washingtontimes--2020-06-07--George Floyd, Black Lives Matter martyr, struggled with drugs, crime

In death , George Perry Floyd Jr. has become a civil rights martyr and a catalyst for social justice .
In life , he was a mass of contradictions .
At his best , “ Perry ” was a beloved family man and standout athlete who rededicated his life to Christ after running afoul of the law , a community leader in Houston ’ s rough 3rd Ward and doting dad to his precious 6-year-old daughter , Gianna .
At his worst , Mr. Floyd was a drug addict and ex-con who did hard time for a 2007 robbery in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and absentee parent to his older children , one of whom didn ’ t recognize him when his photo appeared two weeks ago on television .
Patrick “ P.T.
” Ngwolo , an elder at the inner-city Christian mission Resurrection Houston , may have put it best when he said Mr. Floyd , who stood somewhere between 6 feet , 4 inches and 6 feet , 7 inches was “ larger than life.
” “ Mr .
Floyd was a person who was what we call in the neighborhood an OG , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who had made the mistakes and who was able to go back to a generation and say , ‘ Hey , guys , this is the way you ought to move , this is how you ought to do it , ’ ” Mr. Ngwolo told Fox News .
He said Floyd used his status as an “ OG , ” or “ original gangster , ” to help the church make inroads in the Cuney Homes public housing complex , also known as “ the Bricks , ” by reaching out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and setting up chairs and tables for services every fifth Sunday .
If not for George Floyd , he said , “ my ministry would not exist.
” Mr. Floyd quickly became the face of the social justice struggle when he died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt for nearly nine minutes on his neck while arresting the 46-year-old for allegedly passing a phony $ 20 bill .
The Hennepin County medical examiner has ruled his death a homicide , and former Officer Derek Chauvin and three others have been charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his brother Philonise Floyd said that “ everybody loved George.
” His cousin Shareeduh Tate called him “ this great big giant ” who “ always made people feel like they were special.
” “ When I was trying to make headway in the neighborhood , I needed some allies , somebody who would introduce me to people , would allow the ministry to happen in the neighborhood with relative safety , and who was loved , admired and respected in the community , ” said Mr. Ngwolo .
“ The Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I would describe George Floyd as a person of peace.
” Those who knew him 20 years earlier might disagree .
In 1997 , he was arrested on a charge of possession of less than 1 ounce of cocaine .
It was the first of eight arrests on drug and theft charges that culminated in the 2007 robbery of a woman ’ s home in Harris County , according to records posted by the [ U.K. ] Daily Mail .
The woman , who was pregnant , “ tentatively identified defendant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men who forced his way into her home by pretending to work for the water department .
He pointed a gun at her abdomen and forced her into the living room .
The men took jewelry and her cellphone before leaving .
Mr. Floyd served five years and was released in 2014 .
He joined Resurrection Houston and became involved with Roxie Washington , who gave birth to their daughter , Gianna .
Three years ago , he moved to Minneapolis in what his aunt Angela Harrelson , who lives there , described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to “ make a fresh start.
” In Minneapolis , he dated Courteney Ross , who has told media outlets that she was his fiancee .
He worked at one point as a bouncer at the Conga Latin Bistro .
“ Everybody loved Floyd , ” Jovanni Thunstrom , his employer at the bistro , told KARE-11 .
“ We all have good memories of him.
” It ’ s unclear whether Mr. Floyd started using drugs again after leaving Houston , or whether he ever stopped , but his autopsy report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in his system .
Conservative pundit Candace Owens , who is black , posted a video last week in which she criticized activists for lionizing Mr. Floyd .
In the black community , she said , “ it has become extremely fashionable for us to martyr criminals.
” She emphasized that she was not defending Mr. Chauvin .
“ Everybody agrees what he did was wrong , ” she said , but she criticized those who wanted to “ make [ Mr. Floyd ] the modern Martin Luther King Jr. ” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on him , was using counterfeit bills and was high , and went into a store and the police were subsequently called , ” Ms. Owens said .
Police Federation of Minneapolis President Bob Kroll said in a letter last week that Mr. Floyd had a “ violent criminal history.
” He said the media “ will not air this ” and accused politicians of scapegoating officers overwhelmed by the protests and rioting .
Born in Fayetteville , North Carolina , in 1973 , Mr. Floyd grew up in a poor but loving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatives , who remembered fondly the man known as “ Perry , ” “ Big Floyd ” and “ Big George.
” After his parents divorced , his mother , Larcenia “ Cissy ” Jones Floyd , moved the family to Houston .
As a single mother , she was known for preparing enormous meals for her strapping sons and feeding any neighborhood children who were hungry .
The family could not afford a washing machine or dryer — the boys washed their underwear and socks in the sink and dried them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way of making people feel special .
“ Guys that were doing drugs , like smokers and homeless people , you couldn ’ t tell , because when you spoke to George , they felt like they were the president , ” Philonise Floyd said at the memorial service .
“ Because that ’ s how he makes you feel .
He was a powerful , man , he had a way with words , he could always make you jump and go , all of the time.
” “ Big George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player at Yates High School and received a scholarship to play at what was then South Florida Community College .
He left in 1995 before earning his degree , the Houston Chronicle reported .
His first arrest was two years later .
Multiple media outlets have said he had three children , although Ms. Tate said at the memorial service that he had five children and a granddaughter .
He apparently lost touch with his children Quincy Mason Floyd and Connie Floyd , who moved to Bryan , Texas , with their mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t recognize who it was until Mom called and told me , ” Quincy Mason Floyd told KBTX-TV .
“ She said , ‘ Do you know who that guy was ?
’ I said no .
She said , ‘ That ’ s your father.
’ ” Even so , he and his sister said they were pleased by the local protest march against police brutality and in favor of social justice spurred by their father ’ s death .
“ I ’ m really excited about all this , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming out and showing him love .
I love this .
My heart is really touched by all this.
” After Mr. Floyd left for Minneapolis , Mr. Ngwolo said , he kept in touch with his friends in Houston and encouraged them to do their best and keep the faith .
“ The person I met was somebody who was on their journey toward growing in their faith in Christ and , more importantly , impacting the people he was near and dear to , ” said Mr. Ngwolo .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even while he was in Minnesota encouraging people , ‘ Keep doing what you ’ re doing.
’ ” One message stuck with Mr. Ngwolo : “ There was one text message in particular that said , ‘ Keep doing what you ’ re doing , I ’ m going to be back in June.
’ Tragically , he didn ’ t make it to June .
But we ’ re thankful for his life.
” It could be said that he did return to Houston , albeit not in the way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitation for George Floyd will be held Monday at the Fountains of Praise in Houston .
A private funeral is scheduled for Tuesday .
⦁ This story is based in part on wire service reports .

In death, George Perry Floyd Jr. has become a civil rights martyr and a catalyst for social justice. In life, he was a mass of contradictions.
At his best, “Perry” was a beloved family man and standout athlete who rededicated his life to Christ after running afoul of the law, a community leader in Houston’s rough 3rd Ward and doting dad to his precious 6-year-old daughter, Gianna.
At his worst, Mr. Floyd was a drug addict and ex-con who did hard time for a 2007 robbery in which he terrorized a Hispanic woman who was at home with a baby, and absentee parent to his older children, one of whom didn’t recognize him when his photo appeared two weeks ago on television.
Patrick “P.T.” Ngwolo, an elder at the inner-city Christian mission Resurrection Houston, may have put it best when he said Mr. Floyd, who stood somewhere between 6 feet, 4 inches and 6 feet, 7 inches was “larger than life.”
“Mr. Floyd was a person who was what we call in the neighborhood an OG, somebody who had been through the wars, who had made the mistakes and who was able to go back to a generation and say, ‘Hey, guys, this is the way you ought to move, this is how you ought to do it,’” Mr. Ngwolo told Fox News.
He said Floyd used his status as an “OG,” or “original gangster,” to help the church make inroads in the Cuney Homes public housing complex, also known as “the Bricks,” by reaching out to neighbors, participating in basketball tournaments and setting up chairs and tables for services every fifth Sunday.
If not for George Floyd, he said, “my ministry would not exist.”
Mr. Floyd quickly became the face of the social justice struggle when he died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt for nearly nine minutes on his neck while arresting the 46-year-old for allegedly passing a phony $20 bill.
The Hennepin County medical examiner has ruled his death a homicide, and former Officer Derek Chauvin and three others have been charged.
At a memorial service in Minneapolis, his brother Philonise Floyd said that “everybody loved George.” His cousin Shareeduh Tate called him “this great big giant” who “always made people feel like they were special.”
“When I was trying to make headway in the neighborhood, I needed some allies, somebody who would introduce me to people, would allow the ministry to happen in the neighborhood with relative safety, and who was loved, admired and respected in the community,” said Mr. Ngwolo. “The Bible would call that a person of peace, and I would describe George Floyd as a person of peace.”
Those who knew him 20 years earlier might disagree. In 1997, he was arrested on a charge of possession of less than 1 ounce of cocaine. It was the first of eight arrests on drug and theft charges that culminated in the 2007 robbery of a woman’s home in Harris County, according to records posted by the [U.K.] Daily Mail.
The woman, who was home with a one-year-old girl, “tentatively identified defendant George Floyd” as one of the men who forced his way into her home by pretending to work for the water department, pointed a gun at her abdomen, and forced her into the living room. The men took jewelry and her cellphone before leaving.
Mr. Floyd served five years and was released in 2014. He joined Resurrection Houston and became involved with Roxie Washington, who gave birth to their daughter, Gianna. Three years ago, he moved to Minneapolis in what his aunt Angela Harrelson, who lives there, described to the Los Angeles Times as an effort to “make a fresh start.”
In Minneapolis, he dated Courteney Ross, who has told media outlets that she was his fiancee. He worked at one point as a bouncer at the Conga Latin Bistro.
“Everybody loved Floyd,” Jovanni Thunstrom, his employer at the bistro, told KARE-11. “We all have good memories of him.”
It’s unclear whether Mr. Floyd started using drugs again after leaving Houston, or whether he ever stopped, but his autopsy report said fentanyl and evidence of methamphetamine use were in his system.
Conservative pundit Candace Owens, who is black, posted a video last week in which she criticized activists for lionizing Mr. Floyd. In the black community, she said, “it has become extremely fashionable for us to martyr criminals.”
She emphasized that she was not defending Mr. Chauvin. “Everybody agrees what he did was wrong,” she said, but she criticized those who wanted to “make [Mr. Floyd] the modern Martin Luther King Jr.”
“This is a man that had drugs on him, was using counterfeit bills and was high, and went into a store and the police were subsequently called,” Ms. Owens said.
Confession: #GeorgeFloyd is neither a martyr or a hero. But I hope his family gets justice. https://t.co/Lnxz0usrp5 — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 3, 2020
Police Federation of Minneapolis President Bob Kroll said in a letter last week that Mr. Floyd had a “violent criminal history.” He said the media “will not air this” and accused politicians of scapegoating officers overwhelmed by the protests and rioting.
Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1973, Mr. Floyd grew up in a poor but loving family, according to his brothers and relatives, who remembered fondly the man known as “Perry,” “Big Floyd” and “Big George.”
After his parents divorced, his mother, Larcenia “Cissy” Jones Floyd, moved the family to Houston. As a single mother, she was known for preparing enormous meals for her strapping sons and feeding any neighborhood children who were hungry.
The family could not afford a washing machine or dryer — the boys washed their underwear and socks in the sink and dried them in the oven — but George Floyd had a way of making people feel special.
“Guys that were doing drugs, like smokers and homeless people, you couldn’t tell, because when you spoke to George, they felt like they were the president,” Philonise Floyd said at the memorial service. “Because that’s how he makes you feel. He was a powerful, man, he had a way with words, he could always make you jump and go, all of the time.”
“Big George” was a talented football and basketball player at Yates High School and received a scholarship to play at what was then South Florida Community College. He left in 1995 before earning his degree, the Houston Chronicle reported. His first arrest was two years later.
Multiple media outlets have said he had three children, although Ms. Tate said at the memorial service that he had five children and a granddaughter. He apparently lost touch with his children Quincy Mason Floyd and Connie Floyd, who moved to Bryan, Texas, with their mother 15 years ago.
“I didn’t recognize who it was until Mom called and told me,” Quincy Mason Floyd told KBTX-TV. “She said, ‘Do you know who that guy was?’ I said no. She said, ‘That’s your father.’”
Even so, he and his sister said they were pleased by the local protest march against police brutality and in favor of social justice spurred by their father’s death.
“I’m really excited about all this,” said Quincy Floyd. “Everyone is coming out and showing him love. I love this. My heart is really touched by all this.”
After Mr. Floyd left for Minneapolis, Mr. Ngwolo said, he kept in touch with his friends in Houston and encouraged them to do their best and keep the faith.
“The person I met was somebody who was on their journey toward growing in their faith in Christ and, more importantly, impacting the people he was near and dear to,” said Mr. Ngwolo. “We’ve got text messages of him even while he was in Minnesota encouraging people, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing.’”
One message stuck with Mr. Ngwolo: “There was one text message in particular that said, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, I’m going to be back in June.’ Tragically, he didn’t make it to June. But we’re thankful for his life.”
It could be said that he did return to Houston, albeit not in the way that anybody would have wanted. A public visitation for George Floyd will be held Monday at the Fountains of Praise in Houston. A private funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.
An earlier version of this article said that George Floyd was convicted in 2007 for the aggravated robbery of a pregnant black woman. Court documents show that the woman, Aracely Henriquez, was at home with a one-year-old girl, but do not say whether she was black or pregnant. The article has been updated to reflect this.
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--St. Louis police investigate 4 shooting deaths on Sunday

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - Police in St. Louis are investigating four shooting deaths that happened early Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ in a vehicle shortly after midnight .
The 27-year-old and 28-year-old men both had multiple @ @ @ @ @ the scene .
Police said the men may have exchanged gunfire with the occupants of @ @ @ @ @ a.m. , officers found two people in an alley with gunshot wounds .
A 16-year-old @ @ @ @ @ in his early 20s was taken to the hospital in unstable condition .
Shortly before @ @ @ @ @ 39-year-old Edward Dixon was found on a road with a gunshot wound to his chest @ @ @ @

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Police in St. Louis are investigating four shooting deaths that happened early Sunday.
Two men were found dead in a vehicle shortly after midnight. The 27-year-old and 28-year-old men both had multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. Police said the men may have exchanged gunfire with the occupants of another vehicle.
Around 2 a.m., officers found two people in an alley with gunshot wounds. A 16-year-old girl died. A man in his early 20s was taken to the hospital in unstable condition.
Shortly before 3:30 a.m., police said 39-year-old Edward Dixon was found on a road with a gunshot wound to his chest. He died.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--New Mexico reports 142 new coronavirus cases, 4 more deaths

SANTA FE , N.M. ( AP ) - New Mexico health officials reported 143 new coronavirus cases with four more @ @ @ @ @ increases the total number of cases to 8,940 and the statewide death toll to 396 @ @ @ @ @ the additional COVID-19 cases were reported in San Juan County ( 44 ) and McKinley @ @ @ @ @ Two of the four latest known deaths occurred in San Juan County with one each @ @ @ @ @ County .
McKinley County has 2,694 coronavirus cases with San Juan County at 1,966 cases @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Health officials said there were 3,307 COVID-19 cases in New Mexico in which @ @ @ @ @ For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as @ @ @ @ @ up in two to three weeks .
But for some - especially older adults and @ @ @ @ @ - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico health officials reported 143 new coronavirus cases with four more known deaths Sunday.
That increases the total number of cases to 8,940 and the statewide death toll to 396.
More than half of the additional COVID-19 cases were reported in San Juan County (44) and McKinley County (37).
Two of the four latest known deaths occurred in San Juan County with one each in McKinley County and Bernalillo County.
McKinley County has 2,694 coronavirus cases with San Juan County at 1,966 cases and Bernalillo County at 1,592 cases.
Health officials said there were 3,307 COVID-19 cases in New Mexico in which the person has recovered.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.
But for some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--California officer arrested on suspicion of teen sex assault

RIVERSIDE , Calif. ( AP ) - A police officer in a Southern California city was arrested on suspicion of @ @ @ @ @ .
Nicholas Stark , 28 , was arrested last week , The Press-Enterprise reported Friday @ @ @ @ @ Sheriff ’ s Department said the Fontana Police Department requested its assistance in an investigation @ @ @ @ @ a victim who was drugged .
Stark was booked into San Bernardino County ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Rancho Cucamonga Thursday and posted bail the next day .
The alleged assault occurred prior @ @ @ @ @ with the Fontana police , the sheriff ’ s department said .
Stark is on @ @ @ @ @ Chief William Green said California law prevents him from immediately firing Stark from the police @ @ @ @ @ miles ( 18 kilometers ) north of Riverside .

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) - A police officer in a Southern California city was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
Nicholas Stark, 28, was arrested last week, The Press-Enterprise reported Friday.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said the Fontana Police Department requested its assistance in an investigation of a suspected rape involving a victim who was drugged.
Stark was booked into San Bernardino County’s West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga Thursday and posted bail the next day.
The alleged assault occurred prior to Stark’s employment with the Fontana police, the sheriff’s department said.
Stark is on paid leave and Fontana Police Chief William Green said California law prevents him from immediately firing Stark from the police department in the city 11 miles (18 kilometers) north of Riverside.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--National Guard to begin leaving California cities

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - National Guard troops will be pulled out of California cities where they have been deployed for a week after rampant violence and thievery marred the first days of protests over the death of George Floyd , officials announced Sunday .
The announcement came as peaceful demonstrations again popped up across the state , including a massive march through Hollywood , one on horseback in Compton and two catered to children in the San Francisco Bay Area , as protesters continue to call for police reforms .
“ After nearly a week assisting civil authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the California National Guard will begin transitioning back to their home armories , ” the Cal Guard said in a statement .
A timeline for the pullout was not provided .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said some troops would begin departing Sunday evening .
“ A small number of units will be stationed nearby until June 10 to provide emergency support if needed , ” Garcetti said in a statement .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Friday that he ’ d encourage local leaders to end their use of the Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very thoughtful manner.
” More than 7,000 National Guard troops were deployed to LA , San Francisco , Sacramento and other cities to assist local law enforcement , Cal Guard said .
While the vast majority of protests have been peaceful , there were violent clashes with police and hundreds of businesses were vandalized .
Floyd , a black man , died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. and around the world against police brutality and racial injustice .
Waves of people turned out for protests in big cities and small communities across the state on Sunday , a day after peaceful demonstrations took place on the Golden Gate Bridge , the state capitol and downtown San Diego .
The Compton Cowboys , a group of mostly African American horse enthusiasts , wore boots and ten-gallon hats during a “ ride for peace ” Sunday through urban neighborhoods south of Los Angeles .
Their procession was followed by hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the equestrian nation , and all of us came out here to show our unity , ” said Todd Lavegne , who had on leather chaps and rode his horse April .
“ We want to join the movement and say that black lives matter.
” Classic car fans planned a driving protest in East Los Angeles .
Meanwhile motorists honked as a small crowd waved signs in the sleepy foothill suburb of La Canada Flintridge north of Los Angeles .
To the north in Oakland , a group of protesters streamed onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with officers as they sought to halt traffic on Interstate 880 .
They backed off peacefully after demonstrating for several minutes .
Nearby , several hundred families pushed strollers and carried signs as they marched in a child-friendly march around Lake Merritt .
A similar march for children and their parents was held across the bay in San Francisco .
By late afternoon , marchers packed the streets along the city ’ s Marina and North Beach neighborhoods and on Hollywood Boulevard in LA .
“ It ’ s so packed that moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the march organized by the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter .
On Saturday , Sacramento halted a nightly curfew that began Monday and ended its use of National Guard troops who had been deployed to aid law enforcement after many buildings in the city ’ s downtown were damaged a week ago .
The Sacramento Police Department announced its officers would stop using carotid holds that cut blood flow to the brain .
On Friday , the governor called for outlawing the hold .
It was the latest local government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the arrests of thousands of demonstrators .
Brian Marvel , president of the rank-and-file Peace Officers Research Association of California , which represents more than 77,000 individuals and 930 associations , on Saturday called for a national police use of force standard patterned after a pair of new California laws that were spurred in part by Stephon Clark ’ s death in 2018 after he was shot in Sacramento by police officers .
Police can ’ t operate without community trust , he said .
Marvel said that is why the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that all peace officers have a duty to intercede , to raise the bar for use of force training standards for all peace officers.
” Associated Press photographer Marcio Sanchez in Compton contributed to this report .

LOS ANGELES (AP) - National Guard troops will be pulled out of California cities where they have been deployed for a week after rampant violence and thievery marred the first days of protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, officials announced Sunday.
The announcement came as peaceful demonstrations again popped up across the state, including a massive march through Hollywood, one on horseback in Compton and two that catered to children in the San Francisco Bay Area, as protesters continue to call for police reforms.
“After nearly a week assisting civil authorities on the streets of California, soldiers with the California National Guard will begin transitioning back to their home armories,” the Cal Guard said in a statement. A timeline for the pullout was not provided.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said some troops would begin departing Sunday evening.
“A small number of units will be stationed nearby until June 10 to provide emergency support if needed,” Garcetti said in a statement.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he’d encourage local leaders to end their use of the Guard “in an expeditious manner, but a very thoughtful manner.”
More than 7,000 National Guard troops were deployed to LA, San Francisco, Sacramento and other cities to assist local law enforcement, Cal Guard said. While the vast majority of protests have been peaceful, there were violent clashes with police and hundreds of businesses were vandalized.
Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground. His death prompted protests across the U.S. and around the world against police brutality and racial injustice.
Waves of people turned out for protests in big cities and small communities across the state on Sunday, a day after peaceful demonstrations took place on the Golden Gate Bridge, the state Capitol and downtown San Diego.
The Compton Cowboys, a group of mostly African American horse enthusiasts, wore boots and ten-gallon hats during a “ride for peace” Sunday through urban neighborhoods south of Los Angeles. Their procession was followed by hundreds of marchers on foot.
“This is the equestrian nation, and all of us came out here to show our unity, ” said Todd Lavegne, who had on leather chaps and rode his horse April. “We want to join the movement and say that black lives matter.”
Classic car fans planned a driving protest in East Los Angeles. Meanwhile motorists honked as a small crowd waved signs in the sleepy foothill suburb of La Canada Flintridge north of Los Angeles.
To the north in Oakland, a group of protesters streamed onto a freeway on-ramp and momentarily faced off with officers as they sought to halt traffic on Interstate 880. They backed off peacefully after demonstrating for several minutes. Nearby, several hundred families pushed strollers and carried signs as they marched in a child-friendly march around Lake Merritt.
A similar march for children and their parents was held across the bay in San Francisco.
By late afternoon, marchers flooded the streets along the city’s Marina and North Beach neighborhoods and on Hollywood Boulevard in LA.
“It’s so packed that moving is tough,” Dylan Kohler said at the march organized by the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter.
An estimate 50,000 people marched in Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
On Saturday, Sacramento halted a nightly curfew that began Monday and ended its use of National Guard troops who had been deployed to aid law enforcement after many buildings in the city’s downtown were damaged a week ago.
The Sacramento Police Department announced its officers would stop using carotid holds that cut blood flow to the brain. On Friday, the governor called for outlawing the hold.
It was the latest local government to ease or end curfews that resulted in the arrests of thousands of demonstrators.
Brian Marvel, president of the rank-and-file Peace Officers Research Association of California, which represents more than 77,000 individuals and 930 associations, on Saturday called for a national police use of force standard patterned after a pair of new California laws that were spurred in part by Stephon Clark’s death in 2018 after he was shot in Sacramento by police officers.
Police can’t operate without community trust, he said. Marvel said that is why the U.S. needs a national standard “to mandate that all peace officers have a duty to intercede, to raise the bar for use of force training standards for all peace officers.”
____
Associated Press photographer Marcio Sanchez in Compton contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-07--Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy: Pentagon nearly sent active duty troops to D.C. to quell riots

The Pentagon had no desire to deploy active duty troops to Washington last week to quell rioting over George Floyd ’ s death on Memorial Day in Minneapolis , military officials said Sunday .
But Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said that officials had thoroughly discussed the idea , noting that an infantry battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division was put on alert at nearby Fort Belvoir , Virginia .
Speaking Sunday to defense reporters , Mr. McCarthy said officials realized that would have been a major step in ratcheting up tension in the city .
“ We did everything we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ We came right up to the edge of bringing active duty troops here , but we didn ’ t. ” President Trump early last week threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 , which authorizes the commander in chief to deploy federal troops in the U.S. under certain conditions .
Instead , National Guardsmen from 10 states and the District of Columbia were activated , and law enforcement officers from several federal agencies were deployed in Washington .
“ We didn ’ t know if we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by martialing national guardsmen from the surrounding areas , ” Mr. McCarthy said Sunday .
“ We were the last line of defense , ” added Arm Maj. Gen. William Walker , commander of the D.C. National Guard .
About 800 soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment , known as The Old Guard for their service at Arlington National Cemetery , were placed on alert but are returning to their normal duties , Mr. McCarthy said .
Because the situation in Washington has been calm over the last several days , National Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , officials said Sunday .
“ The National Guard defended themselves and held the line , ” Gen. Walker said .
“ They were never aggressive .
They were never offensive.
” Officials said an investigation is expected to be wrapped up by mid-week into the use of a low-flying military helicopter during marches that some have claimed used its rotor wash to harass protesters .
Meanwhile , retired Army Gen. Colin Powell announced Sunday that he would not be backing Mr. Trump for reelection and instead would support former Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Republican and former secretary of state , endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 .
A former Joint Chiefs chairman , Mr. Powell added his voice to a growing chorus of retired four-star officers critical of Mr. Trump .
Last week , retired Marine Gens .
James Mattis and John F. Kelly , who had served as Mr. Trump ’ s defense secretary and Homeland Security , respectively , issued statements criticizing the president ’ s leadership .
Two other retired four-star leaders have spoken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gen. Martin Dempsey , a former Joint Chiefs chairman , on Thursday told NPR that Mr. Trump ’ s threat to use active duty troops to quell protests was “ very troubling ” and “ dangerous.
” On Sunday , Gen. Dempsey told Martha Raddatz on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” that he joined the Army soon after the Vietnam War during the military ’ s uncomfortable transition from the draft to an all-volunteer force .
“ It took us a while to regain the trust of the American people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump ’ s threats risk losing that trust .
“ Now we have a wonderful relationship with the people in this country.
” Appearing Sunday on Fox News , retired Navy Adm. Michael Mullen also criticized Mr. Trump ’ s threat of military force against protesters .
“ We have a military to fight the enemy , not our own people , ” Adm. Mullen told Fox News anchor Chris Wallace .
Last week , Defense Secretary Mark Esper publicly stated that he opposed the use of active duty troops to quell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to pull National Guard troops out of Washington , allowing them to patrol D.C. streets for at least another 24 hours .

The Pentagon had no desire to deploy active duty troops to Washington last week to quell rioting over George Floyd’s death on Memorial Day in Minneapolis, military officials said Sunday.
But Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said that officials had thoroughly discussed the idea, noting that an infantry battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division was put on alert at nearby Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Speaking Sunday to defense reporters, Mr. McCarthy said officials realized that would have been a major step in ratcheting up tension in the city.
“We did everything we could not to cross that line,” he said. “We came right up to the edge of bringing active duty troops here, but we didn’t.”
President Trump early last week threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which authorizes the commander in chief to deploy federal troops in the U.S. under certain conditions.
Instead, National Guardsmen from 10 states and the District of Columbia were activated, and law enforcement officers from several federal agencies were deployed in Washington.
“We didn’t know if we could put enough support into the city quickly by martialing national guardsmen from the surrounding areas,” Mr. McCarthy said Sunday.
“We were the last line of defense,” added Arm Maj. Gen. William Walker, commander of the D.C. National Guard.
About 800 soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard for their service at Arlington National Cemetery, were placed on alert but are returning to their normal duties, Mr. McCarthy said.
Because the situation in Washington has been calm over the last several days, National Guard troops from other states are being moved out, officials said Sunday.
“The National Guard defended themselves and held the line,” Gen. Walker said. “They were never aggressive. They were never offensive.”
Officials said an investigation is expected to be wrapped up by mid-week into the use of a low-flying military helicopter during marches that some have claimed used its rotor wash to harass protesters.
Meanwhile, retired Army Gen. Colin Powell announced Sunday that he would not be backing Mr. Trump for reelection and instead would support former Vice President Joseph R. Biden.
Mr. Powell, a Republican and former secretary of state, endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
A former Joint Chiefs chairman, Mr. Powell added his voice to a growing chorus of retired four-star officers critical of Mr. Trump. Last week, retired Marine Gens. James Mattis and John F. Kelly, who had served as Mr. Trump’s defense secretary and Homeland Security, respectively, issued statements criticizing the president’s leadership.
Two other retired four-star leaders have spoken out against Mr. Trump.
Retired Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, a former Joint Chiefs chairman, on Thursday told NPR that Mr. Trump’s threat to use active duty troops to quell protests was “very troubling” and “dangerous.”
On Sunday, Gen. Dempsey told Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week” that he joined the Army soon after the Vietnam War during the military’s uncomfortable transition from the draft to an all-volunteer force.
“It took us a while to regain the trust of the American people,” Gen. Dempsey said, adding that Mr. Trump’s threats risk losing that trust. “Now we have a wonderful relationship with the people in this country.”
Appearing Sunday on Fox News, retired Navy Adm. Michael Mullen also criticized Mr. Trump’s threat of military force against protesters.
“We have a military to fight the enemy, not our own people,” Adm. Mullen told Fox News anchor Chris Wallace.
Last week, Defense Secretary Mark Esper publicly stated that he opposed the use of active duty troops to quell rioting. But he later reversed a decision to pull National Guard troops out of Washington, allowing them to patrol D.C. streets for at least another 24 hours.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Spain: Prosecutors probe role of former king in Saudi deal

MADRID ( AP ) - Prosecutors in Spain ’ s highest court are investigating whether former King Juan Carlos received millions of dollars in kickbacks from Saudi Arabia during the construction of a high speed railway there by a Spanish consortium .
A Monday statement from the general prosecutor ’ s office called the probe one of “ undeniable technical complexity.
” The Supreme Court investigation will center on developments after mid-2014 .
That covers the second phase of the 2011 contract for the bullet train between the Saudi cities of Medina and Mecca - the so-called “ AVE of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acronym for high-speed trains in Spain .
The date marks the moment when Juan Carlos , marred by several scandals , passed on the throne to his son , who became King Felipe VI .
By abdicating after nearly four decades on the throne , Juan Carlos lost the protection granted by Spain ’ s constitution to the head of state .
The prosecutor ’ s statement said that given the “ institutional significance , ” the investigation would be charged to one of the Supreme Court ’ s chief prosecutors and three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been questioned in Spanish media for years , there have so far been zero legal implications for the king emeritus .
Spanish lawmakers have rejected at least two proposals since the first allegations emerged to open parliamentary investigations .
Swiss prosecutors are also investigating an account operated for Juan Carlos to which millions were allegedly transferred by Saudi Arabia ’ s late King Abdullah .
In March , King Felipe VI renounced any future inheritance from his father after Britain ’ s The Telegraph newspaper reported earlier this year that the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of that money .
Felipe denied any knowledge of the fund .

MADRID (AP) - Prosecutors in Spain’s highest court are investigating whether former King Juan Carlos received millions of dollars in kickbacks from Saudi Arabia during the construction of a high speed railway there by a Spanish consortium.
A Monday statement from the general prosecutor’s office called the probe one of “undeniable technical complexity.”
The Supreme Court investigation will center on developments after mid-2014. That covers the second phase of the 2011 contract for the bullet train between the Saudi cities of Medina and Mecca - the so-called “AVE of the desert” in reference to the acronym for high-speed trains in Spain.
The date marks the moment when Juan Carlos, marred by several scandals, passed on the throne to his son, who became King Felipe VI. By abdicating after nearly four decades on the throne, Juan Carlos lost the protection granted by Spain’s constitution to the head of state.
The prosecutor’s statement said that given the “institutional significance,” the investigation would be charged to one of the Supreme Court’s chief prosecutors and three assistants.
Although Juan Carlos’ finances have been questioned in Spanish media for years, there have so far been zero legal implications for the king emeritus. Spanish lawmakers have rejected at least two proposals since the first allegations emerged to open parliamentary investigations.
Swiss prosecutors are also investigating an account operated for Juan Carlos to which millions were allegedly transferred by Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah. In March, King Felipe VI renounced any future inheritance from his father after Britain’s The Telegraph newspaper reported earlier this year that the current monarch had been named as beneficiary for some of that money.
Felipe denied any knowledge of the fund.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Crews inspect Richmond's Lee statue ahead of planned removal

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - Crews are being dispatched to the Robert E. Lee monument in Richmond to inspect and analyze the statue before its planned removal .
But state officials say the memorial will not be moved on Monday .
Virginia ’ s Department of General Services said in a statement that it plans to remove the statue of the Confederate general as soon as possible .
But officials said it must be done safely given the memorial ’ s weight and height .
“ The massive statue weighs approximately 12 tons , stands 21 feet tall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedestal for 130 years , ” the agency said in a statement .
“ Meticulous planning is required to remove an aging monument of this size and scale safely.
” Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam ordered the removal of the Lee monument last week in the wake of protests in Richmond and across the country against police brutality .
The protests began after the death of George Floyd , a black man in Minneapolis who died after a white officer jammed his knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes .
City leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down another four Confederate memorials that sit near the Lee statue on city land along Richmond ’ s prestigious Monument Avenue .

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A judge in Richmond has issued an injunction preventing Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration from removing an iconic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee for 10 days.
The temporary injunction order issued Monday says the state is a party to a deed recorded in March 1890 in which it accepted the statue, pedestal and ground they sit on and agreed to “faithfully guard” and “affectionately protect” them.
It is in the public interest to await resolution of the case on the merits prior to removal of the statue, the order says.
The lawsuit was filed by William C. Gregory, who is described in the complaint as a descendant of two signatories to the deed. Named as defendants are Northam and the director of the Department of General Services, the agency tasked with handling the removal.
“(Gregory’s) family has taken pride for 130 years in this statue resting upon land belonging to his family and transferred to the Commonwealth in consideration of the Commonwealth contractually guaranteeing to perpetually care for and protect the Lee Monument,” the lawsuit says.
Northam’s spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky, said in a statement that the governor’s administration is still reviewing the order.
“Governor Northam remains committed to removing this divisive symbol from Virginia’s capital city, and we’re confident in his authority to do so,” she said.
Northam last week ordered the statue of Lee taken down, citing the pain felt across the country over the death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.
Motivated by a bystander’s video of Floyd’s agony, demonstrators around the world have vowed to sustain a movement focused on addressing racial injustice and police brutality. In the American South, they’re also advocating for the swift removal of Confederate monuments, with or without the approval of authorities.
Opponents of the monuments say they celebrate white supremacy and gloss over the nation’s history of slavery. Others who advocate for keeping them say they have historical or artistic value and their removal amounts to erasing history.
Authorities have removed other symbols since protests erupted two weeks ago, including a massive obelisk in Birmingham, Alabama, and a bronze likeness of Admiral Raphael Semmes that had stood in a middle of a downtown street near the Mobile, Alabama, waterfront for 120 years. In Fredericksburg, Virginia, a 176-year-old slave auction block was removed from the city’s downtown, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy removed its statue from Old Town, Alexandria.
In other cases, protesters aren’t waiting: In Richmond over the weekend, protesters toppled a statue of Gen. Williams Carter Wickham in a park near downtown, and in Bristol, England, a statue of slave trader Edward Colston met a watery end.
Northam has said the enormous Lee statue would be removed “as soon as possible” and his administration would seek public input about its future.
Crews inspected the statue earlier Monday as part of the planning for its removal.
“The massive statue weighs approximately 12 tons, stands 21 feet tall, and has been on a 40-foot pedestal for 130 years. Meticulous planning is required to remove an aging monument of this size and scale safely,” the Department of General Services said in a statement.
Four other Confederate monuments dot Monument Avenue, a prestigious residential street in Richmond, which was also the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Richmond’s city council has affirmed unanimous support for removing the other four, according to The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Together, they are among the nation’s most prominent collection of tributes to the Confederacy, and their planned removal has been widely praised by black leaders and activists.
___
Associated Press photographer Steve Helber contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Woman says Atlanta officer body-slammed her amid protests

ATLANTA ( AP ) - An Atlanta police officer was placed on administrative duty after activists say video shows him body-slamming a woman amid protests over police brutality .
Amber Jackson , 24 , said the officer yanked her out of a car and threw her down , breaking her shoulder and fracturing her clavicle , news outlets reported .
Bystander and police body camera videos show the officer removing Jackson from a car she says was driven by her fiance , who is a grandson of civil rights activist Hosea Williams .
The two had attended a protest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning hours of May 30 , according to news outlets .
Jackson said she moved a barrier near Lenox Square so she and her fiance could get home .
She says an officer then pulled her from the car and placed her in handcuffs .
She was not arrested , but cited for disorderly conduct , according to her attorney Mawuli Davis .
Atlanta police said in a statement to news outlets that the incident occurred amid widespread looting and property damage during the first night of protests .
“ The woman refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vehicle , ” police spokesman Carlos Campos said in the statement .
“ He attempted to get her out of the car and the two struggled .
During her effort to resist the arrest , the officer had to force her to the ground to get her in handcuffs.
” The officer was not identified in the statement .
Campos said the department ’ s Office of Professional Standards was investigating .
The incident happened a day before a different couple was pulled out of a vehicle and hit with stun guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two officers in that case were fired , and both were among six officers charged .
Activists and Jackson ’ s attorney have called for the officer who detained Jackson to be fired and for Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields to resign .
“ If Chief Shields can ’ t hold her officers accountable , then she needs to be held accountable , ” Davis said .

ATLANTA (AP) - An Atlanta police officer was placed on administrative duty after activists say video shows him body-slamming a woman amid protests over police brutality.
Amber Jackson, 24, said the officer yanked her out of a car and threw her down, breaking her shoulder and fracturing her clavicle, news outlets reported.
Bystander and police body camera videos show the officer removing Jackson from a car she says was driven by her fiance, who is a grandson of civil rights activist Hosea Williams. The two had attended a protest and were leaving the area in the early morning hours of May 30, according to news outlets.
Jackson said she moved a barrier near Lenox Square so she and her fiance could get home. She says an officer then pulled her from the car and placed her in handcuffs. She was not arrested, but cited for disorderly conduct, according to her attorney Mawuli Davis.
Atlanta police said in a statement to news outlets that the incident occurred amid widespread looting and property damage during the first night of protests.
“The woman refused the officer’s orders to exit the vehicle,” police spokesman Carlos Campos said in the statement. “He attempted to get her out of the car and the two struggled. During her effort to resist the arrest, the officer had to force her to the ground to get her in handcuffs.”
The officer was not identified in the statement. Campos said the department’s Office of Professional Standards was investigating.
The incident happened a day before a different couple was pulled out of a vehicle and hit with stun guns during a large protest in Atlanta. Two officers in that case were fired, and both were among six officers charged.
Activists and Jackson’s attorney have called for the officer who detained Jackson to be fired and for Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields to resign.
“If Chief Shields can’t hold her officers accountable, then she needs to be held accountable,” Davis said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--China's Huawei launches ad blitz as UK reconsiders its role

LONDON ( AP ) - Huawei has launched an advertising campaign in Britain as officials reconsider the Chinese technology company ’ s role in supplying equipment for the country ’ s next-generation high speed mobile networks .
The company took out full-page ads in British national newspapers outlining its commitment to providing mobile and broadband companies with equipment for fifth-generation networks , even though “ some now question our role in helping Britain lead the way in 5G.
” Huawei is stepping up its efforts to win over public opinion as it faces increasing pressure from a U.S.-led campaign aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment over fears that Beijing could use it for spying or sabotage - a charge the company has consistently denied .
Huawei was granted a limited role in January to build the U.K. ’ s new high-speed 5G networks .
However , last week the U.K ’ s National Cyber Security Centre began a review to examine the impact new U.S. sanctions against Huawei could have on the country ’ s networks , officials said .
The U.S. restrictions on foreign semiconductor makers unveiled last month are aimed at limiting Huawei ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a geopolitical battle between Washington and Beijing over industry development and security .
The sanctions “ will definitely damage the global supply chain of the semiconductor industry , which lots of industries rely on , ” though it ’ s too soon to draw a conclusion about the impact , Huawei Vice President Victor Zhang told reporters on a conference call .
Huawei faced a setback last week in Canada , where two of the three major telecommunication companies decided not to use its equipment for their 5G networks .

LONDON (AP) - Huawei has launched an advertising campaign in Britain as officials reconsider the Chinese technology company’s role in supplying equipment for the country’s next-generation high speed mobile networks.
The company took out full-page ads in British national newspapers outlining its commitment to providing mobile and broadband companies with equipment for fifth-generation networks, even though “some now question our role in helping Britain lead the way in 5G.”
Huawei is stepping up its efforts to win over public opinion as it faces increasing pressure from a U.S.-led campaign aimed at persuading allies to shun its telecom equipment over fears that Beijing could use it for spying or sabotage - a charge the company has consistently denied.
Huawei was granted a limited role in January to build the U.K.’s new high-speed 5G networks. However, last week the U.K’s National Cyber Security Centre began a review to examine the impact new U.S. sanctions against Huawei could have on the country’s networks, officials said.
The U.S. restrictions on foreign semiconductor makers unveiled last month are aimed at limiting Huawei’s ability to use American technology, escalating a geopolitical battle between Washington and Beijing over industry development and security.
The sanctions “will definitely damage the global supply chain of the semiconductor industry, which lots of industries rely on,” though it’s too soon to draw a conclusion about the impact, Huawei Vice President Victor Zhang told reporters on a conference call.
Huawei faced a setback last week in Canada, where two of the three major telecommunication companies decided not to use its equipment for their 5G networks.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--New York City man dies in 2-vehicle crash in Interstate 89

BETHEL , Vt. ( AP ) - A New York City man has died in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate @ @ @ @ @ State Police said .
Jakim Brewster Hopkins , 32 , was driving north on the @ @ @ @ @ hit a minivan from behind , causing both vehicles to roll over multiple times .
@ @ @ @ @ in the median and landed in the southbound lane .
Hopkins , who was not @ @ @ @ @ was ejected from his car and died .
The other driver , from Massachusetts , @ @ @ @ @ and released with no injuries , police said .
Witnesses told police that Hopkins had @ @ @ @ @ before the crash , police said .
State police are asking anyone who saw the @ @ @ @ @ police barracks in Royalton .

BETHEL, Vt. (AP) - A New York City man has died in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 89 in Bethel, Vermont State Police said.
Jakim Brewster Hopkins, 32, was driving north on the interstate Sunday afternoon when he hit a minivan from behind, causing both vehicles to roll over multiple times. The other vehicle rolled over in the median and landed in the southbound lane.
Hopkins, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from his car and died. The other driver, from Massachusetts, was taken to the hospital and released with no injuries, police said.
Witnesses told police that Hopkins had been speeding and driving erratically before the crash, police said. State police are asking anyone who saw the crash to contact the state police barracks in Royalton.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--12 COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania traced to New Jersey shore

DOYLESTOWN , Pa. ( AP ) - Health officials in eastern Pennsylvania have traced 12 new coronavirus cases to a person who attended recent beach house gatherings at the New Jersey shore , the Bucks County Department of Health said .
The department said 11 cases on Saturday were linked to a New Jersey resident who was present at multiple gatherings during the past two weeks .
One case reported on Friday also was traced to that person .
“ There are likely to be additional infections among family members of the new cases , ” said Dr. David Damsker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He did not provided additional details or disclose the town where the gatherings took place .
“ This is exactly why we can ’ t let our guard down now , even if it feels ` safe ’ to be at the beach , ” Damsker said .
“ One unlucky exposure can lead to a large cascade of cases down the line.
” Damsker said it ’ s important to wear face coverings when attending small gatherings involving people who are not members of the same household .
Nearly 5,000 Bucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Health officials in eastern Pennsylvania have traced 12 new coronavirus cases to a person who attended recent beach house gatherings at the New Jersey shore, the Bucks County Department of Health said.
The department said 11 cases on Saturday were linked to a New Jersey resident who was present at multiple gatherings during the past two weeks. One case reported on Friday also was traced to that person.
“There are likely to be additional infections among family members of the new cases,” said Dr. David Damsker, director of the county health department.
He did not provided additional details or disclose the town where the gatherings took place.
“This is exactly why we can’t let our guard down now, even if it feels `safe’ to be at the beach,” Damsker said. “One unlucky exposure can lead to a large cascade of cases down the line.”
Damsker said it’s important to wear face coverings when attending small gatherings involving people who are not members of the same household.
Nearly 5,000 Bucks County residents have tested positive for the coronavirus.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Bucks lead march of some 7,500 protesters

MILWAUKEE ( AP ) - Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown was among thousands of people who gathered outside Fiserv Forum @ @ @ @ @ social justice and against police brutality .
Brown and his teammates led demonstrators to Veterans @ @ @ @ @ s shore Sunday .
“ We making something great happen , something positive happen , @ @ @ @ @ around the world , ” Brown told a crowd estimated at 7,500 .
“ As @ @ @ @ @ ’ s be loud , let ’ s be known.
” Brown had his own @ @ @ @ @ 2018 he was forced to the ground , tased and arrested because of a parking @ @ @ @ @ store .
His civil rights lawsuit against Milwaukee is still pending .
Brown was joined @ @ @ @ @ organization .
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and police Chief Alfonso Morales also made appearances , @ @ @ @ @

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown was among thousands of people who gathered outside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and marched for social justice and against police brutality.
Brown and his teammates led demonstrators to Veterans Park along Lake Michigan’s shore Sunday.
“We making something great happen, something positive happen, something that’s heard around the world,” Brown told a crowd estimated at 7,500. “As we march today, let’s be loud, let’s be known.”
Brown had his own encounter with police when in 2018 he was forced to the ground, tased and arrested because of a parking violation outside a Milwaukee drug store. His civil rights lawsuit against Milwaukee is still pending.
Brown was joined by others from the Bucks organization. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and police Chief Alfonso Morales also made appearances, the Journal Sentinel reported.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--BP to cut 10,000 jobs worldwide amid virus pandemic

LONDON ( AP ) - Energy company BP said Monday that its global workforce will be trimmed by 10,000 jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic slams the oil and gas industry .
Chief Executive Bernard Looney said that the roles will be office-based and come mostly this year .
The company ’ s current global workforce is 70,000 .
The changes are expected to significantly impact senior levels , cutting the number of group leaders by a third .
The company said it will make the senior structure flatter .
The job cuts come amid a time of tremendous change for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wants to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions from its operations and the oil and gas it sells to customers by 2050 , an ambitious target born out of pressure to help combat climate change and keep making money .
The global energy industry has meanwhile been hit hard by the pandemic as the widespread limits on business , travel and public life reduced the need for oil , gas and other fuels .
Supply was also particularly high when the outbreak began , creating a perfect storm for the industry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. price of oil went below zero in April for the first time ever .

LONDON (AP) — Energy producer BP announced Monday that it will slash its global workforce by 10,000 jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic slams the oil and gas industry.
Chief Executive Bernard Looney said that the cuts will affect office-based roles in BP’s global workforce of 70,000 people and come mostly this year. The changes are expected to significantly affect senior levels, cutting the number of group leaders by a third.
“We are protecting the frontline of the company and, as always, prioritizing safe and reliable operations,” Looney said after a call with his staff.
The job cuts come amid a time of tremendous change for BP.
The global energy industry has been hit hard by the pandemic as the widespread limits on business, travel and public life reduced the need for oil, gas and other fuels. Supply was also particularly high when the outbreak began, creating a perfect storm for the industry. With storage facilities filling up, the U.S. price of oil went below zero in April for the first time ever.
BP, meanwhile, has said it wants to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions from its operations and the oil and gas it sells to customers by 2050, an ambitious target born out of pressure to help combat climate change and keep making money.
“To me, the broader economic picture and our own financial position just reaffirm the need to reinvent BP,” Looney said in an email to staff. “While the external environment is driving us to move faster — and perhaps go deeper at this stage than we originally intended — the direction of travel remains the same.”
The U.S. contract for oil began the year at over $60 a barrel, collapsed to below -$37 in April and recovered to about $39 a barrel as of Monday as OPEC countries agreed to limit production.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--In Minneapolis, rage over George Floyd extends beyond cops

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - To truly understand the fury felt as this city watched a video of George Floyd slowly dying under the weight of an officer ’ s knee , it ’ s necessary to step back in time .
Floyd is the latest in a series of high-profile killings that have exacerbated the corrosive relationship between people of color and a criminal justice system many feel is stacked against them .
“ If that was me and my friends , we would be in jail , that night , for first-degree murder , ” said Kevin Reese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has seen many kids go to prison for life in cases he said lacked hard evidence .
“ They have completely criminalized the whole community .
That ’ s where the rage comes from.
” Four decades ago , Minnesota ’ s small , flourishing black community fell victim to redlining and discriminatory bank loan denials , sending crime rates soaring alongside increased guns and drugs .
An execution-style hit on officer Jerry Haaf in 1992 triggered a crackdown that critics say perpetuated a culture of brutality and impunity by police that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was formed to reduce crime .
But a class-action lawsuit exposed widespread allegations of misconduct , and the city paid out $ 3 million in settlements .
The unit was dismantled in 2009 , but many put away by testimony from its gang experts remain in prison .
Critics say reforms intended to curtail use of force have never materialized .
In the last five years , the Minneapolis Police Department has used force 11,000 times , according to a review of police data by The Associated Press .
Black people accounted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though they represent only 19 % of the city ’ s population .
Body pins were most commonly used , followed by punching , kicking and shoving .
The city ’ s police department did not respond to questions for this story .
Other high-profile cases of on-duty police killings include Jamar Clark , 25 , in 2015 ; his family settled for $ 200,000 .
Philando Castile , 32 , was shot in 2016 while his girlfriend live-streamed the aftermath .
A $ 3 million payout was made .
The only officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Noor , a black Somali-American , sentenced to 12½ years for shooting and killing a white woman , Justine Ruszczyk Damond , in 2017 .
Her family received a record $ 20 million settlement .
In the heyday of the task force , police compounded the terror and despair of those living in neighborhoods already devastated by income disparities and underperforming schools .
Harassment was constant , and some recalled police stopping youths playing outside , ordering them to lift up their shirts to prove they weren ’ t packing guns or dope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was beaten by police for refusing to give up the name of a friend who ran from the officers .
He said he was then charged with disorderly conduct and released .
His mom , Mary Ann Riley , remembers finding him curled up in bed .
“ I snatched the cover off him and I said , ‘ Oh my God .
Who did this to you ?
’ ” she said .
“ I didn ’ t even know who my son was , they beat my son so bad.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ranks among the country ’ s worst on racial disparity .
That extends to prisons — blacks represent about 7 percent of the population , but make up 36 % of those behind bars .
“ I believe that all of us — police , prosecutors , defense attorneys , judges , corrections officials — are complicit .
I am complicit , ” said Perry Moriearty , a University of Minnesota Law School professor .
“ We continue to operate within a system that , from its earliest days , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locked up and executed black and brown people.
” When Sen. Amy Kobuchar — seen as a possible vice presidential pick — was Hennepin County ’ s top prosecutor in 1998 , her office worked to convict the alleged killers of two black kids hit by stray bullets in drive-by shootings .
The Associated Press spent a year investigating one of those cases .
Myon Burrell was 16 in 2002 when he was accused of firing a gun that killed 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards in her home .
It happened blocks away from where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Burrell maintained that Cup Foods — the same convenience store where Floyd is accused of passing a counterfeit $ 20 bill — was his alibi .
Surveillance tapes were never reviewed , and friends with Burrell that day were not interviewed .
No DNA , weapon or fingerprints were found in the case .
Most of the jailhouse snitches used to convict Burrell have since recanted , and police are shown on a video offering a man $ 500 for every name he provides — even if it ’ s hearsay .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to life .
“ Either an unarmed black man is being snuffed out by a racist white cop , “ he said .
“ Or an innocent black boy is being railroaded … and having his life stolen.
” The second case Klobuchar trumpeted involved the 1996 gang-related shooting of 11-year-old Byron Phillips .
Two years after his death , Klobuchar put up billboards requesting information .
Not long after , a man named Kawaskii Blanche was arrested .
Police have for months refused to provide reports and media files tied to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transcripts point to a dubious police probe and prosecution .
There was no physical evidence linking Blanche to the crime , and the sole hotline tip came from a woman who had 11 felony convictions and 13 aliases .
She received $ 3,700 after saying she saw a gun and overheard Blanche , her nephew and others talking about the shooting .
Before her nephew was scheduled to take the stand , a police officer coached the woman to write a letter to her nephew in jail , ensuring their stories would match @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , now 46 , has been in prison for more than two decades .
He is serving life .
“ I believe in equal opportunity , ” he said .
“ I just want to be treated like everyone else.
” Associated Press journalist , Angeliki Kastanis , contributed to this report from Los Angeles .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - To truly understand the rage people in this city felt as they watched a video of George Floyd begging, gasping and slowly succumbing beneath the weight of a police officer’s knee, it’s necessary to step back in time.
Seven years before Floyd’s cheek was smashed against the pavement, Terrance “Mookie” Franklin cowered behind a water heater in a dark basement after fleeing police who were trying to confront him about a burglary. With flashlights mounted on their guns and a police dog leading the way, they thumped down the stairs and soon found him hiding.
Fourteen minutes later, the 22-year-old African American was lying in a puddle of his own blood. Seven bullet holes pockmarked his head and neck, and three more pierced his upper torso.
As with so many allegations of police brutality in Minnesota, exactly what happened in that basement on May 10, 2013, may never be known.
The official account said two officers were shot and wounded after Franklin grabbed a police gun. But no gunshot residue testing was conducted and an examination of defense evidence suggests friendly fire may have been to blame. A $795,000 settlement reached with Franklin’s family last year kept those details out of court.
What’s clear is this: The deaths of Floyd, Franklin and other black men at the hands of Minneapolis police have exacerbated the corrosive relationship between people of color and a criminal justice system they feel is stacked against them. At every step along the way, they feel choked.
It’s a story that dates back more than four decades, to when Minnesota’s small, flourishing black community fell victim to redlining and discriminatory denial of services, including bank loans. Soon after, drugs and guns started flooding the area and crime rates soared.
When a fragile truce between gangs and police was shattered in 1992 by the execution-style hit on officer Jerry Haaf, a crackdown followed. It has perpetuated a culture of brutality and impunity that continues to this day, partly because the department has avoided reform, said Michelle Gross of the city’s non-profit Communities United Against Police Brutality.
The force did not respond to questions for this story. But police union president Lt. Bob Kroll has steadfastly defended officers’ conduct over the years. In 2019, when the city’s mayor banned “warrior-style” training for police, Kroll said the union itself would pay for the instruction.
An AP review of Minneapolis Police Department data found force has been used 11,000 times in the past five years. Black people accounted for 60% of those cases, even though they represent only 19% of the city’s population. Body pins were most commonly used, followed by punching, kicking and shoving.
In 2015, the U.S. Justice Department released a report addressing ways to prevent police misconduct, provide more transparency and improve community relations following a request from Minneapolis’ then-police chief. It found there were no clear criteria on the use of force and de-escalation tactics, and that law enforcement agencies either lacked the will or the authority to remove bad officers.
SWAT team member Lucas Peterson, who fired five shots into Franklin’s skull, had already been involved in 12 other excessive force cases - including the death of another black man.
In 2002, not long after joining the force, Peterson, who is white, used a choke hold on Christopher Burns after responding to a domestic dispute. The medical examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide, and a $300,000 settlement was paid, though a grand jury chose not to indict.
Four years later, Peterson lied in a police report, saying a woman had jumped on his partner’s back during a traffic stop. The charges were dropped after surveillance video proved she didn’t. That cost the city $100,000.
Peterson remains on the job.
Incidents that have drawn national attention since then include the shooting of Philando Castile, 32, during a 2016 traffic stop in nearby Falcon Heights as his girlfriend live-streamed the aftermath on Facebook. The Latino officer was acquitted..
And the death of Jamar Clark, 25, shot in 2015, when police responded to a report of an assault on a woman at a birthday party. Police said Clark struggled with two police, and that his DNA was found on an officer’s gun. But witnesses gave accounts that conflicted with that narrative. No charges were brought against the white officers involved.
Mohamed Noor, a black Somali-American, is the only officer known to face murder charges in an on-duty killing, and his victim was white. Justine Ruszczyk Damond was shot in 2017 as she approached his car to report a possible rape behind her home. Noor was sentenced to 12½ years in prison, and the woman’s family received a record $20 million settlement.
Castile’s family settled for $3 million. Clark’s family accepted $200,000.
“There it is, right there, in those numbers,” said Kevin Reese, founder of the Minneapolis activist group Until We Are All Free. “It is a prime example of how, here, white life is valued more than black lives.”
___
In the mid-1990s, skyrocketing homicide rates briefly earned the city the grim nickname Murderapolis.
A gang strike task force was formed to push down crime. But a class-action lawsuit exposed widespread allegations of misconduct, and the city agreed to a $3 million settlement. The unit was dismantled in 2009, but many people put away by testimony from its gang experts remain in prison.
In their heyday, police compounded the terror and despair of those living in neighborhoods already devastated by income disparities, underperforming schools and environmental blight. Harassment was constant. Some recalled police stopping youths from playing outside, ordering them to lift up their shirts to prove they weren’t packing guns or dope.
One police duo, nicknamed Batman and Robin, is remembered by many in the neighborhood. They’d roll up blasting the “Bad Boys” theme music from the TV show “Cops,” taunting residents through their car speakers. Others known as Red Dog and Wild Wild West were equally feared.
At 18, Adrian Riley recalled officers becoming enraged when he refused to give up the name of a friend who ran from the cops. He said they took him to a nearby alley where they kicked and stomped him, before bringing him to the precinct. He said he was charged with disorderly conduct and released.
His mom, Mary Ann Riley, said she found him curled up in bed, moaning in pain.
“I snatched the cover off him and I said, ‘Oh my God. Who did this to you?’ I didn’t even know who my son was, they beat my son so bad,” she said. Hospital staff told her there was urine in his blood, and he might have died without treatment.
Though Minnesota is viewed as progressive, it ranks among the country’s worst when it comes to racial disparity. That extends to prisons — black people represent about 7 percent of the state’s population, but make up 36% of those behind bars.
“I believe that all of us — police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, corrections officials — are complicit. I am complicit,” said Perry Moriearty, a University of Minnesota Law School professor. “We continue to operate within a system that, from its earliest days, has disproportionately criminalized, arrested, prosecuted, locked up and executed black and brown people.”
Laws enacted 30 years ago have led to over sentencing. In Minnesota, it’s possible to get life in prison just for being at the scene of a murder. And violent crimes are almost never commuted because a unanimous vote is required by the governor, attorney general and chief Supreme Court justice.
When Sen. Amy Kobuchar — seen as a possible vice presidential pick — was Hennepin County’s top prosecutor in 1998, her office worked to convict the alleged killers of two black kids hit by stray bullets in drive-by shootings.
The AP spent a year investigating one of those cases. Myon Burrell was 16 in 2002 when he was accused of firing a gun that killed 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards as she sat at her dining room table doing homework.
It happened blocks away from where Floyd was killed. In fact, Burrell maintained from the moment he was taken to the police station that Cup Foods — the same convenience store where Floyd is accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill — was his alibi.
Surveillance tapes were never reviewed to check Burrell’s story, and friends with him that day were not interviewed. No DNA, fingerprints, or weapon was found in the case. Most of the jailhouse snitches used to convict Burrell have since recanted, and police are shown on a video offering a man $500 for every name he provides — even if it’s hearsay. Burrell, now 34, was sentenced to life.
“Either an unarmed black man is being snuffed out by a racist white cop, or an innocent black boy is being railroaded … and having his life stolen,” he said.
The second case trumpeted by Klobuchar involved the 1996 gang-related shooting of 11-year-old Byron Phillips. Two years after his death, Klobuchar put up billboards requesting information.
Not long after, a man named Kawaskii Blanche was arrested.
The AP only received police reports about his case Monday, after four months of asking. The trial transcripts alone point to a dubious police probe and prosecution.
There was no physical evidence linking Blanche to the crime, and the sole hotline tip came from a woman who had 11 felony convictions and 13 aliases. She received $3,700 after saying she saw a gun and overheard Blanche, her nephew and others talking about the shooting. Before her nephew was scheduled to take the stand, a police officer encouraged the woman to write a letter to her nephew in jail, ensuring his story would be the same. The key eyewitness wasn’t asked to testify.
Blanche, now 46, has been locked up for more than two decades. He is serving life.
“There are two judicial systems here in Minnesota,” said Burrell, who is housed in the same facility and has now served 18 years. “One for blacks and one for whites.”
____
Associated Press journalist, Angeliki Kastanis, contributed to this report from Los Angeles.
___
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of a name to Terrance, instead of Terrence.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Energy company BP says it plans to cut 10,000 jobs from its global workforce amid the COVID-19 pande

LONDON ( AP ) - Energy company BP says it plans to cut 10,000 jobs from its global workforce amid @ @ @ @

LONDON (AP) - Energy company BP says it plans to cut 10,000 jobs from its global workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Poll: Pandemic does little to alter US views on health care

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - The coronavirus pushed hospitals to the edge , and millions of workers lost job-based coverage in the economic shutdown to slow the spread , but a new poll suggests Americans have remarkably little interest in big changes to health care as a result of the pandemic .
People are still more likely to prefer the private sector than the government on driving innovation in health care , improving quality and , by a narrower margin , providing coverage , according to the survey by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those views are basically unchanged since February , when an earlier edition of the AP-NORC poll asked the same questions at a time that the coronavirus was still largely seen as a problem in other countries , not the United States .
“ It does strike me as odd , ” said Gaye Cocoman , a retired data processing administrator from small-town Macedonia , Ohio , who has Medicare .
“ I ’ m covered , but I look at the millions of people who aren ’ t and wonder what in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do if they get sick .
There seems to be no appetite for change.
” The poll found that people are more likely to trust private entities over government at driving innovation in health care ( 70 % to 28 % ) , improving quality ( 62 % to 36 % ) and providing insurance coverage ( 53 % to 44 % ) .
Americans had more confidence in government ’ s ability to reduce costs , preferring it over the private sector 54 % to 44 % .
All of those preferences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not that long ago Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ “ Medicare for All ” plan was at the center of the Democratic presidential debate .
But even with an estimated 27 million people losing employer coverage in the economic shutdown , there ’ s been no groundswell of support for the Sanders plan , which calls for replacing the nation ’ s hybrid system of private and government coverage with a single government plan for all .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , asked last month whether waves of layoffs were prompting her Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that covers most working families , responded : “ That ’ s not our conversation.
” Pelosi said Democrats are backing measures to tide over workers who have lost coverage - such as expansions of the Affordable Care Act - but “ rather than saying let ’ s take that ( employer coverage ) away from them , we should say let ’ s get them their jobs back.
” It could simply be a reflection of human nature to shelve ambitious schemes during a crisis , said health economist Katherine Baicker , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Public Policy .
There ’ s only so much available bandwidth .
“ I wonder if the short-term crisis dampens people ’ s appetite for health system reform , ” Baicker said .
“ The idea of upending the health system at this moment … it may be that people think , ‘ No - let ’ s get a vaccine.
’ ” After the spectacle of coronavirus-related shortages of everything from cotton swabs , to protective gear for nurses and doctors , to breathing machines for desperately ill patients , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. is spending too little on improving and protecting the nation ’ s health .
That is a significantly bigger share than the 42 % who think the government is spending too little in general .
Still , views on the need for more health care spending were unchanged since before the pandemic .
Christina Rush , a middle school counselor from Raleigh , North Carolina , is among those who think the U.S. should spend more on health care and cites the virus as a reason .
“ Looking at COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge shortages of material that would be needed , ” Rush said .
“ I would have thought we had what we needed in terms of the medical system , but it seems we were so far behind some of these other countries , like South Korea .
We could be spending more.
” With more than 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 and about 40 million people unemployed , the poll found what may reflect hints of introspection among those who still have jobs and coverage .
In May , Americans were less focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 in 5 said they were very or extremely concerned about Americans in general having access to high quality care , people were less likely than in February to say they were greatly concerned about having access to quality care for themselves ( 46 % to 58 % ) and about their own health care spending ( 35 % to 44 % ) .
Other research is reinforcing that pattern , said Jennifer Benz , deputy director of the AP-NORC center .
“ Our data are showing that in the midst of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s assessments of their own situations are holding steady , or even better than they were before the COVID outbreak started to unfurl , ” she said .
Utility worker Nick Zumbusch said he ’ s noticed that shift , too , since the pandemic .
He ’ s seeing it when it comes to workplace gripes .
“ In February , people had all sorts of complaints about their jobs - their daily tasks , their hourly pay , ” said Zumbusch , a father of three from Waconia , Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t a whole lot of complaining .
It was , ‘ I ’ m happy to be here , and I ’ m happy to have a job.
’ ” The AP-NORC poll of 1,001 adults was conducted May 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORC ’ s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population .
The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points .

EMILY SWANSON and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON (AP) - The coronavirus pushed hospitals to the edge, and millions of workers lost job-based coverage in the economic shutdown to slow the spread, but a new poll suggests Americans have remarkably little interest in big changes to health care as a result of the pandemic.
People are still more likely to prefer the private sector than the government on driving innovation in health care, improving quality and, by a narrower margin, providing coverage, according to the survey by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Those views are basically unchanged since February, when an earlier edition of the AP-NORC poll asked the same questions at a time that the coronavirus was still largely seen as a problem in other countries, not the United States.
“It does strike me as odd,” said Gaye Cocoman, a retired data processing administrator from small-town Macedonia, Ohio, who has Medicare. “I’m covered, but I look at the millions of people who aren’t and wonder what in the world they’re going to do if they get sick. There seems to be no appetite for change.”
The poll found that people are more likely to trust private entities over government at driving innovation in health care (70% to 28%), improving quality (62% to 36%) and providing insurance coverage (53% to 44%). Americans had more confidence in government’s ability to reduce costs, preferring it over the private sector 54% to 44%. All of those preferences are unchanged since before COVID-19 arrived.
Not that long ago Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan was at the center of the Democratic presidential debate. But even with an estimated 27 million people losing employer coverage in the economic shutdown, there’s been no groundswell of support for the Sanders plan, which calls for replacing the nation’s hybrid system of private and government coverage with a single government plan for all.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asked last month whether waves of layoffs were prompting her Democratic caucus members to reconsider the employer-based system that covers most working families, responded: “That’s not our conversation.”
Pelosi said Democrats are backing measures to tide over workers who have lost coverage - such as expansions of the Affordable Care Act - but “rather than saying let’s take that (employer coverage) away from them, we should say let’s get them their jobs back.”
It could simply be a reflection of human nature to shelve ambitious schemes during a crisis, said health economist Katherine Baicker, dean of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. There’s only so much available bandwidth.
“I wonder if the short-term crisis dampens people’s appetite for health system reform,” Baicker said. “The idea of upending the health system at this moment … it may be that people think, ‘No - let’s get a vaccine.’ ”
After the spectacle of coronavirus-related shortages of everything from cotton swabs, to protective gear for nurses and doctors, to breathing machines for desperately ill patients, the poll did find 56% saying the U.S. is spending too little on improving and protecting the nation’s health.
That is a significantly bigger share than the 42% who think the government is spending too little in general. Still, views on the need for more health care spending were unchanged since before the pandemic.
Christina Rush, a middle school counselor from Raleigh, North Carolina, is among those who think the U.S. should spend more on health care and cites the virus as a reason.
“Looking at COVID, I didn’t realize the huge shortages of material that would be needed,” Rush said. “I would have thought we had what we needed in terms of the medical system, but it seems we were so far behind some of these other countries, like South Korea. We could be spending more.”
With more than 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 and about 40 million people unemployed, the poll found what may reflect hints of introspection among those who still have jobs and coverage. In May, Americans were less focused on their own complaints.
While about 3 in 5 said they were very or extremely concerned about Americans in general having access to high quality care, people were less likely than in February to say they were greatly concerned about having access to quality care for themselves (46% to 58%) and about their own health care spending (35% to 44%).
Other research is reinforcing that pattern, said Jennifer Benz, deputy director of the AP-NORC center. “Our data are showing that in the midst of a public health and economic crisis, people’s assessments of their own situations are holding steady, or even better than they were before the COVID outbreak started to unfurl,” she said.
“It feels a little counter-intuitive,” added Benz.
Utility worker Nick Zumbusch said he’s noticed that shift, too, since the pandemic. He’s seeing it when it comes to workplace gripes.
“In February, people had all sorts of complaints about their jobs - their daily tasks, their hourly pay,” said Zumbusch, a father of three from Waconia, Minnesota. “Come May, there wasn’t a whole lot of complaining. It was, ‘I’m happy to be here, and I’m happy to have a job.’”
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,001 adults was conducted May 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
___
Online:
AP-NORC Center: http://www.apnorc.org/.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Derek Chauvin to make first court appearance after George Floyd's death

Derek Chauvin , the white police officer who has been charged with murdering George Floyd over Memorial Day weekend , @ @ @ @ @ appearance on Monday .
The former Minneapolis police officer is facing second-degree murder and manslaughter @ @ @ @ @ viral of him pressing his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes @ @ @ @ @ man , was on the ground repeatedly saying he couldn ’ t breathe .
Three @ @ @ @ @ time of the killing , who did not appear to intervene , are charged with @ @ @ @ @ .
It will be Chauvin ’ s first court appearance in two weeks since the @ @ @ @ @ protests against racism and riots in several major cities .
Several memorial services were held @ @ @ @ @ .
His third and final service will take place Monday in Houston , Texas .

Derek Chauvin, the white police officer who has been charged with murdering George Floyd over Memorial Day weekend, will make his first court appearance on Monday.
The former Minneapolis police officer is facing second-degree murder and manslaughter charges after a video went viral of him pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd, a black man, was on the ground repeatedly saying he couldn’t breathe.
Three other officers present at the time of the killing, who did not appear to intervene, are charged with aiding and abetting the murder.
It will be Chauvin’s first court appearance in two weeks since the killing, which sparked nationwide protests against racism and riots in several major cities.
Several memorial services were held over the weekend for Floyd. His third and final service will take place Monday in Houston, Texas.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Building works re-start in Paris' fire-ravaged Notre Dame

PARIS ( AP ) - Works have restarted in Paris ’ fire-ravaged Notre Dame cathedral after a hiatus linked to @ @ @ @ @ Monday morning operations began to dismantle scaffolding that was already in place before the April @ @ @ @ @ efforts on the old structures .
This current phase of works has been deemed highly @ @ @ @ @ over 200 tons , and is thought to have melted together in areas because of @ @ @ @ @ .
Technicians will access the interior of the cathedral by rope to dismantle the 40,000 @ @ @ @ @ .
This phase is expected to last three months .
President Emmanuel Macron announced a @ @ @ @ @ the conservation works , a figure widely deemed unrealistic .

PARIS (AP) - Works have restarted in Paris’ fire-ravaged Notre Dame cathedral after a hiatus linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday morning operations began to dismantle scaffolding that was already in place before the April 2019 fire amid previous restoration efforts on the old structures.
This current phase of works has been deemed highly dangerous because the scaffolding weighs over 200 tons, and is thought to have melted together in areas because of the heat of the blaze.
Technicians will access the interior of the cathedral by rope to dismantle the 40,000 tubes, one by one. This phase is expected to last three months.
President Emmanuel Macron announced a timeline of five years for the conservation works, a figure widely deemed unrealistic.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--The majority of Americans say Donald Trump is a conservative: Poll

Though some may puzzle over President Trump ’ s ideology , two thirds of both Republicans and conservatives are under @ @ @ @ @ .
So are a majority of Democrats and liberals .
Curious ?
Here are the @ @ @ @ @ that gauged the “ perceived ideology ” of the president .
• 52 % of @ @ @ @ @ is conservative ; 65 % of Republicans , 41 % of independents and 53 % @ @ @ @ @ 64 % of conservatives and 61 % of liberals also agree .
• 7 % @ @ @ @ @ ideology Mr. Trump favors ; 9 % of Republicans , 39 % of independents and @ @ @ @ @ .
• 10 % of conservatives and 24 % of liberals also agree .
• @ @ @ @ @ Trump is liberal ; 4 % of Republicans , 3 % of independents and 4 @ @ @ @ @ • 2 % of conservatives and 5 % of liberals also agree .
Source : @ @ @ @ @ U.S. adults conducted May 31-June 2 .

Though some may puzzle over President Trump’s ideology, two thirds of both Republicans and conservatives are under the impression he is conservative. So are a majority of Democrats and liberals. Curious? Here are the numbers from a new survey that gauged the “perceived ideology” of the president.
• 52% of U.S. adults say Mr. Trump is conservative; 65% of Republicans, 41% of independents and 53% of Democrats agree.
• 64% of conservatives and 61% of liberals also agree.
• 7% overall are not sure what ideology Mr. Trump favors; 9% of Republicans, 39% of independents and 28% of Democrats agree.
• 10% of conservatives and 24% of liberals also agree.
• 8% overall say Mr. Trump is liberal; 4% of Republicans, 3% of independents and 4% of Democrats agree.
• 2% of conservatives and 5% of liberals also agree.
Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted May 31-June 2.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-08--Republicans call on Joe Biden to take stand on 'Defund Police' movement

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Monday former Vice President Joseph R. Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , needs to be vocal about where he stands on the “ Defund Police ” movement , as many progressive Democrats have called for the defunding and disbanding of police departments in major cities .
It has been a new rallying cry for activists , who have been out protesting in the wake of George Floyd ’ s killing .
Floyd , a black man , died over Memorial Day weekend while in police custody in Minneapolis .
A video captured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Floyd ’ s neck for almost nine minutes .
“ Joe Biden is trying to play both ends of this , ” the Louisiana Republican told Fox News .
Mr. Scalise said giving police departments less money would not solve issues within certain departments that have had serious problems , such as the Minneapolis police department , which is facing a civil rights probe by the state .
“ Clearly , if somebody abuses their power in some position of law enforcement , there needs to be accountability , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take a look at a policing bill Democrats are expected to introduce Monday to address accountability and oversight of law enforcement .
The legislation doesn ’ t defund police , but it bans chokeholds and requires racial bias training .

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Monday former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, needs to be vocal about where he stands on the “Defund Police” movement, as many progressive Democrats have called for the defunding and disbanding of police departments in major cities.
It has been a new rallying cry for activists, who have been out protesting in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. Floyd, a black man, died over Memorial Day weekend while in police custody in Minneapolis. A video captured a white police officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.
“Joe Biden is trying to play both ends of this,” the Louisiana Republican told Fox News.
Mr. Scalise said giving police departments less money would not solve issues within certain departments that have had serious problems, such as the Minneapolis police department, which is facing a civil rights probe by the state.
“Clearly, if somebody abuses their power in some position of law enforcement, there needs to be accountability,” he said.
The minority whip said Republicans will take a look at a policing bill Democrats are expected to introduce Monday to address accountability and oversight of law enforcement.
SEE ALSO: Defund police movement advances in Minneapolis, New York
The legislation doesn’t defund police, but it bans chokeholds and requires racial bias training.
President Trump, meanwhile, has been very vocal in defending the police, dismissing calls to defund law enforcement agencies.
“LAW & ORDER, NOT DEFUND AND ABOLISH THE POLICE. The Radical Left Democrats have gone Crazy!” he tweeted Monday morning.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.