washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Louisiana teacher pay falls further behind Southern average

BATON ROUGE , La .
( AP ) - The gap between the average salary that Louisiana teachers earn and the Southern regional average continues to widen .
The Advocate reports that the latest data shows teachers in Louisiana were paid an average of $ 50,923 for the 2018-19 school year , compared to $ 54,930 across the 16-state region - a difference of more than $ 4,000 .
During the previous school year , the gap was $ 2,306 , according to the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta .
Gov .
John Bel Edwards has vowed to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term in 2024 .
But the coronavirus outbreak ended discussion of a teacher pay raise this year .
Whether efforts will resume next year remains unclear amid the financial uncertainty of the pandemic .
Even as Louisiana has raised teacher pay , the state continues to fall further behind its peers .
The $ 1,000 across-the-board raises that won legislative approval in 2019 were low compared to what other states were doing .
“ It equals to basically a cost-of-living raise that would happen in other professions , ” said Megan Boren , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Southern Regional Education Board .
Pay in Georgia rose by $ 3,000 last year and $ 2,000 in Florida , among several states that recently have handed out salary boosts , according to the organization ’ s survey .
Louisiana is ranked 11th in the region for what it pays teachers , ahead of Alabama , Florida , Mississippi , West Virginia and South Carolina .
Maryland leads the 16-state region with average teacher pay of $ 70,463 .
Shane Riddle , director of legislative and political affairs for the Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been chasing the regional average for years .
“ If the Legislature doesn ’ t fix the problem and do something about it , we are going to continue to fall way , way behind and suffer as a state , ” Riddle said .
The report comes on the heels of a separate study by the state Department of Education that shows 12 % of teachers left the profession in the 2018-19 school year .
The national average is 8 % , Boren said .
Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of teachers quit in their first five years from 2016-19 .
“ That should be a flag to us as a state that we really need to look at investing in new teacher programming and support , ” Brumley said .

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The gap between the average salary that Louisiana teachers earn and the Southern regional average continues to widen.
The Advocate reports that the latest data shows teachers in Louisiana were paid an average of $50,923 for the 2018-19 school year, compared to $54,930 across the 16-state region - a difference of more than $4,000.
During the previous school year, the gap was $2,306, according to the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has vowed to reach the average before he finishes his second term in 2024. But the coronavirus outbreak ended discussion of a teacher pay raise this year. Whether efforts will resume next year remains unclear amid the financial uncertainty of the pandemic.
Even as Louisiana has raised teacher pay, the state continues to fall further behind its peers. The $1,000 across-the-board raises that won legislative approval in 2019 were low compared to what other states were doing.
“It equals to basically a cost-of-living raise that would happen in other professions,” said Megan Boren, who studies teacher salaries and other issues for the Southern Regional Education Board.
Pay in Georgia rose by $3,000 last year and $2,000 in Florida, among several states that recently have handed out salary boosts, according to the organization’s survey.
Louisiana is ranked 11th in the region for what it pays teachers, ahead of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, West Virginia and South Carolina. Maryland leads the 16-state region with average teacher pay of $70,463.
Shane Riddle, director of legislative and political affairs for the Louisiana Association of Educators union, noted Louisiana has been chasing the regional average for years.
“If the Legislature doesn’t fix the problem and do something about it, we are going to continue to fall way, way behind and suffer as a state,” Riddle said.
The report comes on the heels of a separate study by the state Department of Education that shows 12% of teachers left the profession in the 2018-19 school year. The national average is 8%, Boren said.
Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley described as especially striking data showing 44% of teachers quit in their first five years from 2016-19.
“That should be a flag to us as a state that we really need to look at investing in new teacher programming and support,” Brumley said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Explosive devices removed from home, charges pending

MONTEREY , Mass .
( AP ) - Dozens of explosive devices and powders have been removed from a Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ do not believe there is a direct threat to the public at large .
The @ @ @ @ @ home in Monterey on Friday .
The state police bomb squad transported and safely detonated @ @ @ @ @ location , according to a news release from the Berkshire district attorney ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ a Monterey man to court to face multiple charges on the illegal possession , manufacture @ @ @ @ @ devices , ” the news release said .
A name was not provided .

MONTEREY, Mass. (AP) - Dozens of explosive devices and powders have been removed from a Massachusetts home, but state police do not believe there is a direct threat to the public at large.
The devices were removed from a home in Monterey on Friday. The state police bomb squad transported and safely detonated the devices in a secure location, according to a news release from the Berkshire district attorney’s office.
“Authorities will summons a Monterey man to court to face multiple charges on the illegal possession, manufacture, and sale of explosive devices,” the news release said. A name was not provided.
Multiple agencies assisted in the investigation.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Montana climate project to install remote weather stations

MISSOULA , Mont .
( AP ) - University of Montana researchers recently received a $ 21 million government contract , bringing more support and longevity to what has been a grassroots effort to build a better climate monitoring network across the state .
The funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will pay to expand and enhance a collaborative project spearheaded by UM ’ s Montana Climate Office in 2016 that aims to fill in gaps in weather and soil moisture data throughout the state .
“ This project is very unique , ” said Kelsey Jencso , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watershed hydrology at UM .
“ This is a very applied project .
It has a particular goal , which is to better monitor soil moisture , snowpack , weather hazards and climate conditions.
” Through partnerships with government agencies , including the Montana Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Land Management , Montana State University , watershed groups , and private farmers and ranchers , the Montana Climate Office , part of the W.A .
Franke College of Forestry and Conservation , has installed 80 weather stations in the last four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the project allows researchers and state agencies to better characterize drought conditions across Montana for planning around agriculture , water supplies and evolving fire conditions , Jencso said in a phone interview .
With the additional money from the contract , they ’ ll be able to add stations in central and eastern portions of the state , where historically , data has been under measured .
“ It ’ s not that snow doesn ’ t occur out in central and eastern Montana , it ’ s just that we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so these data points become really important for daily models by the NOAA ( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ) and Weather Service flood forecast center , ” Jencso told the Missoulian .
The $ 21 million Army Corps contract will cover new equipment and sensors and pay for maintenance and increased staff , allowing them to replace current weather stations with new ones and expand the network to more than 200 stations in total in the coming years , providing data that ’ s vital to farmers and ranchers planning their seasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in near real time , which can be viewed online through the Montana Climate Office .
“ Farmers need to know soil moisture and soil temperature conditions for planting and harvesting , they need to document hail and extreme weather events for reporting crop losses .
To save money , they need to know how much fertilizer to apply and these amounts change due to differences in soil moisture .
In this light , increased efficiency from more accurate weather and soil moisture information can translate into several million dollars in statewide savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email .
Eventually , there will be a station every 25 square miles , he added .
Because of the contract , “ there ’ s actually going to be some support in terms of sustaining this network…so it ’ s something we can count on longer term and really start to develop not just the data , but decision making tools around the data , ” Jencso said .
“ There aren ’ t necessarily research questions associated with this .
It ’ s all about developing better data , better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make better decisions for our economy.
” Prior to receiving the contract , the already established network was partly funded in a grassroots effort by private landowners , farmers and ranchers who heard about the project by word of mouth and wanted to support a nearby weather station , Jencso said .
“ Literally you ’ d get a phone call from a rancher out near Sidney , Montana , asking , ’ I ’ ve heard about this from my neighbor or through ( Montana State University–Bozeman ) Extension or the ag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in supporting one of these , ” he said .
Kevin Hyde , Montana Mesonet manager , said Stillwater County was the first county to pay for a station , adding they ’ ve already been using the data for real-world applications .
“ They did it because they knew it was going to improve their insurance claims - crop insurance , cattle insurance - and they ’ ve used the data for that purpose , ” he said .
The expanded data set will also be a vital resource for researchers conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This opens the door for many , many other opportunities .
It ’ s the infrastructure upon which science questions can follow.
” The project will create upwards of 10 paid “ boots on the ground ” positions for UM undergraduate students every year .
“ This provides a unique opportunity for students to not only get the basic curriculum and understanding in water resources and hydrology , but to get out into the field and have paid positions where they ’ re functioning as hydrologic technicians , ” Jencso said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience for future water resources professionals.
” Carly Andlauer , a senior finishing up a bachelor ’ s degree in ecology restoration this semester , has already been working as a research associate soils analyst for the project since last fall .
She works in the lab on campus , processing soil samples from the monitoring stations across the state .
“ It ’ s just a really unique position to be in , ” Andlauer said .
“ We ’ ve got so much going on and just so many samples to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work is important because it ’ s giving her real-world experience as an undergrad .
“ It ’ s pretty much directly what I want to be in .
This is hands on … I get to actually develop models and apply it directly.
” She plans to continue working on the project as she works towards a master ’ s degree , eventually using the data for her thesis .
“ I think it ’ s really incredible to be working somewhere where we ’ re kind of at the forefront of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
Other researchers on the team include Zachary Hoylman , assistant state climatologist at the Montana Climate Center ; Kyle Bocinsky , research associate at the Montana Climate Center ; and Bruce Maxwell , professor of weed and invasive plant ecology at MSU .
The contract is part of a larger , $ 48.2 million project that is a collaboration with climate offices of Wyoming , South Dakota , North Dakota and Nebraska and will cover about a quarter million square miles with over 500 weather stations - a station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Upper Missouri River Basin .

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - University of Montana researchers recently received a $21 million government contract, bringing more support and longevity to what has been a grassroots effort to build a better climate monitoring network across the state.
The funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will pay to expand and enhance a collaborative project spearheaded by UM’s Montana Climate Office in 2016 that aims to fill in gaps in weather and soil moisture data throughout the state.
“This project is very unique,” said Kelsey Jencso, a lead researcher and associate professor of watershed hydrology at UM. “This is a very applied project. It has a particular goal, which is to better monitor soil moisture, snowpack, weather hazards and climate conditions.”
Through partnerships with government agencies, including the Montana Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Land Management, Montana State University, watershed groups, and private farmers and ranchers, the Montana Climate Office, part of the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, has installed 80 weather stations in the last four years across Montana.
Called Montana Mesonet, the project allows researchers and state agencies to better characterize drought conditions across Montana for planning around agriculture, water supplies and evolving fire conditions, Jencso said in a phone interview. With the additional money from the contract, they’ll be able to add stations in central and eastern portions of the state, where historically, data has been under measured.
“It’s not that snow doesn’t occur out in central and eastern Montana, it’s just that we don’t have stations to record that and so these data points become really important for daily models by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and Weather Service flood forecast center,” Jencso told the Missoulian.
The $21 million Army Corps contract will cover new equipment and sensors and pay for maintenance and increased staff, allowing them to replace current weather stations with new ones and expand the network to more than 200 stations in total in the coming years, providing data that’s vital to farmers and ranchers planning their seasons. The stations measure and relay data in near real time, which can be viewed online through the Montana Climate Office.
“Farmers need to know soil moisture and soil temperature conditions for planting and harvesting, they need to document hail and extreme weather events for reporting crop losses. To save money, they need to know how much fertilizer to apply and these amounts change due to differences in soil moisture. In this light, increased efficiency from more accurate weather and soil moisture information can translate into several million dollars in statewide savings each year,” Jencso said in an email.
Eventually, there will be a station every 25 square miles, he added.
Because of the contract, “there’s actually going to be some support in terms of sustaining this network…so it’s something we can count on longer term and really start to develop not just the data, but decision making tools around the data,” Jencso said. “There aren’t necessarily research questions associated with this. It’s all about developing better data, better models to protect life, property and make better decisions for our economy.”
Prior to receiving the contract, the already established network was partly funded in a grassroots effort by private landowners, farmers and ranchers who heard about the project by word of mouth and wanted to support a nearby weather station, Jencso said.
“Literally you’d get a phone call from a rancher out near Sidney, Montana, asking, ’I’ve heard about this from my neighbor or through (Montana State University–Bozeman) Extension or the ag research centers, I’m interested in supporting one of these,” he said.
Kevin Hyde, Montana Mesonet manager, said Stillwater County was the first county to pay for a station, adding they’ve already been using the data for real-world applications.
“They did it because they knew it was going to improve their insurance claims - crop insurance, cattle insurance - and they’ve used the data for that purpose,” he said.
The expanded data set will also be a vital resource for researchers conducting studies into the future, Jencso said.
“This opens the door for many, many other opportunities. It’s the infrastructure upon which science questions can follow.”
The project will create upwards of 10 paid “boots on the ground” positions for UM undergraduate students every year.
“This provides a unique opportunity for students to not only get the basic curriculum and understanding in water resources and hydrology, but to get out into the field and have paid positions where they’re functioning as hydrologic technicians,” Jencso said. “That’s a key experience for future water resources professionals.”
Carly Andlauer, a senior finishing up a bachelor’s degree in ecology restoration this semester, has already been working as a research associate soils analyst for the project since last fall. She works in the lab on campus, processing soil samples from the monitoring stations across the state.
“It’s just a really unique position to be in,” Andlauer said. “We’ve got so much going on and just so many samples to get through.”
Andlauer said the lab work is important because it’s giving her real-world experience as an undergrad.
“It’s pretty much directly what I want to be in. This is hands on … I get to actually develop models and apply it directly.”
She plans to continue working on the project as she works towards a master’s degree, eventually using the data for her thesis.
“I think it’s really incredible to be working somewhere where we’re kind of at the forefront of stuff we’re working on,” she said.
Other researchers on the team include Zachary Hoylman, assistant state climatologist at the Montana Climate Center; Kyle Bocinsky, research associate at the Montana Climate Center; and Bruce Maxwell, professor of weed and invasive plant ecology at MSU.
The contract is part of a larger, $48.2 million project that is a collaboration with climate offices of Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska and will cover about a quarter million square miles with over 500 weather stations - a station every couple of dozen miles in the Upper Missouri River Basin.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Historic female voter honored by with gravestone correction

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) - For more than 80 years , the grave of the first woman to vote under an equal suffrage law in the United States was marked with a misspelled name .
On Tuesday morning , her descendants , Utah Gov .
Gary Herbert and others gathered at Seraph Young ’ s corrected headstone in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington , D.C. “ She was a pioneer for women ’ s suffrage , ” Herbert said in a press call after the wreath-laying ceremony .
Her story is an example of how people today can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for future generations , he said .
On Feb. 14 , 1870 , Young became the first woman - not just in Utah , but in the country - to vote under an equal suffrage law when she cast her ballot in a Salt Lake City municipal election .
While she has been celebrated across Utah this year , on the 150th anniversary of her historic vote , Young faded from public memory pretty quickly after that first election .
Her great-grandchildren didn ’ t learn about their connection to her legacy until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Days 2020 , a nonprofit that promotes Utah ’ s suffrage history , had to piece together much of Young ’ s life when they began researching her almost three years ago .
“ At that time , we weren ’ t sure she had voted in the historic election , we didn ’ t have a photo of her , and we didn ’ t know what happened to her after 1870 , ” Katherine Kitterman , historical director for the nonprofit , said in an email .
“ Her memory has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Kitterman said , “ but we ’ re proud of the role we ’ ve been able to play in rectifying that and honoring the legacy of her historic vote , which has affected not only Utahns but women across the country.
” After she died at the age of 91 in 1938 , Young was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband , Seth Leland Ford , who fought for the Union Army in the Civil War .
On the back of Ford ’ s headstone , Young ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serath ” instead of “ Seraph.
” Last year , the Better Days 2020 team submitted a request to correct the mistake .
With help from the White House , Arlington officials placed a new headstone in March .
Young is now also listed on the national cemetery ’ s website among the prominent women buried there and is described as “ a pioneering figure in American history in her own right.
” When a historian first told Russell Rice Jr. , who lives in Maryland , that he was the great-grandson of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they got the wrong person.
” But when he learned that his grandmother , Cherry Ford White , was Young ’ s daughter , it clicked .
Rice and his own granddaughter , 9-year-old Hope Rice , both attended Tuesday ’ s ceremony celebrating Young .
They were joined by Kitterman , state Sen. Deidre Henderson , R-Spanish Fork , Utah first lady Jeanette Herbert and White House officials , including a member of first lady Melania Trump ’ s staff and national security adviser Robert C. O ’ Brien , among others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) had no idea that her simple act of civic duty would set in motion events that would span generations , ” Henderson said in a statement .
“ I am grateful that the stories of Seraph Young and other important women who paved the way are finally being unearthed to inspire the women of the future.
” Historians know , based on newspaper reports from the time , that Young was the first American woman to vote , according to Kitterman .
None of the other 25 or so women who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named in articles .
Young worked as a teacher at the University of Deseret ’ s model school , a primary school , when she cast her historic ballot at age 23 .
She was also the grandniece of Brigham Young , the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .
After first voting in 1870 , Congress stripped Utah women of their suffrage in 1887 as part of federal anti-polygamy legislation .
They later regained their right to vote when Utah became a state in 1896 .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year also marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment , which expanded voting rights for women across the country , and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act that prohibited discriminatory practices , such as poll taxes and literacy tests , that kept people of color from voting .
Becky Jacobs is a Report for America corps member and writes about the status of women in Utah for The Salt Lake Tribune .
Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one ; please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount today by clicking here .

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - For more than 80 years, the grave of the first woman to vote under an equal suffrage law in the United States was marked with a misspelled name.
Not anymore.
On Tuesday morning, her descendants, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and others gathered at Seraph Young’s corrected headstone in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
“She was a pioneer for women’s suffrage,” Herbert said in a press call after the wreath-laying ceremony. Her story is an example of how people today can also be pioneers and clear a path for future generations, he said.
On Feb. 14, 1870, Young became the first woman - not just in Utah, but in the country - to vote under an equal suffrage law when she cast her ballot in a Salt Lake City municipal election.
While she has been celebrated across Utah this year, on the 150th anniversary of her historic vote, Young faded from public memory pretty quickly after that first election. Her great-grandchildren didn’t learn about their connection to her legacy until just recently.
Team members at Better Days 2020, a nonprofit that promotes Utah’s suffrage history, had to piece together much of Young’s life when they began researching her almost three years ago.
“At that time, we weren’t sure she had voted in the historic election, we didn’t have a photo of her, and we didn’t know what happened to her after 1870,” Katherine Kitterman, historical director for the nonprofit, said in an email.
“Her memory has not always gotten the recognition it deserves,” Kitterman said, “but we’re proud of the role we’ve been able to play in rectifying that and honoring the legacy of her historic vote, which has affected not only Utahns but women across the country.”
After she died at the age of 91 in 1938, Young was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband, Seth Leland Ford, who fought for the Union Army in the Civil War. On the back of Ford’s headstone, Young’s first name was listed as “Serath” instead of “Seraph.”
Last year, the Better Days 2020 team submitted a request to correct the mistake. With help from the White House, Arlington officials placed a new headstone in March. Young is now also listed on the national cemetery’s website among the prominent women buried there and is described as “a pioneering figure in American history in her own right.”
When a historian first told Russell Rice Jr., who lives in Maryland, that he was the great-grandson of Young, he said he thought “they got the wrong person.” But when he learned that his grandmother, Cherry Ford White, was Young’s daughter, it clicked.
Rice and his own granddaughter, 9-year-old Hope Rice, both attended Tuesday’s ceremony celebrating Young. They were joined by Kitterman, state Sen. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork, Utah first lady Jeanette Herbert and White House officials, including a member of first lady Melania Trump’s staff and national security adviser Robert C. O’Brien, among others.
“I am sure (Young) had no idea that her simple act of civic duty would set in motion events that would span generations,” Henderson said in a statement. “I am grateful that the stories of Seraph Young and other important women who paved the way are finally being unearthed to inspire the women of the future.”
Historians know, based on newspaper reports from the time, that Young was the first American woman to vote, according to Kitterman. None of the other 25 or so women who are thought to have voted with her was named in articles.
Young worked as a teacher at the University of Deseret’s model school, a primary school, when she cast her historic ballot at age 23. She was also the grandniece of Brigham Young, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After first voting in 1870, Congress stripped Utah women of their suffrage in 1887 as part of federal anti-polygamy legislation. They later regained their right to vote when Utah became a state in 1896.
In addition to Young’s milestone, this year also marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which expanded voting rights for women across the country, and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act that prohibited discriminatory practices, such as poll taxes and literacy tests, that kept people of color from voting.
Becky Jacobs is a Report for America corps member and writes about the status of women in Utah for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--He's fought COVID-19 for months. Can he ever really beat it?

INDIANAPOLIS ( AP ) - Larry Brown had been on a ventilator for 37 days .
Nurses periodically turned the 45-year-old former Indiana State football player onto his stomach to help him breathe .
Brown ’ s lungs were filling with fluid , and doctors didn ’ t expect him to last .
As visitors weren ’ t allowed in the intensive care unit , a nurse placed a phone next to his ear .
“ Thank you for fighting so hard , Larry , ” his sister-in-law , Ellie Brown , told him .
She was careful not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like millions of COVID-19 cases , Brown ’ s had started with minor symptoms .
When he fell ill in mid-March , people in the U.S. were becoming familiar with the novel coronavirus .
Businesses were starting to shutter - but only until the country could flatten the curve , nearly everyone thought .
And most cases weren ’ t severe , officials said .
Yet Brown spiraled quickly .
His family feared they ’ d lose him but wouldn ’ t call it quits .
“ People weren ’ t ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Turns out , neither was Larry .
After that phone call , Brown slowly improved .
He ’ d remain on the ventilator for nearly two more weeks , for a total of about 50 days .
But coming out of the medically induced coma was only the beginning of Brown ’ s recovery .
There ’ s no end in sight to a rehabilitation that already has lasted months .
His hands - which helped make him Indiana State ’ s eighth all-time receiving leader - can ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t die of the virus , but life may never be the same .
Brown doesn ’ t know exactly when he first felt symptoms .
Around March 15 , he started struggling to focus at work .
He didn ’ t have a cough like many coronavirus patients , but he did lose his appetite .
The 5-foot-9-inch , 240-pound man knew that was a sign .
He was hearing more about the virus .
Schools and sports leagues began shutting down .
Indiana would soon order residents to stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the doctor or an essential business .
Brown called his doctor , who told him to quarantine .
He hunkered down , and his mom dropped off meals .
On March 25 , an exhausted Brown called his mom for help .
Marilyn Brown dialed 911 , and an ambulance took her son to the hospital .
Brown ’ s spirits rose over the prospect of help .
As he rested in his room watching TV , he thought he ’ d stay a few days .
Soon , though , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t sure why .
It ’ s the last thing he really remembers .
Doctors moved Brown to the ICU and started him on the ventilator while grappling with how to treat him .
They put him in a medically induced coma , and attached him to an ECMO machine , which did the job of his lungs by transferring oxygen into his blood .
As April ended , Brown ’ s condition grew worse .
A dangerous MRSA infection set in .
Despite the no-visitors rule , staff feared Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one of his daughters see him .
Brown wouldn ’ t recall that emotional visit , or his sister-in-law ’ s phone call .
Those weeks seem like a black hole , lost time where all he remembers is nightmares : He was in a different hospital , and staff there wanted to kill him .
Doctors aren ’ t sure why Brown started to improve .
Narang suspects the ECMO machine saved his life .
An antibiotic adjustment may have helped .
Whatever the reason , Brown woke up May 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brown couldn ’ t walk or speak .
He could barely scribble .
Hospital rehabilitation began right away .
He had to build strength in his legs to stand , then to try a few steps , and climb some stairs .
Making it to the top felt like climbing Mount Everest .
The work made him sore and reminded him of football training camp .
But that soreness faded as seasons progressed .
On June 12 , he left the hospital , ambling through a group of applauding employees and into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people wore masks .
Businesses closed early if they opened at all .
Grocery prices had jumped ; stores had new traffic patterns .
He doesn ’ t know how he got COVID-19 .
He doesn ’ t know if the tingling sensation in every finger except his pinkies will ever go away and allow him to type without shooting pain .
He doesn ’ t know when he ’ ll be able to return to his job as a business analyst with health insurer Anthem .
He doesn ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his kids again or if he ’ ll live with a permanent disability .
“ Right now , I ’ m just trying to understand the new normal , ” said Brown , wearing a blue-and-white “ COVID-19 survivor ” T-shirt at home with his family .
He says he ’ s blessed to be alive but estimates he ’ s at 40 % of his pre-coronavirus self .
Brown ’ s doctors have unanswered questions , too .
COVID-19 has disproportionately affected African Americans like Brown ; what role might that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; he doesn ’ t smoke .
Why did his case grow so severe - why did he become what some call a “ COVID long-hauler ” ?
Winter is coming , and flu season .
A national election looms .
Then come holidays , with some families determined to have “ normal ” celebrations .
Some states have fully reopened restaurants , bars and other businesses .
Thousands of self-identified long-haulers are sharing their stories and getting informal advice via social media - how many more would come from a second wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t wish this on anyone .
He left the hospital nearly four months ago , yet still has to stretch his hands and legs , which stiffen frequently .
He ’ s regularly at therapy and neurology appointments .
He struggles to get out of his deep sofa .
His kids chop ingredients when he cooks .
His 12-year-old daughter , Justys , lifts the tab on his Pepsi cans .
Brown isn ’ t sure how far recovery will take him .
His kids giggled and thumped around upstairs as he searched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … they ’ re , I don ’ t know , ” he said , glancing down briefly .
“ I haven ’ t set the bar high , and I haven ’ t set the bar low .
“ I just accept , you know , making progress .
”

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Larry Brown had been on a ventilator for 37 days. Nurses periodically turned the 45-year-old former Indiana State football player onto his stomach to help him breathe. Though sedated, he had tried to pull off the equipment keeping him alive, so his arms were strapped down.
But Brown’s lungs were filling with fluid, and doctors didn’t expect him to last much longer. As visitors weren’t allowed in the intensive care unit, a nurse placed a phone next to his ear.
“Thank you for fighting so hard, Larry,” his sister-in-law, Ellie Brown, told him. She was careful not to say goodbye. If he could hear her, that might scare him.
Like millions of COVID-19 cases, Brown’s had started with minor symptoms - fatigue, loss of appetite. When he fell ill in mid-March, people in the United States were becoming familiar with the novel coronavirus. Mask use wasn’t widespread outside hospitals. Around Brown’s hometown, Indianapolis, fewer than 10 new cases were reported each day, on average. Businesses were just starting to shutter around him in response to state orders - but only until the country could flatten the curve, nearly everyone thought. And the vast majority of cases weren’t severe, officials said.
Yet Brown spiraled quickly. His doctors were stumped as they scoured medical texts for treatments. His close-knit family watched him deteriorate in the hospital, even as others recovered from the virus.
They feared they would lose him but wouldn’t call it quits. “People weren’t ready to go there,” Ellie Brown said.
Turns out, neither was Larry.
After that phone call, Brown slowly started to improve. He would remain on the ventilator for nearly two more weeks, for a total of about 50 days. But coming out of the medically induced coma was only the beginning of Brown’s recovery.
When Brown entered the hospital, there were about 75,000 COVID-19 cases recorded nationwide. By the time he left, that figure had topped 2 million. Month by month, the number of fatalities ticked up by tens of thousands, surpassing 200,000 dead in September. And yet, Americans who’d grown tired of quarantines were pushing a return to “life as normal.”
That’s not possible for Brown. At least not yet. There is no end in sight to a rehabilitation that already has lasted months. His hands - which helped make him Indiana State’s eighth all-time receiving leader - can’t even open a can of Pepsi. He didn’t die of the virus, but he’s coming to terms with the fact that his life might never be the same.
_______
Brown doesn’t know exactly when he first felt symptoms. Around March 15, he noticed he was struggling to focus at work and taking naps. He didn’t have a cough like many coronavirus patients, but he did lose his appetite.
He knew that was a sign: “I’m always hungry,” the 5-foot-9-inch, 240-pound man said.
He was hearing more about the virus. Schools and sports leagues began shutting down. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb would soon order residents to stay home unless they had to go to work, the doctor or an essential business.
Brown called his doctor, who told him to quarantine. He hunkered down, and his mom sometimes dropped off meals. She, too, was growing more nervous about the virus. A couple days earlier, she went to her Friday night bowling league to tell them she wouldn’t be back; she was concerned about spreading risk in her family. She walked out of the bowling alley that night with a friend who would later die of COVID-19.
Brown’s symptoms worsened. Nightmares arrived with hot and cold flashes. He dreamed something was chasing him, and he’d wake up drenched in sweat right before it caught him. He struggled to draw deep breaths.
On March 25, an exhausted Brown called his mom for help. Marilyn Brown dialed 911, and an ambulance took her son to Community Hospital North.
Larry Brown was admitted. His spirits rose over the prospect of getting help.
“I thought I would be here about a couple days,” he said. “Some medicine, some IVs, then I’d be back home.”
He remained unfazed even as he saw his 66-year-old father wheeled past him in the emergency department. They waved at each other.
John Brown thought he had the flu, but the retired Army master sergeant had grown so weak he could barely walk from his bed to the bathroom. That forced Marilyn Brown - who would wind up with a mild case herself, though she didn’t suspect anything at the time - to dial 911 again that day.
Larry Brown eventually settled into a patient room and rested while watching his favorite show, “48 Hours.”
Soon, though, he was moved to another room - he wasn’t quite sure why.
It’s the last thing he really remembers.
___
Doctors moved Brown to the ICU and started him on the ventilator while grappling with how to treat him. We were “all learning on the job,” said Dr. Rajat Narang, a critical care doctor and lung specialist.
They tried the common antibiotic azithromycin, but Brown’s pneumonia grew worse. They administered the malaria treatment touted by President Donald Trump, hydroxychloroquine, but saw no progress.
They put him in a medically induced coma, and attached him to an ECMO machine, which essentially did the job of his lungs by transferring oxygen into his blood.
As April ended, Brown’s condition grew worse. A MRSA infection set in and led to the life-threatening condition sepsis, which can cause organ failure. Despite the no-visitors rule, staff feared Brown had little time left and let his mom and one of his daughters see him.
Brown wouldn’t recall that emotional visit, or the phone call with his sister-in-law. The weeks seem like a black hole, lost time where all he remembers is nightmares: He was in a different hospital, and staff there wanted to kill him.
Doctors aren’t sure why Brown started to improve. Narang suspects the ECMO machine saved his life by giving his lungs time to recover. Doctors also had consulted with an infectious disease expert and adjusted his antibiotics.
Whatever the reason, Brown woke up May 10, a day before his 46th birthday, with a tracheotomy tube helping him breathe.
___
At first, Brown couldn’t walk. He could barely scribble and couldn’t speak, even to tell the hospital staff to turn down the volume on the room’s TV.
Hospital rehabilitation started quickly. He had to build strength in his legs first to stand. Once he could do that, he could try a few steps. And then, climbing stairs - about 20 of them. He was out of breath all the time, and finally making it to the top felt like he’d climbed Mount Everest.
The work made him sore and reminded him of football training camp, when his body had to adjust to being hit. But that soreness used to fade as the season progressed.
On June 12, a local TV station shot video of him leaving the hospital’s rehabilitation center - ending a total stay of nearly 80 days. He ambled through a group of applauding employees and into a foreign world.
Everywhere he went, people wore masks. Businesses closed early if they opened at all. He was surprised by the traffic pattern at Walmart, where customers could enter through only one door, and walk in one direction. Grocery prices had jumped; he noted an increase of $2 per pound of ground beef.
Life became a large list of unknowns.
He doesn’t know how he got the coronavirus.
He doesn’t know why his father’s case was comparatively mild, as John Brown spent seven days on a ventilator - about 40 less than his son.
He doesn’t know if the tingling sensation in every finger except his pinkies will ever go away and allow him to type without shooting pain up his wrists.
He doesn’t know when he’ll be able to return to his job as a business analyst with the health insurer Anthem - a position that’s about 60% typing.
He doesn’t know if he’ll play basketball with his kids again or if he’ll live with a permanent disability, which doctors believe can happen in cases like Brown’s.
“Right now, I’m just trying to understand the new normal,” said Brown, wearing a blue-and-white “COVID-19 survivor” T-shirt at home with his family.
He says he’s blessed to be alive but estimates he’s at 40% of his pre-coronavirus self.
Brown’s doctors have unanswered questions, too. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected African Americans like Brown; what role might that have played? Brown isn’t diabetic; he doesn’t smoke. His weight may have been a factor, but plenty of people who check all those boxes bounce back quickly. Why did his case grow so severe - why did he become what some call a “COVID long-hauler ”?
Brown calls it “the hundred-dollar question.”
Narang, the lung specialist and critical care doctor, says simply: “It is still unclear why COVID-19 affects different patients in different ways.”
________
Winter is coming, along with flu season. A national election looms. Then come Thanksgiving and Christmas, with some families unsure whether or how they’ll celebrate safely, and others determined to have a “normal” holiday.
Some states have fully reopened restaurants, bars and other businesses. Thousands of self-identified long-haulers are sharing their stories and getting informal advice via social media - how many more would come from a second wave of the virus?
Brown doesn’t wish a case like his on anyone.
He fills his days watching his daughter’s soccer games, taking walks, or driving a bit to see his parents or girlfriend. Then there are the medical appointments.
Hand therapy is twice a week. His hands, once making savvy plays on game days, are now shaky when he snags a medicine ball bounced off a trampoline.
And there are neurology appointments. Recently, that doctor - who remembered Brown from their high-school football days, and teased him about a fumble at homecoming - attached electrodes to his arms and sent mild pulses to gauge nerve responses. The doctor is still adjusting medications, hoping to make Brown’s nerves function normally and eliminate the fingertip tingling.
At home, Brown worries about his three daughters catching the virus, but says he’s not “walking around on eggshells.” Still, masks are like car keys, picked up as soon as anyone walks out the door.
He left the hospital nearly four months ago, yet he still has to stretch his hands and legs, which stiffen up frequently. He avoids the deep, L-shaped sofa in the living room unless someone is around to help him get out of it. He grabs one of the chairs surrounding his poker table to scoot around the first floor of his home when he can’t walk much. His 12-year-old daughter, Justys, lifts the tab on his Pepsi can when he wants a fresh drink.
His kids - Brown’s “little sous chefs” - chop ingredients so he can make favorite meals, meatloaf or baked mac and cheese. He’s not yet comfortable gripping a knife, or holding a pen as he used to.
That means he makes phone calls or sends quick emails instead of writing thank-you cards for the mountain of well wishes he received. Many came from people who read a public account of his hospital stay his sister-in-law posted on Facebook.
He can’t bring himself to read all those posts. He says he will eventually, but he’s in a good place and not interested in reliving the past.
Medical bills are trickling in. The hospital has written off many expenses, and Brown says he’s not worried about the rest. Nor should he be, his mom tells him: “Your goal is to get better. The rest of that, we’ll deal with it when we get there.”
Brown isn’t sure how far recovery will take him. His kids giggled and thumped around upstairs as he searched for the right words to describe where he’s heading.
“My expectations are … they’re, I don’t know,” he said, glancing down briefly. “I haven’t set the bar high, and I haven’t set the bar low.
“I just accept, you know, making progress.”
___
Follow Tom Murphy on Twitter: @thpmurphy.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Pope: Market capitalism has failed in pandemic, needs reform

ROME ( AP ) - Pope Francis says the coronavirus pandemic has proven that the “ magic theories ” of market capitalism have failed and that the world needs a new type of politics that promotes dialogue and solidarity and rejects war at all costs .
Francis on Sunday laid out his vision for a post-COVID world by uniting the core elements of his social teachings into a new encyclical , “ Fratelli Tutti ” ( Brothers All ) , which was released on the feast day of his namesake , the peace-loving St. Francis of Assisi .
The document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. Francis and the pope ’ s previous preaching on the injustices of the global economy and its destruction of the planet and pairs them with his call for greater human solidarity to address today ’ s problems .
In the encyclical , Francis rejected even the Catholic Church ’ s own doctrine justifying war as a means of legitimate defense , saying it had been too broadly applied over the centuries and was no longer viable .
“ It is very difficult nowadays to invoke the rational criteria elaborated in earlier centuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ just war , ’ ” Francis wrote in the most controversial new element of the encyclical .
Francis had started writing the encyclical , the third of his pontificate , before the coronavirus struck and upended everything from the global economy to everyday life .
He said the pandemic , however , had confirmed his belief that current political and economic institutions must be reformed to address the legitimate needs of the people most harmed by the coronavirus “ Aside from the differing ways that various countries responded to the crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evident , ” Francis wrote .
“ Anyone who thinks that the only lesson to be learned was the need to improve what we were already doing , or to refine existing systems and regulations , is denying reality.
” He cited the grave loss of millions of jobs as a result of the virus as evidence of the need for politicians to listen to popular movements , unions and marginalized groups and to craft more just social and economic policies .
“ The fragility of world systems in the face of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be resolved by market freedom , ” he wrote .
“ It is imperative to have a proactive economic policy directed at ‘ promoting an economy that favours productive diversity and business creativity ’ and makes it possible for jobs to be created , and not cut.
” He denounced populist politics that seek to demonize and isolate , and called for a “ culture of encounter ” that promotes dialogue , solidarity and a sincere effort at working for the common good .
As an outgrowth of that , Francis repeated his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic system , which he said consistently keeps the poor on the margins while enriching the few .
Francis rejected the concept of an absolute right to property for individuals , stressing instead the “ social purpose ” and common good that must come from sharing the Earth ’ s resources .
Francis once again rejected “ trickle-down ” economic theory as he did in the first major mission statement of his papacy , the 2013 Evangelii Gaudium , ( The Joy of the Gospel ) , saying it simply doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply reproduces itself by resorting to magic theories of ‘ spillover ’ or ‘ trickle ’ - without using the name - as the only solution to societal problems , ” he wrote .
“ There is little appreciation of the fact that the alleged ‘ spillover ’ does not resolve the inequality that gives rise to new forms of violence threatening the fabric of society.
” Much of the new encyclical repeats Francis ’ well-known preaching about the need to welcome and value migrants and his rejection of the nationalistic , isolationist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political leaders .
He dedicated an entire chapter to the parable of the Good Samaritan , saying its lesson of charity , kindness and looking out for strangers was “ the basic decision we need to make in order to rebuild our wounded world.
” He enshrined in the encyclical his previous rejection of both the nuclear arms race and the death penalty , which he said was “ inadmissible ” in all cases .
“ All Christians and people of good will are today called to work not only for the abolition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal , in all its forms , ” he said .
Francis ’ call for greater “ human fraternity , ” particularly to promote peace , is derived from his 2019 joint appeal with the grand imam of Egypt ’ s Al-Azhar , the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Islam .
Their “ Human Fraternity ” document established the relationship between Catholics and Muslims as brothers , with a common mission to promote peace .
The fact the he has now integrated that Catholic-Muslim document into an encyclical is significant , given Francis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Human Fraternity ” document as heretical , given it stated that God had willed the “ pluralism and diversity of religions.
” Vatican encyclicals are the most authoritative form of papal teaching and they traditionally take their titles from the first two words of the document .
In this case , “ Fratelli Tutti ” is a quote from the “ Admonitions , ” the guidelines penned by St. Francis in the 13th century .
The title of the encyclical had sparked controversy in the English-speaking world , with critics noting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fratelli ” ( brothers ) excludes women .
The Vatican has insisted that the plural form of the word “ fratelli ” is gender-inclusive .
Francis ’ decision to sign the document in Assisi , where he travelled on Saturday , and release it on the saint ’ s feast day is yet further evidence of the outsized influence St. Francis has had on the papacy of the Jesuit pope .
Francis is the first pope to name himself after the mendicant friar , who renounced a wealthy , dissolute lifestyle to embrace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poor .

ROME (AP) - Pope Francis says the coronavirus pandemic has proven that the “magic theories” of market capitalism have failed and that the world needs a new type of politics that promotes dialogue and solidarity and rejects war at all costs.
Francis on Sunday laid out his vision for a post-COVID world by uniting the core elements of his social teachings into a new encyclical aimed at inspiring a revived sense of the human family. “Fratelli Tutti” (Brothers All) was released on the feast day of his namesake, the peace-loving St. Francis of Assisi.
The document draws its inspiration from the teachings of St. Francis and the pope’s previous preaching on the injustices of the global economy and its destruction of the planet and pairs them with his call for greater human solidarity to confront the “dark clouds over a closed world.”
In the encyclical, Francis rejected even the Catholic Church’s own doctrine justifying war as a means of legitimate defense, saying it had been too broadly applied over the centuries and was no longer viable.
“It is very difficult nowadays to invoke the rational criteria elaborated in earlier centuries to speak of the possibility of a ‘just war,’” Francis wrote in the most controversial new element of the encyclical.
Francis had started writing the encyclical, the third of his pontificate, before the coronavirus struck and its bleak diagnosis of a human family falling apart goes far beyond the problems posed by the outbreak. He said the pandemic, however, had confirmed his belief that current political and economic institutions must be reformed to address the legitimate needs of the people most harmed by the coronavirus.
“Aside from the differing ways that various countries responded to the crisis, their inability to work together became quite evident,” Francis wrote. “Anyone who thinks that the only lesson to be learned was the need to improve what we were already doing, or to refine existing systems and regulations, is denying reality.”
He cited the grave loss of millions of jobs as a result of the virus as evidence of the need for politicians to listen to popular movements, unions and marginalized groups and to craft more just social and economic policies.
“The fragility of world systems in the face of the pandemic has demonstrated that not everything can be resolved by market freedom,” he wrote. “It is imperative to have a proactive economic policy directed at ‘promoting an economy that favours productive diversity and business creativity’ and makes it possible for jobs to be created, and not cut.”
He denounced populist politics that seek to demonize and isolate, and called for a “culture of encounter” that promotes dialogue, solidarity and a sincere effort at working for the common good.
As an outgrowth of that, Francis rejected the concept of an absolute right to property for individuals, stressing instead the “social purpose” and common good that must come from sharing the Earth’s resources. He repeated his criticism of the “perverse” global economic system, which he said consistently keeps the poor on the margins while enriching the few - an argument he made most fully in his 2015 landmark environmental encyclical “Laudato Sii” (Praised Be).
Francis also rejected “trickle-down” economic theory as he did in the first major mission statement of his papacy, the 2013 Evangelii Gaudium, (The Joy of the Gospel), saying it simply doesn’t achieve what it claims.
“Neo-liberalism simply reproduces itself by resorting to magic theories of ‘spillover’ or ‘trickle’ - without using the name - as the only solution to societal problems,” he wrote. “There is little appreciation of the fact that the alleged ‘spillover’ does not resolve the inequality that gives rise to new forms of violence threatening the fabric of society.”
Francis’ English-language biographer, Austen Ivereigh, said with its two key predecessors, the new encyclical amounts to the final part of a triptych of papal teachings and may well be the last of the pontificate.
“There is little doubt that these three documents … will be considered the teaching backbone of the Francis era,” Ivereigh wrote in Commonweal magazine.
Francis made clear the text had wide circulation, printing the encyclical in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano and distributing it free in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to mark the resumption of printed editions following a hiatus during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Much of the new encyclical repeats Francis’ well-known preaching about the need to welcome and value migrants and his rejection of the nationalistic, isolationist policies of many of today’s political leaders.
He dedicated an entire chapter to the parable of the Good Samaritan, saying its lesson of charity, kindness and looking out for strangers was “the basic decision we need to make in order to rebuild our wounded world.”
“That a theme so ancient is spoken with such urgency now is because Pope Francis fears a detachment from the view that we are all really responsible for all, all related to all, all entitled to a just share of what has been given for the good of all,” said Anna Rowlands, professor of Catholic social thought at Britain’s University of Durham, who was on hand to present the encyclical Sunday at the Vatican.
Francis enshrined in the encyclical his previous rejection of both the nuclear arms race and the death penalty, which he said was “inadmissible” in all cases.
Francis’ call for greater “human fraternity,” particularly to promote peace, is derived from his 2019 joint appeal with the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Islam. Their “Human Fraternity” document established the relationship between Catholics and Muslims as brothers, with a common mission to promote peace.
The fact the he has now integrated that Catholic-Muslim document into an encyclical is significant, given Francis’ conservative critics had already blasted the “Human Fraternity” document as heretical, given it stated that God had willed the “pluralism and diversity of religions.”
Vatican encyclicals are the most authoritative form of papal teaching and they traditionally take their titles from the first two words of the document. In this case, “Fratelli Tutti” is a quote from the “Admonitions,” the guidelines penned by St. Francis in the 13th century.
The title of the encyclical had sparked controversy in the English-speaking world, with critics noting that a straight translation of the word “fratelli” (brothers) excludes women. The Vatican has insisted that the plural form of the word “fratelli” is gender-inclusive.
Francis’ decision to sign the document in Assisi, where he travelled on Saturday, and release it on the saint’s feast day is yet further evidence of the outsized influence St. Francis has had on the papacy of the Jesuit pope.
Francis is the first pope to name himself after the mendicant friar, who renounced a wealthy, dissolute lifestyle to embrace a life of poverty and service to the poor.
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Recovery from Hurricane Sally incomplete on Alabama coast

GULF SHORES , Ala. ( AP ) - Alabama ’ s beaches have reopened , but the state ’ s coast has hardly recovered fully from the effects of Hurricane Sally last month .
Visitors still have limited options for getting to the sand because so many boardwalks and beach entry points were damaged , and residents in hard-hit Baldwin County are complaining about the response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
Both federal and local officials are urging patience with the recovery .
Grant Brown , a spokesman for the city of Gulf Shores , said damage was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughts , ” and there ’ s still a lot of work to be done .
“ Now is not the best time to come to the beaches of Gulf Shores , ” he told al.com .
“ The rights-of-way along the roads are covered with construction debris and stuff and it ’ s just not the same experience .
The beaches are OK , but if you look at the south side of the dunes and the loss of sand , it ’ s pretty amazing.
” Sally made landfall at Gulf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coast with fierce winds and as much as 30 inches ( 76 centimeters ) of rain .
Officials said the damage was worse in places that from Hurricane Ivan , which landed a direct hit on the same area in 2004 .
Storm victims like Terry Boffman have waited in line at FEMA intake centers to ask why their claims have already been denied .
Boffman told WPMI-TV he has no insurance and his mobile home may not be habitable due to damage .
He doesn ’ t understand why FEMA won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already got mold growing in my house .
We ’ ve shut off the bedroom where the mold is , and my wife and I are now living in our living room , ” said Boffman .
FEMA spokesman Ruben Brown said many refusals are based on missing information or incomplete insurance claims , and applicants can appeal initial refusals of aid .
“ Some people read the letter .
They cast it aside .
They say , ‘ What ’ s the use , I ’ m not going to continue this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get help.
’ That ’ s the wrong answer , ” said Brown .
Hundreds of hotel rooms and condominium units were rented in Gulf Shores and neighboring Orange Beach for this weekend , officials said , and visitors can get to the beach from private areas .
Cleanup and rebuilding continues are public access points , however .
Grant Brown , the Gulf Shores spokesman , said the city has hauled away 80,000 cubic yards of debris since the storm , but still has another 450,000 cubic yards to move .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beach access areas can reopen by next weekend .
“ I think by next week , we ’ ll be much further along , ” he said .

GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) - Alabama’s beaches have reopened, but the state’s coast has hardly recovered fully from the effects of Hurricane Sally last month.
Visitors still have limited options for getting to the sand because so many boardwalks and beach entry points were damaged, and residents in hard-hit Baldwin County are complaining about the response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Both federal and local officials are urging patience with the recovery.
Grant Brown, a spokesman for the city of Gulf Shores, said damage was “a lot worse than our initial thoughts,” and there’s still a lot of work to be done.
“Now is not the best time to come to the beaches of Gulf Shores,” he told al.com. “The rights-of-way along the roads are covered with construction debris and stuff and it’s just not the same experience. The beaches are OK, but if you look at the south side of the dunes and the loss of sand, it’s pretty amazing.”
Sally made landfall at Gulf Shores on Sept. 16, pummeling the coast with fierce winds and as much as 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain. Officials said the damage was worse in places that from Hurricane Ivan, which landed a direct hit on the same area in 2004.
Storm victims like Terry Boffman have waited in line at FEMA intake centers to ask why their claims have already been denied. Boffman told WPMI-TV he has no insurance and his mobile home may not be habitable due to damage. He doesn’t understand why FEMA won’t help.
“We’ve already got mold growing in my house. We’ve shut off the bedroom where the mold is, and my wife and I are now living in our living room,” said Boffman.
FEMA spokesman Ruben Brown said many refusals are based on missing information or incomplete insurance claims, and applicants can appeal initial refusals of aid.
“Some people read the letter. They cast it aside. They say, ‘What’s the use, I’m not going to continue this process because I’m not going to get help.’ That’s the wrong answer,” said Brown.
Hundreds of hotel rooms and condominium units were rented in Gulf Shores and neighboring Orange Beach for this weekend, officials said, and visitors can get to the beach from private areas. Cleanup and rebuilding continues are public access points, however.
Grant Brown, the Gulf Shores spokesman, said the city has hauled away 80,000 cubic yards of debris since the storm, but still has another 450,000 cubic yards to move. Brown said he was hopeful some public beach access areas can reopen by next weekend.
“I think by next week, we’ll be much further along,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--American Dream mall reopens, seeking to regain momentum

EAST RUTHERFORD , N.J. ( AP ) - When the American Dream megamall opened in New Jersey last autumn , visitors could only gape at its unfinished signature attraction : a massive DreamWorks-themed waterpark with room for up to 5,600 bathers .
A year and a global pandemic later , Benkos Quinones , his wife and two small children had the place largely to themselves as the mall officially reopened Thursday after a six-month closure due to the coronavirus crisis .
“ After everything that ’ s been going on , we just wanted to have some family time together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two small children splashed in the waves behind him .
Only a few dozen others cavorted in the cavernous space .
“ Of course , I was concerned , ” Quinones said about the risk of being in a public place with the virus still circulating .
“ We asked ourselves a lot of questions , whether we should really go forward and buy tickets to this .
But we went for it.
” The owners of the massive entertainment and retail complex in the Meadowlands sports complex are hoping others share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Already bucking a bleak outlook for malls nationwide when it opened last October , American Dream was days away from a splashy opening of its retail outlets in March when coronavirus fears shut down operations .
It was terrible timing for a project that had seen numerous delays since its initial approval , under different ownership , in 2003 .
In the months since it shut down in March , the retail landscape has changed dramatically .
At its reopening Thursday , only a few dozen of the complex ’ s planned 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It isn ’ t clear how many will eventually open their doors .
The mall ’ s restaurants are months away from opening , as New Jersey continues to restrict indoor dining to 25 % capacity .
Canada-based owner Triple Five , which also owns Minnesota ’ s Mall of America and Canada ’ s West Edmonton Mall , is banking on features such as the waterpark , a Nickelodeon-themed amusement park , an indoor ski slope and skating rink to draw visitors .
Other planned attractions including a Legoland Discovery Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open for months .
Maintaining momentum and adapting to an ever-changing set of rules during the peak months of the pandemic were significant challenges , said Richard Ybarra , vice president of retail at the mall .
“ We had to be extremely fluid in regard to what updates we had to make , what things were going to look like , ” Ybarra said .
“ You also had to be able to forecast a lot , as in , ‘ OK , if you do this , this and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen.
’ That was to make sure we weren ’ t frustrating our tenants or our contractors.
” Even before the pandemic , some retail experts predicted a quarter of U.S. shopping malls would close by 2022 due to shifts to online shopping .
Jan Rogers Kniffen , a consultant to investors in retail companies and a former retail executive , expects that 300 to 500 of the 1,000 malls in the U.S. will file for bankruptcy reorganization and be completely unrecognizable as traditional malls in the next two years .
Before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 2030 .
The waterpark ’ s official opening Thursday illustrated the current safety challenges .
The wave pool is being restricted to 25 % capacity - and even fewer people than that will be allowed in for the time being , said Chris Mortensen , the mall ’ s director of attractions .
Workers will clean the water slides - all 1.5 miles of them - plus chairs , tables , railings and other high-touch surfaces early in the morning and at the end of the day .
Don Ghermezian , American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an emailed statement that the company had enlisted the help of a local hospital system , Hackensack Meridian Health , to review its coronavirus safety protocols .
“ We are filled with joy to have our doors open at American Dream again , ” Ghermezian wrote .
“ It was a difficult decision to close our doors in March , but it was to ensure the safety of our guests and employees.
” Will they lure enough visitors back ?
Neil Saunders , managing director for research firm GlobalData , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be well below projections in the short term due to the coronavirus , with a better outlook down the road .
“ Longer term , the prospects are better ; however , there is far too much retail space in the tri-state area so the mall will face stiff competition in pulling in shoppers , ” he said .
“ Given its scale and the range of attractions , it will probably succeed in becoming a major destination .
However , this won ’ t be achieved as quickly as the developers @ @ @

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - When the American Dream megamall opened in New Jersey last autumn, visitors could only gape at its unfinished signature attraction: a massive DreamWorks-themed waterpark with room for up to 5,600 bathers.
A year and a global pandemic later, Benkos Quinones, his wife and two small children had the place largely to themselves as the mall officially reopened Thursday after a six-month closure due to the coronavirus crisis.
“After everything that’s been going on, we just wanted to have some family time together,” Quinones said as his wife and two small children splashed in the waves behind him. Only a few dozen others cavorted in the cavernous space.
“Of course, I was concerned,” Quinones said about the risk of being in a public place with the virus still circulating. “We asked ourselves a lot of questions, whether we should really go forward and buy tickets to this. But we went for it.”
The owners of the massive entertainment and retail complex in the Meadowlands sports complex are hoping others share family’s sense of adventure.
Already bucking a bleak outlook for malls nationwide when it opened last October, American Dream was days away from a splashy opening of its retail outlets in March when coronavirus fears shut down operations.
It was terrible timing for a project that had seen numerous delays since its initial approval, under different ownership, in 2003.
In the months since it shut down in March, the retail landscape has changed dramatically.
At its reopening Thursday, only a few dozen of the complex’s planned 300 shops appeared to be open for business. It isn’t clear how many will eventually open their doors. The mall’s restaurants are months away from opening, as New Jersey continues to restrict indoor dining to 25% capacity.
Canada-based owner Triple Five, which also owns Minnesota’s Mall of America and Canada’s West Edmonton Mall, is banking on features such as the waterpark, a Nickelodeon-themed amusement park, an indoor ski slope and skating rink to draw visitors. Other planned attractions including a Legoland Discovery Center and an aquarium aren’t expected to open for months.
Maintaining momentum and adapting to an ever-changing set of rules during the peak months of the pandemic were significant challenges, said Richard Ybarra, vice president of retail at the mall.
“We had to be extremely fluid in regard to what updates we had to make, what things were going to look like,” Ybarra said. “You also had to be able to forecast a lot, as in, ‘OK, if you do this, this and this, then this is probably going to happen.’ That was to make sure we weren’t frustrating our tenants or our contractors.”
Even before the pandemic, some retail experts predicted a quarter of U.S. shopping malls would close by 2022 due to shifts to online shopping.
Jan Rogers Kniffen, a consultant to investors in retail companies and a former retail executive, expects that 300 to 500 of the 1,000 malls in the U.S. will file for bankruptcy reorganization and be completely unrecognizable as traditional malls in the next two years. Before the pandemic, he expected 300 to shutter by 2030.
The waterpark’s official opening Thursday illustrated the current safety challenges. The wave pool is being restricted to 25% capacity - and even fewer people than that will be allowed in for the time being, said Chris Mortensen, the mall’s director of attractions.
Workers will clean the water slides - all 1.5 miles of them - plus chairs, tables, railings and other high-touch surfaces early in the morning and at the end of the day.
Don Ghermezian, American Dream co-CEO and Triple Five president, said in an emailed statement that the company had enlisted the help of a local hospital system, Hackensack Meridian Health, to review its coronavirus safety protocols.
“We are filled with joy to have our doors open at American Dream again,” Ghermezian wrote. “It was a difficult decision to close our doors in March, but it was to ensure the safety of our guests and employees.”
Will they lure enough visitors back? Neil Saunders, managing director for research firm GlobalData, said he expects the mall’s revenues to be well below projections in the short term due to the coronavirus, with a better outlook down the road.
“Longer term, the prospects are better; however, there is far too much retail space in the tri-state area so the mall will face stiff competition in pulling in shoppers,” he said. “Given its scale and the range of attractions, it will probably succeed in becoming a major destination. However, this won’t be achieved as quickly as the developers hoped.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Lobbying group: Two-thirds of Indiana's hotels face closure

INDIANAPOLIS ( AP ) - About two-thirds of Indiana ’ s hotels could be forced to close permanently in the coming months if Congress doesn ’ t provide more financial relief to the beleaguered hospitality industry that ’ s been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic , a national lobbying group says .
The American Hotel & Lodging Association , estimates that nearly 700 of Indiana ’ s 1,042 hotels will permanently close within the next six months if they don ’ t obtain additional funding , based on numbers from a national survey of its members earlier this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels could also face the risk of foreclosure , the survey found .
The conclusions highlight what the lobbying group says is a crucial need for more financial support from Congress to aid the nation ’ s hospitality industry , the Indianapolis Business Journal reported .
“ It ’ s time for Congress to put politics aside and prioritize American workers in the hardest-hit industries , ” Chip Rogers , president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association , said in a written statement .
Hotels and other related businesses have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the pandemic began in March .
Indiana had about 25,000 hotel workers before the pandemic but has lost nearly 9,500 through September , the survey estimates .
“ The sudden impact of COVID-19 , with hotels now operating in crisis mode for more than 200 days straight , has significantly eroded revenue and caused some hotels enough financial pain to close doors , ” said Chris Gahl , vice president of the tourism agency Visit Indy .
“ Relief for these hotels is paramount toward mounting a comeback .
”

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - About two-thirds of Indiana’s hotels could be forced to close permanently in the coming months if Congress doesn’t provide more financial relief to the beleaguered hospitality industry that’s been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, a national lobbying group says.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association, estimates that nearly 700 of Indiana’s 1,042 hotels will permanently close within the next six months if they don’t obtain additional funding, based on numbers from a national survey of its members earlier this month.
Nearly half of the state’s hotels could also face the risk of foreclosure, the survey found.
The conclusions highlight what the lobbying group says is a crucial need for more financial support from Congress to aid the nation’s hospitality industry, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported. “It’s time for Congress to put politics aside and prioritize American workers in the hardest-hit industries,” Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, said in a written statement.
Hotels and other related businesses have laid off or furloughed thousands of workers since the pandemic began in March. Indiana had about 25,000 hotel workers before the pandemic but has lost nearly 9,500 through September, the survey estimates.
“The sudden impact of COVID-19, with hotels now operating in crisis mode for more than 200 days straight, has significantly eroded revenue and caused some hotels enough financial pain to close doors,” said Chris Gahl, vice president of the tourism agency Visit Indy. “Relief for these hotels is paramount toward mounting a comeback.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Iowa absentee ballots go out Monday, early voting begins

Iowa election officials will begin mailing out absentee ballots Monday , and it ’ s the first day voters can go to their county auditor ’ s offices or a satellite locations to vote early in person .
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Friday that 632,549 voters have requested an absentee ballot .
Democrats requested more than 335,000 ballots , Republicans requested nearly 187,000 and no-party voters asked for about 108,000 ballots .
County officials are saying the pace is far ahead of previous elections .
In Polk County , for example , Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , compared with 45,191 requests at the same time in 2016 .
The county has 305,870 registered active voters .
The coronavirus pandemic was expected to prompt record numbers of people to vote by absentee ballot rather than at the polls on Nov. 3 .
WHAT ARE THE CHOICES FOR VOTING ?
Voters in Iowa may vote from home by requesting an absentee ballot , they may vote in person beginning Monday at their county auditor ’ s office or a designated satellite location or they can wait until Election Day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been bombarded this year with absentee ballot request forms sent by numerous get-out-the-vote organizations , political parties , county election officials and the Iowa secretary of state .
Voters need only fill out one request form and send it to their county auditor to get a ballot .
The Iowa secretary of state office also has a form available on its website .
It can be filled out and mailed to the voter ’ s county auditor .
WHAT INFORMATION MUST BE ON A BALLOT REQUEST FORM Required information on the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter ’ s name , date of birth and an identification number , which can be a driver ’ s license number or four-digit PIN number on an Iowa voter ID card .
A card can be obtained from the voter ’ s county auditor upon request .
The voter ’ s residential address and an address where the ballot should be mailed to if different must be filled in .
The election date and type of election is likely already filled out for the general election on Nov. 3 , 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The section for contact information is not required but providing a telephone number or email address could make it easier for the election official to reach out to the voter to confirm any information on the form if needed .
Iowans have until 5 p.m. Oct. 24 to request an absentee ballot .
Once the ballot is completed it must received by the county auditor by the time polls close on Nov. 3 or postmarked by Nov. 2 and received by the auditor by noon Monday , Nov. 9 .
The Postal Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week before the due date but given concerns this year with volume of ballots and other issues , mailing the ballot earlier is better .
The Iowa secretary of state office has a ballot tracker on its website .
An absentee ballot may also be returned in person to the county auditor ’ s office and many counties have set up a drop box outside the auditor ’ s office to accept completed ballots .
Iowa law allows counties to begin counting absentee ballots the day before Election Day and requires they be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Typically absentee ballots are tallied and are the first results reported on Election Day .
It ’ s unclear how that may work this year with an extremely high volume of absentee ballots .
Absentee ballots received after Election Day but before the deadline are counted when the absentee and special voters ’ precinct board meets as long as they are postmarked the day before Election Day or earlier .
Iowa voters can also cast a ballot in person at their county auditor ’ s office beginning Monday and through Nov. 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a satellite location established for early in-person voting .
Voters must have approved identification to vote .
Polls will be open on Election Day , Nov. 3. , from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m .
Voters can find their polling place here .
Voters who are in quarantine due to exposure to the coronavirus can still vote but are asked to use a curbside option .
Signs will be posted at the polling place for curbside voting with a telephone number to call .
An election official wearing protective gear will bring a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and help complete the process from the voter ’ s car .
HOW MANY IOWANS ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE Pate says 2,056,085 Iowans were registered to vote as of Oct. 1 .
Voter registration records show 703,336 are registered as Republicans , 690,251 as Democrats , 646,725 as no party voters and 15,773 as other .

Iowa election officials will begin mailing out absentee ballots Monday, and it’s the first day voters can go to their county auditor’s offices or a satellite locations to vote early in person.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Friday that 632,549 voters have requested an absentee ballot. Democrats requested more than 335,000 ballots, Republicans requested nearly 187,000 and no-party voters asked for about 108,000 ballots.
County officials are saying the pace is far ahead of previous elections. In Polk County, for example, Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald said he received 111,462 ballot requests as of Oct. 1, compared with 45,191 requests at the same time in 2016. The county has 305,870 registered active voters. The coronavirus pandemic was expected to prompt record numbers of people to vote by absentee ballot rather than at the polls on Nov. 3.
WHAT ARE THE CHOICES FOR VOTING?
Voters in Iowa may vote from home by requesting an absentee ballot, they may vote in person beginning Monday at their county auditor’s office or a designated satellite location or they can wait until Election Day and vote at the polls.
REQUESTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
Iowa voters have been bombarded this year with absentee ballot request forms sent by numerous get-out-the-vote organizations, political parties, county election officials and the Iowa secretary of state. Voters need only fill out one request form and send it to their county auditor to get a ballot. The Iowa secretary of state office also has a form available on its website. It can be filled out and mailed to the voter’s county auditor.
WHAT INFORMATION MUST BE ON A BALLOT REQUEST FORM
Required information on the form is highlighted in yellow, including the voter’s name, date of birth and an identification number, which can be a driver’s license number or four-digit PIN number on an Iowa voter ID card. A card can be obtained from the voter’s county auditor upon request. The voter’s residential address and an address where the ballot should be mailed to if different must be filled in. The election date and type of election is likely already filled out for the general election on Nov. 3, 2020. The voter must sign the form. The section for contact information is not required but providing a telephone number or email address could make it easier for the election official to reach out to the voter to confirm any information on the form if needed.
DEADLINES FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING
Iowans have until 5 p.m. Oct. 24 to request an absentee ballot. Once the ballot is completed it must received by the county auditor by the time polls close on Nov. 3 or postmarked by Nov. 2 and received by the auditor by noon Monday, Nov. 9. The Postal Service has recommended mailing ballots at least a week before the due date but given concerns this year with volume of ballots and other issues, mailing the ballot earlier is better. The Iowa secretary of state office has a ballot tracker on its website. An absentee ballot may also be returned in person to the county auditor’s office and many counties have set up a drop box outside the auditor’s office to accept completed ballots.
COUNTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Iowa law allows counties to begin counting absentee ballots the day before Election Day and requires they be counted by 10 p.m. on election night. Typically absentee ballots are tallied and are the first results reported on Election Day. It’s unclear how that may work this year with an extremely high volume of absentee ballots. Absentee ballots received after Election Day but before the deadline are counted when the absentee and special voters’ precinct board meets as long as they are postmarked the day before Election Day or earlier.
VOTING ABSENTEE IN PERSON
Iowa voters can also cast a ballot in person at their county auditor’s office beginning Monday and through Nov. 2. Some counties may have set up a satellite location established for early in-person voting. Voters must have approved identification to vote.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
Polls will be open on Election Day, Nov. 3., from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Voters can find their polling place here. Voters who are in quarantine due to exposure to the coronavirus can still vote but are asked to use a curbside option. Signs will be posted at the polling place for curbside voting with a telephone number to call. An election official wearing protective gear will bring a ballot to voters, check their ID and help complete the process from the voter’s car.
HOW MANY IOWANS ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE
Pate says 2,056,085 Iowans were registered to vote as of Oct. 1. Voter registration records show 703,336 are registered as Republicans, 690,251 as Democrats, 646,725 as no party voters and 15,773 as other.


washingtontimes--2020-10-04--Michigan ski areas to adapt new protocols amid pandemic

HARBOR SPRINGS , Mich. ( AP ) - Several ski areas in northern Michigan are aiming to adapt their operations as the winter skiing season nears to address public health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The top worry of skiing destinations is usually the question of whether cold temperatures will provide the weather conditions needed to establish a base of snow .
But this year their managers also face the uncertainty of how COVID-19 will impact business and how the industry will adapt and develop protocols for safe operation .
“ Similar to golf , this sport kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , assistant general manager at Treetops Resort near Gaylord , told The News-Review .
While skiing is typically pursued in spacious outdoor expanses with plenty of fresh air , the National Ski Areas Association trade group is still urging ski operators to follow protocols such as loading lifts that avoid close contact between members of different ski parties and following cleaning and disinfection strategies in all areas of their operations .
And they ’ re being encouraged to clearly communicate public health plans and requirements to visitors .
Amid the uncertainties associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also created a document , “ Ski well , be well ” that identifies an assortment of best practices for snow sports properties to follow in efforts to reduce transmission of the virus .
Some ski areas aim to limit crowds in high-traffic areas by encouraging advance ticket purchases and service bookings via apps and websites .
The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association is among the state-level trade groups to have endorsed the nationwide organization ’ s set of best practices .
The group ’ s executive director , Mickey MacWilliams , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ski areas to draw Midwestern patrons who might otherwise plan ski outings to other parts of the country or world .
“ What we ’ re trying to do is be as safe as we possibly can , ” he said .

HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. (AP) - Several ski areas in northern Michigan are aiming to adapt their operations as the winter skiing season nears to address public health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The top worry of skiing destinations is usually the question of whether cold temperatures will provide the weather conditions needed to establish a base of snow. But this year their managers also face the uncertainty of how COVID-19 will impact business and how the industry will adapt and develop protocols for safe operation.
“Similar to golf, this sport kind of naturally distances people,” Kevin McKinley, assistant general manager at Treetops Resort near Gaylord, told The News-Review.
While skiing is typically pursued in spacious outdoor expanses with plenty of fresh air, the National Ski Areas Association trade group is still urging ski operators to follow protocols such as loading lifts that avoid close contact between members of different ski parties and following cleaning and disinfection strategies in all areas of their operations. And they’re being encouraged to clearly communicate public health plans and requirements to visitors.
Amid the uncertainties associated with the virus, the trade group has also created a document, “Ski well, be well” that identifies an assortment of best practices for snow sports properties to follow in efforts to reduce transmission of the virus.
Some ski areas aim to limit crowds in high-traffic areas by encouraging advance ticket purchases and service bookings via apps and websites.
The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association is among the state-level trade groups to have endorsed the nationwide organization’s set of best practices. The group’s executive director, Mickey MacWilliams, said she sees potential for the state’s ski areas to draw Midwestern patrons who might otherwise plan ski outings to other parts of the country or world.
“What we’re trying to do is be as safe as we possibly can,” she said.
___
This story was first published on Oct. 4. It was updated on Oct. 5 to correct erroneous references to Mickey MacWilliams as a “he.” MacWilliams is a woman.