washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Joe Biden gives Republicans ammo on acuity question

Joseph R. Biden ’ s push to make the presidential election “ a battle for the soul of the nation ” has been muddied by questions about his mental fitness that have dogged him for more than a year and burst into public view Wednesday with startling clarity .
Mr. Biden ’ s frustration with the public prodding boiled over in an interview with a CBS News reporter who pressed him on whether he had undergone a cognitive exam .
“ No , I haven ’ t taken a test .
Why the hell would I take a test ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said in a virtual interview with Black and Hispanic journalists .
Mr. Biden likened asking about a cognitive test to asking the reporter , who is Black , to take a test to see whether “ you ’ re taking cocaine or not ” before the interview .
“ What do you think , huh ?
” Mr. Biden said .
“ Are you a junkie ?
” The Republican National Committee pounced , saying the response is Mr. Biden ’ s latest offense of Black Americans .
“ This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigoted comment about the Black community , ” Paris Dennard , the RNC ’ s senior adviser for Black media affairs , said in an email .
Mr. Biden suffered from a stutter as a child and has never been known as a wordsmith .
The difficulties he has getting his message across has provided more ammunition for his critics .
Questions about his mental sharpness also put a greater focus on Mr. Biden ’ s running mate , whom he plans to tap before the Democratic National Convention .
Mr. Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He helped ease some of those concerns by tapping steady and lucid Mike Pence as his wingman .
Mr. Trump became the oldest person to assume the presidency at age 70 .
Four years later , he is suggesting that Mr. Biden , 77 , is mentally and physically handicapped and , as a result , could be looking for a way out of the three scheduled presidential debates .
“ Biden can ’ t put two sentences together , ” Mr. Trump said in a recent interview with Fox News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes up — he repeats — they ask him questions .
He reads a teleprompter , and then he goes back into his basement .
“ You tell me the American people want to have that in an age where we ’ re in trouble with other nations that are looking to do numbers on us , ” he said .
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani , who has served as Mr. Trump ’ s attorney , has said the president should double down on the charge .
“ I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alzheimer ’ s , and they could be twins , ” Mr. Giuliani told Politico , adding that nobody thinks Mr. Trump has mental issues .
“ There ’ s no comparison between the two people in terms of being able to finish a sentence , being aware of where they are and being able to go through five sentences that stick together , ” he said .
Democrats say it is fair to ask about a candidate ’ s mental faculties but that Mr. Trump ’ s intense focus on the subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and could come back to haunt the president .
“ That is the pot calling the kettle black , ” said TJ Bucholz , a Democratic strategist .
“ I continue to be concerned about the president ’ s mental state .
“ Joe Biden has convinced me that he is more mentally and physically up for the task of president , and to be clear he couldn ’ t be any worse than the guy who has the job now , ” Mr. Bucholz said .
Mr. Trump has been the target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his questionable comments and verbal miscues , including a suggestion that COVID-19 could be treated by injecting disinfectant .
He provoked more ridicule this week during a signing ceremony at the White House when he pronounced Yosemite National Park as “ Yo-Semite.
” Mr. Trump has pushed back against his critics by boasting that he aced a test to detect early signs of dementia .
Among other things , the test asks subjects to identify animals and recite back from memory a string of words , such as “ person , woman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump challenged Mr. Biden to take the same test and predicted he would flunk it .
In a clip that aired Wednesday on “ CBS This Morning , ” Mr. Biden rejected Mr. Trump ’ s challenge .
“ If he can ’ t tell the difference between an elephant and a lion , I don ’ t know what the hell he is talking about , ” Mr. Biden said .
He said he is looking forward to the chance to display his mental dexterity when he faces off against Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mr. Biden is smart to quickly dismiss the attack and to let his campaign indirectly address it in television ads playing up his competence .
“ The president is trying to do every flim-flam , shim-sham action to distract from the fact that he is down 12 points in some places , ” he said .
“ It is a false flag being floated to national media by the president and his minions.
” ⦁ David Sherfinski and Dave Boyer contributed to this report .

Joseph R. Biden’s push to make the presidential election “a battle for the soul of the nation” has been muddied by questions about his mental fitness that have dogged him for more than a year and burst into public view Wednesday with startling clarity.
Mr. Biden’s frustration with the public prodding boiled over in an interview with a CBS News reporter who pressed him on whether he had undergone a cognitive exam.
“No, I haven’t taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test? Come on, man,” the Democrat said in a virtual interview with Black and Hispanic journalists.
Mr. Biden likened asking about a cognitive test to asking the reporter, who is Black, to take a test to see whether “you’re taking cocaine or not” before the interview.
“What do you think, huh?” the former vice president said. “Are you a junkie?”
The Republican National Committee pounced, saying the response is Mr. Biden’s latest offense of Black Americans.
“This is not Joe Biden’s first insensitive and bigoted comment about the Black community,” Paris Dennard, the RNC’s senior adviser for Black media affairs, said in an email.
Mr. Biden suffered from a stutter as a child and has never been known as a wordsmith. The difficulties he has getting his message across has provided more ammunition for his critics.
Questions about his mental sharpness also put a greater focus on Mr. Biden’s running mate, whom he plans to tap before the Democratic National Convention.
President Trump’s mental acuity was questioned in 2016. He helped ease some of those concerns by tapping steady and lucid Mike Pence as his wingman.
Mr. Trump became the oldest person to assume the presidency at age 70. Four years later, he is suggesting that Mr. Biden, 77, is mentally and physically handicapped and, as a result, could be looking for a way out of the three scheduled presidential debates.
“Biden can’t put two sentences together,” Mr. Trump said in a recent interview with Fox News. “They wheel him out. He goes up — he repeats — they ask him questions. He reads a teleprompter, and then he goes back into his basement.
“You tell me the American people want to have that in an age where we’re in trouble with other nations that are looking to do numbers on us,” he said.
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who has served as Mr. Trump’s personal attorney, has said the president should double down on the charge.
“I have a good friend who has early stage Alzheimer’s, and they could be twins,” Mr. Giuliani told Politico, adding that nobody thinks Mr. Trump has mental issues.
“There’s no comparison between the two people in terms of being able to finish a sentence, being aware of where they are and being able to go through five sentences that stick together,” he said.
Democrats say it is fair to ask about a candidate’s mental faculties but that Mr. Trump’s intense focus on the subject is a desperate attempt to distract voters and could come back to haunt the president.
“That is the pot calling the kettle black,” said TJ Bucholz, a Democratic strategist. “I continue to be concerned about the president’s mental state.
“Joe Biden has convinced me that he is more mentally and physically up for the task of president, and to be clear he couldn’t be any worse than the guy who has the job now,” Mr. Bucholz said.
Mr. Trump has been the target of criticism and mockery for some of his questionable comments and verbal miscues, including a suggestion that COVID-19 could be treated by injecting disinfectant.
He provoked more ridicule this week during a signing ceremony at the White House when he pronounced Yosemite National Park as “Yo-Semite.”
Mr. Trump has pushed back against his critics by boasting that he aced a test to detect early signs of dementia.
Among other things, the test asks subjects to identify animals and recite back from memory a string of words, such as “person, woman, man, camera, TV.”
Mr. Trump challenged Mr. Biden to take the same test and predicted he would flunk it.
In a clip that aired Wednesday on “CBS This Morning,” Mr. Biden rejected Mr. Trump’s challenge.
“If he can’t tell the difference between an elephant and a lion, I don’t know what the hell he is talking about,” Mr. Biden said.
He said he is looking forward to the chance to display his mental dexterity when he faces off against Mr. Trump on the debate stage.
Mr. Bucholz said Mr. Biden is smart to quickly dismiss the attack and to let his campaign indirectly address it in television ads playing up his competence.
“The president is trying to do every flim-flam, shim-sham action to distract from the fact that he is down 12 points in some places,” Mr. Bucholz said. “It is a false flag being floated to national media by the president and his minions.”
⦁ David Sherfinski and Dave Boyer contributed to this report.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Wisconsin water park closes for season after COVID confirmed

LAKE DELTON , Wis. ( AP ) - A popular Wisconsin Dells attraction will remain closed for the rest of @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for the coronavirus .
Noah ’ s Ark Waterpark announced Wednesday that it @ @ @ @ @ park closed for the rest of the 2020 season .
Noah ’ s Ark says @ @ @ @ @ , employees and the Wisconsin Dells community is its top priority .
All 2020 single-day @ @ @ @ @ summer , and 2020 season passes will be extended to include the 2021 season .
@ @ @ @ @ scheduled to open its 2021 season on Memorial Day weekend .

LAKE DELTON, Wis. (AP) - A popular Wisconsin Dells attraction will remain closed for the rest of the season after two employees tested positive for the coronavirus.
Noah’s Ark Waterpark announced Wednesday that it has decided to keep the park closed for the rest of the 2020 season. Noah’s Ark says the health of its guests, employees and the Wisconsin Dells community is its top priority.
All 2020 single-day tickets can be used next summer, and 2020 season passes will be extended to include the 2021 season.
Noah’s Ark is scheduled to open its 2021 season on Memorial Day weekend.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Trump says he'll listen to both sides on Alaska mine project

JUNEAU , Alaska ( AP ) - President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would “ listen to both sides ” after his eldest son and a campaign adviser urged him to intervene to block a proposed copper and gold mine in Alaska ’ s Bristol Bay region .
Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday agreed with a tweet from Nick Ayers , a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence and a senior adviser to the Trump campaign , expressing hope the president would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to block the proposed Pebble Mine .
Trump Jr. , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sportsman who has spent plenty of time in the area I agree 100 % .
The headwaters of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with.
” The EPA has said the Bristol Bay watershed supports the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world and contains significant mineral resources .
An environmental review released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last month - and assailed by critics as deficient - stated that under normal operations , the alternatives it looked at “ would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fish numbers and result in long-term changes to the health of the commercial fisheries in Bristol Bay.
” The corps has yet to make a permitting decision .
When it does , it could issue a permit , approve a permit with conditions or issue a denial .
The project , should it advance , also would face a state permitting process .
On Wednesday , the president told reporters his son “ has some very strong opinions and he is very much of an environmentalist.
” Trump said there was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t clear who would be involved or what it would entail .
The White House said it was not in a position at this time to comment further .
“ I ’ ve done a lot for Alaska .
I love Alaska .
It ’ s a special place , ” Trump said .
Tom Collier , CEO of the Pebble Limited Partnership , which is seeking to build the mine , has hailed the corps ’ review as thorough and a positive for the project .
The Pebble partnership is owned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Pebble spokesperson , said the Trump administration “ has already spoken ” about the project through that review process .
“ Recall that this administration is the one that brought the Pebble issue away from the political route pursued by the preemptive veto of the Obama-era EPA and back to the traditional regulatory review process , ” he said by email .
The EPA under the Obama administration proposed restricting development in the Bristol Bay region but never finalized the restrictions .
The agency retains the option to invoke that so-called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so .
The EPA responded to questions Wednesday with a statement answering none of them .
Daniel Cheyette , a vice president for lands and natural resources for Bristol Bay Native Corp. , which opposes the mine , said he thinks people are weighing in now because the project faces a key decision point .
“ We encourage President Trump and his administration to listen to the science and the diverse voices who oppose Pebble mine and deny the project a Clean Water Act permit , ” he said in a statement @

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would “listen to both sides” after his eldest son and a campaign adviser urged him to intervene to block a proposed copper and gold mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region.
Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday agreed with a tweet from Nick Ayers, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence and a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, expressing hope the president would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to block the proposed Pebble Mine.
Trump Jr., in response, wrote: “As a sportsman who has spent plenty of time in the area I agree 100%. The headwaters of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with.”
The EPA has said the Bristol Bay watershed supports the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world and contains significant mineral resources. An environmental review released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last month - and assailed by critics as deficient - stated that under normal operations, the alternatives it looked at “would not be expected to have a measurable effect on fish numbers and result in long-term changes to the health of the commercial fisheries in Bristol Bay.”
The corps has yet to make a permitting decision. When it does, it could issue a permit, approve a permit with conditions or issue a denial. The project, should it advance, also would face a state permitting process.
On Wednesday, the president told reporters his son “has some very strong opinions and he is very much of an environmentalist.”
Trump said there was an upcoming briefing, but it wasn’t clear who would be involved or what it would entail. The White House said it was not in a position at this time to comment further.
“I’ve done a lot for Alaska. I love Alaska. It’s a special place,” Trump said.
Tom Collier, CEO of the Pebble Limited Partnership, which is seeking to build the mine, has hailed the corps’ review as thorough and a positive for the project. The Pebble partnership is owned by Canada-based Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
Mike Heatwole, a Pebble spokesperson, said the Trump administration “has already spoken” about the project through that review process.
“Recall that this administration is the one that brought the Pebble issue away from the political route pursued by the preemptive veto of the Obama-era EPA and back to the traditional regulatory review process,” he said by email.
The EPA under the Obama administration proposed restricting development in the Bristol Bay region but never finalized the restrictions. The agency retains the option to invoke that so-called veto process again if it decides to do so.
The EPA responded to questions Wednesday with a statement answering none of them.
Daniel Cheyette, a vice president for lands and natural resources for Bristol Bay Native Corp., which opposes the mine, said he thinks people are weighing in now because the project faces a key decision point.
“We encourage President Trump and his administration to listen to the science and the diverse voices who oppose Pebble mine and deny the project a Clean Water Act permit,” he said in a statement.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Black Americans want police to have same or bigger presence in their neighborhoods: Gallup

Black Lives Matter wants to defund the police , but most Black Americans like their law-enforcement presence the way it is .
A Gallup poll released Wednesday found that 61 % of Black adults surveyed want police to spend the same amount of time in their area , and 20 % want them to invest more time .
Only 19 % said they wanted police to spend less time in their community .
“ This is similar to the 67 % of all U.S. adults preferring the status quo , including 71 % of White Americans , ” said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time , the survey conducted June 23-July 6 found that Black Americans were less confident than others about being treated by police with “ courtesy and respect.
” One-third of Black Americans said they were “ not too confident ” or “ not at all confident ” about receiving positive treatment by police , compared with just 9 % of White Americans and 15 % of American adults overall .
“ Black Americans ’ preference for the amount of time police spend in their area is modestly related to their expectation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll .
“ However , 59 % of the relatively small group of Black Americans who are ‘ not at all confident ’ that the police would treat them with courtesy and respect want the police to spend less time in their neighborhood.
” That confidence level appears unrelated to police encounters .
The poll found 79 % of Black Americans who have had contact with law enforcement in the last 12 months want police to spend more or the same time in their area , versus 21 % of that group who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And while 45 % of those Blacks who reported a negative interaction with officers favor less of a police presence , 55 % of even that group still wanted police to spend the same or more time in their areas .
“ Most Black Americans want the police to spend at least as much time in their area as they currently do , indicating that they value the need for the service that police provide , ” said Gallup .
“ However , that exposure comes with more trepidation for Black than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might experience in a police encounter.
” A Gallup poll released July 22 found 88 % of Black Americans agreed that “ major changes are needed to make policing better , ” more than any other racial group , but just 22 % favored abolishing police departments , as the Minneapolis City Council has voted to do .
The poll conducted as part of the newly launched Gallup Center on Black Voices , a 100-year research commitment designed to “ studying and highlighting the experiences of more than 40 million Black Americans .
@

Black Lives Matter wants to defund the police, but most Black Americans like their law-enforcement presence the way it is.
A Gallup poll released Wednesday found that 61% of Black adults surveyed want police to spend the same amount of time in their area, and 20% want them to invest more time. Only 19% said they wanted police to spend less time in their community.
“This is similar to the 67% of all U.S. adults preferring the status quo, including 71% of White Americans,” said the poll’s analysis.
At the same time, the survey conducted June 23-July 6 found that Black Americans were less confident than others about being treated by police with “courtesy and respect.”
One-third of Black Americans said they were “not too confident” or “not at all confident” about receiving positive treatment by police, compared with just 9% of White Americans and 15% of American adults overall.
“Black Americans’ preference for the amount of time police spend in their area is modestly related to their expectation about receiving fair treatment,” said the poll. “However, 59% of the relatively small group of Black Americans who are ‘not at all confident’ that the police would treat them with courtesy and respect want the police to spend less time in their neighborhood.”
That confidence level appears unrelated to police encounters. The poll found 79% of Black Americans who have had contact with law enforcement in the last 12 months want police to spend more or the same time in their area, versus 21% of that group who want to see them spend less time.
And while 45% of those Blacks who reported a negative interaction with officers favor less of a police presence, 55% of even that group still wanted police to spend the same or more time in their areas.
“Most Black Americans want the police to spend at least as much time in their area as they currently do, indicating that they value the need for the service that police provide,” said Gallup. “However, that exposure comes with more trepidation for Black than White or Hispanic Americans about what they might experience in a police encounter.”
A Gallup poll released July 22 found 88% of Black Americans agreed that “major changes are needed to make policing better,” more than any other racial group, but just 22% favored abolishing police departments, as the Minneapolis City Council has voted to do.
The poll conducted as part of the newly launched Gallup Center on Black Voices, a 100-year research commitment designed to “studying and highlighting the experiences of more than 40 million Black Americans.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-05--Hawaii top court hears arguments over 'gut and replace' laws

HONOLULU ( AP ) - Attorneys argued before the Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday over how much lawmakers should allow the public to weigh in on legislation as laws are being drafted and voted on .
The justices listened to lawyers over a video link that was streamed live on YouTube .
They were considering a lawsuit challenging the Legislature ’ s practice of stripping bills of their original content and substituting something entirely different .
The League of Women Voters of Honolulu and Common Cause Hawaii sued the state in 2018 over the tactic , which is often called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Similar maneuvers in other states are called “ gut and stuff ” or “ gut and amend.
” The lawsuit specifically challenges a law that started out as a bill about recidivism but ended up being about building hurricane-resistant schools .
A state Circuit Court judge upheld the Legislature ’ s procedures , and the plaintiffs appealed to the state ’ s highest court .
Justice Michael Wilson asked Attorney General Clare Connors how the public is allowed to participate if lawmakers can completely change the contents of a bill when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public testimony have wrapped up .
Connors replied the state Constitution mandates that the lawmakers meet only two requirements : that a bill have a broad enough title that encompasses the changed content and that the bill be in its final form when it goes up for its last vote .
She said the Legislature needs flexibility to be able to substitute bill content to allow it to respond to unforeseen emergencies , like when it passed measures to respond to flooding on Kauai last year and this year when it passed legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the plaintiffs want to be able to participate more in lawmaking , but whether they should be able to do so is a question of politics and not one for the courts .
“ What this plaintiff ’ s argument does is it creates a confrontation , unresolvable , between two coequal branches of government , ” Connors said .
Brian Black , an attorney with the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest who represented the plaintiffs , said people respect the law when they have a right to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to people ’ s willingness to consume processed meat .
“ People will eat sausage because there are rules that govern how it ’ s made .
Similarly , people will respect the law because there are rules governing the legislative process that protect the public , ” Black said .
Black told the justices , “ We want to see the sausage made .
The legislative process is not supposed to be a shell game that can only be followed by those in the know.
” Former Senate President Colleen Hanabusa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a candidate for Honolulu mayor , appeared before the court on behalf of the Legislature .
She said online technology gives the public more access to the legislative process than before by allowing people to sign up for automatic notices on changes to bills .
Those without computers can use the Capitol ’ s Public Access Room , which has computers and staff to assist the public , and libraries , Hanabusa said .
She told the justices “ you are interjecting yourselves into the legislative process ” if they were to rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed in a bill .
Such a decision would open the door to lawsuits challenging bills on the grounds the contents didn ’ t match a bill ’ s title , she said .
“ That means that every piece of legislation or every law that is passed , if anybody doesn ’ t like it , they come to the court and say , this wasn ’ t germane , ” she said .

HONOLULU (AP) - Attorneys argued before the Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday over how much lawmakers should allow the public to weigh in on legislation as laws are being drafted and voted on.
The justices listened to lawyers over a video link that was streamed live on YouTube. They were considering a lawsuit challenging the Legislature’s practice of stripping bills of their original content and substituting something entirely different.
The League of Women Voters of Honolulu and Common Cause Hawaii sued the state in 2018 over the tactic, which is often called “gut and replace” in Hawaii. Similar maneuvers in other states are called “gut and stuff” or “gut and amend.”
The lawsuit specifically challenges a law that started out as a bill about recidivism but ended up being about building hurricane-resistant schools. A state Circuit Court judge upheld the Legislature’s procedures, and the plaintiffs appealed to the state’s highest court.
Justice Michael Wilson asked Attorney General Clare Connors how the public is allowed to participate if lawmakers can completely change the contents of a bill when they meet during conference committee after hearings and public testimony have wrapped up.
Connors replied the state Constitution mandates that the lawmakers meet only two requirements: that a bill have a broad enough title that encompasses the changed content and that the bill be in its final form when it goes up for its last vote.
She said the Legislature needs flexibility to be able to substitute bill content to allow it to respond to unforeseen emergencies, like when it passed measures to respond to flooding on Kauai last year and this year when it passed legislation to address the coronavirus pandemic.
She said the plaintiffs want to be able to participate more in lawmaking, but whether they should be able to do so is a question of politics and not one for the courts.
“What this plaintiff’s argument does is it creates a confrontation, unresolvable, between two coequal branches of government,” Connors said.
Brian Black, an attorney with the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest who represented the plaintiffs, said people respect the law when they have a right to engage in the legislative process. He compared it to people’s willingness to consume processed meat.
“People will eat sausage because there are rules that govern how it’s made. Similarly, people will respect the law because there are rules governing the legislative process that protect the public,” Black said.
Black told the justices, “We want to see the sausage made. The legislative process is not supposed to be a shell game that can only be followed by those in the know.”
Former Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, who is also an attorney and a candidate for Honolulu mayor, appeared before the court on behalf of the Legislature. She said online technology gives the public more access to the legislative process than before by allowing people to sign up for automatic notices on changes to bills.
Those without computers can use the Capitol’s Public Access Room, which has computers and staff to assist the public, and libraries, Hanabusa said.
She told the justices “you are interjecting yourselves into the legislative process” if they were to rule on what form or substance would be allowed in a bill.
Such a decision would open the door to lawsuits challenging bills on the grounds the contents didn’t match a bill’s title, she said.
“That means that every piece of legislation or every law that is passed, if anybody doesn’t like it, they come to the court and say, this wasn’t germane,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Cop killer's father convicted on witness intimidation counts

NEW KENSINGTON , PA. ( AP ) - The father of a man convicted in the fatal shooting of a western Pennsylvania police officer has been found guilty of intimidating a potential witness in his son ’ s trial .
A Westmoreland County jury convicted Gregory Baucum , 49 , on two misdemeanor counts Wednesday but acquitted him on a felony charge .
The former Arnold resident faces up to four years in state prison when he ’ s sentenced later this year .
Authorities have said Baucum threatened the witness on social media , labeled her a snitch and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement .
The woman testified that Baucum sent her messages in which he called her a “ cheese-eating rat snitch ” and sent emojis of a block of cheese and a casket , which made her fear for her safety .
Baucum admitted sending the messages but testified that he did so as free speech and to alert other community members about her police cooperation .
The woman did not testify at the trial of Baucum ’ s son , Rahmael Sal Holt .
He was sentenced to death after being convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 2017 shooting death of New Kensington Police Officer Brian Shaw .

NEW KENSINGTON, PA. (AP) - The father of a man convicted in the fatal shooting of a western Pennsylvania police officer has been found guilty of intimidating a potential witness in his son’s trial.
A Westmoreland County jury convicted Gregory Baucum, 49, on two misdemeanor counts Wednesday but acquitted him on a felony charge. The former Arnold resident faces up to four years in state prison when he’s sentenced later this year.
Authorities have said Baucum threatened the witness on social media, labeled her a snitch and published details online of her cooperation with law enforcement. The woman testified that Baucum sent her messages in which he called her a “cheese-eating rat snitch” and sent emojis of a block of cheese and a casket, which made her fear for her safety.
Baucum admitted sending the messages but testified that he did so as free speech and to alert other community members about her police cooperation.
The woman did not testify at the trial of Baucum’s son, Rahmael Sal Holt. He was sentenced to death after being convicted last year of first-degree murder in the November 2017 shooting death of New Kensington Police Officer Brian Shaw.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--2 arrested in connection with Worcester homicide

WORCESTER , Mass .
( AP ) - Two people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting earlier @ @ @ @ @ man in Worcester , police say .
Amber Gravel , 27 , and Jacob Grice @ @ @ @ @ Worcester , are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in the shooting that occurred at about @ @ @ @ @ to a statement Wednesday from Worcester police .
Grice faces several charges , including assault @ @ @ @ @ .
Gravel was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder .
Asked @ @ @ @ @ a murder charge , a spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. told The @ @ @ @ @ Charges are based on what the evidence supports at the present time.
” He said @ @ @ @ @ It could not be determined if the suspects had attorneys .
Officers responding to reports @ @ @ @ @ victim on King Street .
He was taken by ambulance to a hospital , where @ @ @ @ @ The victim ’ s name has not been released .

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - Two people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting earlier this week of a Boston man in Worcester, police say.
Amber Gravel, 27, and Jacob Grice, 35, both of Worcester, are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in the shooting that occurred at about 5:30 a.m. Monday, according to a statement Wednesday from Worcester police.
Grice faces several charges, including assault and battery with a firearm.
Gravel was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Asked why Grice does not face a murder charge, a spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. told The Telegram & Gazette that “Charges are based on what the evidence supports at the present time.” He said the investigation is ongoing.
It could not be determined if the suspects had attorneys.
Officers responding to reports of gunfire found the 31-year-old victim on King Street. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The victim’s name has not been released.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Suspect surrenders in double murder outside Connecticut bar

BLOOMFIELD , Conn. ( AP ) - A suspect in a double murder outside a Connecticut bar surrendered to authorities @ @ @ @ @ Marshals Service announced a $ 5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest .
Russell @ @ @ @ @ turned himself in to the marshals and the Bloomfield Police Department , the Marshals Service @ @ @ @ @ is a suspect in the fatal shootings of two brothers outside Elizabeth ’ s Bar @ @ @ @ @ Feb. 22 .
The Marshals Service announced a $ 5,000 reward in the case on @ @ @ @ @ , 43 , and Franklin Spencer , 42 , were shot during a dispute that @ @ @ @ @ spilled out into the parking lot , where shots were fired .
Police said they @ @ @ @ @ through surveillance video and witness statements .
An arrest warrant was issued charging him with @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not clear if Smith has an attorney who can comment on the @ @ @ @

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. (AP) - A suspect in a double murder outside a Connecticut bar surrendered to authorities Thursday after the U.S. Marshals Service announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Russell Smith, of Windsor, turned himself in to the marshals and the Bloomfield Police Department, the Marshals Service announced.
Authorities say Russell is a suspect in the fatal shootings of two brothers outside Elizabeth’s Bar and Restaurant in Bloomfield on Feb. 22. The Marshals Service announced a $5,000 reward in the case on Monday.
Brothers Aaron Walker, 43, and Franklin Spencer, 42, were shot during a dispute that began inside the bar and spilled out into the parking lot, where shots were fired.
Police said they identified Smith as a suspect through surveillance video and witness statements. An arrest warrant was issued charging him with two counts of murder. It’s not clear if Smith has an attorney who can comment on the charges against him.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Portland fines feds for illegal fence around courthouse

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - It ’ s been nearly a week since federal officers withdrew from guarding Portland ’ s federal courthouse during nightly protests , but a large fence they installed is still there and city officials say it remains illegal .
The city of Portland continues to impose a $ 500 fine every 15 minutes for the fence , which was erected in the public right-of-way without a permit around the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse , according to the Oregonian/OregonLive .
As of noon Wednesday , the fine hit $ 584,000 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Margaux Weeke , spokesperson for City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly , said Tuesday .
“ I ’ d have to refer you to the federal government for their rationale as to why the fence is still obstructing our traveling lane.
” Department of Homeland Security officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
Last week , Eudaly announced that her transportation bureau would impose the highest possible fine on the federal government for erecting the fence without a permit in the bike lane in front of the courthouse .
Weeke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been in touch with the Department of Homeland Security , which spearheaded the controversial escalation in federal activity outside the courthouse in recent weeks , spurred on by the Trump administration ’ s false claims that the courthouse was in danger of being destroyed by protesters .
Eudaly last week described the federal officials as “ occupiers ” and said normally her bureau would remove the unpermitted fence .
But she didn ’ t feel it would be safe for city workers to do so with federal officials in town .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t removing the fence now that those federal officers are no longer leading the nightly law enforcement response and many of their ranks have left town .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - It’s been nearly a week since federal officers withdrew from guarding Portland’s federal courthouse during nightly protests, but a large fence they installed is still there and city officials say it remains illegal.
The city of Portland continues to impose a $500 fine every 15 minutes for the fence, which was erected in the public right-of-way without a permit around the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse, according to the Oregonian/OregonLive.
As of noon Wednesday, the fine hit $584,000.
“The fence is currently still in place,” Margaux Weeke, spokesperson for City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, said Tuesday. “I’d have to refer you to the federal government for their rationale as to why the fence is still obstructing our traveling lane.”
Department of Homeland Security officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Last week, Eudaly announced that her transportation bureau would impose the highest possible fine on the federal government for erecting the fence without a permit in the bike lane in front of the courthouse.
Weeke said the city attorney’s office has been in touch with the Department of Homeland Security, which spearheaded the controversial escalation in federal activity outside the courthouse in recent weeks, spurred on by the Trump administration’s false claims that the courthouse was in danger of being destroyed by protesters.
Eudaly last week described the federal officials as “occupiers” and said normally her bureau would remove the unpermitted fence. But she didn’t feel it would be safe for city workers to do so with federal officials in town.
It’s unclear why the city isn’t removing the fence now that those federal officers are no longer leading the nightly law enforcement response and many of their ranks have left town.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Pope on Hiroshima: Possession of nuclear weapons "immoral"

ROME ( AP ) - Pope Francis on Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima by calling for peace and repeating that not only the use of atomic weapons but their mere possession is immoral .
Francis sent a message to organizers of the anniversary commemoration , recalling that he had prayed at the Hiroshima peace memorial during his 2019 visit to Japan and met with bombing survivors , known as hibakusha .
“ It has never been clearer that , for peace to flourish , all people need to lay down the weapons of war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destructive of weapons : nuclear arms that can cripple and destroy whole cities , whole countries , ” Francis said in the message .
He repeated what he had said Nov. 24 at the peace memorial : “ The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral , just as the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral.
” The Holy See was among the first countries to sign and ratify the new U.N. nuclear prohibition treaty , and Francis himself went further than any pope before him in saying in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mere possession of atomic weapons is “ to be condemned.
” Prior to that , church teaching had held that nuclear deterrence could be morally acceptable in the interim as long as it was used toward mutual , verifiable nuclear disarmament .
Francis has modified that after seeing the deterrence doctrine has essentially resulted in a nuclear status quo , with arms control treaties collapsing .
“ May the prophetic voices of the hibakusha survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki continue to serve as a warning to us and for coming generations !
” @ @ @ @ @ @

ROME (AP) - Pope Francis on Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima by calling for peace and repeating that not only the use of atomic weapons but their mere possession is immoral.
Francis sent a message to organizers of the anniversary commemoration, recalling that he had prayed at the Hiroshima peace memorial during his 2019 visit to Japan and met with bombing survivors, known as hibakusha.
“It has never been clearer that, for peace to flourish, all people need to lay down the weapons of war, and especially the most powerful and destructive of weapons: nuclear arms that can cripple and destroy whole cities, whole countries,” Francis said in the message.
He repeated what he had said Nov. 24 at the peace memorial: “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral, just as the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral.”
The Holy See was among the first countries to sign and ratify the new U.N. nuclear prohibition treaty, and Francis himself went further than any pope before him in saying in 2017 that not only the use but the mere possession of atomic weapons is “to be condemned.”
Prior to that, church teaching had held that nuclear deterrence could be morally acceptable in the interim as long as it was used toward mutual, verifiable nuclear disarmament. Francis has modified that after seeing the deterrence doctrine has essentially resulted in a nuclear status quo, with arms control treaties collapsing.
“May the prophetic voices of the hibakusha survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki continue to serve as a warning to us and for coming generations!” Francis said in the message.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Sockeye salmon fishing opens on Baker Lake

SEDRO-WOOLLEY , Wash. ( AP ) - Anglers will have the opportunity to ply the waters of Baker Lake for sockeye salmon beginning Saturday .
The Skagit Valley Herald reports the season continues until Sept. 7 , as a sufficient number of sockeye have been transported to support a lake fishery , the State Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a news release .
The daily limit is two fish , with a minimum size of 18 inches .
Anglers may fish with two poles with the accompanying endorsement .
Each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon angling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all anglers on a boat has been reached .
The Skagit co-managers , Fish and Wildlife and treaty tribes , will closely watch sockeye returns to the Baker River upstream fish trap to ensure broodstock goals are meeting objectives , the release said .
Fish and Wildlife will monitor the Baker Lake fishery and the numbers of sockeye hauled to the lake to ensure 1,500 sockeye remain in the lake for natural spawning .
If lake escapement appears to be in jeopardy , the lake fishery may be closed .
The Puget Sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Locally , Marine Areas 6 ( East Juan de Fuca Strait ) , 8-1 ( Deception Pass ) , 8-2 ( Port Susan/Everett ) , and 9 ( Port Gamble and Admiralty Inlet ) are open Thursday through Monday until Sept. 7 .
Marine Area 7 South ( San Juan Islands/Bellingham ) will remain open until Sept. 28 on the Thursday-Monday schedule .
For those who prefer freshwater , the statewide Trout Derby continues through Oct. 31 .
The free event features more than 100 stocked lakes , including Erie , McMurray and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Due to the pandemic , anglers are urged to keep a distance of at least 6 feet and avoid crowded banks , piers or boat ramps .
Stocked kokanee in Lake Cavanaugh and Lake Samish are biting for those willing to start around sunrise .
Different combinations of dodgers , lures and depths are recommended to learn what these finicky fish are interested in on a given day .
Lake Cavanaugh is also a good producer of cutthroat trout .

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. (AP) - In a story August 6, 2020, about the sockeye salmon season for Baker Lake in northwest Washington state, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the season continues through Sept. 7. The season closed Aug. 3.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Maryland police officer charged with sexual assault

UPPER MARLBORO , Md .
( AP ) - A Maryland police officer has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her home .
Prince George ’ s County Cpl .
Brian Newcomer was arrested Sunday on multiple charges for the alleged assault , Maryland State Police said in a news release .
Authorities said the victim told officers the assault happened on July 30 in Prince George ’ s County .
Newcomer , 36 , joined the police force in 2013 and works with the department ’ s Bureau of Investigation , the Prince George ’ s County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has been suspended without pay , and the department ’ s Internal Affairs Division has also launched an investigation into his actions , said Prince George ’ s County Police Interim Chief Hector Velez .
Prince George ’ s County State ’ s Attorney Aisha Braveboy also announced Wednesday the officer would not be granted bond , WJLA-TV reported .
Newcomer faces multiple charges , including attempted second degree rape and three counts of second degree assault .
It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment @ @ @ @

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) - A Maryland police officer has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her home.
Prince George’s County Cpl. Brian Newcomer was arrested Sunday on multiple charges for the alleged assault, Maryland State Police said in a news release. Authorities said the victim told officers the assault happened on July 30 in Prince George’s County.
Newcomer, 36, joined the police force in 2013 and works with the department’s Bureau of Investigation, the Prince George’s County police department said in a news release.
He has been suspended without pay, and the department’s Internal Affairs Division has also launched an investigation into his actions, said Prince George’s County Police Interim Chief Hector Velez.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy also announced Wednesday the officer would not be granted bond, WJLA-TV reported.
Newcomer faces multiple charges, including attempted second degree rape and three counts of second degree assault. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Germany: French man arrested in child abuse investigation

BERLIN ( AP ) - A French man has been arrested in connection with a child abuse investigation in Germany @ @ @ @ @ now in custody , authorities said Thursday .
The 62-year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ French border , police and prosecutors in Cologne said in a statement .
He is @ @ @ @ @ child in Pulheim , near Cologne , in December 2018 .
Police who searched his @ @ @ @ @ quantities of data and a large-caliber weapon , as well as a cannabis garden in @ @ @ @ @ that the child was brought to him by the 27-year-old main suspect in the German @ @ @ @ @ city of Muenster , which emerged in June .
There are now 22 suspects in @ @ @ @ @ , who has two previous convictions for possessing child pornography , is accused of abusing @ @ @ @ @ son and offering him to other men .

BERLIN (AP) - A French man has been arrested in connection with a child abuse investigation in Germany in which 11 people are now in custody, authorities said Thursday.
The 62-year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday in Saarbruecken, near the French border, police and prosecutors in Cologne said in a statement.
He is accused of sexually abusing a child in Pulheim, near Cologne, in December 2018. Police who searched his home in France seized large quantities of data and a large-caliber weapon, as well as a cannabis garden in the basement.
Prosecutors allege that the child was brought to him by the 27-year-old main suspect in the German case centered on the western city of Muenster, which emerged in June.
There are now 22 suspects in the case.
The 27-year-old, who has two previous convictions for possessing child pornography, is accused of abusing his partner’s 10-year-old son and offering him to other men.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Dr. Anthony Fauci on the coronavirus: We could be 'way down' in November with proper controls

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday said he ’ s confident the U.S. can push the spread of the coronavirus “ way down ” by November and that officials need to move away from an “ all-or-none ” mitigation mindset .
“ If we pay attention to the fundamental tenets of infection control and diminution of transmission , we could be way down in November .
It is entirely conceivable , ” Dr. Fauci said on CNN ’ s “ New Day.
” “ It isn ’ t inevitable that we need to be way up there as we get towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel that very strongly , ” said Dr. Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
Dr. Fauci said the U.S. can slow the spread without resorting to strict lockdowns if people engage in practices such as wearing masks , practicing good hygiene and social distancing .
“ You can proceed to open up the country and get the economy back even when you have situations that we have now , so long as everybody does the five or six fundamental things , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that all-or-none phenomenon.
” He cited Arizona as a good example .
“ They went up and they started to really clamp down and do things right and the cases came right down , ” he said .
“ We can do that throughout those areas that are surging.
” Late last month , there had been close to 70,000 daily new cases in the U.S. , though the seven-day moving average has been coming down in recent weeks .
Dr. Fauci had previously said that cases were still unacceptably high when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 20,000 new cases per day after an initial spike in the spring .
“ We will be able to get that baseline down to a level of hundreds of cases and maybe a thousand or two , rather than 20,000 , ” he said on Thursday .

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday said he’s confident the U.S. can push the spread of the coronavirus “way down” by November and that officials need to move away from an “all-or-none” mitigation mindset.
“If we pay attention to the fundamental tenets of infection control and diminution of transmission, we could be way down in November. It is entirely conceivable,” Dr. Fauci said on CNN’s “New Day.”
“It isn’t inevitable that we need to be way up there as we get towards [the] election, and I feel that very strongly,” said Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Fauci said the U.S. can slow the spread without resorting to strict lockdowns if people engage in practices such as wearing masks, practicing good hygiene and social distancing.
“You can proceed to open up the country and get the economy back even when you have situations that we have now, so long as everybody does the five or six fundamental things,” he said. “We’ve got to get away from that all-or-none phenomenon.”
He cited Arizona as a good example.
“They went up and they started to really clamp down and do things right and the cases came right down,” he said. “We can do that throughout those areas that are surging.”
Late last month, there had been close to 70,000 daily new cases in the U.S., though the seven-day moving average has been coming down in recent weeks.
Dr. Fauci had previously said that cases were still unacceptably high when the country had “plateaued” at around 20,000 new cases per day after an initial spike in the spring.
“We will be able to get that baseline down to a level of hundreds of cases and maybe a thousand or two, rather than 20,000,” he said on Thursday.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Controversial Russian extremism case ends with conviction

MOSCOW ( AP ) - A Russian court on Thursday convicted several members of a youth group on extremism charges widely seen by critics as fabricated .
Moscow ’ s Lyublino District Court found members of the New Greatness group guilty of creating an extremist organization .
A sentence is expected later .
Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence three members to terms of six to seven and a half years in prison , and to give four other members suspended sentences between four and six and a half years .
They were arrested in March 2018 on charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overthrow the government .
Defense lawyers have maintained that an undercover police agent wrote the group ’ s radical program , effectively fabricating the case against young people with opposition views who were just meeting to discuss politics .
The case has been criticized by human rights advocates as a glaring example of police abuse and politically motivated application of Russia ’ s anti-extremism laws .
The arrests of the two youngest members - 17-year-old Anna Pavlikova and 19-year-old Maria Dubovik - prompted a big protest in August 2018 , after which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A member who has remained in jail said he was beaten and tortured by police .

MOSCOW (AP) - A Russian court on Thursday convicted and sentenced several people on extremism charges widely seen by critics as fabricated.
Moscow’s Lyublino District Court found members of the New Greatness youth group guilty of creating an extremist organization.
It sentenced three people to terms of six to seven years in prison, and gave four other members suspended sentences between four and six and a half years.
They were arrested in March 2018 on charges of creating an extremist organization aiming to overthrow the government. Defense lawyers have maintained that an undercover police agent wrote the group’s radical program, effectively fabricating the case against young people with opposition views who were just meeting to discuss politics.
The case has been criticized by human rights advocates as a glaring example of police abuse and politically motivated application of Russia’s anti-extremism laws.
The arrests of the two youngest members - 17-year-old Anna Pavlikova and 19-year-old Maria Dubovik - prompted a big protest in August 2018, after which the two teens were released under house arrest.
A member who has remained in jail said he was beaten and tortured by police.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Criminals behind mass attacks share many common traits, Secret Service says in new report

The U.S. Secret Service has uncovered many similarities among the perpetrators of deadly mass attacks that took place across the United States last year , according to a report released Thursday .
The agency ’ s annual “ Mass Attacks in Public Spaces ” report concluded that almost all of the alleged criminals in the attacks last year experienced a major stressor in their lives .
And nearly half exhibited signs of a mental health issue .
In nearly two-thirds of the cases , someone else noticed a sign of concern .
“ One of the common things that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of stressors , ” Lina Alathari , head of the Secret Service ’ s National Threat Assessment Center ( NTAC ) , told reporters at a briefing last week .
All told , 34 mass attacks were carried out by 37 individuals across the country in 2019 .
The attacks killed 108 people and injured 178 more .
Most of the victims were random , the Secret Service said .
In 24 of the attacks , the alleged criminal used a firearm .
High-profile attacks reviewed by the Secret Service included the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting at an El Paso , Texas , Walmart ; another mass shooting resulting in the death of 12 people at an office building in Virginia Beach , Virginia ; and an Aurora , Illinois , warehouse shooting that result in the murder of five people .
In 87 percent of the attacks , the perpetrators had experienced at least one stressor five years before , and 81 percent experienced at least one stressor within a year of the attack , the Secret Service said .
More than half of the attackers had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years leading up to the carnage .
For example , a 65-year-old man shot three people at a plumbing company after he was evicted from a shed on the property where he was living .
Although motives varied , in one-third of the incidents , the attackers were acted because of some grievance .
“ In these cases , attackers were retaliating for perceived wrongs related to personal issues , issues at their workplaces or domestic situations , ” said Steven Driscoll , supervisor social science research specialist for the NTAC .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent , had an ideological component , including anti-Semitism , white supremacy , jihadism or xenophobia .
The Secret Service said it has seen an uptick in attacks carried out by more than one perpetrator , but cautioned that number is still low with only three incidents .
“ This is the first mass attack report in which we ’ ve seen pairs of attackers , ” Ms. Alathari said .
“ In the 2017 attacks and the 2018 attacks , it was all lone actors .

The U.S. Secret Service has uncovered many similarities among the perpetrators of deadly mass attacks that took place across the United States last year, according to a report released Thursday.
The agency’s annual “Mass Attacks in Public Spaces” report concluded that almost all of the alleged criminals in the attacks last year experienced a major stressor in their lives.
And nearly half exhibited signs of a mental health issue. In nearly two-thirds of the cases, someone else noticed a sign of concern.
“One of the common things that we see over and over again are the impact of stressors,” Lina Alathari, head of the Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), told reporters at a briefing last week.
All told, 34 mass attacks were carried out by 37 individuals across the country in 2019. The attacks killed 108 people and injured 178 more. Most of the victims were random, the Secret Service said.
In 24 of the attacks, the alleged criminal used a firearm.
High-profile attacks reviewed by the Secret Service included the killing of 23 people in a mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart; another mass shooting resulting in the death of 12 people at an office building in Virginia Beach, Virginia; and an Aurora, Illinois, warehouse shooting that result in the murder of five people.
In 87 percent of the attacks, the perpetrators had experienced at least one stressor five years before, and 81 percent experienced at least one stressor within a year of the attack, the Secret Service said.
Stressors include a relationship breakup, divorce, bullying, ending of friendships, losing a job, failing a class, law enforcement interaction or homelessness.
More than half of the attackers had a history of financial instability in the years leading up to the carnage. For example, a 65-year-old man shot three people at a plumbing company after he was evicted from a shed on the property where he was living.
Although motives varied, in one-third of the incidents, the attackers were acted because of some grievance.
“In these cases, attackers were retaliating for perceived wrongs related to personal issues, issues at their workplaces or domestic situations,” said Steven Driscoll, supervisor social science research specialist for the NTAC.
Only nine of the attacks, or 24 percent, had an ideological component, including anti-Semitism, white supremacy, jihadism or xenophobia.
The Secret Service said it has seen an uptick in attacks carried out by more than one perpetrator, but cautioned that number is still low with only three incidents.
“This is the first mass attack report in which we’ve seen pairs of attackers,” Ms. Alathari said. “In the 2017 attacks and the 2018 attacks, it was all lone actors.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Police say 1 shot to death in barrage of gunfire in Topeka

TOPEKA , Kan. ( AP ) - A barrage of gunfire in the west end of Topeka led to the @ @ @ @ @ police said .
The shooting happened around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday , when officers were called @ @ @ @ @ a shopping district and not far from the Topeka Zoo , police said .
Arriving @ @ @ @ @ gunshot wounds who was pronounced dead at the scene .
The person ’ s name @ @ @ @ @ shooting had not been released by Thursday morning .
Police said the size of the @ @ @ @ @ issue a plea for residents to avoid the area while detectives conducted a forensics investigation @

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A barrage of gunfire in the west end of Topeka led to the death of one person, police said.
The shooting happened around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, when officers were called to Southwest Gage Boulevard near a shopping district and not far from the Topeka Zoo, police said. Arriving officers found one person suffering gunshot wounds who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The person’s name and other details of the shooting had not been released by Thursday morning.
Police said the size of the crime scene led it to issue a plea for residents to avoid the area while detectives conducted a forensics investigation.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--St. Louis County fastest growing for coronavirus cases

DULUTH , Minn. ( AP ) - St. Louis County in northeastern Minnesota this week has added new coronavirus cases faster than any other county in the state , according to health officials .
Of the 475 cases in St. Louis County as of Wednesday , more than half were confirmed in July .
The virus has been detected throughout the state ’ s geographically largest county , but about three-fourths of the cases came from Duluth , statistics showed .
While nursing homes were hit hard by COVID-19 in the spring and early summer , now nearly one-third of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their 20s .
About 40 % of those testing positive say they ’ ve attended restaurants or bars during the period they were likely exposed to the virus , the county ’ s public health director Amy Westbrook said .
“ There ’ s a lot of things to really be concerned about , ” said Westbrook , notably the proliferation of community transmission .
Westbrook said the next few weeks will be critical as the county watches to see whether the number of daily new cases , recently hovering close to 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reported its first two confirmed cases on the reservation , part of which is in St. Louis County , and a third case involving a band member tested in Duluth , the Star Tribune reported .

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - St. Louis County in northeastern Minnesota this week has added new coronavirus cases faster than any other county in the state, according to health officials.
Of the 475 cases in St. Louis County as of Wednesday, more than half were confirmed in July. The virus has been detected throughout the state’s geographically largest county, but about three-fourths of the cases came from Duluth, statistics showed.
While nursing homes were hit hard by COVID-19 in the spring and early summer, now nearly one-third of those infected in the county are in their 20s.
About 40% of those testing positive say they’ve attended restaurants or bars during the period they were likely exposed to the virus, the county’s public health director Amy Westbrook said.
“There’s a lot of things to really be concerned about,” said Westbrook, notably the proliferation of community transmission.
Westbrook said the next few weeks will be critical as the county watches to see whether the number of daily new cases, recently hovering close to 20, drops.
On Wednesday the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reported its first two confirmed cases on the reservation, part of which is in St. Louis County, and a third case involving a band member tested in Duluth, the Star Tribune reported.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Joe Biden launches new national ad aimed at Black Americans

DETROIT ( AP ) - Joe Biden ’ s Democratic presidential campaign has launched a new national ad focused on Black Americans , urging them to stand up to President Donald Trump the way their ancestors stood up to “ violent racists of a generation ago.
” The one-minute ad , which was shared exclusively with The Associated Press before its digital and television release on Thursday , is meant to drum up support among Black Americans , a key constituency for Biden , ahead of November ’ s general election .
The ad , titled “ Better America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , without mentioning the Republican president by name .
“ We must choose to fight for that better America , ” the narrator states .
“ And just like our ancestors who stood up to the violent racists of a generation ago , we will stand up to this president and say , ‘ No more , ’ because America is better than him .
So we choose to be bigger .
We choose to be bolder .
We choose to bring back justice , respect and dignity to this country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all towards that American promise together.
” African Americans have largely supported Biden ’ s presidential bid and have been credited with single-handedly transforming the Democratic presidential race and cementing his status as front-runner after his decisive primary win in South Carolina .
But Black Americans , who form one of the party ’ s most loyal voting blocs , have been hit doubly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic - they have died from the virus at disproportionate rates across the country , and they ’ ve borne the brunt of its economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic protests against police brutality and systemic racism have changed the national discourse around race , thrusting it into a national spotlight and at the heart of the presidential campaign .
The ad is part of the Biden campaign ’ s planned $ 280 million digital and television ad buy that was announced Wednesday and will run through the fall .
The buy reflects the Biden campaign ’ s improved fundraising machine .
But this ad also signals the former vice president ’ s continued effort to connect with African Americans during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A campaign spokesman said in a statement that the ad is the start of a series of content aimed at Black voters .
“ Our robust paid media strategy , which will include the largest general election investment in African American paid media by a presidential campaign , will allow us to disseminate Vice President Biden ’ s policy proposals and targeted initiatives that speak directly to Black communities across the United States , ” the statement said .
The ad is set against a backdrop of jarring images from protests held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how protesters then were met with police dogs and excessive force .
It shows images of protesters today , many of whom are younger African Americans , some carrying Black Lives Matter posters and wearing shirts that say “ I can ’ t breathe , ” a sobering reminder of George Floyd , a Minnesota man whose death at the hands of police sparked a global movement .
It also pays homage to civil rights legends U.S. Rep. John Lewis and the Rev .
C.T .
Vivian , who both died on July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Black woman to be elected to Congress .
But it also appears to link Trump to the white nationalist protest in 2017 that drew hundreds to Charlottesville , Virginia , by flashing images of both , with the words “ no more.
” “ The story of Black America is the story of America , ” the narrator states .
“ It ’ s the story of a people who have pushed this country to live up to its stated ideas , but Black people have always believed in the promise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airtime in 15 states , which includes a number of traditional swing states - Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin and Florida - as well as a number of historically Republican states , including Arizona , Georgia and Texas , and a few traditional swing states that seemed to be moving away from Democrats in recent years , such as Ohio and Iowa .
This ad will air in every state and target specific audiences on networks with high African American viewership , like BET , TV One and more .
In Wednesday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said advertising efforts will be aimed at Latino , Asian American and Pacific Islander potential voters .
Kat Stafford is a member of The Associated Press ’ Race and Ethnicity team .
Follow her on Twitter at https : //twitter.com/kat__stafford .

DETROIT (AP) - Joe Biden’s Democratic presidential campaign has launched a new national ad focused on Black Americans, urging them to stand up to President Donald Trump the way their ancestors stood up to “violent racists of a generation ago.”
The one-minute ad, which was shared exclusively with The Associated Press before its digital and television release on Thursday, is meant to drum up support among Black Americans, a key constituency for Biden, ahead of November’s general election. The ad, titled “Better America,” also takes a direct swipe at Trump, without mentioning the Republican president by name.
“We must choose to fight for that better America,” the narrator states. “And just like our ancestors who stood up to the violent racists of a generation ago, we will stand up to this president and say, ‘No more,’ because America is better than him. So we choose to be bigger. We choose to be bolder. We choose to bring back justice, respect and dignity to this country. We choose Joe Biden to lead us all towards that American promise together.”
African Americans have largely supported Biden’s presidential bid and have been credited with single-handedly transforming the Democratic presidential race and cementing his status as front-runner after his decisive primary win in South Carolina.
But Black Americans, who form one of the party’s most loyal voting blocs, have been hit doubly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic - they have died from the virus at disproportionate rates across the country, and they’ve borne the brunt of its economic fallout. And in recent months, historic protests against police brutality and systemic racism have changed the national discourse around race, thrusting it into a national spotlight and at the heart of the presidential campaign.
The ad is part of the Biden campaign’s planned $280 million digital and television ad buy that was announced Wednesday and will run through the fall.
The buy reflects the Biden campaign’s improved fundraising machine. But this ad also signals the former vice president’s continued effort to connect with African Americans during a time of immense turmoil across the nation. A campaign spokesman said in a statement that the ad is the start of a series of content aimed at Black voters.
“Our robust paid media strategy, which will include the largest general election investment in African American paid media by a presidential campaign, will allow us to disseminate Vice President Biden’s policy proposals and targeted initiatives that speak directly to Black communities across the United States,” the statement said.
The ad is set against a backdrop of jarring images from protests held in the civil rights era, showing how protesters then were met with police dogs and excessive force. It shows images of protesters today, many of whom are younger African Americans, some carrying Black Lives Matter posters and wearing shirts that say “I can’t breathe,” a sobering reminder of George Floyd, a Minnesota man whose death at the hands of police sparked a global movement.
It also pays homage to civil rights legends U.S. Rep. John Lewis and the Rev. C.T. Vivian, who both died on July 17, and Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to Congress. But it also appears to link Trump to the white nationalist protest in 2017 that drew hundreds to Charlottesville, Virginia, by flashing images of both, with the words “no more.”
“The story of Black America is the story of America,” the narrator states. “It’s the story of a people who have pushed this country to live up to its stated ideas, but Black people have always believed in the promise of a better America.”
Biden is reserving airtime in 15 states, which includes a number of traditional swing states - Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida - as well as a number of historically Republican states, including Arizona, Georgia and Texas, and a few traditional swing states that seemed to be moving away from Democrats in recent years, such as Ohio and Iowa.
This ad will air in every state and target specific audiences on networks with high African American viewership, like BET, TV One and more.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Biden’s aides also said advertising efforts will be aimed at Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander potential voters.
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Kat Stafford is a member of The Associated Press’ Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/kat__stafford.
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AP writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed to this story.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--UK says 50 million face masks it bought might not be safe

LONDON ( AP ) - The British government says it won ’ t be using 50 million face masks it bought during a scramble to secure protective equipment for medics during the coronavirus outbreak because of concerns they might not be safe .
The masks were part of a 252 million pound ( $ 332 million ) contract the government signed with investment firm Ayanda Capital in April .
Papers filed in a court case reveal that the masks won ’ t be distributed because they have ear loops rather than head loops and may not fit tightly enough .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a lawsuit against the Conservative government by campaigning groups the Good Law Project and EveryDoctor .
They want the courts to review contracts signed by the government for personal protective equipment , which they say were not properly scrutinized .
As the coronavirus outbreak accelerated across the U.K. in March , it became clear that the country lacked enough masks , gloves , gowns and other protective gear for health care workers and nursing home staff .
That sparked a race to buy billions of pieces of equipment from suppliers around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Good Law Project , said the government had signed three contracts worth more than 100 million pounds each “ with respectively a pest control company , a confectioner and a family hedge fund.
” “ Each of those contracts has revealed real cause for alarm , ” he said .
The government said in its response to the lawsuit that the offer to supply the 50 million masks came from Andrew Mills , a businessman who is both an adviser to the government ’ s Board of Trade and to Ayanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any conflict of interest .
The government says another 150 million masks of a different type supplied by Ayanda are still being tested .
It said in a statement that “ there is a robust process in place to ensure orders are of high quality and meet strict safety standards , with the necessary due diligence undertaken on all government contracts.
” Opposition parties are calling for an urgent investigation into the way personal protective equipment was acquired .

LONDON (AP) - The British government says it won’t be using 50 million face masks it bought during a scramble to secure protective equipment for medics during the coronavirus outbreak because of concerns they might not be safe.
The admission sparked calls from opposition parties for an urgent inquiry into the way contracts for essential supplies were handed out.
The masks were part of a 252-million-pound ($332 million) contract the government signed with investment firm Ayanda Capital in April. Papers filed in a court case reveal that the masks won’t be distributed because they have ear loops rather than head loops and may not fit tightly enough.
The papers, published Thursday, are part of a lawsuit against the Conservative government by campaigning groups the Good Law Project and EveryDoctor. They want the courts to review contracts signed by the government for personal protective equipment, which they say were not properly scrutinized.
The groups estimate the 50 million rejected masks cost about 150 million pounds (about $197 million), though the government has not confirmed the amount and it is unclear whether the full 252 million pounds (about $332 million) agreed to in the deal was ever paid.
As the coronavirus outbreak accelerated across the U.K. in March, it became clear that the country lacked enough masks, gloves, gowns and other protective gear for health care workers and nursing home staff. That sparked a race to buy billions of pieces of equipment from suppliers around the world.
Jolyon Maugham, director of the Good Law Project, said the government had signed three contracts worth more than 100 million pounds each “with respectively a pest control company, a confectioner and a family hedge fund.”
“Each of those contracts has revealed real cause for alarm,” he said.
The government said in its response to the lawsuit that the offer to supply the 50 million masks came from Andrew Mills, a businessman who is both an adviser to the government’s Board of Trade and to Ayanda Capital. Mills has denied there was any conflict of interest.
Ayanda Capital chief executive Tim Horlick said the masks met government standards and were not “unusable or unsafe.” He said National Health Service requirements may have changed in the fast-moving circumstances of the pandemic.
The British government said another 150 million masks of a different type supplied by Ayanda are still being tested.
It said in a statement that “there is a robust process in place to ensure orders are of high quality and meet strict safety standards, with the necessary due diligence undertaken on all government contracts.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “very disappointed” that the shipment was unusable. But he said Britain had “achieved a colossal race against time” to obtain supplies of equipment and stockpile it in case of a second wave of coronavirus in the fall and winter.
Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, called for an urgent investigation into the way personal protective equipment was acquired.
“It’s just not good enough to people who need that protective equipment that we find ourselves in this position,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Florida offers tax-free weekend for back-to-school items

But this year , in a pandemic , the priority may be on technology , as many Florida students will @ @ @ @ @ the internet .
There may be less of a rush to buy school uniforms , @ @ @ @ @ school districts beginning the year with remote learning .
The tax-free period runs from Friday @ @ @ @ @ the Florida Legislature .
It exempts state and local sales taxes on all school supplies @ @ @ @ @ under , as well as for clothing costing $ 60 or less .
It also @ @ @ @ @ $ 1,000 on computers and accessories .
In past years , retailers have also scheduled @ @ @ @ @ bring shoppers in during the tax-free days .
Sales taxes are between 6 % and @ @ @ @ @ .

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - It’s a tax-free weekend for Floridians searching for back-to-school bargains.
But this year, in a pandemic, the priority may be on technology, as many Florida students will be returning to class via the internet. There may be less of a rush to buy school uniforms, with many students at many school districts beginning the year with remote learning.
The tax-free period runs from Friday through Sunday, thanks to the Florida Legislature. It exempts state and local sales taxes on all school supplies that costs $15 and under, as well as for clothing costing $60 or less. It also exempts taxes on the first $1,000 on computers and accessories.
In past years, retailers have also scheduled sales as an incentive to bring shoppers in during the tax-free days. Sales taxes are between 6% and 8% across the state.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Facebook takes down Trump post for COVID-19 misinformation violation

Facebook on Wednesday evening pulled down a post from President Trump in which he said that children are “ almost immune ” to the coronavirus , saying it ran afoul of its COVID-19 misinformation rules .
It ’ s believed to be the first time that the tech giant has taken down one of the president ’ s posts .
The post was a clip of Mr. Trump ’ s Wednesday morning appearance on Fox News where he said children were “ almost immune ” to the coronavirus in making the case that schools should reopen for in-person learning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign account would be blocked until the clip was removed .
Younger people have been less susceptible to COVID-19 , though many have still gotten infected and some have died .
Mr. Trump said on Wednesday he had been talking about children getting very sick from the virus .
“ They get very sick , and they have problems with flus , and they have problems with other things .
But for whatever reason , the China virus , children handle it very well , ” he told reporters at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it , but they get it , and it doesn ’ t have much of an impact on them .
”

Facebook on Wednesday evening pulled down a post from President Trump in which he said that children are “almost immune” to the coronavirus, saying it ran afoul of its COVID-19 misinformation rules.
It’s believed to be the first time that the tech giant has taken down one of the president’s posts.
The post was a clip of Mr. Trump’s Wednesday morning appearance on Fox News where he said children were “almost immune” to the coronavirus in making the case that schools should reopen for in-person learning.
Twitter also said Wednesday that Mr. Trump’s campaign account would be blocked until the clip was removed.
Younger people have been less susceptible to COVID-19, though many have still gotten infected and some have died.
Mr. Trump said on Wednesday he had been talking about children getting very sick from the virus.
“They get very sick, and they have problems with flus, and they have problems with other things. But for whatever reason, the China virus, children handle it very well,” he told reporters at the White House. “And they may get it, but they get it, and it doesn’t have much of an impact on them.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Donald Trump: Sally Yates is either 'lying or grossly incompetent'

President Trump early Thursday said former Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates is either “ lying or grossly incompetent ” after her Wednesday testimony about the FBI ’ s probe of Michael Flynn .
“ Sally Yates is either lying or grossly incompetent , ” Mr. Trump said on Twitter just after midnight .
“ It is not possible she could have known so little about Dirty Cop James Comey ( and others ) from her high position in the Department of ‘ Justice ’ .
The political Crime of the Century , and she had no idea what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Congress on Wednesday that Mr. Comey , the former FBI director , failed to keep the Justice Department informed about the probe into Mr. Flynn , Mr. Trump ’ s former national security adviser .
She had previously told special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s team that she first learned about the FBI ’ s probing Flynn from former President Barack Obama and not Mr. Comey .
Mr. Flynn was ultimately fired in February 2017 for apparently lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the FBI , although the Justice Department has pushed to drop the case .

President Trump early Thursday said former Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates is either “lying or grossly incompetent” after her Wednesday testimony about the FBI’s probe of Michael Flynn.
“Sally Yates is either lying or grossly incompetent,” Mr. Trump said on Twitter just after midnight. “It is not possible she could have known so little about Dirty Cop James Comey (and others) from her high position in the Department of ‘Justice’. The political Crime of the Century, and she had no idea what they were doing?”
Ms. Yates testified to Congress on Wednesday that Mr. Comey, the former FBI director, failed to keep the Justice Department informed about the probe into Mr. Flynn, Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser.
She had previously told special counsel Robert Mueller’s team that she first learned about the FBI’s probing Flynn from former President Barack Obama and not Mr. Comey.
Mr. Flynn was ultimately fired in February 2017 for apparently lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
Mr. Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, although the Justice Department has pushed to drop the case.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways posts $758M in half-year losses

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( AP ) - Abu Dhabi ’ s Etihad Airways said Thursday core operating losses amounted to $ 758 million for the first half of the year , driven by a nearly 40 % drop in revenue due in part to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
Etihad is one of the Middle East ’ s top carriers , but it was wracked by financial losses even before the pandemic devastated the aviation industry worldwide .
The United Arab Emirates-based airline had accumulated losses of $ 586 million in the first half of 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby Dubai ’ s Emirates and Qatar Airways , said it carried 3.5 million passengers during the first six months of 2020 , nearly 60 % less than the same period last year .
Like other major carriers , Etihad cut salaries for staff starting in April and had reportedly laid off an unspecified number of employees to reduce costs .
Revenue for the first half of 2020 stood at $ 1.7 billion compared to $ 2.7 billion during the first six months of 2019 , even with this year ’ s 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline ’ s cargo operations also saw some improvement during the first quarter this year .
Etihad Airways said it had started the year strong and ahead of target prior to the pandemic , but that the closure of international borders and the UAE ’ s airports starting in March drove second quarter losses .
Etihad said 70 % of its fleet was grounded during the second quarter of the year , bringing a nearly complete halt to its passenger numbers with the exception of special repatriation flights .
Since 2016 , Etihad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as its strategy of aggressively buying stakes in airlines from Europe to Australia exposed the company to major risks .

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said Thursday core operating losses amounted to $758 million for the first half of the year, driven by a nearly 40% drop in revenue due in part to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Etihad is one of the Middle East’s top carriers, but it was wracked by financial losses even before the pandemic devastated the aviation industry worldwide. The United Arab Emirates-based airline had accumulated losses of $586 million in the first half of 2019.
The airline, which competes with nearby Dubai’s Emirates and Qatar Airways, said it carried 3.5 million passengers during the first six months of 2020, nearly 60% less than the same period last year.
Like other major carriers, Etihad cut salaries for staff starting in April and had reportedly laid off an unspecified number of employees to reduce costs.
Revenue for the first half of 2020 stood at $1.7 billion compared to $2.7 billion during the first six months of 2019, even with this year’s 27% reduction in operating costs. The airline’s cargo operations also saw some improvement during the first quarter this year.
Etihad Airways said it had started the year strong and ahead of target prior to the pandemic, but that the closure of international borders and the UAE’s airports starting in March drove second quarter losses. Etihad said 70% of its fleet was grounded during the second quarter of the year, bringing a nearly complete halt to its passenger numbers with the exception of special repatriation flights.
Since 2016, Etihad has lost more than $4.75 billion as its strategy of aggressively buying stakes in airlines from Europe to Australia exposed the company to major risks.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Ohio Gov. DeWine tests negative for COVID-19 after positive test earlier in the day, just before he

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) - Ohio Gov .
DeWine tests negative for COVID-19 after positive test earlier in @ @ @ @ @ he was to meet Trump .

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio Gov. DeWine tests negative for COVID-19 after positive test earlier in the day, just before he was to meet Trump.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--Humira maker to settle California lawsuit for $24 million

OAKLAND , Calif. ( AP ) - The maker of the drug Humira will pay $ 24 million to settle a California lawsuit that alleged it violated an insurance fraud law , the state Department of Insurance announced Thursday .
AbbVie Inc. agreed to change the way it markets Humira but continues to deny wrongdoing , according to the settlement agreement reached on July 20 .
Humira is used to treat various illnesses , including Crohn ’ s disease , ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis .
The 2018 whistleblower lawsuit was filed in Alameda Superior Court .
It alleged that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and drinks to California doctors to convince them to prescribe HUMIRA and used registered nurses as “ ambassadors ” to patients - ostensibly to provide support for patient care - without disclosing they were working for the company .
The company ’ s marketing practices violated the Insurance Frauds Prevention Act , leading insurers to pay more than $ 1 billion in improper claims , the suit alleged .
The company agreed to reforms that include having ambassadors disclose that they were paid by AbbVie rather than a health care provider .
Patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s side effects .

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The maker of the drug Humira will pay $24 million to settle a California lawsuit that alleged it violated an insurance fraud law, the state Department of Insurance announced Thursday.
AbbVie Inc. agreed to change the way it markets Humira but continues to deny wrongdoing, according to the settlement agreement reached on July 20.
Humira is used to treat various illnesses, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The 2018 whistleblower lawsuit was filed in Alameda Superior Court. It alleged that AbbVie unlawfully provided perks such as meals and drinks to California doctors to convince them to prescribe HUMIRA and used registered nurses as “ambassadors” to patients - ostensibly to provide support for patient care - without disclosing they were working for the company.
The company’s marketing practices violated the Insurance Frauds Prevention Act, leading insurers to pay more than $1 billion in improper claims, the suit alleged.
The company agreed to reforms that include having ambassadors disclose that they were paid by AbbVie rather than a health care provider. Patients also will be told about HUMIRA’s side effects.
Illinois-based AbbVie faces a similar lawsuit in that state.


washingtontimes--2020-08-06--2 suspects charged in 2019 shooting deaths of Chicago men

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Two Chicago men have been charged with first-degree murder for an April , 2019 , shooting that left two people dead and another person wounded , Cook County prosecutors announced Thursday .
LaDarius Howard , 19 , and Cornelius Valentine , 18 , were ordered held without bond Thursday for the murders of Ismael Moore , 19 , and Terrell Haggins , 17 .
Prosecutors allege Howard and Valentine exited a stolen vehicle and opened fire on a group of people standing on a West Side street corner .
They say Moore immediately fell to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gunman shot him several more times .
Haggins and his 18-year-old old brother ran but were pursued by the shooters , who eventually caught up with the younger man , who was fatally shot by Valentine .
A 29-year-old man was wounded during the incident .
Prosecutors say Howard and Valentine , both with extensive criminal backgrounds as juveniles , were arrested Tuesday .
The stolen auto was recovered the same day of the shooting , and two cellphones were found in the back seat , according to prosecutors .
One cellphone belonged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of Howard and Valentine before the shooting .
Investigators also uncovered video on social media showing the co-defendants holding the weapons used in the attack .
In addition to the murder charges , Howard and Valentine are also charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if the two have legal representation .

CHICAGO (AP) - Two Chicago men have been charged with first-degree murder for an April, 2019, shooting that left two people dead and another person wounded, Cook County prosecutors announced Thursday.
LaDarius Howard, 19, and Cornelius Valentine, 18, were ordered held without bond Thursday for the murders of Ismael Moore, 19, and Terrell Haggins, 17.
Prosecutors allege Howard and Valentine exited a stolen vehicle and opened fire on a group of people standing on a West Side street corner. They say Moore immediately fell to the ground, where a third uncharged gunman shot him several more times. Haggins and his 18-year-old old brother ran but were pursued by the shooters, who eventually caught up with the younger man, who was fatally shot by Valentine. A 29-year-old man was wounded during the incident.
Prosecutors say Howard and Valentine, both with extensive criminal backgrounds as juveniles, were arrested Tuesday.
The stolen auto was recovered the same day of the shooting, and two cellphones were found in the back seat, according to prosecutors. One cellphone belonged to the alleged getaway driver and contained video of Howard and Valentine before the shooting. Investigators also uncovered video on social media showing the co-defendants holding the weapons used in the attack.
In addition to the murder charges, Howard and Valentine are also charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery. It wasn’t immediately known if the two have legal representation.