are unconstitutional because voters will have to risk exposure to COVID-19 to successfully vote .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to complete the ballot in the presence of two witnesses or a notary .
State law also requires voters to submit their registration applications at least 25 days before the election or else register in-person at an early voting site , the suit notes .
The lawsuit says that will result in millions of state residents either losing their right to vote or being forced to compromise their health in order to cast a ballot .
The state Board of Elections and other state officials are named as defendants .
STURGIS , S.D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city officials can ’ t stop people from coming to the annual motorcycle gathering in the Black Hills of South Dakota , regardless of the new coronavirus .
The 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is scheduled for Aug. 7-16 .
The City Council has said it would make an official decision in mid-June on whether to go forward with hosting the event , the Rapid City Journal reported .
Mayor Mark Carstensen said in a Facebook video that “ tourism is coming ” to the Black Hills and Sturgis .
A manager with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been booked for the week of the rally and there is a waiting list .
DOVER , Del .
— The University of Delaware says it is laying off more than 1,100 part-time employees , mostly students , in a move to cut costs during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The News Journal reports that students account for 805 of the 1,146 part-time employees who were notified of their layoffs on Thursday .
An email to employees said the layoffs , which take effect on June 1 , do not affect adjunct faculty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose wages are paid through external funding .
But many adjunct professors will not have a teaching position in the fall due to a hiring freeze .
In April , the university announced that it faced a $ 65 million budget shortfall due to pandemic ’ s financial toll , including revenue lost from prorated housing and canceled athletic events .
The university hopes to reopen campus in phases starting June 1 with certain research facilities .
BAGHDAD — Iraq ’ s Health Ministry is reporting the steepest single-day spike in confirmed coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late February .
The ministry reported 308 new cases Saturday , one day ahead of celebrations to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan .
Curfew hours had been relaxed during the month of fasting , which contributed to higher daily rates of infection .
According to ministry figures , more than 4,200 people have tested positive for the virus in Iraq .
At least 152 people have died .
Roads have been clogged with traffic and supermarkets and shops have been packed with people preparing for the celebrations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
ALBANY , N.Y. — New York state reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in weeks in what Gov .
Andrew Cuomo described Saturday as a critical benchmark .
The daily death tally was 84 after a peak of 799 on April 8 .
Reducing the state ’ s daily death count to fewer than 100 seemed almost impossible several weeks ago , the Democratic governor said .
That figure has remained stubbornly high even amid other signs of encouragement .
“ In my head , I was always looking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ For me , it ’ s a sign that we ’ re making real progress.
” The number of hospitalized patients in the state that has been the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. continued to fall , dropping to over 4,600 .
Cuomo also announced that the region along the Hudson River north of New York City and south of Albany is set to begin reopening Tuesday , and that Long Island could follow suit Wednesday .
ATHENS — Two fatalities from COVID-19 were reported in Greece during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll to 171 , health authorities announced Saturday .
Another three new infections have been recorded since Friday afternoon , raising the nation ’ s total to 2,876 .
The number of patients on ventilators stands at 20 , while 99 have left intensive care .
Greek authorities say they have performed 152,998 tests for the disease .
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

By The Associated Press
The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
TOP OF THE HOUR:
— Montana outbreak tied to golf and country club developed by Charles Schwab
— Pasta factory in Spokane reports virus outbreak as Washington state prepare to reopen
— Sunday’s New York Times devotes entire front page to list of COVID-19 victims.
— Protesters gather outside California’s state Capitol to rally against stay-at-home orders.
— New York state records 24-hour death total under 100.
___
HAMILTON, Mont. — An outbreak of COVID-19 in western Montana is tied to an exclusive golf and country club developed by financial executive Charles Schwab.
Stock Farm Club General Manager Steve Buck says the eight people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Ravalli County are employees of the club near Hamilton. One person had been hospitalized and seven others remained in isolation on Saturday.
The health department has said it was believed the first person who tested positive had contracted the respiratory virus outside the county.
Montana reported no new positive COVID-19 tests from samples run on Friday. The state has had 479 confirmed cases.
___
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Baseball League has canceled its summer season, as the future of sports worldwide remains uncertain during the coronavirus pandemic.
The summer league season was scheduled to begin on June 29. The league website says this season will be canceled to keep everyone safe from exposure to COVID-19.
KTVA-TV reported that if competition resumed on time there would have been travel and housing challenges during the seven weeks of play. The five-team league is made up of college players from mostly the Lower 48 but also from places as far away as Taiwan.
___
SPOKANE, Wash. — A pasta company has announced there was a coronavirus outbreak at its Spokane factory as Washington state prepares to reopen parts of its economy.
The Spokesman-Review reported that Philadelphia Macaroni Company Inc. said in a statement Friday that 72 workers were tested for COVID-19 and 24 were positive. Health officials say there was an increase in Spokane County with 31 new positive cases between Thursday and Friday.
Company officials say all of the factory employees have since been tested and the facility was disinfected. The company is working with the Spokane Regional Health District to conduct contact tracing and determine further prevention measures.
___
BEIJING — China on Sunday reported three new confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Two of the cases were brought from outside the country and one locally transmitted in the northeastern province of Jilin that has experienced a minor outbreak now apparently largely contained.
No new deaths were reported and 79 people remain in treatment, with another 380 under isolation and monitoring for being suspected cases or having tested positive for COVID-19 without showing any symptoms.
China has reported a total of 4,634 COVID-19 deaths out of 82,974 cases.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Government officials says six million Australians have downloaded a mobile telephone app that helps health authorities trace coronavirus infections
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the COVIDSafe app is playing a strong role in Australia’s response to the pandemic and several countries have expressed interest in learning from its positive impacts. If a user is diagnosed, the app works to identify other users who have been in close proximity for 15 minutes or more in the previous three weeks.
The government has said at least 40% of Australia’s 26 million people need to use the app for it to be effective. There are approximately 17 million mobile phones in Australia.
The government and states have been easing restrictions on travel and increased use of restaurants and bars in the past few weeks. Australia has recorded more than 7,100 cases of COVID-19, with 102 deaths.
___
NEW YORK — The New York Times has devoted Sunday’s entire front page to a long list of names of people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic.
The names and brief descriptions culled from obituaries from around the country fill six columns under the headline “U.S. Deaths Near 100,000, an Incalculable Loss,” with a subheadline reading: “They Were Not Simply Names on a List. They Were Us.”
The all-text list takes the place of the usual articles, photographs and graphics in an effort to convey the vastness and variety of lives lost, according to Simone Landon, assistant editor of the graphics desk.
A tally kept by Johns Hopkins University says more than 96,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States.
Tom Bodkin, chief creative officer of The Times, said he did not remember any front pages without images, though there have been pages with only graphics, during his 40 years at the newspaper.
___
SANTA FE, N.M. — A New Mexico state official says gatherings of more than 100 people may not be possible for more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tourism Secretary Jen Paul Schroer said it could be a year or 18 months before there’s either a vaccine or herd immunity. That creates the prospect that sports stadiums, concert halls and conference centers in the state could remain empty for months.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that Schroer spoke during a webinar Thursday on reopening the state’s hospitality industry.
The state had nearly 6,800 cases of COVID-19 with 308 deaths as of Saturday.
___
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hundreds of protesters rallied outside California’s state Capitol on Saturday to protest stay-at-home orders even as residents entered the Memorial Day weekend with newly expanded options for leisure.
California Highway Patrol officers closed the Capitol lawn to demonstrators, so speakers addressed the crowd from the back of a flatbed truck as an airplane flew above towing a banner with a picture of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the words “End his tyranny!”
Protesters waved dozens of flags and signs, many in support of President Donald Trump. Few people wore masks and there was little room for social distancing.
The protest came as restrictions eased across much of the state. Some 45 of 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores and many public spaces by meeting state standards for controlling the novel coronavirus.
Authorities continue to warn people to practice social distancing and other anti-virus measures, noting that the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to rise.
___
HAGATNA, Guam — The Department of Agriculture in Guam has invited hunters to participate in a pig-hunting derby to provide food for families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Pacific Daily News reported that the department announced that the two-day derby is scheduled to begin next Saturday. The department released a statement saying the derby is intended to feed families, foster familial hunter development and reduce the feral pig population.
Event organizers are working with mayors to distribute pigs whole and unprocessed to residents within their villages and provide safe handling guidelines.
___
RALEIGH, N.C. — Coronavirus outbreaks at meat processing plants are forcing North Carolina farmers to euthanize 1.5 million chickens, according to a state official.
Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Joe Reardon told The News & Observer that this is the first time during the pandemic that farmers in the state have had to euthanize their animals. Roughly a third of the 1.5 million chickens already had been killed, Reardon said.
Chicken and hog farmers in other states also have been euthanizing millions of animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. North Carolina hog farmers have not taken steps to euthanize their animals, Reardon said.
___
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Eighteen soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division have returned to Fort Campbell after spending more than a month in New Jersey helping with COVID-19 response operations.
Fort Campbell officials say the soldiers deployed April 14 to help provide logistical support for the response to the new coronavirus outbreak throughout the Northeast. The troops helped receive, process and move supplies, equipment and personnel in critical areas affected by the virus outbreak.
The soldiers will undergo a precautionary quarantine under medical supervision. An official welcome-home event is being planned, officials said.
The Fort Campbell Army post is located along the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
___
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is scrapping his 10-person limit on group gatherings and allowing churches to open at 25% occupancy if certain safety guidelines are met.
Walz’s decision comes after the state reported a record number of COVID-19 cases. He says the issue has been “a challenging one” because large gatherings raise the risk of spreading the virus.
Walz says he understands the toll the pandemic has taken on the spiritual health of residents. His new executive order applies only to religious gatherings and not receptions.
While the leader of the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis welcomed the change, the governor said parishes should not open if they don’t feel they can meet safety measures.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in a letter to parishioners that limiting gatherings to 10 people had “burdened the Church’s ability to fully meet the sacramental needs of our faithful.”
___
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A woman who raised questions about Florida’s COVID-19 data after being ousted as the data’s curator had been reprimanded several times for violating Health Department policy, including for posting political commentary about the information, state records show.
Rebekah Jones’ comments over the past week and a half in emails to researchers, interviews with a handful of media outlets, and blog posts have sought to sow doubt about the credibility of the data now that she is no longer in that role.
State health officials strenuously deny any issue with the information’s accuracy as Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis seeks to make a data-driven case for a step-by-step reopening of the state’s battered economy following safer-at-home orders.
Jones has not alleged any tampering with data on deaths, hospital symptom surveillance, hospitalizations for COVID-19, numbers of new confirmed cases, or overall testing rates. She has, however, suggested Health Department managers wanted her to manipulate information to paint a rosier picture and that she pushed back.
___
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A hairstylist served 84 clients over eight days recently while experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, Missouri health officials say.
The Springfield-Greene County Health Department said in a news briefing that the stylist worked between May 12-20 and announced in a Facebook post Saturday that 56 other clients were potentially exposed by a second stylist who worked five shifts from May 16-20 while experiencing very mild symptoms of the coronavirus.
All clients of the two stylists wore masks and will be tested. The owner of the business said in a statement that the salon will be closed until it goes through sanitizing and deep cleaning
The state health department reported 218 new confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total to 11,558 since the pandemic began. That was the largest one-day total since 319 cases were reported May 1. Ten new deaths brought that total to 671.
___
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina has failed to change its election laws to ensure that voters can safely cast ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic, voting rights advocates claim in a federal lawsuit.
The nonprofit Democracy North Carolina and the League of Women Voters of North Carolina sued Friday on behalf of several elderly or disabled residents whose medical conditions make them more vulnerable to coronavirus.
The lawsuit alleges that several aspects of North Carolina’s absentee vote-by-mail requirements are unconstitutional because voters will have to risk exposure to COVID-19 to successfully vote.
For example, mail-in absentee voters are required to complete the ballot in the presence of two witnesses or a notary. State law also requires voters to submit their registration applications at least 25 days before the election or else register in-person at an early voting site, the suit notes.
The lawsuit says that will result in millions of state residents either losing their right to vote or being forced to compromise their health in order to cast a ballot. The state Board of Elections and other state officials are named as defendants.
___
STURGIS, S.D. — The mayor of Sturgis says city officials can’t stop people from coming to the annual motorcycle gathering in the Black Hills of South Dakota, regardless of the new coronavirus.
The 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is scheduled for Aug. 7-16. The City Council has said it would make an official decision in mid-June on whether to go forward with hosting the event, the Rapid City Journal reported.
Mayor Mark Carstensen said in a Facebook video that “tourism is coming” to the Black Hills and Sturgis. A manager with The Hotel Sturgis said all 22 rooms have been booked for the week of the rally and there is a waiting list.
___
DOVER, Del. — The University of Delaware says it is laying off more than 1,100 part-time employees, mostly students, in a move to cut costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The News Journal reports that students account for 805 of the 1,146 part-time employees who were notified of their layoffs on Thursday.
An email to employees said the layoffs, which take effect on June 1, do not affect adjunct faculty, graduate students, work-study students or employees whose wages are paid through external funding.
But many adjunct professors will not have a teaching position in the fall due to a hiring freeze.
In April, the university announced that it faced a $65 million budget shortfall due to pandemic’s financial toll, including revenue lost from prorated housing and canceled athletic events.
The university hopes to reopen campus in phases starting June 1 with certain research facilities.
___
BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Health Ministry is reporting the steepest single-day spike in confirmed coronavirus cases since the government began recording cases in late February.
The ministry reported 308 new cases Saturday, one day ahead of celebrations to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Curfew hours had been relaxed during the month of fasting, which contributed to higher daily rates of infection.
According to ministry figures, more than 4,200 people have tested positive for the virus in Iraq. At least 152 people have died.
Roads have been clogged with traffic and supermarkets and shops have been packed with people preparing for the celebrations, likely contributing to the increase in infections.
___
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in weeks in what Gov. Andrew Cuomo described Saturday as a critical benchmark.
The daily death tally was 84 after a peak of 799 on April 8.
Reducing the state’s daily death count to fewer than 100 seemed almost impossible several weeks ago, the Democratic governor said. That figure has remained stubbornly high even amid other signs of encouragement.
“In my head, I was always looking to get under 100,” Cuomo said. “For me, it’s a sign that we’re making real progress.”
The number of hospitalized patients in the state that has been the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. continued to fall, dropping to over 4,600.
Cuomo also announced that the region along the Hudson River north of New York City and south of Albany is set to begin reopening Tuesday, and that Long Island could follow suit Wednesday.
___
ATHENS — Two fatalities from COVID-19 were reported in Greece during the most recent 24-hour period, bringing the death toll to 171, health authorities announced Saturday.
Another three new infections have been recorded since Friday afternoon, raising the nation’s total to 2,876. The number of patients on ventilators stands at 20, while 99 have left intensive care.
Greek authorities say they have performed 152,998 tests for the disease.
___
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


mercurynews--2020-05-24--Driver dies after fiery Highway 4 crash in Antioch

A fiery single-vehicle crash early Saturday morning on Highway 4 took the life of an Antioch man , police said @ @ @ @ @ the scene of the 2 a.m. crash in Antioch on the east-bound side of the @ @ @ @ @ to find a Toyota Camry sedan engulfed in flames and the driver inside , the @ @ @ @ @ a news bulletin .
Firefighters put out the fire and the driver was extricated from @ @ @ @ @ UC Davis Hospital with severe burns , the Highway Patrol said .
He was pronounced @ @ @ @ @ the hospital , the Highway Patrol said .
The incident remains under investigation , with @ @ @ @ @ the driver crashed into the highway ’ s concrete center divider , according to the @ @ @

A fiery single-vehicle crash early Saturday morning on Highway 4 took the life of an Antioch man, police said.
Emergency workers arrived at the scene of the 2 a.m. crash in Antioch on the east-bound side of the highway west of Hillcrest Avenue to find a Toyota Camry sedan engulfed in flames and the driver inside, the California Highway Patrol said in a news bulletin.
Firefighters put out the fire and the driver was extricated from the vehicle and sent to UC Davis Hospital with severe burns, the Highway Patrol said. He was pronounced dead while in transit to the hospital, the Highway Patrol said.
The incident remains under investigation, with police seeking to determine why the driver crashed into the highway’s concrete center divider, according to the Highway Patrol.


mercurynews--2020-05-24--DMV surprises license renewers with appointments: Roadshow

Q : I want to give a huge shout-out to the much-hated DMV .
I had an appointment on April 2 to renew my license that I had to do in person .
I just assumed that I was going to use up a bit of the COVID-19 extension since my birthday was soon .
Much to my surprise , I received a call from the local branch last week with an offer of an appointment the next day .
That is follow-through !
A : DMV services have been difficult during the pandemic , but it is getting better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more openings in June .
Steve-the-DMV-boss says one big change is getting to upload many REAL ID and other documents ahead of time through its virtual office .
Waits for those with appointments are down to 10 minutes .
Q : I had an appointment on April 9 at the Senter Road office to renew my license and get a REAL ID .
Offices were closed and the appointment canceled .
But the next day , I got an unsolicited human being telephone call from the DMV asking if I wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A : It ’ s happening more often .
The DMV may contact you to finalize the process , saving time and a trip to an office .
DMV visits are required for REAL ID , all driving tests , for those over 70 and a few other transactions .
Go to www.dmv.ca.gov for more details .
• Arrived at Senter Road office in San Jose at 9:30 a.m. • Showed ID.me confirmation number at the door — zero wait time .
• Confirmed documents by presenting originals at the window — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at next window — zero wait time .
• None Temporary license received at next window — zero wait time .
• Left before 10 a.m. Total time , less than 30 minutes A : Sounds like they deserve an A-plus .
Q : You advised a reader who had her DMV REAL ID appointment on March 5 and still hadn ’ t received it , that this is the new normal wait time .
In fact , the problem might lie with the USPS .
I had my REAL ID and renewal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before offices shut down .
My REAL ID was mailed from the DMV on April 9 , but I never received it .
I called the DMV in mid-May and was informed that the USPS had returned my REAL ID to DMV with no explanation .
Because of REAL ID security restrictions , they won ’ t just send it back again .
A : I advised you to give it a few more days and , bingo , the REAL ID arrived in the mail .
Join Gary Richards for an hourlong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow @ bayareanewsgroup.com .

Q: I want to give a huge shout-out to the much-hated DMV. I had an appointment on April 2 to renew my license that I had to do in person. I just assumed that I was going to use up a bit of the COVID-19 extension since my birthday was soon.
Much to my surprise, I received a call from the local branch last week with an offer of an appointment the next day. That is follow-through!
Chrissie Stevenson, San Jose
Like Mr. Roadshow’s Facebook page for more questions and answers about Bay Area roads, freeways and commuting.
A: DMV services have been difficult during the pandemic, but it is getting better now that 25 offices have reopened, with more openings in June. Steve-the-DMV-boss says one big change is getting to upload many REAL ID and other documents ahead of time through its virtual office. Waits for those with appointments are down to 10 minutes.
Q: I had an appointment on April 9 at the Senter Road office to renew my license and get a REAL ID. Offices were closed and the appointment canceled. But the next day, I got an unsolicited human being telephone call from the DMV asking if I wanted to make a new appointment. Simply amazing.
Rich Seifert, Los Gatos
A: It’s happening more often. The DMV may contact you to finalize the process, saving time and a trip to an office. DMV visits are required for REAL ID, all driving tests, for those over 70 and a few other transactions.
Go to www.dmv.ca.gov for more details.
Q: Reporting a DMV success!
Created a DMV ID.me account; completed, scanned and downloaded all documents.
Arrived at Senter Road office in San Jose at 9:30 a.m.
Showed ID.me confirmation number at the door — zero wait time.
Confirmed documents by presenting originals at the window — zero wait time.
Picture taken at next window — zero wait time.
Temporary license received at next window — zero wait time.
Left before 10 a.m. Total time, less than 30 minutes
DMV score — an A.
Bill Densham, Los Gatos
A: Sounds like they deserve an A-plus.
Q: You advised a reader who had her DMV REAL ID appointment on March 5 and still hadn’t received it, that this is the new normal wait time. In fact, the problem might lie with the USPS.
I had my REAL ID and renewal appointment on March 26, the day before offices shut down. My REAL ID was mailed from the DMV on April 9, but I never received it.
I called the DMV in mid-May and was informed that the USPS had returned my REAL ID to DMV with no explanation. Because of REAL ID security restrictions, they won’t just send it back again.
Eric McDaniel, Santa Clara
A: I advised you to give it a few more days and, bingo, the REAL ID arrived in the mail.
Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats.Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.


mercurynews--2020-05-24--Napa restaurants reopen for dine-in service after coronavirus shutdown

CLICK HERE if you ’ re having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device .
The excitement in the air was palpable .
So was the aroma of garlic fries .
Food , freed from the prisons of paper and plastic to-go containers , was brought to tables , fresh and hot and served on plates .
Dine-in service at eateries in Napa County , one of the few places in the Bay Area to move into the next phase of recovery , returned earlier this week .
Though the scene looks much different than we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some caveats — many took the re-emergence Sunday as a sign that the end of the long self-quarantine period was in sight .
“ It feels a bit more like normalcy , ” said Jen Jes of Chico .
“ It ’ s been too long.
” Jes and two friends drove down Sunday to Napa , partly to just get out of the house , and largely to eat garlic fries and burgers inside of Gott ’ s Roadside at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa .
The return of dine-in service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and employees who had been struggling through on take-out service .
“ It ’ s been rough , ” said Cengiz Atis , owner of Napkins Bar and Grill on Napa ’ s Main Street .
“ But we had good business yesterday and it ’ s looking pretty good today.
” Atis , who opened his restaurant seven years ago , said there have been times during the past two months when he doubted that he would be able to stay in business through state and county orders to shelter at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as did some federal assistance for the payroll , but it just hasn ’ t been enough .
He was relieved when Napa County met guidelines to move into the next phase of reopening .
Although not every restaurant owner was going to such lengths , on Sunday , Atis was checking customer temperatures — anything below 100 was acceptable — as well as taking their names and phone numbers .
By taking names and phone numbers , Atis explained , he was acting as a sort of pre-contact tracer — maintaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant in case health authorities confirm COVID-19 in a customer .
Joe Peatman , who co-owns Downtown Joe ’ s in Napa , said he and his wife , had nervously been waiting for permission to reopen until he got a fateful message earlier in the week .
“ On Tuesday at 5:22 , I had a text from my personal county supervisor with just one word , ” Peatman says .
“ ’ Open !
’ ” Peatman , who has run the restaurant in downtown Napa for 26 years , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hounding county officials about when he could reopen .
He said he wanted to open the same night he got the message , but it wasn ’ t practical ; instead , he allowed to those with pick-up orders to eat in the dining room if they wanted to .
By the next morning , he had scraped together a skeleton crew ( mostly family ) to get the restaurant ready to reopen — including the extra space and other changes needed to maintain safety in the coronavirus era .
Business has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although nothing like it might have been if the pandemic had not shut things down .
A “ normal ” Memorial Day weekend would have brought huge crowds from BottleRock , the 3-day music , wine , food and brew festival in Napa .
Still , Peatman ’ s not complaining .
Some of his regular business beats none at all , and he ’ s happy to welcome newcomers and regulars alike .
A steady if modest trickle of customers were filing into the restaurant around noon on Sunday .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — customers seem to be lingering at the tables , Peatman said , happy just to be out of the house — those waiting were also displaying more patience than they sometimes do , he added .
Down the street , a small line formed when at Angèle Restaurant and Bar opened at 11:30 a.m .
Owner Bettina Rouas said she reopened on Saturday , but is only taking reservations for now — no walk-ins .
Sam and Michelle Wong from Oakland were among the early arrivals , driving up to meet friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seen in a while .
Wong said they were excited about getting out of the house , seeing their friends , and dining out .
“ The food you get as take out and eat at home just doesn ’ t taste as good , ” he said .
Rouas said the restaurant is working with a smaller staff with about 50 percent of their tables and seating areas open .
They also have a smaller menu .
“ We were closed for two months , ” Rouas says , “ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ menu in just 48 hours .
We ’ ll slowly be adding to it.
” • San Jose : Church pastor vows to fully reopen next week , regardless of stay-at-home orders Angèle was open for take-out during the shutdown , and the “ Angèle pantry , ” providing customers the ingredients to ( attempt to ) make their meals at home , was popular .
But there ’ s nothing like being open again , she said .
“ Everybody has been waiting for this to be over , ” Rouas says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to navigate this new world as carefully and safely as we can .
The restaurant community is very strong and we ’ re working together to reopen in a safe way .
We sure don ’ t want to have to close everything up again .
”

CLICK HERE if you’re having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device.
The excitement in the air was palpable.
So was the aroma of garlic fries.
Food, freed from the prisons of paper and plastic to-go containers, was brought to tables, fresh and hot and served on plates.
Dine-in service at eateries in Napa County, one of the few places in the Bay Area to move into the next phase of recovery, returned earlier this week. Though the scene looks much different than we’re used to — with social distancing and some caveats — many took the re-emergence Sunday as a sign that the end of the long self-quarantine period was in sight.
“It feels a bit more like normalcy,” said Jen Jes of Chico. “It’s been too long.”
Jes and two friends drove down Sunday to Napa, partly to just get out of the house, and largely to eat garlic fries and burgers inside of Gott’s Roadside at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa.
The reopening drew many from outside of Napa, which violates the Bay Area’s and state’s shelter-in-place order prohibiting travel outside your central area. Guidelines also limit dining tables to members of the same household. Still, people were coming to Napa on Memorial Day weekend.
The return of dine-in service came much to the relief of owners and employees who had been struggling through on take-out service.
“It’s been rough,” said Cengiz Atis, owner of Napkins Bar and Grill on Napa’s Main Street. “But we had good business yesterday and it’s looking pretty good today.”
Atis, who opened his restaurant seven years ago, said there have been times during the past two months when he doubted that he would be able to stay in business through state and county orders to shelter at home.
Take-out service helped, Atis said, as did some federal assistance for the payroll, but it just hasn’t been enough. He was relieved when Napa County met guidelines to move into the next phase of reopening.
Although not every restaurant owner was going to such lengths, on Sunday, Atis was checking customer temperatures — anything below 100 was acceptable — as well as taking their names and phone numbers.
By taking names and phone numbers, Atis explained, he was acting as a sort of pre-contact tracer — maintaining a record of who was at the restaurant in case health authorities confirm COVID-19 in a customer.
Joe Peatman, who co-owns Downtown Joe’s in Napa, said he and his wife, had nervously been waiting for permission to reopen until he got a fateful message earlier in the week.
“On Tuesday at 5:22, I had a text from my personal county supervisor with just one word,” Peatman says. “ ’Open!’ ”
Peatman, who has run the restaurant in downtown Napa for 26 years, had, by his own admission, been hounding county officials about when he could reopen. He said he wanted to open the same night he got the message, but it wasn’t practical; instead, he allowed to those with pick-up orders to eat in the dining room if they wanted to.
By the next morning, he had scraped together a skeleton crew (mostly family) to get the restaurant ready to reopen — including the extra space and other changes needed to maintain safety in the coronavirus era.
Business has been pretty good ever since, he said, although nothing like it might have been if the pandemic had not shut things down. A “normal” Memorial Day weekend would have brought huge crowds from BottleRock, the 3-day music, wine, food and brew festival in Napa.
Still, Peatman’s not complaining. Some of his regular business beats none at all, and he’s happy to welcome newcomers and regulars alike. A steady if modest trickle of customers were filing into the restaurant around noon on Sunday.
While the wait times were a bit long — customers seem to be lingering at the tables, Peatman said, happy just to be out of the house — those waiting were also displaying more patience than they sometimes do, he added.
Down the street, a small line formed when at Angèle Restaurant and Bar opened at 11:30 a.m. Owner Bettina Rouas said she reopened on Saturday, but is only taking reservations for now — no walk-ins.
Sam and Michelle Wong from Oakland were among the early arrivals, driving up to meet friends from San Jose whom they hadn’t seen in a while.
Wong said they were excited about getting out of the house, seeing their friends, and dining out.
“The food you get as take out and eat at home just doesn’t taste as good,” he said.
Rouas said the restaurant is working with a smaller staff with about 50 percent of their tables and seating areas open. They also have a smaller menu.
“We were closed for two months,” Rouas says, “and it was challenge to put together a menu in just 48 hours. We’ll slowly be adding to it.”
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Restaurants, Food and Drink | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Angèle was open for take-out during the shutdown, and the “Angèle pantry,” providing customers the ingredients to (attempt to) make their meals at home, was popular. But there’s nothing like being open again, she said.
“Everybody has been waiting for this to be over,” Rouas says, “and we’re trying to navigate this new world as carefully and safely as we can. The restaurant community is very strong and we’re working together to reopen in a safe way. We sure don’t want to have to close everything up again.”


mercurynews--2020-05-24--The Latest: White House bans travel to the US from Brazil

By The Associated Press The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic .
The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness or death .
— White House announces a ban on travel to the U.S. from Brazil due to the spread of coronavirus .
— Hospitalizations in France because of the virus rose slightly .
— Italy has 531 new infections in the past 24 hours .
WASHINGTON — The White House has announced a ban on travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of coronavirus in Latin America ’ s hardest-hit country .
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says in a statement Sunday evening that the ban applies to foreign nationals who have been in Brazil in the 14 days before they sought to travel to the United States .
McEnany cast it as a move by President Donald Trump “ to protect our country.
” Trump has already banned travel from the United Kingdom , Europe and China , all of which have been hit hard by the virus .
Trump had said last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Brazil .
Brazil had reported more than 347,000 COVID-19 cases , second behind the U.S. in the number of infections , according to a Johns Hopkins University count .
Brazil also has recorded more than 22,000 deaths , fifth-most in the world .
There have been more than 97,000 U.S. deaths .
DAYTONA BEACH , Fla. — Hundreds of people gathered at a popular Florida beach boardwalk during Memorial Day weekend and were seen partying and dancing despite social distancing restrictions imposed by the state , authorities said Sunday .
Police responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beachside road in Daytona Beach that were there for an annual gathering not authorized by the local government this year .
Police said a shooting also was reported outside a nearby convenience store , with two people taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds and four injured by shrapnel .
Officers were not involved .
The Volusia County Sheriff ’ s Office released helicopter images showing the large crowds surrounding a car outside a beachfront mall as a man stood on the sunroof and other men hung out the windows throwing money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were criticized for not making use of force against the crowds and declining to make arrests for social distancing violations .
Coronavirus social distancing rules in the state state that people must be in groups of 10 or fewer .
Beaches elsewhere in Florida also saw large Memorial Day weekend crowds .
LOS ANGELES — As Californians ventured outdoors to take advantage of relaxed rules to control the spread of coronavirus , Memorial Day weekend crowds at beaches and parks have been manageable .
Officials say most people are wearing face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eased across much of the state , which has seen a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations .
Some 47 of 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores — at least for curbside pickups — and many public spaces .
Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming , running and other activities .
Sunbathing and group activities such as volleyball were prohibited .
TYBEE ISLAND , Georgia — The beach at Tybee island was filled with families , bicyclists , beach chairs , games , swimmers and more late Sunday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beyond took advantage of the warm weather and sun on the holiday weekend .
The beach near the pier was crowded , with hammocks hanging in shaded areas and people moving their chairs close to the surf at day ’ s end .
In a mile stretch , no beachgoers were seen with masks .
On a main drag , store fronts had doors open with signs encouraging visitors .
Nearly all the bars and restaurants were open , both for dine-in and takeout .
One had a sign advertising : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
” People lined the sidewalk for Wet Willie ’ s , a chain bar that sells frozen cocktails .
Most people stood close together — not nearly six feet apart — and none wore masks .
But at a grocery store about half a mile away , staff members handed customers gloves and a number to keep track of how many people were inside at a time .
Shoppers had their own masks .
PARIS — The number of people hospitalized with the virus in France rose slightly Sunday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s infections peaked .
The rise — from 17,178 people hospitalized Saturday to 17,185 Sunday — comes almost two weeks after France started gradually relaxing its confinement measures .
The number of people in intensive care with the virus dropped again Sunday for the 46th consecutive day to 1,655 , down from more than 7,000 in mid-April .
The figures were released by the national health agency DGS , which did not release an updated death toll Sunday .
France is one of the hardest-hit nations by the virus , with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Protests are planned Monday at nursing homes accused of mishandling the virus crisis .
MILAN — The number of confirmed new infections in Italy rose by just 531 in the past 24 hours , with half in the populous northern region of Lombardy that has borne the brunt of Italy ’ s epidemic .
The civil protection agency on Sunday reported just 50 deaths but officials said that Lombardy had not updated its toll .
More than half of Italy ’ s regions reported new cases in the single digits — with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only to those who are hospitalized , have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who is positive for the virus .
The number of people in intensive care dropped to 553 .
Italy is in the first full week of loosened restrictions , with bars and restaurants open as well as beaches and parks .
Mayors in many cities have complained about nightlife spilling out into streets and piazzas with many showing a casual attitude toward physical distancing and lax mask habits .
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is accused of breaking lockdown rules by traveling 250 miles ( 400 km ) to his parents ’ house while coming down with COVID-19 .
Johnson told a news conference that Dominic Cummings acted “ responsibly , legally and with integrity.
” Cummings made the cross-country trip in late March , after the government imposed a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus , telling people to stay home and not visit anyone outside their household .
Cummings says he was seeking to ensure his 4-year-old son would be cared for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill. Several lawmakers from Johnson ’ s Conservative Party have joined opposition politicians in calling for his resignation .
But Johnson defended the aide who masterminded both Brexit and the prime minister ’ s December election victory .
He said Cummings “ followed the instincts of every father and every parent and I do not mark him down for that.
” MADRID — Spain is preparing to reopen some of its beaches for sunbathing on Monday , when restaurants and bars in Madrid and Barcelona will serve clients at outdoor seating as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , customers will be able to occupy 50 % of the space assigned for outdoor seating at restaurants and bars in the Spanish capital and Barcelona .
The two cities are the hardest hit areas by the pandemic in Spain , accounting for more than 15,00 of the nation ’ s 28,752 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 .
Travel between provinces will remained prohibited until late June and international tourists won ’ t be allowed to come until July .
Spain reported an eighth straight day with fewer than 100 confirmed deaths from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities said 70 people had died in the past 24 hours .
At the height of the outbreak in early March more than 900 Spaniards died a day .
CAIRO — Egypt ’ s health ministry Sunday reported 29 new deaths from COVID-19 , taking the tally in the Arab world ’ s most populous country to 764 fatalities since the first confirmed case of coronavirus detected in February .
The ministry said in a statement that there were 752 new infections in the past 24 hours .
It said the total infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in the world , officials and experts believe that the true number of infections is much higher than reported .
The ministry said a total of 4,807 patients were recovered and discharged from quarantine .
The Egyptian government has tightened restrictions during the Eid al-Fitry , which is marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan , traditionally a time of gathering and family visits .
It said that during the week-long holiday , which started Sunday , a nighttime curfew will be in place from 5 p.m. until 6 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be halted until May 29 .
Schools , mosques , churches , parks and beaches are also closed .
ISTANBUL — Turkey ’ s health minister announced 32 new deaths from COVID-19 , bringing the total to 4,340 .
Fahrettin Koca also tweeted Sunday there were 1,141 new infections confirmed in the past 24 hours .
The total number of infections has reached 156,827 .
Turkey ranks ninth in a global tally by Johns Hopkins University but experts believe the number of infections could be much higher than reported .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health ministry statistics .
The Muslim holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan was marked by a nationwide lockdown , the first of its kind in Turkey to combat the novel coronavirus .
Previous weekend and holiday lockdowns affected a maximum of 31 out of 81 provinces .
Senior citizens above 65 were allowed out for a few hours for a third Sunday .
People under 20 and above 65 have been under full lockdown but days and times outside have been allotted according to age groups as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
— As Yellowstone and other national parks end a two-month shutdown because of the coronavirus , park officials want visitors to take precautions , such as washing their hands , keeping a safe distance from other people and wearing masks in public .
It ’ s unclear whether tourists who often disobey park rules will comply .
If not , popular national parks known for drawing shoulder-to-shoulder summer crowds could become the next U.S. hot spots .
Park officials say the plan is to let folks guard themselves against COVID-19 , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ park dangers that range from altitude sickness to grizzly bears .
Other national parks that have reopened include Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina , where park officials urge visitors to arrive early at popular spots .
VATICAN CITY — Well-spaced faithful have gathered in St. Peter ’ s Square for the first time in months for the traditional Sunday papal blessing .
They cast their gaze at the window where the pope normally addresses the faithful .
Pope Francis has been delivering the blessing from inside the Apostolic library during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit on Sunday to the Naples area to draw attention to environmental damage caused by toxic-waste dumping by the mob .
The visit — canceled during the pandemic — was timed to mark the fifth anniversary of his ecological manifesto , and the pope announced a year of reflection on his 2015 environmental encyclical , ‘ ’ Praised Be.
’ Francis came to the window and waved to the people in the piazza at the end of the blessing .
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and @ @ @

By The Associated Press
The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
TOP OF THE HOUR:
— Japan set to remove state of emergency from Tokyo, 4 other prefectures.
— South Koreans required to wear masks when using public transportation and taxis starting Tuesday.
— Fiji Airways laying off half its workforce in bid to outlast pandemic.
— White House announces a ban on travel to the U.S. from Brazil due to the spread of coronavirus.
___
TOKYO —Experts on a special government panel have approved a plan to remove a coronavirus state of emergency from Tokyo and four other remaining prefectures, paving the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare entirely ending the measure to allow businesses to gradually resume.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters that experts on a government-commissioned panel approved the plan to end the state of emergency that has lasted for more than a month and a half.
Abe is to officially declare the end of the state of emergency later Monday after endorsement from parliamentary committees.
Nishimura said lifting of the emergency does not mean the end of the pandemic. He said the goal is to minimize next possible recurrences of infections while balancing preventive measures and the economy.
Abe declared the state of emergency on April 7, first in parts of Japan including Tokyo, expanded it to the entire nation later in the month and extended it until the end of May. Unlike a European-style hard lockdown, Japan’s state of emergency is soft and largely a request for people to stay at home and for non-essential businesses to close or operate shorter hours, a strategy aiming at minimizing the economic damage.
Tokyo and its three neighboring prefectures are to reopen schools, public facilities and businesses in phases in coming weeks while watching any signs of a resurgence of infections.
Nishimura said recent data suggest that the infections have slowed enough and the medical systems are under less pressure and that it’s time to gradually resume social and economic activity. Tokyo and Hokkaido, where more than a dozen new cases have been reported Sunday, still need to remain extra-cautious, he said.
(asterisk)We cannot completely eliminate the coronavirus to zero,” Nishimura said. “Even after the state of emergency is lifted, we must firmly take preventive measures based on our new lifestyles.”
Japan has 16,580 confirmed cases and 830 deaths, according to the health ministry.
___
SEOUL, South Korea — South Koreans will be required to wear masks when using public transportation and taxis beginning Tuesday, as health authorities look for more ways to slow coronavirus transmissions amid an increase in public activity.
Health Ministry official Yoon Taeho, during a virus briefing on Monday, said masks also will be enforced on all domestic and international flights starting Wednesday. Beginning in June, owners of “high-risk” facilities such as bars, clubs, gyms, karaoke rooms and concert halls will be required to use smartphone QR codes to register customers so that they could be tracked down more easily when infections occur.
South Korea was reporting 500 new cases per day in early March before it largely stabilized its outbreak with aggressive track and testing. But infections have been gradually rising again since early May, with more people going out amid warmer weathers and eased social distancing guidelines, causing concern in a country that has just started to reopen schools for children.
“Until treatments and vaccines are developed, we will never know when the COVID-19 crisis could end, and until then we will have to learn how to live with COVID-19,” Yoon said.
It will be up to bus drivers and subway station workers to enforce masks on public transportation, while taxi drivers will be allowed to refuse passengers who aren’t wearing masks. Customers who refuse downloading QR codes at entertainment venues will have to handwrite their personal information instead.
South Korea has so far reported 11,206 COVID-19 cases, including 267 fatalities. The recent increase in infections have centered around the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where more than 200 cases were linked to nightclubs and other entertainment venues.
___
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Fiji’s national airline says it is laying off more than 750 staff, representing about half of its total workforce, as it struggles for survival.
Among those being laid off are eight executives and 79 pilots, the company announced Monday. Remaining employees will have their pay reduced by 20% and only get paid for the days they work.
CEO Andre Viljoen said the company was negotiating with lenders and aircraft lessors for payment deferrals. He said Fiji Airways expected to receive almost zero revenue over the coming months due to the coronavirus pandemic causing international flights to be cancelled. He said all other options had been explored before staff was let go.
“The sad reality of prolonged flight suspensions means that we simply do not have work for a large segment of our workforce now, and for the foreseeable future,” Viljoen said in a statement. He said the company had a responsibility to shareholders and to the people of Fiji to survive the crisis.
Fiji’s economy relies on international tourism, which has ground to a halt in the wake of the pandemic.
___
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand plans to further loosen its coronavirus restrictions by increasing the maximum size of gatherings from 10 people to 100.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday the new rules would take effect from midday Friday.
The timing is designed, in part, to allow religious services to proceed that day and over the weekend. New Zealand has reported just one new case of coronavirus over the past week and has gradually been loosening restrictions as new infections dwindle.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Millions of children in Australia have returned to schools in the states of New South Wales and Queensland as numbers of COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the country fall.
The two states on Monday joined the less populous Western Australia and South Australia states and the Northern Territory in resuming face-to-face learning, instead of studying from home online.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Monday students and teachers had to observe one key message: Stay home if sick.
“We’re not out of the woods yet. We have to take each day as it comes, each week as it comes and we keep our fingers crossed that Queenslanders will continue to flatten that curve,” Palaszczuk said.
The remaining jurisdictions — Victoria and Tasmania states and the Australian Capital Territory — plan to send students back to school in stages through early June.
While New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, and Queensland, the third-most populous state, agree on reopening schools, they differ on reopening their common border.
New South Wales has recorded 50 of Australia’s 102 COVID-19 deaths and wants all state borders reopened. Queensland has recorded only six deaths and has no plans to open its borders.
South Australia and the Northern Territory also have no active cases and have closed borders. The Australian Capital Territory has not had a case in three weeks and has left its borders open like the worst-effected states, New South Wales and Victoria.
___
WASHINGTON — The White House has announced a ban on travel to the U.S. from Brazil due to the spread of coronavirus in Latin America’s hardest-hit country.
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says in a statement Sunday evening that the ban applies to foreign nationals who have been in Brazil in the 14 days before they sought to travel to the United States.
McEnany cast it as a move by President Donald Trump “to protect our country.”
Trump has already banned travel from the United Kingdom, Europe and China, all of which have been hit hard by the virus. Trump had said last week that he was considering imposing similar restrictions on Brazil.
Brazil had reported more than 347,000 COVID-19 cases, second behind the U.S. in the number of infections, according to a Johns Hopkins University count.
Brazil also has recorded more than 22,000 deaths, fifth-most in the world. There have been more than 97,000 U.S. deaths.
___
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — On the Navajo Nation, which sprawls across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, the number of coronavirus cases rose by 56 Sunday to 4,689, the Navajo Department of Health said.
The total number of deaths on the reservation as of Sunday was 156. The Navajo Nation’s current 57-hour weekend lockdown remains in effect. It includes the closure of all businesses to deter traveling and help prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.
___
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea reported 16 new cases of the coronavirus as official scramble to stem transmissions with 2 million more children returning to school this week.
The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday brought national totals to 11,206 cases and 267 deaths. Thirteen of the new cases came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area where more than 200 infections have been linked to nightclubs and other entertainment facilities that had seen increased crowds in early May before officials shut thousands of them over the past week.
The transmissions, which came amid relaxed attitudes on social distancing, have raised concern as officials proceed with a phased reopening of schools, which began with high-school seniors last week. This week it will be high school juniors, middle school seniors, elementary first- and second-graders and kindergartners. More reopenings are scheduled in early June.
“It’s important that every member of our nation cooperates so that local transmissions don’t reach schools, and infections of students don’t spread to local communities,” Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said in virus meeting on Monday.
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BEIJING — China reported 11 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, all brought from outside the country.
Ten of those infected arrived on a flight arriving in the vast Inner Mongolia region north of Beijing, according to the National Health Commission.
No additional deaths were reported, while 83 people remain in treatment and another 402 people remain in isolation and under monitoring for being suspected cases or for having tested positive for COVID-19 without showing any symptoms.
China has recorded a total of 4,634 deaths among 82,985 cases of the virus that was first detected in the central Chinese industrial city of Wuhan late last year.
The latest figures come as China holds the annual session of its ceremonial parliament, part of efforts to show the country is returning to normal and shaking off the devastating economic efforts of having locked down tens of millions of citizens in order to contain the pandemic.
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Hundreds of people gathered at a popular Florida beach boardwalk during Memorial Day weekend and were seen partying and dancing despite social distancing restrictions imposed by the state, authorities said Sunday.
Police responded, attempting to disperse the crowds along a beachside road in Daytona Beach that were there for an annual gathering not authorized by the local government this year.
Police said a shooting also was reported outside a nearby convenience store, with two people taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds and four injured by shrapnel. Officers were not involved.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office released helicopter images showing the large crowds surrounding a car outside a beachfront mall as a man stood on the sunroof and other men hung out the windows throwing money around and blocking traffic.
Officials said they were criticized for not making use of force against the crowds and declining to make arrests for social distancing violations.
Coronavirus social distancing rules in the state state that people must be in groups of 10 or fewer.
Beaches elsewhere in Florida also saw large Memorial Day weekend crowds.
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LOS ANGELES — As Californians ventured outdoors to take advantage of relaxed rules to control the spread of coronavirus, Memorial Day weekend crowds at beaches and parks have been manageable.
Officials say most people are wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing. Stay-at-home restrictions eased across much of the state, which has seen a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Some 47 of 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores — at least for curbside pickups — and many public spaces.
Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming, running and other activities. Sunbathing and group activities such as volleyball were prohibited.
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TYBEE ISLAND, Georgia — The beach at Tybee island was filled with families, bicyclists, beach chairs, games, swimmers and more late Sunday afternoon, as visitors from within the state and beyond took advantage of the warm weather and sun on the holiday weekend.
The beach near the pier was crowded, with hammocks hanging in shaded areas and people moving their chairs close to the surf at day’s end. In a mile stretch, no beachgoers were seen with masks.
On a main drag, store fronts had doors open with signs encouraging visitors. Nearly all the bars and restaurants were open, both for dine-in and takeout. One had a sign advertising: “We have Corona (in a bottle.)”
People lined the sidewalk for Wet Willie’s, a chain bar that sells frozen cocktails. Most people stood close together — not nearly six feet apart — and none wore masks.
But at a grocery store about half a mile away, staff members handed customers gloves and a number to keep track of how many people were inside at a time. Shoppers had their own masks.
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PARIS — The number of people hospitalized with the virus in France rose slightly Sunday, the first daily increase since mid-April when France’s infections peaked.
The rise — from 17,178 people hospitalized Saturday to 17,185 Sunday — comes almost two weeks after France started gradually relaxing its confinement measures.
The number of people in intensive care with the virus dropped again Sunday for the 46th consecutive day to 1,655, down from more than 7,000 in mid-April.
The figures were released by the national health agency DGS, which did not release an updated death toll Sunday.
France is one of the hardest-hit nations by the virus, with some 28,000 deaths in hospitals and nursing homes.
Protests are planned Monday at nursing homes accused of mishandling the virus crisis.
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MILAN — The number of confirmed new infections in Italy rose by just 531 in the past 24 hours, with half in the populous northern region of Lombardy that has borne the brunt of Italy’s epidemic.
The civil protection agency on Sunday reported just 50 deaths but officials said that Lombardy had not updated its toll.
More than half of Italy’s regions reported new cases in the single digits — with the caveat that tests are being administered only to those who are hospitalized, have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who is positive for the virus.
The number of people in intensive care dropped to 553.
Italy is in the first full week of loosened restrictions, with bars and restaurants open as well as beaches and parks.
Mayors in many cities have complained about nightlife spilling out into streets and piazzas with many showing a casual attitude toward physical distancing and lax mask habits.
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LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is standing by his top aide, who is accused of breaking lockdown rules by traveling 250 miles (400 km) to his parents’ house while coming down with COVID-19.
Johnson told a news conference that Dominic Cummings acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity.”
Cummings made the cross-country trip in late March, after the government imposed a lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus, telling people to stay home and not visit anyone outside their household. Cummings says he was seeking to ensure his 4-year-old son would be cared for if he and his wife both became ill.
Several lawmakers from Johnson’s Conservative Party have joined opposition politicians in calling for his resignation.
But Johnson defended the aide who masterminded both Brexit and the prime minister’s December election victory. He said Cummings “followed the instincts of every father and every parent and I do not mark him down for that.”
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MADRID — Spain is preparing to reopen some of its beaches for sunbathing on Monday, when restaurants and bars in Madrid and Barcelona will serve clients at outdoor seating as the country relaxes its virus lockdown.
On Monday, customers will be able to occupy 50% of the space assigned for outdoor seating at restaurants and bars in the Spanish capital and Barcelona.
The two cities are the hardest hit areas by the pandemic in Spain, accounting for more than 15,00 of the nation’s 28,752 confirmed deaths from COVID-19.
Travel between provinces will remained prohibited until late June and international tourists won’t be allowed to come until July.
Spain reported an eighth straight day with fewer than 100 confirmed deaths from the virus on Sunday, when health authorities said 70 people had died in the past 24 hours. At the height of the outbreak in early March more than 900 Spaniards died a day.
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CAIRO — Egypt’s health ministry Sunday reported 29 new deaths from COVID-19, taking the tally in the Arab world’s most populous country to 764 fatalities since the first confirmed case of coronavirus detected in February.
The ministry said in a statement that there were 752 new infections in the past 24 hours. It said the total infections climbed to 17,265. Similar to other countries in the world, officials and experts believe that the true number of infections is much higher than reported.
The ministry said a total of 4,807 patients were recovered and discharged from quarantine.
The Egyptian government has tightened restrictions during the Eid al-Fitry, which is marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, traditionally a time of gathering and family visits.
It said that during the week-long holiday, which started Sunday, a nighttime curfew will be in place from 5 p.m. until 6 a.m. All public and private transportation will be also be halted until May 29. Schools, mosques, churches, parks and beaches are also closed.
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ISTANBUL — Turkey’s health minister announced 32 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to 4,340.
Fahrettin Koca also tweeted Sunday there were 1,141 new infections confirmed in the past 24 hours. The total number of infections has reached 156,827. Turkey ranks ninth in a global tally by Johns Hopkins University but experts believe the number of infections could be much higher than reported.
More than 118,000 people have recovered, according to the health ministry statistics.
The Muslim holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan was marked by a nationwide lockdown, the first of its kind in Turkey to combat the novel coronavirus. Previous weekend and holiday lockdowns affected a maximum of 31 out of 81 provinces.
Senior citizens above 65 were allowed out for a few hours for a third Sunday. People under 20 and above 65 have been under full lockdown but days and times outside have been allotted according to age groups as part of easing efforts.
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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — As Yellowstone and other national parks end a two-month shutdown because of the coronavirus, park officials want visitors to take precautions, such as washing their hands, keeping a safe distance from other people and wearing masks in public.
It’s unclear whether tourists who often disobey park rules will comply. If not, popular national parks known for drawing shoulder-to-shoulder summer crowds could become the next U.S. hot spots.
Park officials say the plan is to let folks guard themselves against COVID-19, just as they do for the usual national park dangers that range from altitude sickness to grizzly bears.
Other national parks that have reopened include Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina, where park officials urge visitors to arrive early at popular spots.
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VATICAN CITY — Well-spaced faithful have gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the first time in months for the traditional Sunday papal blessing.
They cast their gaze at the window where the pope normally addresses the faithful.
Pope Francis has been delivering the blessing from inside the Apostolic library during the epidemic.
Francis recalled his scheduled visit on Sunday to the Naples area to draw attention to environmental damage caused by toxic-waste dumping by the mob.
The visit — canceled during the pandemic — was timed to mark the fifth anniversary of his ecological manifesto, and the pope announced a year of reflection on his 2015 environmental encyclical, ‘’Praised Be.’
Francis came to the window and waved to the people in the piazza at the end of the blessing.
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Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


mercurynews--2020-05-24--Oakland native who served CIA predecessor in WWII, helped popularize fantasy football, dies at 95

Andrew Mousalimas , a West Oakland kid who grew up to become one of America ’ s greatest warriors in World War II – so great that Adolf Hitler personally put a price on his head – died May 20 at age 95 .
A cause of death was not immediately known .
He was a member of an elite commando unit of the Office of Strategic Services , the forerunner of the CIA .
Mousalimas and his comrades secretly parachuted behind enemy lines into occupied Greece and raised havoc among the German forces , destroying infrastructure and pinning down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have been sent to France to stop the Allied invasion on D-Day .
In retaliation , Hitler issued his infamous Fuhrer Order No .
003830 : “ From now on , all enemies on so-called commando missions are to be slaughtered to the last man .
Even if these individuals should apparently be prepared to give themselves up , no pardon is to be granted them.
” Any Greek who helped catch them would be rewarded with their own weight in gold – no small incentive in a nation where the Germans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But not one Greek ever turned us in , ” Mr. Mousalimas said proudly , years later .
“ Not one.
” He completely lost the hearing in one ear for the rest of his life , the result of a German shell exploding too close to his foxhole .
After the war , he returned to Oakland and became a pioneer in not one but two classic American pastimes : fantasy football and trivia contests .
He bought a bar on Telegraph Avenue called the Lamp Post , where he gained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bartenders in the area who would serve African Americans .
He sold it in 1968 and purchased the King ’ s X bar in North Oakland , turning it into an American version of an English pub .
Each night he would host either a gin rummy tournament , trivia contest , or a new game called fantasy football , which was invented in 1963 by an Oakland businessman named Bill Winkenbach as the Greater Oakland Pigskin Prognostication League , ( or GOPPL , pronounced “ gopple , ” for short ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first GOPPL draft , using it to select future Raiders Hall of Famer George Blanda – not bad , but not as good as the team after him , who used the second pick to draft Jim Brown , thought by many to be the greatest football player who ever lived .
The fun lasted until 1975 , when Mr. Mousalimas decided to retire and concentrate his energies on the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in the Oakland hills , which he helped build after he got out of the Army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had aged , and they wanted younger men to take over the reins of the parish , ” says Father Tom Paris , the priest at Ascension .
“ ( Andrew ) headed a talented young team that brought the first Greek-American priest — as opposed to Greek national – to lead the parish .
Then they hired an architect and engineers to create the new complex .
“ His parents gave him the name of the first apostle Jesus called to be his disciple .
The name is derived from the Greek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Andy reflected these traits in all that that he did .
The Ascension Greek Orthodox family will always be grateful to The Lord for gifting him to the parish community and the city he loved.
” Both the CIA and the Green Berets recognize the OSS as their precursor , and Mr. Mousalimas and his comrades were regularly brought back east to receive recognition and awards , Most recently , in 2018 , the OSS Operations Groups were given the rarely-awarded Congressional Gold Medal .
Mr. Mousalimas was the only survivor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepted the decoration in honor of his brothers in arms , living and dead .
“ I can ’ t think of enough nice things to say about Andy , ” says Charles Pinck , President of the OSS Society .
“ He epitomized everything the OSS was about : modest , understated , but tough .
Our commander , Gen. William Donovan , said it best when he said that members of the Operations Groups performed some of the bravest acts of the war .
They comprised only five percent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Mousalimas was predeceased by the love of his life , his wife Mary , who died in 2014 .
He leaves four children – Sotiros Mousalimas , Eugenia Ahlas , Paula Gassoumis , and James Mousalimas , the superintendent of schools of San Joaquin County – seven grandchildren , and two great-great grandchildren .
His funeral is planned for Wednesday at Ascension , but because of shelter-at-homeorders , only the family will attend .
“ Otherwise , it would be packed , ” Father Paris said .
James Mousalimas said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think of the Greatest Generation , who experienced things that those who came after did not .
He lived his life to the fullest , a long , productive and honorable life , and that ’ s a big part of what he was — always trying to do the right thing , always fighting for the underdog , and always wanting to help those who were in need .
He was very proud of his Greek heritage and very proud of being born and raised in West Oakland , too.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mousalimas was asked if he had any regrets .
“ Only one , ” he said .
“ I should have drafted Jim Brown .
”

Andrew Mousalimas, a West Oakland kid who grew up to become one of America’s greatest warriors in World War II – so great that Adolf Hitler personally put a price on his head – died May 20 at age 95.
A cause of death was not immediately known.
He was a member of an elite commando unit of the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA. Mousalimas and his comrades secretly parachuted behind enemy lines into occupied Greece and raised havoc among the German forces, destroying infrastructure and pinning down a whopping 31 German divisions that otherwise would have been sent to France to stop the Allied invasion on D-Day.
In retaliation, Hitler issued his infamous Fuhrer Order No. 003830: “From now on, all enemies on so-called commando missions are to be slaughtered to the last man. Even if these individuals should apparently be prepared to give themselves up, no pardon is to be granted them.”
Any Greek who helped catch them would be rewarded with their own weight in gold – no small incentive in a nation where the Germans were systematically starving the civilian population.
“But not one Greek ever turned us in,” Mr. Mousalimas said proudly, years later. “Not one.”He completely lost the hearing in one ear for the rest of his life, the result of a German shell exploding too close to his foxhole.
After the war, he returned to Oakland and became a pioneer in not one but two classic American pastimes: fantasy football and trivia contests. He bought a bar on Telegraph Avenue called the Lamp Post, where he gained a reputation as one of the few bartenders in the area who would serve African Americans.
He sold it in 1968 and purchased the King’s X bar in North Oakland, turning it into an American version of an English pub. Each night he would host either a gin rummy tournament, trivia contest, or a new game called fantasy football, which was invented in 1963 by an Oakland businessman named Bill Winkenbach as the Greater Oakland Pigskin Prognostication League, (or GOPPL, pronounced “gopple,” for short).
Mr. Mousalimas had the first pick in the first GOPPL draft, using it to select future Raiders Hall of Famer George Blanda – not bad, but not as good as the team after him, who used the second pick to draft Jim Brown, thought by many to be the greatest football player who ever lived.
The fun lasted until 1975, when Mr. Mousalimas decided to retire and concentrate his energies on the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in the Oakland hills, which he helped build after he got out of the Army in 1945.
“The founding fathers had aged, and they wanted younger men to take over the reins of the parish,” says Father Tom Paris, the priest at Ascension. “(Andrew) headed a talented young team that brought the first Greek-American priest — as opposed to Greek national – to lead the parish. Then they hired an architect and engineers to create the new complex.
“His parents gave him the name of the first apostle Jesus called to be his disciple. The name is derived from the Greek Andri, which means bravery or valor, and Andy reflected these traits in all that that he did. The Ascension Greek Orthodox family will always be grateful to The Lord for gifting him to the parish community and the city he loved.”
Both the CIA and the Green Berets recognize the OSS as their precursor, and Mr. Mousalimas and his comrades were regularly brought back east to receive recognition and awards, Most recently, in 2018, the OSS Operations Groups were given the rarely-awarded Congressional Gold Medal. Mr. Mousalimas was the only survivor well enough to attend, so he accepted the decoration in honor of his brothers in arms, living and dead.
“I can’t think of enough nice things to say about Andy,” says Charles Pinck, President of the OSS Society. “He epitomized everything the OSS was about: modest, understated, but tough. Our commander, Gen. William Donovan, said it best when he said that members of the Operations Groups performed some of the bravest acts of the war. They comprised only five percent of the OSS but 20 percent of the casualties.”
Mr. Mousalimas was predeceased by the love of his life, his wife Mary, who died in 2014. He leaves four children – Sotiros Mousalimas, Eugenia Ahlas, Paula Gassoumis, and James Mousalimas, the superintendent of schools of San Joaquin County – seven grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. His funeral is planned for Wednesday at Ascension, but because of shelter-at-homeorders, only the family will attend.
“Otherwise, it would be packed,” Father Paris said.
James Mousalimas said: “When I think of my dad, I think of the Greatest Generation, who experienced things that those who came after did not. He lived his life to the fullest, a long, productive and honorable life, and that’s a big part of what he was — always trying to do the right thing, always fighting for the underdog, and always wanting to help those who were in need. He was very proud of his Greek heritage and very proud of being born and raised in West Oakland, too.”
Shortly before he died, Mr. Mousalimas was asked if he had any regrets.
“Only one,” he said. “I should have drafted Jim Brown.”