mercurynews--2020-07-21--Movement to rename bridge after Rep. John Lewis gains support

The death of US Rep. John Lewis on Friday has renewed calls to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Alabama , after the civil rights legend .
The push to rename the bridge comes amid a national conversation around monuments , names and symbols that celebrate the Confederacy and their place in America today .
The bridge ’ s namesake , Edmund Pettus , was a Confederate general and leader of the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama .
At age 25 , Lewis helped lead the 1965 march for voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met by heavily armed state and local police who brutally beat them with clubs , fracturing Lewis ’ skull .
The day became known as “ Bloody Sunday ” and galvanized Americans ’ support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 .
Michael Starr Hopkins , 33 , launched a petition for the name change on June 17 in hopes the bridge would be renamed while Lewis was still alive .
The petition on Change.org had more than 490,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon .
“ If it was left to Edmund Pettus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still be in shackles , ” Hopkins told CNN .
“ The idea that we would honor him by allowing his name on the bridge is antithetical for everything this country stands for , especially when we have so many heroes like John Lewis who dedicated their entire lives to bringing the country together.
” Hopkins was inspired to launch the petition after attending several Black Lives Matter protests in Washington , DC , where he lives .
After coming home from one protest “ emotionally drained from watching [ his ] city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the film “ Selma , ” where he discovered who Pettus was during a scene depicting the 1965 march .
After learning more about this history of the man behind the bridge , Hopkins said he was horrified and immediately started a petition calling for the renaming of the bridge .
By the end of the month , Hopkins founded the “ John Lewis Bridge Project , ” a non-profit organization petitioning for the name change .
“ This country needs to reflect on who we are .
The bridge is a symbol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the bridge .
It ’ s about rebuilding Selma , a primarily African American community that has been forgotten , ” he said .
“ It ’ s about making sure kids have access to education , parents have access to better jobs , it ’ s about improving people ’ s lives .
That was the purpose of the march in 1965 , and that ’ s the purpose of the John Lewis Bridge Project.
” The movement also picked up steam on social media after “ Selma ” director Ava @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rename the bridge .
“ I ’ ve just signed a petition about this bridge to dignity as seen in SELMA , ” DuVernay tweeted .
“ It is named after a KKK grand wizard and confederate warlord .
Edmund Pettus Bridge should be the John Lewis Bridge .
Named for a hero .
Not a murderer .
Join this call .
It ’ s past due.
” The Lincoln Project , a super PAC formed by anti-Donald Trump Republicans , quoted a tweet from Preet Bharara that showed Lewis standing before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands with my friend Preet .
Let ’ s honor this good man by renaming the bridge .
”

By Alaa Elassar | CNN
The death of US Rep. John Lewis on Friday has renewed calls to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, after the civil rights legend.
The push to rename the bridge comes amid a national conversation around monuments, names and symbols that celebrate the Confederacy and their place in America today. The bridge’s namesake, Edmund Pettus, was a Confederate general and leader of the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama.
At age 25, Lewis helped lead the 1965 march for voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, where he and other marchers were met by heavily armed state and local police who brutally beat them with clubs, fracturing Lewis’ skull.
The day became known as “Bloody Sunday” and galvanized Americans’ support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Michael Starr Hopkins, 33, launched a petition for the name change on June 17 in hopes the bridge would be renamed while Lewis was still alive. The petition on Change.org had more than 490,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon.
“If it was left to Edmund Pettus, people who look like me would still be in shackles,” Hopkins told CNN. “The idea that we would honor him by allowing his name on the bridge is antithetical for everything this country stands for, especially when we have so many heroes like John Lewis who dedicated their entire lives to bringing the country together.”
Hopkins was inspired to launch the petition after attending several Black Lives Matter protests in Washington, DC, where he lives.
After coming home from one protest “emotionally drained from watching [his] city burn,” he decided to watch the film “Selma,” where he discovered who Pettus was during a scene depicting the 1965 march.
After learning more about this history of the man behind the bridge, Hopkins said he was horrified and immediately started a petition calling for the renaming of the bridge.
By the end of the month, Hopkins founded the “John Lewis Bridge Project,” a non-profit organization petitioning for the name change.
“This country needs to reflect on who we are. The bridge is a symbol, but this is about more than just the bridge. It’s about rebuilding Selma, a primarily African American community that has been forgotten,” he said.
“It’s about making sure kids have access to education, parents have access to better jobs, it’s about improving people’s lives. That was the purpose of the march in 1965, and that’s the purpose of the John Lewis Bridge Project.”
The movement also picked up steam on social media after “Selma” director Ava DuVernay issued a statement supporting the petition to rename the bridge.
“I’ve just signed a petition about this bridge to dignity as seen in SELMA,” DuVernay tweeted. “It is named after a KKK grand wizard and confederate warlord. Edmund Pettus Bridge should be the John Lewis Bridge. Named for a hero. Not a murderer. Join this call. It’s past due.”
The Lincoln Project, a super PAC formed by anti-Donald Trump Republicans, quoted a tweet from Preet Bharara that showed Lewis standing before the bridge, saying, “Abe stands with my friend Preet. Let’s honor this good man by renaming the bridge.”


mercurynews--2020-07-21--Quotes: Bay Area prep coaches, officials, athletes on new CIF sports schedule

The California Interscholastic Federation announced its plan Monday to push back fall sports into the winter and spring as the coronavirus continues to spread within the state .
Football , volleyball , water polo and other fall sports will see their championships pushed into the early spring , and traditional winter sports will have their championships moved to the end of the school year .
Most if not all local sections are expected to move their schedules and playoffs into the time just preceding the CIF ’ s regional championships , meaning fall sports would begin in January and winter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports like baseball and softball .
Below is reaction to the news from coaches , athletes and officials .
“ The first thing I worry about is by putting soccer with lacrosse , will my lacrosse team survive ?
Lacrosse depends on soccer kids … I start to worry about some of those smaller sports .
We will have to find a way to build interest and get kids out .
We ’ re a small school and our teams are tough to fill now.
” “ I don ’ t know if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the middle of flu season , especially if there is no vaccine .
I don ’ t know how you are going to determine ” if they have the virus .
“ During flu season they are going to start showing a lot of the same symptoms as COVID .
Let ’ s hope we have a vaccine so we can do this safely.
” “ We now have a goal .
And our schools and our communities and our state and our section , we have to work to get to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to do and , hopefully , this will spur us trying to take care of this thing that ’ s basically paralyzed us all.
” “ If you ’ re a marginal player at your high school , do you then go and play with your AAU team because you ’ re going to get 25 minutes a game , whereas at your high school , you ’ re only getting five minutes a game ?
There has to be very clear and honest conversations.
” “ Are they disappointed they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Absolutely .
But you can play in January ?
Great , let ’ s go .
More than anything they just wanted a date .
We ’ re driven by a calendar .
Having some dates gives us a target to work for.
” “ Given our current state of our pandemic I have to be cautiously optimistic .
While the calendar is in place some things have to fall into place still.
” “ ( This spring ) we made it to the state finals but we aren ’ t allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can get back there .
I ’ m elated to know that is a possibility .
Being a spring sport allows us the greatest chance for this to happen.
” “ I thought they were going to try to break it into three 8-10 week seasons .
I just did not see how that was really going to go .
So I was pleasantly surprised , not just from a football standpoint but everybody is getting a little bit more of a robust of a season .
But the question becomes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the playoffs , we ’ re probably going to have some guys practicing baseball at the same time .
I was a two-sport guy .
Eighty percent of our team plays multiple sports .
It ’ s up to the adults to try to figure out how they can get the best of their experience as possible.
” • California postpones high school football , other fall prep sports because of coronavirus • Will we see fall prep football ?
Players hope so , doctors outline specific problems as CIF announcement looms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals saw a big drop in ER visits “ I ’ m a hopeful person .
I trust it will be cleared up by then .
I think we ’ re playing in winter and that ’ s the reality of it.
” “ We ’ ve got to treat it like a new offseason .
It ’ s six months of preparing for the season.
” “ There ’ s so much uncertainty with sports that the one thing we are certain of is we are going to start school on Aug. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think getting these kids prepared for their academic year during these times is going to be of utmost importance .
Once we get into a routine with that , I ’ m going to be just as anxious as them to get back to some sort of organized team activities.
” “ The further we get out into the school year we hope they will have a better grasp with things going on .
Hoping our athletes are in that greater safe area .
”

Elliott Almond, Curtis Pashelka, Darren Sabedra, Michael Nowels

The California Interscholastic Federation announced its plan Monday to push back fall sports into the winter and spring as the coronavirus continues to spread within the state.
Football, volleyball, water polo and other fall sports will see their championships pushed into the early spring, and traditional winter sports will have their championships moved to the end of the school year. Most if not all local sections are expected to move their schedules and playoffs into the time just preceding the CIF’s regional championships, meaning fall sports would begin in January and winter sports will move into concert with spring sports like baseball and softball.
Below is reaction to the news from coaches, athletes and officials.
Tim Lugo, Saratoga football coach/athletic director:
“The first thing I worry about is by putting soccer with lacrosse, will my lacrosse team survive? Lacrosse depends on soccer kids … I start to worry about some of those smaller sports. We will have to find a way to build interest and get kids out. We’re a small school and our teams are tough to fill now.”
“I don’t know if I am excited about moving football to the middle of flu season, especially if there is no vaccine. I don’t know how you are going to determine” if they have the virus. “During flu season they are going to start showing a lot of the same symptoms as COVID. Let’s hope we have a vaccine so we can do this safely.”
North Coast Section commissioner Pat Cruickshank:
“We now have a goal. And our schools and our communities and our state and our section, we have to work to get to that goal. There are things that obviously we need to do and, hopefully, this will spur us trying to take care of this thing that’s basically paralyzed us all.”
Lou Richie, Bishop O’Dowd boys basketball coach:
“If you’re a marginal player at your high school, do you then go and play with your AAU team because you’re going to get 25 minutes a game, whereas at your high school, you’re only getting five minutes a game? There has to be very clear and honest conversations.”
Nelson Gifford, Palo Alto football coach:
“Are they disappointed they can’t play in the fall? Absolutely. But you can play in January? Great, let’s go. More than anything they just wanted a date. We’re driven by a calendar. Having some dates gives us a target to work for.”
Sue Phillips, Archbishop Mitty girls basketball coach:
“Given our current state of our pandemic I have to be cautiously optimistic. While the calendar is in place some things have to fall into place still.”
“(This spring) we made it to the state finals but we aren’t allowed to play. I’m hoping we can get back there. I’m elated to know that is a possibility. Being a spring sport allows us the greatest chance for this to happen.”
Justin Alumbaugh, De La Salle football coach:
“I thought they were going to try to break it into three 8-10 week seasons. I just did not see how that was really going to go. So I was pleasantly surprised, not just from a football standpoint but everybody is getting a little bit more of a robust of a season. But the question becomes the multiple-sport people. To be honest, during the playoffs, we’re probably going to have some guys practicing baseball at the same time. I was a two-sport guy. Eighty percent of our team plays multiple sports. It’s up to the adults to try to figure out how they can get the best of their experience as possible.”
Mike Parodi, Hillsdale football coach
“I’m excited that we have a direction. Now we can get through the next phase of our lives. This is a necessary point. We need something to go by with the idea that this could change as well. Hopefully, in the next four or five months, we can get it together.
“There are some obvious major hurdles we need to pass during this timeline. We’re starting to practice the week of finals. Then we’re practicing over the holiday break. It’s going to be a lot of sacrifice and commitment. We’re now talking about having a practice when our facilities are locked down. Will we still have locker rooms? There is still a lot to figure out.
“And football coaches are made for the fall, not the winter. We’re not going to get the extreme weather of places. We’re just going to get crappy weather.”
Christian Pedersen, Serra football player:
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“We’ve got to treat it like a new offseason. It’s six months of preparing for the season.”
Ricky Rodriguez, James Logan football coach:
“There’s so much uncertainty with sports that the one thing we are certain of is we are going to start school on Aug. 12 in a virtual model. So I think getting these kids prepared for their academic year during these times is going to be of utmost importance. Once we get into a routine with that, I’m going to be just as anxious as them to get back to some sort of organized team activities.”
John Diatte, Valley Christian baseball coach:
“The further we get out into the school year we hope they will have a better grasp with things going on. Hoping our athletes are in that greater safe area.”


mercurynews--2020-07-21--California’s revised 2020-21 high school sports calendar

Here is the CIF ’ s revised 2020-21 sports calendar Last day of section playoffs : Determined by section Last @ @ @ @ @ Determined by section Last day of section playoffs : Determined by section Last day of @ @ @ @ @ section Last day of section playoffs : May 22 , 2021 Last day of regional/state @ @ @ @ @ 2021 Last day of section playoffs : May 29 , 2021 Last day of section @ @ @ @ @ 2021 Last day of section playoffs : May 29 , 2021 Last day of section @ @ @ @ @ Last day of section playoffs : Determined by section

Here is the CIF’s revised 2020-21 sports calendar
Fall
Volleyball (boys and girls)
Last day of section playoffs: March 13, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: March 20, 2021
Water polo (boys and girls)
Last day of section playoffs: March 13, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: March 20, 2021
Cross country
Last day of section playoffs: March 20, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: March 27, 2021
Traditional competitive cheer
Last day of section playoffs: Determined by section
Last day of regional/state championship: April 17, 2021
Football
Last day of section playoffs: April 10, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: April 17, 2021
Field hockey
Last day of section playoffs: Determined by section
No regional/state championship
Gymnastics
Last day of section playoffs: Determined by section
No regional/state championship
Skiing and snowboarding
Last day of section playoffs: Determined by section
No regional/state championship
Spring
Badminton
Last day of section playoffs: May 22, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: May 29, 2021
Soccer
Last day of section playoffs: May 29, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 5, 2021
Swimming and diving
Last day of section playoffs: May 29, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 5, 2021
Tennis (boys and girls)
Last day of section playoffs: May 29, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 5, 2021
Wrestling
Last day of section playoffs: June 5, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 12, 2021
Basketball
Last day of section playoffs: June 12, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 19, 2021
Golf (boys and girls)
Last day of section playoffs: June 12, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 23, 2021
Baseball
Last day of section playoffs: June 19, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 26, 2021
Softball
Last day of section playoffs: June 19, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 26, 2021
Track and field
Last day of section playoffs: June 19, 2021
Last day of regional/state championship: June 26, 2021
Competitive sport cheer
Last day of section playoffs: Determined by section
No regional/state championship
Lacrosse
Last day of section playoffs: Determined by section
No regional/state championship
Source: CIF


mercurynews--2020-07-21--Experts worry about possible ‘ugly’ post-election crisis

Voting experts and political strategists from across the political spectrum are increasingly alarmed about the potential for a disputed presidential election in November , one in which one candidate openly questions the legitimacy of the results or even refuses to concede .
These experts are keenly aware of President Donald Trump ’ s well-documented history of lying about voter fraud and claiming that elections were “ rigged ” when he doesn ’ t like the outcome .
They also see a Democratic base that is still burned from 2016 , when its nominee was dragged down in part by Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and lost to Trump .
Interviews with nearly 20 election experts , former lawmakers , political strategists , legal scholars and historians indicate there are widespread fears of a nightmare scenario in November , where Trump ’ s norm-breaking behavior — coupled with the unprecedented challenges of pandemic-era voting — test the limits of American democracy and plunge the country into a constitutional crisis .
“ There ’ s a significant scope for an unprecedented post-election crisis in this country , ” said Larry Diamond , an expert on democratic institutions at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns , it became clearer than ever over the weekend that Trump is willing to dispute the results .
He was repeatedly pressed in a Fox News interview on Sunday , and refused to commit that he will accept the outcome of the election .
“ I have to see , ” Trump replied , “ No , I ’ m not going to just say yes .
I ’ m not going to say no , and I didn ’ t last time either.
” More Americans than ever are expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will take longer for results to trickle in .
Experts are eschewing “ election night ” for “ election week , ” because it could realistically take days , and maybe weeks , until news outlets project a winner .
Both presidential campaigns have set aside millions of dollars and recruited lawyers for the looming legal fights .
As Trump slides in the polls , he already declared that his matchup this fall against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden “ will be the most rigged election in our nation ’ s history.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his past behavior , has insiders contemplating what he ’ ll do if he loses .
“ If it ’ s a very close election , there ’ s no question in my mind that he ’ ll contest it , ” said former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum , a CNN contributor who backed Trump in 2016 and supports his reelection .
“ Even if it ’ s not a very close election , I think he ’ ll want to contest it , but I don ’ t think he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protest this election , and he wouldn ’ t get very far.
” There is good reason to brace for chaos .
This cycle has already broken new ground for how elections are conducted , with massive changes being implemented because of the coronavirus .
States dramatically scaled up vote-by-mail options , using spring and summer primaries as a “ dry-run ” for the November election .
There were successes , like Kentucky , with its sprawling “ supercenters ” where people could safely vote in-person .
But there were disasters too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were plagued by missing absentee ballots and grueling lines .
“ Many of these states are not prepared for what this election will be , ” said Amy Walter , national editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report .
“ They have never done vote-by-mail like this .
It ’ s messy and mistakes are going to be made .
People are going to stand in long lines .
Ballots won ’ t arrive .
There will be people in every state who can make a case that the process was flawed.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own .
States will be handling more absentee ballots than ever , which will slow down the tabulation process .
Some jurisdictions accept ballots postmarked on Election Day , which further slows down the vote count .
It took longer than a week for winners to be declared in recent congressional primaries in New York and Kentucky .
This uncertainty is fueling trepidation about what will happen after the polls close on November 3 .
“ There is deep skepticism and concern , across the political spectrum , about how this election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Goldman , president of the Democracy Fund , a nonpartisan foundation that has extensively studied voter attitudes toward political norms and democratic institutions .
With all these changes , experts see an opening for Trump to dispute the results , even if the election isn ’ t marred by widespread fraud , which is essentially a non-factor in US elections .
Trump has been candid about his views on expanding mail-in voting : He has repeatedly said it threatens his reelection chances and would hurt Republicans across the board , even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an automatic boost from postal voting .
To prevent these perceived losses , Trump pleaded with states to restrict mail-in voting by falsely claiming it is plagued by “ massive fraud and abuse ” and leads to “ rigged elections.
” His efforts have been unsuccessful .
Officials implemented reforms from ruby-red Utah to liberal Vermont .
Having lost this battle , Trump could blame mail-in voting if he loses in November .
That would fit with his well-established past of questioning the legitimacy of elections , dating back eight years , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irregularities or fraud in any of these elections .
Presidential election , 2012 : Trump backed Republican nominee Mitt Romney and spread false conspiracies on Election Day that machines were deleting Romney votes .
After the race was called , Trump denounced the results as a “ total sham ” and tweeted , “ We can ’ t let this happen .
We should march on Washington and stop this travesty.
” Iowa caucuses , 2016 : Trump said the caucuses were illegitimate after he finished behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ted Cruz didn ’ t win Iowa , he stole it , ” and accused Cruz of committing “ fraud.
” Trump called for a new election , said Cruz ’ s results should be “ nullified ” and said “ the State of Iowa should disqualify ” Cruz .
Presidential election , 2016 : At the final debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , Trump infamously refused to commit that he would accept the results .
Instead , he said , “ I will tell you at the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Even after Trump won , he falsely claimed there were millions of illegal votes in California and other states , creating a false narrative to explain why he lost the popular vote to Clinton .
Florida Senate election , 2018 : On election night , Florida Republican Rick Scott led Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by 38,000 votes , with many ballots still uncounted .
Scott ’ s lead narrowed over the next two weeks as mail ballots were tallied .
But Trump quickly claimed there was massive “ fraud ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ stealing ” the election by “ finding ” new votes .
Trump declared that the election “ should be called in favor of Rick Scott ” and said Florida “ must go with Election Night ” results .
After a statewide recount , Scott was up by about 10,000 votes , and Nelson conceded .
Arizona Senate election , 2018 : Republican Martha McSally was ahead on election night , but Democrat Kyrsten Sinema later took the lead .
Once that happened , Trump decried “ corruption ” and tweeted , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McSally later conceded .
In a June interview , Biden said his “ single greatest concern ” is that Trump will “ try to steal this election , ” adding , “ We might not know who won Pennsylvania … until a month after the election.
” Trump said in response that he ’ d “ go on and do other things ” if he loses , and a campaign spokesman said , “ President Trump has been clear that he will accept the results of the 2020 election.
” But Trump undermined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CNN , the Trump campaign refused to say that it stood by its unequivocal statement from June about accepting the results .
“ We don ’ t know what kind of shenanigans Democrats will try leading up to November , ” Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh told CNN .
“ If someone had asked George W. Bush and Al Gore this same question in 2000 , would they have been able to foresee the drawn out fight over Florida ?
The central point remains clear : in a free and fair election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very little precedent in American history for a disputed presidential election .
No presidential nominee has ever refused to accept defeat , historians said , not even after the bitterly disputed 1876 election , which saw widespread vote-rigging by both parties and was resolved just two days before the inauguration .
After the Supreme Court ruling in Bush v. Gore , then-Vice President Al Gore conceded the 2000 election and stepped away from public view .
This time around , Trump could dispute the results and refuse to concede .
He could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and defend the White House .
He could complain about supposed fraud but then peacefully leave Washington on Biden ’ s first day .
Or , he could file lawsuits in state and federal courts and try to prove that the results were tainted by irregularities .
“ You can start with rhetoric , but then eventually it turns into a legal process , ” said Mike Shields , a CNN contributor and former Republican National Committee chief-of-staff , who supports Trump .
“ Saying something happened and challenging it legally in court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign and the RNC have already brought lawsuits in key states about voting rules , and have said they ’ re prepared to spend $ 20 million on litigation .
( A Trump-backed lawsuit over mail-in voting is already moving forward in Pennsylvania . )
For their part , the Biden campaign says it ’ s organizing 600 lawyers and thousands of volunteers to handle voting issues .
Nonpartisan experts and political strategists told CNN they are afraid that the Supreme Court might once again be called upon to decide the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be appealed up to the Supreme Court , which has a 5-4 conservative majority .
These experts also said congressional Republicans will play an important role in influencing Trump ’ s behavior after the election .
Though that dynamic could quickly change if Republicans lose their Senate majority , which stands at 53-47 but is in serious danger of slipping away .
“ Once we have confirmed results , should Biden win in a fair election , it ’ ll be incredibly important for Republicans on Capitol Hill to accept those results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power , ” said Amanda Carpenter , a CNN contributor who was a top adviser to Cruz and other conservative Republicans before turning on Trump and raising the alarm about his behavior .
Perhaps in a sign of their separation from the President , very few Republican senators have echoed Trump ’ s false claims about mail-in voting , though they haven ’ t explicitly called him out for lying .
In fact , many Republicans are alarmed that his rhetoric could backfire , by discouraging reliable GOP voters from participating in mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what Trump does in November will depend on the margin .
If the race tightens , and comes down to one or two close states , Trump ’ s base might go along with a protracted legal challenge .
But if Biden ’ s lead holds up , and he wins convincingly , Trump has fewer options .
“ There ’ s a large segment of the Republican Party who understand that elections aren ’ t wildly fraudulent , and if Trump loses in a Romney or McCain-type fashion , then there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Santorum said , referring to the lopsided Republican losses in 2012 and 2008 .
While Trump routinely floods the zone with misinformation about elections , experts noted that there has been problematic rhetoric on both sides .
Some insiders told CNN they ’ re afraid that Democratic partisans could reject the legitimacy of the results , or cause civil unrest , if Trump wins again with the help of foreign meddling , of if there is proof of large-scale voter suppression .
Some top Democrats have said Trump ’ s 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia Rep. John Lewis , the civil rights icon who died from cancer on Friday .
They pointed to Russia ’ s election-interference efforts to weaken Clinton and help Trump , using viral propaganda on social media , military-grade hacking and damaging email leaks , according to US intelligence .
The US government says Russia didn ’ t change vote tallies .
But it ’ s impossible to measure the electoral impact of Russia ’ s systematic campaign against Clinton , and Trump clinched the presidency by winning Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stacey Abrams has also faced significant criticism for refusing to concede her gubernatorial race in 2018 .
The election was marred by widespread allegations of voter suppression , and took place with controversial laws enacted by Republicans that appeared to target and disenfranchise Black voters .
Abrams is a potential vice-presidential pick for Biden .
“ This rhetoric has become widespread , not just with Trump and the conspiracy caucus in the Republican Party , but with some Democrats as well , ” said Doug Heye , a GOP strategist and CNN political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic Party absolutely believes Stacey Abrams had that election stolen from her , and she has never stood up to say that it wasn ’ t. ” Experts told CNN that there is serious potential for civil unrest if Trump wins , eclipsing the large and sometimes violent protests that occurred after Trump ’ s 2016 victory .
Tensions are higher now , especially after recent protests against racial inequality devolved to riots in some cities and were met with violent police crackdowns , including by federal forces outside the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the popular vote and wins the Electoral College , there will be a lot of clamoring that our democracy is broken , ” said CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley .
“ That would be the first time a president was elected twice without ever getting the most votes.
” Even if one side refuses to accept the outcome , that doesn ’ t mean the results are invalid .
States have made major strides to bolster election security and double down on paper ballots that can ’ t be hacked .
New auditing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accuracy of the final vote tallies .
“ The 2020 election will be the most secure election we ’ ve ever had , ” said David Becker , founder of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research .
“ More paper ballots , more audits , more secure databases , and more information-sharing between election authorities.
” More than 90 % of Americans will vote on paper ballots this year , a record high achieved in large part by reforms in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Georgia .
If something nefarious happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the original ballots and tally the correct results .
If Trump , or perhaps Biden , still dispute the results , there are avenues to deal with it .
Their teams could file lawsuits on the state and federal level , though legal arguments would need to be based on facts that can be proven to judges — unlike many of the President ’ s made-up claims about elections and fraud .
“ At the end of the day , if there is no evidence to support those claims , the election authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues will be resolved , ” said Michael Morley , a law professor at Florida State University who specializes in election emergencies .
There are hard deadlines built into the process by the Constitution .
Members of the Electoral College meet in their states on December 14 to formally cast their votes , so disputes should be settled beforehand .
But even this is imperfect .
What happens if the GOP-controlled Wisconsin legislatures approves a slate of pro-Trump electors , while the Democratic governor names a pro-Biden slate ?
This played out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately decided by a special commission .
No matter what , Trump ’ s current term expires on January 20 , 2021 .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alluded to these institutional backstops Monday in an MSNBC interview , saying , “ The presidency is the presidency , ” regardless of what Trump does , “ it ’ s not geography or location.
” There is still time to avert an all-out crisis this November , experts say .
Congress needs to give states more money handle the influx of mail-in ballots , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meager $ 400 million that was already doled out .
A bipartisan group of former national security officials urged lawmakers Monday to address the shortfall .
• Trump threatens to send more troops to ‘ Democrat ’ cities • Portland officials ask feds to remove agents from city • Trump says he will resume coronavirus briefings State officials need to educate voters about the new procedures .
And the press needs to set the right expectations and make it clear that “ election night ” will likely be a week-long affair this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it would be hard for even the strongest partisans to dispute things , ” said CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein .
“ In a close election , things could get very ugly .
”

By Marshall Cohen | CNN
Voting experts and political strategists from across the political spectrum are increasingly alarmed about the potential for a disputed presidential election in November, one in which one candidate openly questions the legitimacy of the results or even refuses to concede.
These experts are keenly aware of President Donald Trump’s well-documented history of lying about voter fraud and claiming that elections were “rigged” when he doesn’t like the outcome. They also see a Democratic base that is still burned from 2016, when its nominee was dragged down in part by Russian meddling operation, won the popular vote, and lost to Trump.
Interviews with nearly 20 election experts, former lawmakers, political strategists, legal scholars and historians indicate there are widespread fears of a nightmare scenario in November, where Trump’s norm-breaking behavior — coupled with the unprecedented challenges of pandemic-era voting — test the limits of American democracy and plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.
“There’s a significant scope for an unprecedented post-election crisis in this country,” said Larry Diamond, an expert on democratic institutions at the conservative-leaning Hoover Institution.
Sharpening these concerns, it became clearer than ever over the weekend that Trump is willing to dispute the results. He was repeatedly pressed in a Fox News interview on Sunday, and refused to commit that he will accept the outcome of the election. “I have to see,” Trump replied, “No, I’m not going to just say yes. I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time either.”
More Americans than ever are expected to cast mail-in ballots this year, so it will take longer for results to trickle in. Experts are eschewing “election night” for “election week,” because it could realistically take days, and maybe weeks, until news outlets project a winner. Both presidential campaigns have set aside millions of dollars and recruited lawyers for the looming legal fights.
As Trump slides in the polls, he already declared that his matchup this fall against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden “will be the most rigged election in our nation’s history.” Trump’s messaging, coupled with his past behavior, has insiders contemplating what he’ll do if he loses.
“If it’s a very close election, there’s no question in my mind that he’ll contest it,” said former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a CNN contributor who backed Trump in 2016 and supports his reelection. “Even if it’s not a very close election, I think he’ll want to contest it, but I don’t think he’ll have a broad base of support to protest this election, and he wouldn’t get very far.”
Delayed results in November
There is good reason to brace for chaos. This cycle has already broken new ground for how elections are conducted, with massive changes being implemented because of the coronavirus.
States dramatically scaled up vote-by-mail options, using spring and summer primaries as a “dry-run” for the November election. There were successes, like Kentucky, with its sprawling “supercenters” where people could safely vote in-person. But there were disasters too, like Wisconsin and Georgia, which were plagued by missing absentee ballots and grueling lines.
“Many of these states are not prepared for what this election will be,” said Amy Walter, national editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “They have never done vote-by-mail like this. It’s messy and mistakes are going to be made. People are going to stand in long lines. Ballots won’t arrive. There will be people in every state who can make a case that the process was flawed.”
Even these fixes create new problems of their own. States will be handling more absentee ballots than ever, which will slow down the tabulation process. Some jurisdictions accept ballots postmarked on Election Day, which further slows down the vote count. It took longer than a week for winners to be declared in recent congressional primaries in New York and Kentucky.
This uncertainty is fueling trepidation about what will happen after the polls close on November 3.
“There is deep skepticism and concern, across the political spectrum, about how this election is going to unfold,” said Joe Goldman, president of the Democracy Fund, a nonpartisan foundation that has extensively studied voter attitudes toward political norms and democratic institutions.
Trump’s checkered past
With all these changes, experts see an opening for Trump to dispute the results, even if the election isn’t marred by widespread fraud, which is essentially a non-factor in US elections.
Trump has been candid about his views on expanding mail-in voting: He has repeatedly said it threatens his reelection chances and would hurt Republicans across the board, even though nonpartisan experts say neither party typically gets an automatic boost from postal voting.
To prevent these perceived losses, Trump pleaded with states to restrict mail-in voting by falsely claiming it is plagued by “massive fraud and abuse” and leads to “rigged elections.” His efforts have been unsuccessful. Officials implemented reforms from ruby-red Utah to liberal Vermont.
Having lost this battle, Trump could blame mail-in voting if he loses in November. That would fit with his well-established past of questioning the legitimacy of elections, dating back eight years, even though there was no proof of widespread irregularities or fraud in any of these elections.
Presidential election, 2012: Trump backed Republican nominee Mitt Romney and spread false conspiracies on Election Day that machines were deleting Romney votes. After the race was called, Trump denounced the results as a “total sham” and tweeted, “We can’t let this happen. We should march on Washington and stop this travesty.”
Iowa caucuses, 2016: Trump said the caucuses were illegitimate after he finished behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. After the vote, Trump said, “Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he stole it,” and accused Cruz of committing “fraud.” Trump called for a new election, said Cruz’s results should be “nullified” and said “the State of Iowa should disqualify” Cruz.
Presidential election, 2016: At the final debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Trump infamously refused to commit that he would accept the results. Instead, he said, “I will tell you at the time. I’ll keep you in suspense.” Even after Trump won, he falsely claimed there were millions of illegal votes in California and other states, creating a false narrative to explain why he lost the popular vote to Clinton.
Florida Senate election, 2018: On election night, Florida Republican Rick Scott led Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by 38,000 votes, with many ballots still uncounted. Scott’s lead narrowed over the next two weeks as mail ballots were tallied. But Trump quickly claimed there was massive “fraud” and “corruption,” and accused Democrats of “stealing” the election by “finding” new votes. Trump declared that the election “should be called in favor of Rick Scott” and said Florida “must go with Election Night” results. After a statewide recount, Scott was up by about 10,000 votes, and Nelson conceded.
Arizona Senate election, 2018: Republican Martha McSally was ahead on election night, but Democrat Kyrsten Sinema later took the lead. Once that happened, Trump decried “corruption” and tweeted, “call for a new election?” McSally later conceded.
In a June interview, Biden said his “single greatest concern” is that Trump will “try to steal this election,” adding, “We might not know who won Pennsylvania … until a month after the election.”
Trump said in response that he’d “go on and do other things” if he loses, and a campaign spokesman said, “President Trump has been clear that he will accept the results of the 2020 election.” But Trump undermined that on Sunday.
In an email to CNN, the Trump campaign refused to say that it stood by its unequivocal statement from June about accepting the results.
“We don’t know what kind of shenanigans Democrats will try leading up to November,” Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh told CNN. “If someone had asked George W. Bush and Al Gore this same question in 2000, would they have been able to foresee the drawn out fight over Florida? The central point remains clear: in a free and fair election, President Trump will win.”
Post-election scenarios
There is very little precedent in American history for a disputed presidential election.
No presidential nominee has ever refused to accept defeat, historians said, not even after the bitterly disputed 1876 election, which saw widespread vote-rigging by both parties and was resolved just two days before the inauguration. After the Supreme Court ruling in Bush v. Gore, then-Vice President Al Gore conceded the 2000 election and stepped away from public view.
This time around, Trump could dispute the results and refuse to concede. He could urge his supporters to flock to Washington and defend the White House. He could complain about supposed fraud but then peacefully leave Washington on Biden’s first day. Or, he could file lawsuits in state and federal courts and try to prove that the results were tainted by irregularities.
“You can start with rhetoric, but then eventually it turns into a legal process,” said Mike Shields, a CNN contributor and former Republican National Committee chief-of-staff, who supports Trump. “Saying something happened and challenging it legally in court are two different things.”
The Trump campaign and the RNC have already brought lawsuits in key states about voting rules, and have said they’re prepared to spend $20 million on litigation. (A Trump-backed lawsuit over mail-in voting is already moving forward in Pennsylvania.) For their part, the Biden campaign says it’s organizing 600 lawyers and thousands of volunteers to handle voting issues.
Supreme Court showdown?
Nonpartisan experts and political strategists told CNN they are afraid that the Supreme Court might once again be called upon to decide the election. Election lawsuits in state and local courts could be appealed up to the Supreme Court, which has a 5-4 conservative majority.
These experts also said congressional Republicans will play an important role in influencing Trump’s behavior after the election. Though that dynamic could quickly change if Republicans lose their Senate majority, which stands at 53-47 but is in serious danger of slipping away.
“Once we have confirmed results, should Biden win in a fair election, it’ll be incredibly important for Republicans on Capitol Hill to accept those results and participate in the peaceful transition of power,” said Amanda Carpenter, a CNN contributor who was a top adviser to Cruz and other conservative Republicans before turning on Trump and raising the alarm about his behavior.
Perhaps in a sign of their separation from the President, very few Republican senators have echoed Trump’s false claims about mail-in voting, though they haven’t explicitly called him out for lying. In fact, many Republicans are alarmed that his rhetoric could backfire, by discouraging reliable GOP voters from participating in mail-in balloting, suppressing conservative turnout.
Much of what Trump does in November will depend on the margin. If the race tightens, and comes down to one or two close states, Trump’s base might go along with a protracted legal challenge. But if Biden’s lead holds up, and he wins convincingly, Trump has fewer options.
“There’s a large segment of the Republican Party who understand that elections aren’t wildly fraudulent, and if Trump loses in a Romney or McCain-type fashion, then there’s no room to contest it,” Santorum said, referring to the lopsided Republican losses in 2012 and 2008.
It’s the Democrats, too
While Trump routinely floods the zone with misinformation about elections, experts noted that there has been problematic rhetoric on both sides. Some insiders told CNN they’re afraid that Democratic partisans could reject the legitimacy of the results, or cause civil unrest, if Trump wins again with the help of foreign meddling, of if there is proof of large-scale voter suppression.
Some top Democrats have said Trump’s 2016 victory was illegitimate, including Clinton and Georgia Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights icon who died from cancer on Friday. They pointed to Russia’s election-interference efforts to weaken Clinton and help Trump, using viral propaganda on social media, military-grade hacking and damaging email leaks, according to US intelligence.
The US government says Russia didn’t change vote tallies. But it’s impossible to measure the electoral impact of Russia’s systematic campaign against Clinton, and Trump clinched the presidency by winning Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania with smaller-than-1% margins.
Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams has also faced significant criticism for refusing to concede her gubernatorial race in 2018. The election was marred by widespread allegations of voter suppression, and took place with controversial laws enacted by Republicans that appeared to target and disenfranchise Black voters. Abrams is a potential vice-presidential pick for Biden.
“This rhetoric has become widespread, not just with Trump and the conspiracy caucus in the Republican Party, but with some Democrats as well,” said Doug Heye, a GOP strategist and CNN political commentator. “A big part of the Democratic Party absolutely believes Stacey Abrams had that election stolen from her, and she has never stood up to say that it wasn’t.”
Experts told CNN that there is serious potential for civil unrest if Trump wins, eclipsing the large and sometimes violent protests that occurred after Trump’s 2016 victory. Tensions are higher now, especially after recent protests against racial inequality devolved to riots in some cities and were met with violent police crackdowns, including by federal forces outside the White House.
“If Trump once again loses the popular vote and wins the Electoral College, there will be a lot of clamoring that our democracy is broken,” said CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. “That would be the first time a president was elected twice without ever getting the most votes.”
Averting a crisis
Even if one side refuses to accept the outcome, that doesn’t mean the results are invalid. States have made major strides to bolster election security and double down on paper ballots that can’t be hacked. New auditing measures make it easy to confirm the accuracy of the final vote tallies.
“The 2020 election will be the most secure election we’ve ever had,” said David Becker, founder of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research. “More paper ballots, more audits, more secure databases, and more information-sharing between election authorities.”
More than 90% of Americans will vote on paper ballots this year, a record high achieved in large part by reforms in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Georgia. If something nefarious happens, election authorities can go back to the original ballots and tally the correct results.
If Trump, or perhaps Biden, still dispute the results, there are avenues to deal with it. Their teams could file lawsuits on the state and federal level, though legal arguments would need to be based on facts that can be proven to judges — unlike many of the President’s made-up claims about elections and fraud.
“At the end of the day, if there is no evidence to support those claims, the election authorities will announce their results, and the issues will be resolved,” said Michael Morley, a law professor at Florida State University who specializes in election emergencies.
There are hard deadlines built into the process by the Constitution. Members of the Electoral College meet in their states on December 14 to formally cast their votes, so disputes should be settled beforehand.
But even this is imperfect. What happens if the GOP-controlled Wisconsin legislatures approves a slate of pro-Trump electors, while the Democratic governor names a pro-Biden slate? This played out in the disputed 1876 election, which was ultimately decided by a special commission.
No matter what, Trump’s current term expires on January 20, 2021. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alluded to these institutional backstops Monday in an MSNBC interview, saying, “The presidency is the presidency,” regardless of what Trump does, “it’s not geography or location.”
There is still time to avert an all-out crisis this November, experts say.
Congress needs to give states more money handle the influx of mail-in ballots, and negotiations are underway to build on the meager $400 million that was already doled out. A bipartisan group of former national security officials urged lawmakers Monday to address the shortfall.
State officials need to educate voters about the new procedures. And the press needs to set the right expectations and make it clear that “election night” will likely be a week-long affair this year.
“If the result is decisive, it would be hard for even the strongest partisans to dispute things,” said CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein. “In a close election, things could get very ugly.”


mercurynews--2020-07-21--Feds say visiting Stanford researcher concealed ties to Chinese military

A visiting Stanford University researcher has been charged with visa fraud for allegedly concealing her job as a member of the Chinese military .
Song Chen , 38 , got a J-1 visa meant for work- and study-based exchange programs , supposedly as a neurologist interested in studying brain disease .
In her November 2018 application , Song said she had served in the Chinese military from 2000-2011 and that she was currently employed by Xi Diaoyutai Hospital in Beijing .
She entered the U.S. two days before Christmas 2018 .
But according to a statement released by the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a lie .
Instead , the agency alleges , an investigation by the FBI uncovered that Song was really an active member of the military and the hospital story was just a cover .
According to an affidavit , online research articles that listed her as a co-author suggest she is affiliated with the People ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) Air Force .
And she was named as late as July 13 as an attending physician in the neurology department at the PLA Air Force General Hospital , which shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her visa application .
On June 21 of this year , Song also allegedly deleted a folder on her external hard drive labeled , in Chinese , “ 2018 Visiting School Important Information , ” which included a letter she wrote to the Chinese Consulate in New York explaining that she was planning to extend her stay in the U.S. and that because the hospital listed on her original application was a false front , she had instead gotten approval to stay from the Chinese military .
Song appeared in court Monday to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear again Tuesday for proceedings connected to her detention .
She faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $ 250,000 .
Attempts to reach Song were not immediately successful .
Stanford declined to answer questions about when it became aware of the allegations , saying only “ we have no information beyond what is in the DOJ release .
”

A visiting Stanford University researcher has been charged with visa fraud for allegedly concealing her job as a member of the Chinese military.
Song Chen, 38, got a J-1 visa meant for work- and study-based exchange programs, supposedly as a neurologist interested in studying brain disease. In her November 2018 application, Song said she had served in the Chinese military from 2000-2011 and that she was currently employed by Xi Diaoyutai Hospital in Beijing. She entered the U.S. two days before Christmas 2018.
But according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday, that was a lie. Instead, the agency alleges, an investigation by the FBI uncovered that Song was really an active member of the military and the hospital story was just a cover.
According to an affidavit, online research articles that listed her as a co-author suggest she is affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force. And she was named as late as July 13 as an attending physician in the neurology department at the PLA Air Force General Hospital, which shares an address with the hospital listed on her visa application.
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Harvard is getting scrutinized for legacy admissions. What does this mean for Stanford and other California colleges? Education | Opinion: Why are so many college presidents resigning? Follow the money On June 21 of this year, Song also allegedly deleted a folder on her external hard drive labeled, in Chinese, “2018 Visiting School Important Information,” which included a letter she wrote to the Chinese Consulate in New York explaining that she was planning to extend her stay in the U.S. and that because the hospital listed on her original application was a false front, she had instead gotten approval to stay from the Chinese military.
Song appeared in court Monday to face the charge and is scheduled to appear again Tuesday for proceedings connected to her detention. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Attempts to reach Song were not immediately successful.
Stanford declined to answer questions about when it became aware of the allegations, saying only “we have no information beyond what is in the DOJ release.”


mercurynews--2020-07-21--NFL: League reportedly offers players to scrap all preseason games

The NFL has offered to scrap all preseason games , a person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press .
The players ’ association had sought no preseason games and the league had reduced the exhibition schedule to two games .
But on Monday night , the NFL said it would eliminate those preseason contests and also would offer players 18 days for acclimation , up from seven days .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the offer has not been made public .
Another part of the offer is to provide a means for players concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to opt out and receive a stipend .
The union has not yet accepted the offers .
Should it do so , both sides would have taken a major step toward starting the season on time .
Earlier Monday , the league said players will be tested daily for the coronavirus for at least the first two weeks of training camp , per the league ’ s new testing protocols .
The NFL and the players ’ union reached an agreement as rookies for Houston and Kansas City were set to report to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arriving Tuesday .
Players and all Tier 1 , Tier 2 , Tier 2M or Tier 3 individuals must test negative two times separated by 72 hours using a nasal swab before initially entering the building to begin physical exams or any form of team activity .
After two weeks of daily testing , if the positivity rate of those tests falls below 5 % among players and Tier I and Tier II individuals , as described previously in NFL protocols , testing would go to every other day .
If the positivity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threshold , daily testing would continue until it drops .
“ There ’ s no finish line with health and safety and I think these protocols are very much living and breathing documents , which means they will change as we gain new knowledge about this virus , as we gain new knowledge about transmission , as we gain new knowledge about testing and there are new tests and new techniques that come online , ” said Dr. Allen Sills , the NFL chief medical officer .
“ We very much anticipate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has sought input from other leagues that have already returned to action , including leagues outside the country .
It ’ s not known how many positive tests would result in shutting down the football season .
“ These are complicated issues which involve a lot of factors , ” Sills said .
“ But suffice it to say we very much look at it from a medical and public health standpoint , and we want to make sure that first and foremost we ’ re creating the safest possible environment for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff , but that we ’ re also operating within the safest environment for each one of our clubs ’ locations , which means ongoing and regular communication with the public health authorities in those areas.
” The league and the NFLPA already finalized protocols regarding team travel , media , and treatment response , and updated the facilities protocol to specifically address training camp based on recommendations from a joint committee of doctors , trainers and strength coaches formed by the league and players ’ union .
“ Our union has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and treatment protocols to keep our players safe .
The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely , and gives us the best chance to play and finish the season , ” the union said in a statement Monday .
On Friday , the league sent players and teams an “ Education Protocol ” for camp which requires clubs to distribute joint educational materials and to conduct educational sessions for players , staff and family members .
“ Everything that we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk mitigation , ” Sills said .
“ We know that we can ’ t eliminate risk , but we ’ re trying to mitigate it as much as possible for everyone .
We know that this is going to be a shared responsibility.
” Sills stressed the importance of responsible behavior away from team facilities .
Unlike the NBA and NHL , the NFL can ’ t put its clubs in a bubble environment , so players and team personnel will have outside risk .
“ What ’ s good for players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safer also makes coaches , staff and teams safer and , quite frankly , it makes our communities safer , ” Sills said .
The NFL ’ s testing will run through a national laboratory company .
The league spoke with the CDC ; the White House task force ; a number of public health officials ; infectious disease experts and national laboratory medicine leaders to make sure its testing protocol would not have a negative impact on the country ’ s testing supply or the health care system .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it would not have a negative impact , ” Sills said .
“ That ’ s a very important point to us , we take that responsibility very seriously .
We ’ ve also discussed that at length with our testing vendor to make sure we are not having a negative impact on any of their business .
”

The NFL has offered to scrap all preseason games, a person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press.
The players’ association had sought no preseason games and the league had reduced the exhibition schedule to two games. But on Monday night, the NFL said it would eliminate those preseason contests and also would offer players 18 days for acclimation, up from seven days. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the offer has not been made public.
Another part of the offer is to provide a means for players concerned about participating in training camp and/or games to opt out and receive a stipend.
The union has not yet accepted the offers. Should it do so, both sides would have taken a major step toward starting the season on time.
Earlier Monday, the league said players will be tested daily for the coronavirus for at least the first two weeks of training camp, per the league’s new testing protocols.
The NFL and the players’ union reached an agreement as rookies for Houston and Kansas City were set to report to camp. Rookies for other teams begin arriving Tuesday.
Players and all Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2M or Tier 3 individuals must test negative two times separated by 72 hours using a nasal swab before initially entering the building to begin physical exams or any form of team activity.
After two weeks of daily testing, if the positivity rate of those tests falls below 5% among players and Tier I and Tier II individuals, as described previously in NFL protocols, testing would go to every other day. If the positivity rate doesn’t fall below that threshold, daily testing would continue until it drops.
“There’s no finish line with health and safety and I think these protocols are very much living and breathing documents, which means they will change as we gain new knowledge about this virus, as we gain new knowledge about transmission, as we gain new knowledge about testing and there are new tests and new techniques that come online,” said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL chief medical officer. “We very much anticipate that these protocols will change.”
The NFL has sought input from other leagues that have already returned to action, including leagues outside the country. It’s not known how many positive tests would result in shutting down the football season.
“These are complicated issues which involve a lot of factors,” Sills said. “But suffice it to say we very much look at it from a medical and public health standpoint, and we want to make sure that first and foremost we’re creating the safest possible environment for our players, for our coaches and our staff, but that we’re also operating within the safest environment for each one of our clubs’ locations, which means ongoing and regular communication with the public health authorities in those areas.”
The league and the NFLPA already finalized protocols regarding team travel, media, and treatment response, and updated the facilities protocol to specifically address training camp based on recommendations from a joint committee of doctors, trainers and strength coaches formed by the league and players’ union.
“Our union has been pushing for the strongest testing, tracing and treatment protocols to keep our players safe. The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely, and gives us the best chance to play and finish the season,” the union said in a statement Monday.
On Friday, the league sent players and teams an “Education Protocol” for camp which requires clubs to distribute joint educational materials and to conduct educational sessions for players, staff and family members.
“Everything that we’re doing is centered around the concept of risk mitigation,” Sills said. “We know that we can’t eliminate risk, but we’re trying to mitigate it as much as possible for everyone. We know that this is going to be a shared responsibility.”
Sills stressed the importance of responsible behavior away from team facilities. Unlike the NBA and NHL, the NFL can’t put its clubs in a bubble environment, so players and team personnel will have outside risk.
“What’s good for players and what makes players and their families safer also makes coaches, staff and teams safer and, quite frankly, it makes our communities safer,” Sills said.
The NFL’s testing will run through a national laboratory company. The league spoke with the CDC; the White House task force; a number of public health officials; infectious disease experts and national laboratory medicine leaders to make sure its testing protocol would not have a negative impact on the country’s testing supply or the health care system.
“We’ve received unanimous response across the board that it would not have a negative impact,” Sills said. “That’s a very important point to us, we take that responsibility very seriously. We’ve also discussed that at length with our testing vendor to make sure we are not having a negative impact on any of their business.”


mercurynews--2020-07-20--Watsonville: Man sought in daughter’s abduction

WATSONVILLE – Authorities are searching for a father who they say abducted his 1-year-old daughter in Watsonville late Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ disturbance at a home , Watsonville police said in a bulletin .
The father , @ @ @ @ @ , allegedly put the child in his white 2012 Chevrolet Silverado and drove away .
@ @ @ @ @ car seat in the truck .
Torres was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run collision in @ @ @ @ @ did not stop for California Highway Patrol officers , who pursued him until they spotted @ @ @ @ @ truck .
The truck was further described by police as a 2500 LT crew cab @ @ @ @ @ of 02971S2 .
Police are asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of Torres or the @ @ @ @ @

WATSONVILLE – Authorities are searching for a father who they say abducted his 1-year-old daughter in Watsonville late Sunday.
The abduction followed a family disturbance at a home, Watsonville police said in a bulletin. The father, identified as 39-year-old Miguel Torres, allegedly put the child in his white 2012 Chevrolet Silverado and drove away. Police said there was no car seat in the truck.
Torres was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Santa Cruz early Monday and did not stop for California Highway Patrol officers, who pursued him until they spotted the child, police said.
“The pursuit was eventually canceled due to safety reasons after the child was seen unsecured in the truck,” police said.
The truck was further described by police as a 2500 LT crew cab with a California license plate of 02971S2.
Police are asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of Torres or the child to call 911.
Check back for updates.


mercurynews--2020-07-20--Fauci to throw out the first pitch at Nationals’ home opener

WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country ’ s top infectious disease expert , will throw out the ceremonial @ @ @ @ @ game of Major League Baseball ’ s pandemic-delayed regular season .
The Washington Nationals announced @ @ @ @ @ self-described fan of the reigning World Series champions — accepted the team ’ s invitation @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night .
The Nationals host the New York Yankees to open the season nearly @ @ @ @ @ was scheduled to begin .
Spring training was halted in March because of the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ to play this month .
In their new release about Fauci ’ s role at @ @ @ @ @ refer to him as “ a true champion for our country ” during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ career .
”

Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the first game of Major League Baseball’s pandemic-delayed regular season.
The Washington Nationals announced Monday that Fauci — a self-described fan of the reigning World Series champions — accepted the team’s invitation to have the pregame honor Thursday night.
The Nationals host the New York Yankees to open the season nearly four months after it originally was scheduled to begin. Spring training was halted in March because of the COVID-19 outbreak and teams resumed preparing to play this month.
In their new release about Fauci’s role at the opener, the Nationals refer to him as “a true champion for our country” during the pandemic “and throughout his distinguished career.”


mercurynews--2020-07-21--If you think the coronavirus pandemic is stressful, try being an emergency room doctor

Before the coronavirus pandemic struck , Dr. Maria Raven liked to unwind after a long shift in the ER by hanging out with colleagues after work .
“ We used to go out and get brunch after an overnight shift or people would grab a beer after work , ” said Raven , the chief of emergency medicine at UCSF .
“ We can ’ t do that anymore.
” Now , like everyone else , they resort to virtual meetups .
Combine that lack of in-person socializing with one of the most trying periods of her career , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even the most-seasoned of ER doctors are struggling to handle , according to a new study .
On Tuesday , Robert Rodriguez — a professor of emergency medicine at UCSF — and several co-authors published a study that attempts for the first time to take stock of stress levels among emergency medicine physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The study found that doctors in seven U.S. cities reported rising levels of anxiety and emotional exhaustion .
Most of the 426 doctors surveyed also said their behavior toward family and friends had changed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physicians rated the effect of the pandemic on both their work and home stress levels at a five on a scale of one to seven .
The median for women was six in both areas .
Separate studies have indicated women continue to bear the brunt of household chores and childcare , which may help explain the disparity .
“ At home , doctors are worried about exposing family members or roommates , possibly needing to self-quarantine , and the effects of excess social isolation because of their work on the front line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The study surveyed faculty , fellows and residents with a median age of 35 in California , Louisiana and New Jersey .
72 % lived with a partner and about 39 % had a child younger than 18 .
The top concern among doctors was a lack of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) like masks and face shields , but many also said they were anxious about inadequate rapid testing for the virus , the possibility of discharged patients spreading the disease in their communities and the well being of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think a lot of us go into the field knowing we have to be able to handle a lot of uncertainty , but this has presented a new level of uncertainty , ” Raven said .
“ There ’ s so much we don ’ t know about COVID still.
” Perhaps surprisingly , the results suggest both doctors in and outside of cities with surging case counts experienced similar levels of anxiety .
“ This suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on anxiety levels is pervasive and that measures to mitigate stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
According to the survey , improving access to PPE , increasing the availability of rapid turnaround testing , clearly communicating protocol changes and making sure front-line health care workers have access to testing and personal leave could help limit anxiety .
• Orange County overtakes Riverside County for second-largest number of coronavirus cases recorded in California “ It ’ s a delicate balance between wanting to staff everything appropriately and still be prepared if we have a surge , ” Raven said .
Her system ’ s occupational health services have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing , she added , so some faculty members with symptoms are getting tested in the emergency room where results are often available quickly , within a day .
But she ’ s still hearing about some residents and nurses finding it difficult to get a test .
“ That ’ s a huge source of stress , ” she said .

Before the coronavirus pandemic struck, Dr. Maria Raven liked to unwind after a long shift in the ER by hanging out with colleagues after work.
“We used to go out and get brunch after an overnight shift or people would grab a beer after work,” said Raven, the chief of emergency medicine at UCSF. “We can’t do that anymore.”
Now, like everyone else, they resort to virtual meetups. Combine that lack of in-person socializing with one of the most trying periods of her career, and the result is a level of stress even the most-seasoned of ER doctors are struggling to handle, according to a new study.
On Tuesday, Robert Rodriguez — a professor of emergency medicine at UCSF — and several co-authors published a study that attempts for the first time to take stock of stress levels among emergency medicine physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study found that doctors in seven U.S. cities reported rising levels of anxiety and emotional exhaustion. Most of the 426 doctors surveyed also said their behavior toward family and friends had changed, with fewer signs of affection.
Male physicians rated the effect of the pandemic on both their work and home stress levels at a five on a scale of one to seven. The median for women was six in both areas. Separate studies have indicated women continue to bear the brunt of household chores and childcare, which may help explain the disparity.
“At home, doctors are worried about exposing family members or roommates, possibly needing to self-quarantine, and the effects of excess social isolation because of their work on the front line,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
The study surveyed faculty, fellows and residents with a median age of 35 in California, Louisiana and New Jersey. 72% lived with a partner and about 39% had a child younger than 18.
The top concern among doctors was a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks and face shields, but many also said they were anxious about inadequate rapid testing for the virus, the possibility of discharged patients spreading the disease in their communities and the well being of their coworkers diagnosed with COVID-19.
“I think a lot of us go into the field knowing we have to be able to handle a lot of uncertainty, but this has presented a new level of uncertainty,” Raven said. “There’s so much we don’t know about COVID still.”
Perhaps surprisingly, the results suggest both doctors in and outside of cities with surging case counts experienced similar levels of anxiety.
“This suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on anxiety levels is pervasive and that measures to mitigate stress should be enacted universally,” Rodriguez said.
According to the survey, improving access to PPE, increasing the availability of rapid turnaround testing, clearly communicating protocol changes and making sure front-line health care workers have access to testing and personal leave could help limit anxiety.
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Her system’s occupational health services have been overwhelmed by demand among employees for testing, she added, so some faculty members with symptoms are getting tested in the emergency room where results are often available quickly, within a day. But she’s still hearing about some residents and nurses finding it difficult to get a test.
“That’s a huge source of stress,” she said.


mercurynews--2020-07-21--California kills 3.2 million trout to halt bacteria outbreak

SACRAMENTO — California will kill 3.2 million trout to stop the outbreak of a bacterial infection that ’ s threatening hatcheries , wildlife officials said Monday .
The trout , which are used to stock waterways for recreational fishing , are in two hatcheries in the Owens Valley in the eastern Sierra and one hatchery in the Mojave Desert city of Victorville , northeast of Los Angeles .
Fish at the hatcheries have been infected with Lactococcus garvieae , which is similar to streptococcus , wildlife officials said .
“ We didn ’ t have any other choice at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working , ” said Jay Rowan , environmental program manager for the wildlife department ’ s hatcheries .
Killing the fish and disinfecting the facilities was “ the best option we have available ” to restore use of the hatcheries in the shortest amount of time , Rowan said .
Outbreaks have been reported in fresh and saltwater fish farms and shellfish hatcheries but also cattle and poultry farms around the world , according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife .
However , the bacterium had never been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was found at the Victorville facility in April .
About 60,000 fish have since died .
The fish to be killed are at Mojave River Hatchery , Black Rock Hatchery and Fish Springs Hatchery .
All three facilities had been under quarantine for more than a month .
Testing hasn ’ t found any bacteria at Hot Creek Hatchery in the eastern Sierra , authorities said .
The depopulation could begin as early as next week and could last up to four weeks , Rowan said .
“ It ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Infected fish can “ show symptoms including bulging eyes , lethargic or erratic swimming and increased mortality , or be asymptomatic and show no signs of infection , ” the wildlife agency said in a statement .
Transmitting the bacteria from fish or animals to humans is “ rare and unlikely ” but there have been a few cases of people with weakened immune systems getting it from infected raw fish and unpasteurized milk products , the statement said .
• Helping the Bay Area ’ s thirsty bees drink and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hummingbirds have food through the winter • Colorado man infected with plague after exposure to sick squirrels , but officials say there ’ s no increased risk to public Rowan said it ’ s unclear how the fish were infected but the strain of the bacterium matches that found in the Columbia River in Washington state .
One possibility is that migrating birds visiting the California hatcheries brought the bacterium in their feces but investigators are still working on the cause , Rowan said .
“ We may never find out exactly how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other California hatcheries still have tens of millions of trout but the fish kills will “ have a significant impact for a long period of time , ” he added .
The agency is looking at possibly moving some fish from central and northern hatcheries to stock some waters in the eastern Sierra and Southern California .

SACRAMENTO — California will kill 3.2 million trout to stop the outbreak of a bacterial infection that’s threatening hatcheries, wildlife officials said Monday.
The trout, which are used to stock waterways for recreational fishing, are in two hatcheries in the Owens Valley in the eastern Sierra and one hatchery in the Mojave Desert city of Victorville, northeast of Los Angeles.
Fish at the hatcheries have been infected with Lactococcus garvieae, which is similar to streptococcus, wildlife officials said.
“We didn’t have any other choice at this point. Our treatments weren’t working,” said Jay Rowan, environmental program manager for the wildlife department’s hatcheries.
Killing the fish and disinfecting the facilities was “the best option we have available” to restore use of the hatcheries in the shortest amount of time, Rowan said.
Outbreaks have been reported in fresh and saltwater fish farms and shellfish hatcheries but also cattle and poultry farms around the world, according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
However, the bacterium had never been detected in fish in California before it was found at the Victorville facility in April. About 60,000 fish have since died.
The fish to be killed are at Mojave River Hatchery, Black Rock Hatchery and Fish Springs Hatchery. All three facilities had been under quarantine for more than a month. Testing hasn’t found any bacteria at Hot Creek Hatchery in the eastern Sierra, authorities said.
The depopulation could begin as early as next week and could last up to four weeks, Rowan said.
“It’s going to be a huge effort,” he said.
Infected fish can “show symptoms including bulging eyes, lethargic or erratic swimming and increased mortality, or be asymptomatic and show no signs of infection,” the wildlife agency said in a statement.
Transmitting the bacteria from fish or animals to humans is “rare and unlikely” but there have been a few cases of people with weakened immune systems getting it from infected raw fish and unpasteurized milk products, the statement said.
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How birdlife in the East differs from the West Environment | Otter attacks in Sierra Nevada: Panicked swimmer scrambles onto stranger’s paddleboard Rowan said it’s unclear how the fish were infected but the strain of the bacterium matches that found in the Columbia River in Washington state. One possibility is that migrating birds visiting the California hatcheries brought the bacterium in their feces but investigators are still working on the cause, Rowan said.
“We may never find out exactly how this got in,” he said.
Other California hatcheries still have tens of millions of trout but the fish kills will “have a significant impact for a long period of time,” he added.
The agency is looking at possibly moving some fish from central and northern hatcheries to stock some waters in the eastern Sierra and Southern California.


mercurynews--2020-07-21--Prosecutors mishandled California mass murder case: report

By BRIAN MELLEY | The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — California prosecutors committed malpractice and were negligent in their use of a jailhouse snitch in the case of a man convicted of killing his ex-wife and seven others at a Seal Beach hair salon in 2011 , the Orange County district attorney concluded in a report released Monday .
District Attorney Todd Spitzer said prosecutors in his office showed signs of engaging in misconduct in the way they handled the case of Scott Dekraai , a former tugboat operator , who is serving life in prison for the county ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found prosecutors broke the law by using a longtime snitch to get a tainted confession from Dekraai , did not properly disclose that information to a defense lawyer and did not accept responsibility for their lapses .
“ Prosecutors handling People v. Dekraai violated discovery laws and rulings from the court , trampled defendant rights , and denied the full imposition of justice for the victims and their families , ” Spitzer ’ s office said .
Dekraai ’ s lawyer , Scott Sanders , unearthed the use of the snitch in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scandal.
” It extended far beyond just the salon shooting case and involved law enforcement planting jail informants to seek confessions from defendants who weren ’ t supposed to be questioned without a lawyer present .
The move ultimately backfired on prosecutors , who wanted Dekraai executed .
The Orange County district attorney ’ s office was removed from the case and the trial judge prevented prosecutors from seeking the death penalty because their failure to turn over informant-related records jeopardized the killer ’ s right to a fair trial .
Dekraai was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ex-wife , Michelle Fournier , when he walked into Salon Meritage where she worked wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying three guns .
He shot and killed Fournier , then gunned down the salon owner , stylists and customers and a man sitting in his car in the parking lot .
He was arrested within minutes of the rampage .
Dekraai pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight life terms with no chance of parole .
Sanders said the report simply blamed two prosecutors no longer with the office but failed to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of informants by prosecutors and sheriff ’ s deputies that is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice .
“ It accurately identifies the misconduct by the Dekraai prosecutors and then completely ignores the decades of misconduct involving jailhouse informants , ” Sander said .
“ It ’ s a great headline grabber , but the problem is that no other prosecutor is identified as doing anything wrong .
… We know this has been going on for decades.
” Spitzer launched the internal review last year after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecution of the case , closed a criminal investigation into the informant scandal without conclusions or recommendations .
Spitzer ousted longtime District Attorney Tony Rackauckas in 2018 , criticizing the use of informants during the campaign and promising to reform the office .
Although Sanders estimated there were 20 cases where informants were used and federal prosecutors are looking into 100 cases , the DA ’ s office found insufficient evidence to determine there was prosecutorial misconduct in five cases it reviewed .
The report did not name the two veteran prosecutors who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Scott Simmons , but said both had resigned and couldn ’ t be punished .
It said evidence of malpractice and intentional negligence by the two would have required severe discipline if they had remained with the office .
It suggested they could still be punished by state authorities .
Neither of the lawyers , who are now in private practice together , immediately returned an email seeking comment .

By BRIAN MELLEY | The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — California prosecutors committed malpractice and were negligent in their use of a jailhouse snitch in the case of a man convicted of killing his ex-wife and seven others at a Seal Beach hair salon in 2011, the Orange County district attorney concluded in a report released Monday.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer said prosecutors in his office showed signs of engaging in misconduct in the way they handled the case of Scott Dekraai, a former tugboat operator, who is serving life in prison for the county’s largest mass killing.
The review found prosecutors broke the law by using a longtime snitch to get a tainted confession from Dekraai, did not properly disclose that information to a defense lawyer and did not accept responsibility for their lapses.
“Prosecutors handling People v. Dekraai violated discovery laws and rulings from the court, trampled defendant rights, and denied the full imposition of justice for the victims and their families,” Spitzer’s office said.
Dekraai’s lawyer, Scott Sanders, unearthed the use of the snitch in what became known as the “jailhouse informant scandal.” It extended far beyond just the salon shooting case and involved law enforcement planting jail informants to seek confessions from defendants who weren’t supposed to be questioned without a lawyer present.
The move ultimately backfired on prosecutors, who wanted Dekraai executed. The Orange County district attorney’s office was removed from the case and the trial judge prevented prosecutors from seeking the death penalty because their failure to turn over informant-related records jeopardized the killer’s right to a fair trial.
Dekraai was in a bitter custody dispute with this ex-wife, Michelle Fournier, when he walked into Salon Meritage where she worked wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying three guns.
He shot and killed Fournier, then gunned down the salon owner, stylists and customers and a man sitting in his car in the parking lot. He was arrested within minutes of the rampage.
Dekraai pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight life terms with no chance of parole.
Sanders said the report simply blamed two prosecutors no longer with the office but failed to address the pattern of abuse he found in the use of informants by prosecutors and sheriff’s deputies that is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“It accurately identifies the misconduct by the Dekraai prosecutors and then completely ignores the decades of misconduct involving jailhouse informants,” Sander said. “It’s a great headline grabber, but the problem is that no other prosecutor is identified as doing anything wrong. … We know this has been going on for decades.”
Spitzer launched the internal review last year after the state attorney general, who took over prosecution of the case, closed a criminal investigation into the informant scandal without conclusions or recommendations.
Spitzer ousted longtime District Attorney Tony Rackauckas in 2018, criticizing the use of informants during the campaign and promising to reform the office.
Although Sanders estimated there were 20 cases where informants were used and federal prosecutors are looking into 100 cases, the DA’s office found insufficient evidence to determine there was prosecutorial misconduct in five cases it reviewed.
The report did not name the two veteran prosecutors who handled the Dekraai case, Dan Wagner and Scott Simmons, but said both had resigned and couldn’t be punished.
It said evidence of malpractice and intentional negligence by the two would have required severe discipline if they had remained with the office. It suggested they could still be punished by state authorities.
Neither of the lawyers, who are now in private practice together, immediately returned an email seeking comment.


mercurynews--2020-07-21--Northern California man indicted for fentanyl overdose death and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy

A 20-year-old Woodland man has been indicted for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in an overdose death and with distributing fentanyl on two separate dates after the death , U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced .
According to the indictment , Joshua Cabanillas , 20 , distributed fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a person in Woodland in February , Scott , of the Eastern District of California , said in a press release .
Additionally , Sacramento residents Gregory Tabarez , 22 , and Joseph Elijah Cuaron , 20 , are charged by complaint with distributing fentanyl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Cabanillas was arrested on May 15 , after meeting with Tabarez and Cuaron to distribute an additional 1,000 counterfeit blue “ M30 ” pills containing fentanyl .
The counterfeit pills are designed to look like authentic oxycodone hydrochloride 30-milligram pills that could be obtained from a pharmacy .
Unlike authentic pharmaceuticals , the counterfeit pills are pressed illicitly and actually contain fentanyl .
The charges against Cabanillas and the others come as the United States faces an unprecedented drug epidemic .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
Many of these deaths are attributed to the increased abuse of potent and dangerous synthetic opioids like fentanyl .
The Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that fentanyl-containing counterfeit pills continue to be associated with overdose deaths across the country .
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Woodland Police Department , the Sacramento County Probation Department , the Sacramento County Sheriff ’ s Department , the Sacramento Police Department , the Yolo County Sheriff ’ s Office , Coroner Section and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among many other agencies .
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Rabenn is prosecuting the case .
Cabanillas , Tabarez and Cuaron are currently in custody .
If convicted of the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death , Cabanillas faces a maximum statutory penalty mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison .
If convicted of the conspiracy or distribution charges , Cabanillas , Tabarez and Cuaron face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison , but any sentence would be determined at the discretion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factors and federal sentencing guidelines , which take into account a number of variables .

A 20-year-old Woodland man has been indicted for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in an overdose death and with distributing fentanyl on two separate dates after the death, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the indictment, Joshua Cabanillas, 20, distributed fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a person in Woodland in February, Scott, of the Eastern District of California, said in a press release.
Additionally, Sacramento residents Gregory Tabarez, 22, and Joseph Elijah Cuaron, 20, are charged by complaint with distributing fentanyl along with Cabanillas.
The complaint alleges that Cabanillas was arrested on May 15, after meeting with Tabarez and Cuaron to distribute an additional 1,000 counterfeit blue “M30” pills containing fentanyl. The counterfeit pills are designed to look like authentic oxycodone hydrochloride 30-milligram pills that could be obtained from a pharmacy. Unlike authentic pharmaceuticals, the counterfeit pills are pressed illicitly and actually contain fentanyl.
The charges against Cabanillas and the others come as the United States faces an unprecedented drug epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2019. Many of these deaths are attributed to the increased abuse of potent and dangerous synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration has reported that fentanyl-containing counterfeit pills continue to be associated with overdose deaths across the country.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Woodland Police Department, the Sacramento County Probation Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, Coroner Section and the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, among many other agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Rabenn is prosecuting the case.
Cabanillas, Tabarez and Cuaron are currently in custody.
If convicted of the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, Cabanillas faces a maximum statutory penalty mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
If convicted of the conspiracy or distribution charges, Cabanillas, Tabarez and Cuaron face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, but any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any legal factors and federal sentencing guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.