washingtontimes--2020-12-09--Reno-area teacher shortage extends distance learning

RENO , Nev. ( AP ) - The Washoe County School Board has decided to extend distance learning for middle and high schools in the Reno area until at least Jan. 19 partly because of a shortage of teachers .
Elementary schools will continue to offer in-class instruction for kindergartners through fifth-graders .
The board had decided last month that secondary students would return to a hybrid model on Jan. 4 that combined remote teaching and classroom learning every other day .
But on a 5-2 vote Tuesday night , the board agreed to extend the distance learning for another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Superintendent Kristen McNeill said additional time is needed to put pieces in place , including recruiting more substitutes and to give the health district time to train more contact tracers , according to the Reno Gazette Journal .
“ This is really about resources , ” McNeill said .
Even with only the district ’ s 66 elementary schools doing in-person teaching , it ’ s still short about 90 substitutes a day .
The district is aggressively recruiting substitutes , including those who may only have a high school diploma or GED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sending emails to recent high school graduates .
Gov .
Steve Sisolak signed an emergency regulation last month to allow larger school districts , including Washoe and Clark counties , to hire substitutes who only have a high school diploma .
Previously , only rural districts with fewer than 9,000 students could get around hiring substitutes with at least 60 college credits .
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the local teachers union .
“ Critics of public education have long said that we are simply glorified babysitters , and evidently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Except there is no glory either , ” the Washoe Education Association said in a letter to McNeill , the superintendent , ahead of Tuesday ’ s meeting .
“ This proposal undermines the professional of education in Nevada , and potentially harms not only students , but also the perception of education in our state , ” the letter said .
It comes as Nevada health officials on Wednesday reported 3,053 new cases of COVID-19 , with 25 additional deaths .
It ’ s only the third time the state reported more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest numbers pushed the state ’ s totals to 176,334 confirmed cases since the pandemic began and 2,384 known deaths .
Health officials said the state ’ s rate of positive tests over the past two weeks is 22.3 % .
Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

RENO, Nev. (AP) - The Washoe County School Board has decided to extend distance learning for middle and high schools in the Reno area until at least Jan. 19 partly because of a shortage of teachers.
Elementary schools will continue to offer in-class instruction for kindergartners through fifth-graders.
The board had decided last month that secondary students would return to a hybrid model on Jan. 4 that combined remote teaching and classroom learning every other day. But on a 5-2 vote Tuesday night, the board agreed to extend the distance learning for another two weeks after the winter break.
Superintendent Kristen McNeill said additional time is needed to put pieces in place, including recruiting more substitutes and to give the health district time to train more contact tracers, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.
“This is really about resources,” McNeill said.
Even with only the district’s 66 elementary schools doing in-person teaching, it’s still short about 90 substitutes a day.
The district is aggressively recruiting substitutes, including those who may only have a high school diploma or GED. It’s turning to billboards and sending emails to recent high school graduates.
Gov. Steve Sisolak signed an emergency regulation last month to allow larger school districts, including Washoe and Clark counties, to hire substitutes who only have a high school diploma. Previously, only rural districts with fewer than 9,000 students could get around hiring substitutes with at least 60 college credits.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the local teachers union.
“Critics of public education have long said that we are simply glorified babysitters, and evidently the State Department of Education agrees. Except there is no glory either,” the Washoe Education Association said in a letter to McNeill, the superintendent, ahead of Tuesday’s meeting.
“This proposal undermines the professional of education in Nevada, and potentially harms not only students, but also the perception of education in our state,” the letter said.
It comes as Nevada health officials on Wednesday reported 3,053 new cases of COVID-19, with 25 additional deaths. It’s only the third time the state reported more than 3,000 new cases in one day.
The latest numbers pushed the state’s totals to 176,334 confirmed cases since the pandemic began and 2,384 known deaths. Health officials said the state’s rate of positive tests over the past two weeks is 22.3%.
___
Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-12-09--John Rich, country music star, bets Adam Gold, journalist, $10,000 that Trump remains president

Country music star John Rich has put his money where his mouth is .
The singer-songwriter offered a $ 10,000 bet to journalist Adam Gold that President Trump will still be in office come Jan. 21 .
The two men had been jawing on Twitter over Mr. Rich ’ s prediction that the Supreme Court would turn the election over to state legislatures or the U.S. House .
One half of the duo Big & Rich noted Tuesday that the justices had taken up a suit brought by Texas , and later the Trump campaign and other GOP-led states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their certified victories for Democrat Joseph R. Biden be tossed .
Mr. Rich retweeted a taunt from Mr. Gold regarding the Supreme Court ’ s refusal to take a different election challenge and then doubled down .
“ Let ’ s make our bet official .
We both put 10k into an escrow account and if Biden is sworn in as POTUS , I lose my 10k , but you have to DONATE it to @ FoldsOfHonor , ” he said .
The beneficiary that Mr. Rich specified is a nonprofit group that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead and disabled service members .
“ If Trump wins , I ’ ll donate your 10k to a charity of your choice .
Deal ?
# PutUpOrShutUp , ” Mr. Rich also told Mr. Gold , who quickly took him up on the offer .

Country music star John Rich has put his money where his mouth is.
The singer-songwriter offered a $10,000 bet to journalist Adam Gold that President Trump will still be in office come Jan. 21.
The two men had been jawing on Twitter over Mr. Rich’s prediction that the Supreme Court would turn the election over to state legislatures or the U.S. House.
One half of the duo Big & Rich noted Tuesday that the justices had taken up a suit brought by Texas, and later the Trump campaign and other GOP-led states, against four swing states, asking that their certified victories for Democrat Joseph R. Biden be tossed.
Mr. Rich retweeted a taunt from Mr. Gold regarding the Supreme Court’s refusal to take a different election challenge and then doubled down.
“Let’s make our bet official. We both put 10k into an escrow account and if Biden is sworn in as POTUS, I lose my 10k, but you have to DONATE it to @FoldsOfHonor,” he said.
The beneficiary that Mr. Rich specified is a nonprofit group that provides educational scholarships to the families of dead and disabled service members.
“If Trump wins, I’ll donate your 10k to a charity of your choice. Deal? #PutUpOrShutUp,” Mr. Rich also told Mr. Gold, who quickly took him up on the offer.
“Deal. It’s on,” he replied.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-09--UN urged to end abuses of anonymous shell companies

UNITED NATIONS ( AP ) - More than 20 organizations and several economists urged the U.N. General Assembly on International Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday to put an end to abuses by anonymous shell companies that cover up financial crimes .
They said in a letter that scandal after scandal over decades has demonstrated that “ anonymous shell companies have been used to divert public funds , channel bribes and conceal ill-gotten gains , as part of corruption and money laundering schemes stretching across borders.
” The organizations and economists said the decision by the 193-member world body to hold a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides “ a historic opportunity … to put an end to the abuse of anonymous companies and other legal vehicles that facilitate cross-border corruption and other crimes.
” The signatories said the best way to do this is for the General Assembly to establish “ a central public register of companies and their ultimate beneficial owners , in addition to information on legal ownership and directors.
” This information would enable “ cross-border enforcement and the tracing of ill-gotten assets for confiscation and return , ” they said .
The letter ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Human Rights Watch , International Trade Union Confederation , Oxfam , Tax Justice Network , Trade Union Advisory Council to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development , World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Transparency and Anti-Corruption , and economists Gabriel Zucman from the University of California Berkeley and Thomas Piketty from the Paris School of Economics .

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - More than 20 organizations and several economists urged the U.N. General Assembly on International Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday to put an end to abuses by anonymous shell companies that cover up financial crimes.
They said in a letter that scandal after scandal over decades has demonstrated that “anonymous shell companies have been used to divert public funds, channel bribes and conceal ill-gotten gains, as part of corruption and money laundering schemes stretching across borders.”
The organizations and economists said the decision by the 193-member world body to hold a special session on fighting corruption next June provides “a historic opportunity … to put an end to the abuse of anonymous companies and other legal vehicles that facilitate cross-border corruption and other crimes.”
The signatories said the best way to do this is for the General Assembly to establish “a central public register of companies and their ultimate beneficial owners, in addition to information on legal ownership and directors.” This information would enable “cross-border enforcement and the tracing of ill-gotten assets for confiscation and return,” they said.
The letter’s signatories include Article 19, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch, International Trade Union Confederation, Oxfam, Tax Justice Network, Trade Union Advisory Council to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Transparency and Anti-Corruption, and economists Gabriel Zucman from the University of California Berkeley and Thomas Piketty from the Paris School of Economics.


washingtontimes--2020-12-09--Cynthia Johnson, Michigan Democrat, disciplined for 'Trumpers' warning

LANSING , Mich. — Republican leaders in the Michigan House stripped a Black Democratic lawmaker of her committee assignments Wednesday because she took to social media to warn “ Trumpers , ” after saying she had received at least one racist threat that she should be lynched .
Rep. Cynthia Johnson , of Detroit , sits on a GOP-led committee that heard baseless allegations of widespread election fraud from President Donald Trump ’ s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and others last week .
Johnson reported getting multiple threats after the hearing , including one in which a Texas man told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and threatened to burn several crosses in her yard and hang a noose from her tree .
On Tuesday night , she took to Facebook to warn “ you Trumpers .
Be careful .
Walk lightly .
We ain ’ t playing with you .
Enough of the shenanigans .
Enough is enough .
And for those of you who are soldiers , you know how to do it .
Do it right .
Be in order .
Make them pay.
” House Speaker Lee Chatfield , of Levering , and Speaker-elect Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were exploring further disciplinary action against the first-term legislator , who lost her spot on three committees in the closing days of the two-year session .
“ Threats to either Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American .
They ’ re even more unbecoming of an elected official , ” they said in a joint statement stating that violence and intimidation is never appropriate in politics .
“ That applies to threats made toward public officials , and it must also apply when the threats come from public officials .
Behavior like this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next.
” Johnson could not be reached for comment .
Earlier in the video , she urged people to “ be smart ” and “ hit them in the pocketbook ” - an apparent reference to Trump supporters .
She said the FBI and state police had identified an Illinois woman who left her a voicemail saying she would post Johnson ‘ s phone number to a million people .
On Wednesday , Johnson made a video urging “ soldiers ” - Christians and those opposing racism , misogyny , domestic violence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brown people - “ to rise.
” In the wake of the presidential election , lawmakers and other officials from both parties have reported being threatened by citizens amid Trump ’ s campaign to subvert the will of voters and reverse his reelection loss to Democrat Joe Biden by targeting key battleground states .
Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes , or 2.8 percentage points .
House Democratic Leader Christine Greig , of Farmington Hills , and the next Democratic leader , Rep. Donna Lasinski of Washtenaw County ’ s Scio Township , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to the unintended consequence of adding further tension .
It ’ s incumbent upon every elected official to be mindful of the impact of our words , especially in a moment of national tension and crisis.
” They said , though , that the decision to remove Johnson from committees and the GOP ‘ s leaders use of “ overheated language ” in their statement shows that Republicans “ prioritize partisan politics and political theater over healing the wounds of division.
” Greig and Lasinski said the GOP ‘ s “ coddling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an increasingly dangerous and destructive political environment that needlessly removes focus on addressing the significant challenges of the pandemic.
” State Attorney General Dana Nessel , a Democrat , said she received more than 80 calls Wednesday regarding the threats of violence against Johnson , the legislator ’ s reaction and whether Nessel ’ s office would investigate .
“ The threats Rep. Johnson has received are appalling , ugly and deeply disturbing , but her response to those messages is also unacceptable and I strongly condemn both , ” Nessel said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call 911 or the police if they have been threatened or fear for their safety .

LANSING, Mich. — Republican leaders in the Michigan House stripped a Black Democratic lawmaker of her committee assignments Wednesday because she took to social media to warn “Trumpers,” after saying she had received at least one racist threat that she should be lynched.
Rep. Cynthia Johnson, of Detroit, sits on a GOP-led committee that heard baseless allegations of widespread election fraud from President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and others last week. Johnson reported getting multiple threats after the hearing, including one in which a Texas man told her to “rot in hell” and threatened to burn several crosses in her yard and hang a noose from her tree.
On Tuesday night, she took to Facebook to warn “you Trumpers. Be careful. Walk lightly. We ain’t playing with you. Enough of the shenanigans. Enough is enough. And for those of you who are soldiers, you know how to do it. Do it right. Be in order. Make them pay.”
House Speaker Lee Chatfield, of Levering, and Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth, of Farwell, said they were exploring further disciplinary action against the first-term legislator, who lost her spot on three committees in the closing days of the two-year session.
“Threats to either Democrats or Republicans are unacceptable and un-American. They’re even more unbecoming of an elected official,” they said in a joint statement stating that violence and intimidation is never appropriate in politics. “That applies to threats made toward public officials, and it must also apply when the threats come from public officials. Behavior like this will not be tolerated this term or next.”
Johnson could not be reached for comment. Earlier in the video, she urged people to “be smart” and “hit them in the pocketbook” - an apparent reference to Trump supporters. She said the FBI and state police had identified an Illinois woman who left her a voicemail saying she would post Johnson’s phone number to a million people.
On Wednesday, Johnson made a video urging “soldiers” - Christians and those opposing racism, misogyny, domestic violence, domestic terrorism and mistreatment of Black and brown people - “to rise.”
In the wake of the presidential election, lawmakers and other officials from both parties have reported being threatened by citizens amid Trump’s campaign to subvert the will of voters and reverse his reelection loss to Democrat Joe Biden by targeting key battleground states. Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes, or 2.8 percentage points.
House Democratic Leader Christine Greig, of Farmington Hills, and the next Democratic leader, Rep. Donna Lasinski of Washtenaw County’s Scio Township, said Johnson’s comments regrettably “led to the unintended consequence of adding further tension. It’s incumbent upon every elected official to be mindful of the impact of our words, especially in a moment of national tension and crisis.”
They said, though, that the decision to remove Johnson from committees and the GOP’s leaders use of “overheated language” in their statement shows that Republicans “prioritize partisan politics and political theater over healing the wounds of division.”
Greig and Lasinski said the GOP’s “coddling” of election conspiracy theories fuels “an increasingly dangerous and destructive political environment that needlessly removes focus on addressing the significant challenges of the pandemic.”
State Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, said she received more than 80 calls Wednesday regarding the threats of violence against Johnson, the legislator’s reaction and whether Nessel’s office would investigate.
“The threats Rep. Johnson has received are appalling, ugly and deeply disturbing, but her response to those messages is also unacceptable and I strongly condemn both,” Nessel said in a statement. She urged people to call 911 or the police if they have been threatened or fear for their safety.


washingtontimes--2020-12-09--Washington's death toll from the coronavirus passes 3,000

SEATTLE ( AP ) - With an additional 49 deaths reported on Wednesday , the death toll from the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ 3,000 , according to state health officials .
Since the pandemic began , 3,016 people @ @ @ @ @ the virus that causes COVID-19 , according to the state Department of Health .
The @ @ @ @ @ in the state is now nearing 190,000 , officials said .
Health officials also reported @ @ @ @ @ people have been hospitalized in the state because of the virus including 155 new hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday , the state Department of Corrections reported 740 cases among the approximately 1,900 @ @ @ @ @ Corrections Center near Spokane .

SEATTLE (AP) - With an additional 49 deaths reported on Wednesday, the death toll from the coronavirus in Washington state has surpassed 3,000, according to state health officials.
Since the pandemic began, 3,016 people in Washington have died from the virus that causes COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health. The total number of confirmed cases in the state is now nearing 190,000, officials said.
Health officials also reported that a total of 11,996 people have been hospitalized in the state because of the virus including 155 new hospitalizations as of Tuesday.
Also on Wednesday, the state Department of Corrections reported 740 cases among the approximately 1,900 inmates at the Airway Heights Corrections Center near Spokane.


washingtontimes--2020-12-09--Texas agriculture head Sid Miller positive for COVID-19

DALLAS ( AP ) - A Texas state official who has been critical of measures Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott has implemented to help slow down the coronavirus pandemic said Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 .
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was among leaders from the right wing of the Texas Republican Party who staged a protest outside of Abbott ’ s home in October .
Miller , 65 , was among an estimated 200 people gathered outside the governor ’ s mansion to blast Abbott ’ s executive orders , including a continued statewide mask mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Miller said he ’ d be quarantining at his ranch .
“ Not feeling my best , but I ’ ve survived rodeo injuries , broken bones , hip , double knee and shoulder surgery , west nile virus and cancer , and I ’ m going to beat this too , ” he said in the statement .
For a second day this week , hospitalizations of people with the coronavirus in Texas topped 9,000 , state health officials said Wednesday .
The Texas Department of State Health Services said 9,053 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9,028 hospitalizations the day before .
Last week marked the first time Texas surpassed a daily count of 9,000 hospitalizations since a deadly summer outbreak .
Texas officials reported 10,930 new coronavirus cases Wednesday after reporting 15,103 a day earlier .
Texas has reported more than 1.2 million cases since the pandemic began .
The true number of infections in Texas is likely higher because many haven ’ t been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick .
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University say the death toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the second highest in the country .
There were 575.3 new cases per 100,000 people in Texas over the past two weeks , which ranks 40th in the country for new cases per capita , according to Johns Hopkins .
One in every 300 people in Texas tested positive in the past week .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks .
But for others , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , the virus can cause severe symptoms and @ @ @

DALLAS (AP) - A Texas state official who has been critical of measures Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has implemented to help slow down the coronavirus pandemic said Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was among leaders from the right wing of the Texas Republican Party who staged a protest outside of Abbott’s home in October. Miller, 65, was among an estimated 200 people gathered outside the governor’s mansion to blast Abbott’s executive orders, including a continued statewide mask mandate and lockdowns.
In a statement Wednesday, Miller said he’d be quarantining at his ranch.
“Not feeling my best, but I’ve survived rodeo injuries, broken bones, hip, double knee and shoulder surgery, west nile virus and cancer, and I’m going to beat this too,” he said in the statement.
For a second day this week, hospitalizations of people with the coronavirus in Texas topped 9,000, state health officials said Wednesday.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said 9,053 were hospitalized Wednesday. The state reported 9,028 hospitalizations the day before.
Last week marked the first time Texas surpassed a daily count of 9,000 hospitalizations since a deadly summer outbreak.
Texas officials reported 10,930 new coronavirus cases Wednesday after reporting 15,103 a day earlier. Texas has reported more than 1.2 million cases since the pandemic began.
The true number of infections in Texas is likely higher because many haven’t been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University say the death toll in Texas is at more than 23,000, the second highest in the country.
There were 575.3 new cases per 100,000 people in Texas over the past two weeks, which ranks 40th in the country for new cases per capita, according to Johns Hopkins. One in every 300 people in Texas tested positive in the past week.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Restaurants frustrated over Baltimore's virus restrictions

BALTIMORE ( AP ) - Baltimore restaurant owners who invested substantial amounts of money to make outdoor diners comfortable in @ @ @ @ @ over new coronavirus restrictions .
The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday that new restrictions from the @ @ @ @ @ shut down all indoor and outdoor dining starting Friday evening .
Jesse Sandlin , the @ @ @ @ @ ’ s , invested more than $ 10,000 in heaters and a duct system .
@ @ @ @ @ so much safer than dining inside .
But Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said @ @ @ @ @ cases required more drastic action to stop the spread .
“ Unfortunately , with the @ @ @ @ @ we are seeing … activities such as eating , drinking and smoking in close proximity @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said at a Thursday news conference .

BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore restaurant owners who invested substantial amounts of money to make outdoor diners comfortable in cold weather are expressing frustration over new coronavirus restrictions.
The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday that new restrictions from the city’s mayor will shut down all indoor and outdoor dining starting Friday evening.
Jesse Sandlin, the owner of restaurant Sally O’s, invested more than $10,000 in heaters and a duct system. She said outdoor seating is so much safer than dining inside.
But Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said the current surge of virus cases required more drastic action to stop the spread.
“Unfortunately, with the volume of new cases that we are seeing … activities such as eating, drinking and smoking in close proximity to others should not continue,” she said at a Thursday news conference.
He


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Police identify woman killed at Springfield intersection

SPRINGFIELD , Mo .
( AP ) - Police in Springfield have released the name of a woman killed last @ @ @ @ @ city intersection .
Marcie Brown , 39 , of Springfield , had been crossing Sunshine @ @ @ @ @ Oxford Street late Saturday night when she was hit by a westbound box truck , @ @ @ @ @ a news release .
Police said the truck continued travelling west without stopping .
Brown @ @ @ @ @ scene .
The police investigation into finding the truck continues , and officials have asked @ @ @ @ @ detectives .

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Police in Springfield have released the name of a woman killed last weekend as she crossed a city intersection.
Marcie Brown, 39, of Springfield, had been crossing Sunshine Street at the intersection with Oxford Street late Saturday night when she was hit by a westbound box truck, police said late Wednesday in a news release. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the truck continued travelling west without stopping but then turned around and returned to the site of the crash.
Police said Brown’s death marked Springfield’s 24th fatality motor vehicle crash for 2020.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Midshipmen to begin winter break after Army-Navy game

ANNAPOLIS , Md .
( AP ) - The Naval Academy ’ s midshipmen in Maryland will finish off their @ @ @ @ @ football game before heading off on winter break .
The break will kick off Sunday @ @ @ @ @ football game in New York , Provost Andrew Phillips said Monday during the Board of @ @ @ @ @ be the first time midshipmen who have not been traveling for sports will be able @ @ @ @ @ Capital Gazette reported .
The naval academy had plans to allow students to spend Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ those plans were canceled due to rising COVID-19 cases .
The annual parents weekend was @ @ @ @ @ the spring semester will start on January 19 .
The academy will have virtual learning @ @ @ @ @ classes and hybrid classes will resume on the second week , Phillips said .

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The Naval Academy’s midshipmen in Maryland will finish off their fall semester with the Army-Navy football game before heading off on winter break.
The break will kick off Sunday, a day after the football game in New York, Provost Andrew Phillips said Monday during the Board of Visitors meeting. It will be the first time midshipmen who have not been traveling for sports will be able to leave Maryland, The Capital Gazette reported.
The naval academy had plans to allow students to spend Thanksgiving with visiting family, but those plans were canceled due to rising COVID-19 cases. The annual parents weekend was also scrapped.
Classes for the spring semester will start on January 19. The academy will have virtual learning for the first week of classes and hybrid classes will resume on the second week, Phillips said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--German regulators launch new Facebook investigation over VR

BERLIN ( AP ) - German regulators launched an investigation Thursday into Facebook over the company ’ s decision to link its Oculus virtual reality products to the social network , authorities said .
The Federal Cartel Office , or Bundeskartellamt , said it had initiated abuse proceedings over Facebook ‘ s plans to require users of the latest Quest 2 virtual reality glasses produced by Oculus to register with a Facebook.com account .
“ Linking virtual reality products and the group ’ s social network in this way could constitute a prohibited abuse of dominance by Facebook , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With its social network Facebook holds a dominant position in Germany and is also already an important player in the emerging but growing VR market .
We intend to examine whether and to what extent this tying arrangement will affect competition in both areas of activity.
” In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press , Facebook noted that it had already paused sales of its Oculus products in Germany this year .
It has not detailed why it made the move , but said it was not related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oculus devices are not currently available for sale in Germany , we will cooperate fully with the Bundeskartellamt and are confident we can demonstrate that there is no basis to the investigation , ” Facebook said .
Facebook announced earlier this year that all Quest 2 users would require a Facebook login with the device , and that users of other Oculus products could merge their account or continue using the Oculus account until January 2023 .
The company , which acquired Oculus in 2014 , also rebranded Oculus Connect as Facebook Connect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality team from Oculus Research to Facebook Reality Labs .
The German investigation comes just a day after U.S. regulators sued the social network , accusing it of abusing its market power and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of Facebook ’ s prized Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services .
It is also not the first time Facebook has run afoul of the German antitrust authorities .
Last year , the Bundeskartellamt determined Facebook was exploiting its dominance in social media to better target ads , by forcing users to share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Instagram , as well as third-party websites through the “ Like ” and “ Share ” buttons .
It gave Facebook several months to stop collecting data and combining it with Facebook users ’ accounts without their consent .
Facebook appealed that decision , and a Duesseldorf court ruled it did not have to comply with the regulations until the case had been decided .
In June , the Federal Court of Justice , a top appeals court , dealt Facebook a blow , overturning the Duesseldorf court ’ s stay order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s terms of use leave “ private Facebook users with no choice.
” It said the company had to comply with the regulators .
The main proceedings in Duesseldorf are still pending , however , and Facebook has said it will continue to defend its position that there is no antitrust abuse .
Meantime , other appeals are also underway and Facebook still has not had to comply with the Bundeskartellamt ’ s orders , the agency said .
The Duesseldorf case is currently scheduled to be heard March 26 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various legal remedies is not surprising in view of the significance which our proceedings have for the group ’ s business model , ” Mundt said .
“ Nevertheless , the resulting delay in proceedings is of course regrettable for competition and consumers .
”

BERLIN (AP) - German regulators launched an investigation Thursday into Facebook over the company’s decision to link its Oculus virtual reality products to the social network, authorities said.
The Federal Cartel Office, or Bundeskartellamt, said it had initiated abuse proceedings over Facebook’s plans to require users of the latest Quest 2 virtual reality glasses produced by Oculus to register with a Facebook.com account.
“Linking virtual reality products and the group’s social network in this way could constitute a prohibited abuse of dominance by Facebook,” said Bundeskartellamt president Andreas Mundt. “With its social network Facebook holds a dominant position in Germany and is also already an important player in the emerging but growing VR market. We intend to examine whether and to what extent this tying arrangement will affect competition in both areas of activity.”
In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press, Facebook noted that it had already paused sales of its Oculus products in Germany this year. It has not detailed why it made the move, but said it was not related to the investigation launched Thursday.
“While Oculus devices are not currently available for sale in Germany, we will cooperate fully with the Bundeskartellamt and are confident we can demonstrate that there is no basis to the investigation,” Facebook said.
Facebook announced earlier this year that all Quest 2 users would require a Facebook login with the device, and that users of other Oculus products could merge their account or continue using the Oculus account until January 2023.
The company, which acquired Oculus in 2014, also rebranded Oculus Connect as Facebook Connect and changed the name of its virtual reality team from Oculus Research to Facebook Reality Labs.
The German investigation comes just a day after U.S. regulators sued the social network, accusing it of abusing its market power and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of Facebook’s prized Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services.
It is also not the first time Facebook has run afoul of the German antitrust authorities.
Last year, the Bundeskartellamt determined Facebook was exploiting its dominance in social media to better target ads, by forcing users to share data from other Facebook-owned services including WhatsApp and Instagram, as well as third-party websites through the “Like” and “Share” buttons.
It gave Facebook several months to stop collecting data and combining it with Facebook users’ accounts without their consent.
Facebook appealed that decision, and a Duesseldorf court ruled it did not have to comply with the regulations until the case had been decided.
In June, the Federal Court of Justice, a top appeals court, dealt Facebook a blow, overturning the Duesseldorf court’s stay order while agreeing with the Bundeskartellamt that Facebook’s terms of use leave “private Facebook users with no choice.” It said the company had to comply with the regulators.
The main proceedings in Duesseldorf are still pending, however, and Facebook has said it will continue to defend its position that there is no antitrust abuse. Meantime, other appeals are also underway and Facebook still has not had to comply with the Bundeskartellamt’s orders, the agency said.
The Duesseldorf case is currently scheduled to be heard March 26.
“The fact that Facebook has resorted to various legal remedies is not surprising in view of the significance which our proceedings have for the group’s business model,” Mundt said. “Nevertheless, the resulting delay in proceedings is of course regrettable for competition and consumers.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Indian government offers more talks with protesting farmers

NEW DELHI ( AP ) - India ’ s government on Thursday offered to meet again with leaders of tens of thousands of farmers who have been blockading key highways for two weeks , but rejected their demand for the repeal of three laws on agricultural reform .
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters that the government is willing to amend the new laws to allay the farmers ’ concerns , and they “ should give up their insistence on scrapping ” them .
There was no immediate response from the protest leaders .
Five round of talks since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the farmers insisting on their demand that the laws be repealed .
The farmers say the laws , passed in September , will deregulate crop prices and devastate their earnings .
They fear the government will stop buying grain at minimum guaranteed prices and corporations will then push prices down .
The government says it is willing to pledge that guaranteed prices will continue .
The protest leaders announced on Wednesday that farmers will block another highway on Saturday and organize a nationwide shutdown of businesses next Monday unless their demands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Indian population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods , the growing farmer rebellion has rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s administration and its allies .
Heavy contingents of police in riot gear patrolled the areas where the farmers have been camping in New Delhi ’ s outskirts .
Modi ’ s government insists the reforms will benefit farmers .
It says they will allow farmers to market their produce and boost production through private investment .
Farmers have been protesting the laws for nearly two months in Punjab and Haryana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago when tens of thousands marched to New Delhi , where they clashed with police .
The laws add to already existing resentment from farmers , who often complain of being ignored by the government in requests for better crop prices , additional loan waivers and irrigation systems to guarantee water during dry spells .

NEW DELHI (AP) - India’s government on Thursday offered to meet again with leaders of tens of thousands of farmers who have been blockading key highways for two weeks, but rejected their demand for the repeal of three laws on agricultural reform.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters that the government is willing to amend the new laws to allay the farmers’ concerns, and they “should give up their insistence on scrapping” them.
There was no immediate response from the protest leaders. Five round of talks since November have failed to produce a breakthrough, with the farmers insisting on their demand that the laws be repealed.
The farmers say the laws, passed in September, will deregulate crop prices and devastate their earnings. They fear the government will stop buying grain at minimum guaranteed prices and corporations will then push prices down. The government says it is willing to pledge that guaranteed prices will continue.
The protest leaders announced on Wednesday that farmers will block another highway on Saturday and organize a nationwide shutdown of businesses next Monday unless their demands are met.
With nearly 60% of the Indian population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods, the growing farmer rebellion has rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration and its allies.
Heavy contingents of police in riot gear patrolled the areas where the farmers have been camping in New Delhi’s outskirts.
Modi’s government insists the reforms will benefit farmers. It says they will allow farmers to market their produce and boost production through private investment.
Farmers have been protesting the laws for nearly two months in Punjab and Haryana states. The situation escalated two weeks ago when tens of thousands marched to New Delhi, where they clashed with police.
The laws add to already existing resentment from farmers, who often complain of being ignored by the government in requests for better crop prices, additional loan waivers and irrigation systems to guarantee water during dry spells.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Church identified as hate group gets permit in Minnesota

MURDOCK , Minn. ( AP ) - The city council in a small Minnesota farming community has voted to grant a permit that allows a controversial Nordic heritage church that has been identified as a white supremacist group to gather at an abandoned church .
The vote Wednesday night came after the council in the Swift County community of Murdock was advised by the city attorney that rejecting the Asatru Folk Assembly ’ s request could violate its religious rights .
The AFA wants to turn the former Lutheran church into a Midwest regional gathering hall .
Council members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , kept video cameras turned off and refused to identify who voted for or against the permit .
It was passed on a voice vote without a roll call , the Star Tribune reported .
One member of the five-person council could be heard voting no .
City Attorney Don Wilcox told council members that they faced possible legal action if they voted against the AFA based on its beliefs .
“ There are certain constitutional protections that apply to religions , ” Wilcox said .
“ I haven ’ t seen any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are a religion , whether you agree with it or not .
“ There ’ s not a compelling interest in keeping that building from being used for meetings , ” he added .
“ Just because you don ’ t like it doesn ’ t mean they can ’ t do it.
” The group has sparked a wave of activism in Murdock , a community of about 300 about 115 miles ( 185 kilometers ) west of the Twin Cities .
After the AFA purchased the church earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a group called the Murdock Area Alliance Against Hate and have held several protests .
AFA board member Allen Turnage has said the church would not admit a Black person “ because they ’ re not of northern European descent.
” The AFA is among groups that seek to practice a pre-Christian , European spirituality and , according to a statement on its website , it ’ s pro-white .
The Southern Poverty Law Center has added the AFA to its list of hate groups .
Turnage said the AFA has about 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and around Minnesota .

MURDOCK, Minn. (AP) - The city council in a small Minnesota farming community has voted to grant a permit that allows a controversial Nordic heritage church that has been identified as a white supremacist group to gather at an abandoned church.
The vote Wednesday night came after the council in the Swift County community of Murdock was advised by the city attorney that rejecting the Asatru Folk Assembly’s request could violate its religious rights. The AFA wants to turn the former Lutheran church into a Midwest regional gathering hall.
Council members, meeting online because of the coronavirus pandemic, kept video cameras turned off and refused to identify who voted for or against the permit. It was passed on a voice vote without a roll call, the Star Tribune reported. One member of the five-person council could be heard voting no.
City Attorney Don Wilcox told council members that they faced possible legal action if they voted against the AFA based on its beliefs.
“There are certain constitutional protections that apply to religions,” Wilcox said. “I haven’t seen any evidence sufficient to overcome the presumption that they are a religion, whether you agree with it or not.
“There’s not a compelling interest in keeping that building from being used for meetings,” he added. “Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean they can’t do it.”
The group has sparked a wave of activism in Murdock, a community of about 300 about 115 miles (185 kilometers) west of the Twin Cities. After the AFA purchased the church earlier this year for $45,000, area residents formed a group called the Murdock Area Alliance Against Hate and have held several protests.
AFA board member Allen Turnage has said the church would not admit a Black person “because they’re not of northern European descent.”
The AFA is among groups that seek to practice a pre-Christian, European spirituality and, according to a statement on its website, it’s pro-white. The Southern Poverty Law Center has added the AFA to its list of hate groups.
Turnage said the AFA has about 500 members nationwide, and 20 or so in and around Minnesota.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Joe Biden to campaign in Georgia on Tuesday

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden plans to travel to Georgia on Tuesday to campaign ahead of two U.S. Senate runoff contests on Jan. 5 , Mr. Biden ’ s campaign said Thursday .
Mr. Biden will head to Atlanta on behalf of Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , who are squaring off against GOP Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , respectively .
The two races will determine which party controls the Senate next year .
Republicans currently hold a 52-48 majority .
The trip comes a day after electors are scheduled to gather in state capitals across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s win over President Trump in the Nov. 3 election .
Early voting for the runoffs also starts on Monday .
Mr. Biden is the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Georgia since 1992 , winning the state by about 12,000 votes , or about 0.2 % .
Two recounts , including an unprecedented statewide hand recount or audit , narrowed Mr. Biden ’ s initial apparent margin of victory over Mr. Trump by about 1,800 votes .
Mr. Trump and his team are petitioning the courts , governors , state election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress to overturn the election results in Georgia and a handful of other close states , to no avail thus far .

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden plans to travel to Georgia on Tuesday to campaign ahead of two U.S. Senate runoff contests on Jan. 5, Mr. Biden’s campaign said Thursday.
Mr. Biden will head to Atlanta on behalf of Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who are squaring off against GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively.
The two races will determine which party controls the Senate next year. Republicans currently hold a 52-48 majority.
The trip comes a day after electors are scheduled to gather in state capitals across the U.S. to formally affirm Mr. Biden’s win over President Trump in the Nov. 3 election.
Early voting for the runoffs also starts on Monday.
Mr. Biden is the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Georgia since 1992, winning the state by about 12,000 votes, or about 0.2%.
Two recounts, including an unprecedented statewide hand recount or audit, narrowed Mr. Biden’s initial apparent margin of victory over Mr. Trump by about 1,800 votes.
Mr. Trump and his team are petitioning the courts, governors, state election officials, state legislatures and members of Congress to overturn the election results in Georgia and a handful of other close states, to no avail thus far.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Mexican Senate approves law limiting U.S. agents

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) - Mexico ’ s Senate has approved a proposal from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to restrict U.S. agents in Mexico and remove their diplomatic immunity .
The bill must still be approved by the lower house .
It requires all foreign agents , from any country , to share all information they gather with Mexican authorities .
The law passed in the Senate Wednesday on a 72-14 vote with only minor modifications , including a vague promise to keep confidential any information shared with Mexico .
Mexico has traditionally both relied on U.S. agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on drug gangs , while often leaking such information ; some corrupt officials have at times shared it with drug cartels .
The law did include a frank acknowledgement that foreign agents would be allowed to carry weapons in Mexico ; it “ authorizes them to carry such weapons as the Defense Department sees fit.
” The proposal submitted by López Obrador would require Drug Enforcement Administration agents to hand over all information they collect and require any Mexican officials they contact to submit a full report to Mexican federal authorities .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country often has full diplomatic immunity and other agents have some form of limited or technical immunity .
The bill eliminates all immunity .
Mike Vigil , the DEA ’ s former chief of international operations , predicted that the information is “ going to be leaked , it ’ s going to compromise agents , it ’ s going to compromise informants , ” Vigil said .
The history of leaks is well documented .
In 2017 , the commander of a Mexican police intelligence-sharing unit that received DEA information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Beltran Leyva drug cartel in exchange for millions of dollars .
The proposed changes also specify that any Mexican public servant - state , federal or local - who has as much as a phone call or text message from a U.S. agent would be required “ to deliver a written report to the Foreign Relations Department and the Public Safety Department within three days.
” “ It ’ s just going to make a burdensome system , ” Vigil said , adding , “ It is going to hinder bilateral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bilateral exchange of information .
This is going to be much more detrimental to Mexico than to the United States .
”

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico’s Senate has approved a proposal from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to restrict U.S. agents in Mexico and remove their diplomatic immunity. The bill must still be approved by the lower house.
It requires all foreign agents, from any country, to share all information they gather with Mexican authorities.
The law passed in the Senate Wednesday on a 72-14 vote with only minor modifications, including a vague promise to keep confidential any information shared with Mexico.
Mexico has traditionally both relied on U.S. agents to generate much of its intelligence information on drug gangs, while often leaking such information; some corrupt officials have at times shared it with drug cartels.
The law did include a frank acknowledgement that foreign agents would be allowed to carry weapons in Mexico; it “authorizes them to carry such weapons as the Defense Department sees fit.”
The proposal submitted by López Obrador would require Drug Enforcement Administration agents to hand over all information they collect and require any Mexican officials they contact to submit a full report to Mexican federal authorities.
In most countries, the chief DEA agent in the country often has full diplomatic immunity and other agents have some form of limited or technical immunity. The bill eliminates all immunity.
Mike Vigil, the DEA’s former chief of international operations, predicted that the information is “going to be leaked, it’s going to compromise agents, it’s going to compromise informants,” Vigil said.
The history of leaks is well documented. In 2017, the commander of a Mexican police intelligence-sharing unit that received DEA information was charged with passing the DEA data to the Beltran Leyva drug cartel in exchange for millions of dollars.
The proposed changes also specify that any Mexican public servant - state, federal or local - who has as much as a phone call or text message from a U.S. agent would be required “to deliver a written report to the Foreign Relations Department and the Public Safety Department within three days.”
“It’s just going to make a burdensome system,” Vigil said, adding, “It is going to hinder bilateral operations, it is going to hinder bilateral exchange of information. This is going to be much more detrimental to Mexico than to the United States.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Dad designs the ultimate tactical diaper bag -- for fathers

One very necessary accessory has gotten a major makeover .
The diaper bag has gone tactical — updated for fathers with features such as a padded space to carry a 17-inch laptop computer , charging ports for phones and computers , designated anti-theft pockets , an insulated section for baby bottles and up to 19 assorted pockets for everything else .
Work Smart Enjoy Life LLC — otherwise known as W.S.E.L Bags — offers this handsome line of multi-function diaper bags that don ’ t look like diaper bags .
The company was founded by Kwame White , a Virginia-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that dads had been left out of the design equation when it came to baby care .
He did his research .
“ There were tons of online searches , talking to a lot of other new fathers , then realizing that there are thousands of diaper bags for mothers and very few products for fathers , ” Mr. White said .
The result was a line of roomy , water-resistant bags that can hold as many as 50 diapers and can be worn as a backpack or attach to a stroller .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for dads to keep fit and spend time with their children .
Moms , Mr. White adds , will also benefit from the forward-thinking take on a mainstay of parenting .

One very necessary accessory has gotten a major makeover. The diaper bag has gone tactical — updated for fathers with features such as a padded space to carry a 17-inch laptop computer, charging ports for phones and computers, designated anti-theft pockets, an insulated section for baby bottles and up to 19 assorted pockets for everything else.
Work Smart Enjoy Life LLC — otherwise known as W.S.E.L Bags — offers this handsome line of multi-function diaper bags that don’t look like diaper bags. The company was founded by Kwame White, a Virginia-based father and a retail strategist who recognized that dads had been left out of the design equation when it came to baby care.
He did his research.
“There were tons of online searches, talking to a lot of other new fathers, then realizing that there are thousands of diaper bags for mothers and very few products for fathers,” Mr. White said.
The result was a line of roomy, water-resistant bags that can hold as many as 50 diapers and can be worn as a backpack or attach to a stroller. Mr. White also advocates “fatherly strolls” for dads to keep fit and spend time with their children.
Moms, Mr. White adds, will also benefit from the forward-thinking take on a mainstay of parenting.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Unemployment overpayments create new headaches for Ohioans

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) - As the state distributed billions in unemployment compensation during the pandemic , some errors led to overpayments that created headaches for laid-off Ohioans already feeling the stress of long-term and unexpected unemployment .
The state made about $ 48 million in overpayments during the first six months of the coronavirus outbreak , and has recouped about half that amount , according to records provided by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services .
Most overpayments were the result of people not reporting or underreporting earnings during weeks they claimed benefits , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employers verifying wage information contributed to errors , along with fraud and some mistakes by agency staffers , the state said .
The state acknowledged that errors and overpayments happened because of the “ unprecedented increase ” in cases this year .
“ We understand the frustration overpayments cause during what is already a stressful time , and we are committed to doing everything we can to lessen those hardships , ” said agency spokesperson Bret Crow .
The pandemic forced the human services agency to deal almost overnight with record-high unemployment claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , right before state shutdowns began to take effect , the agency handled a total of 5,430 claims for unemployment over seven days .
Two weeks later , the state received 272,117 claims for the week ending on March 28 - the equivalent of about 9,718 claims every six hours .
To date , the human services agency has distributed more than $ 7.4 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 855,000 Ohioans .
The agency ’ s director , Kimberly Hall , told lawmakers in May that Ohio ‘ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its call center ’ s antiquated technology .
As the tsunami of unemployment claims hit the overwhelmed agency , it included mistaken payments in the effort to fill claims fast .
For some unemployed , resolving those mistakes has been a bureaucratic nightmare .
“ I ’ m literally just trying to get any answers , ” said Ashley Hagstrom of Parma , in suburban Cleveland .
Hagstrom , 26 , had been working at her “ dream job ” handling catering for the Cleveland Browns when she was furloughed in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started receiving benefits .
But she also told the state that on May 4 she would begin six weeks ’ planned medical leave for the birth of her son , her first child , and so would be ineligible for unemployment during that time .
“ They told me to continue to file but to put that I was not available and not able to work for the six weeks that I was going to be on medical leave , ” Hagstrom said .
“ To just be honest.
” That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days later she realized she was still receiving unemployment checks .
She called and was told she was doing everything correctly .
She received more money and called again , receiving the same response .
Her medical leave ended and despite her frequent calls to the state , she was informed she owed $ 6,600 in overpayments , including almost $ 1,000 in taxes which she had elected to have withheld .
Eventually , after weeks of phone calls , she won her appeal of the overpayment and learned she wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But as of this week , the state is once again saying - without explanation - that she owes $ 3,000 in overpayments and is deducting the money from what would be her regular payments .
Hagstrom is still owed about $ 4,700 from early on .
She ’ s given up calling the state and is working through her state representative instead .
Hagstrom said she and her husband are living off his salary and struggling to pay for health insurance .
While no one could predict a pandemic , eight months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - she thinks the state could have gotten things together .
“ This is already a really stressful time for people .
And they don ’ t seem to have any accountability or any care to make it easier , ” Hagstrom said .
“ Everyone ’ s stressed out .
The least they could do is make the process a little more simple.
” Hagstrom ’ s state representative , Democrat Jeff Crossman , said his email inbox is filled with similar requests for help .
Much of his and his staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to bat for people with the state .
State officials are responsive when he calls , but many constituents feel like they ’ re caught in a game of ping pong when they reach someone .
The state “ needs to try to deliver their services more efficiently , more quickly , turn things around a little bit more more quickly , ” Crossman said .
“ That ’ s my expectation .
”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - As the state distributed billions in unemployment compensation during the pandemic, some errors led to overpayments that created headaches for laid-off Ohioans already feeling the stress of long-term and unexpected unemployment.
The state made about $48 million in overpayments during the first six months of the coronavirus outbreak, and has recouped about half that amount, according to records provided by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Most overpayments were the result of people not reporting or underreporting earnings during weeks they claimed benefits, the state said. Lagging payroll data from employers verifying wage information contributed to errors, along with fraud and some mistakes by agency staffers, the state said.
The state acknowledged that errors and overpayments happened because of the “unprecedented increase” in cases this year.
“We understand the frustration overpayments cause during what is already a stressful time, and we are committed to doing everything we can to lessen those hardships,” said agency spokesperson Bret Crow.
The pandemic forced the human services agency to deal almost overnight with record-high unemployment claims. For the week ending March 14, right before state shutdowns began to take effect, the agency handled a total of 5,430 claims for unemployment over seven days.
Two weeks later, the state received 272,117 claims for the week ending on March 28 - the equivalent of about 9,718 claims every six hours. To date, the human services agency has distributed more than $7.4 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 855,000 Ohioans.
The agency’s director, Kimberly Hall, told lawmakers in May that Ohio ‘s response was hobbled by an understaffed benefit system and its call center’s antiquated technology.
Initial unemployment claims jumped 31% for the week ending Nov. 28, according to figures released Thursday. Claims for continued unemployment, considered a more reliable indicator of the economy’s strength, rose 6%, the state said.
As the tsunami of unemployment claims hit the overwhelmed agency, it included mistaken payments in the effort to fill claims fast. For some unemployed, resolving those mistakes has been a bureaucratic nightmare.
“I’m literally just trying to get any answers,” said Ashley Hagstrom of Parma, in suburban Cleveland.
Hagstrom, 26, had been working at her “dream job” handling catering for the Cleveland Browns when she was furloughed in early April. She filed for unemployment and started receiving benefits. But she also told the state that on May 4 she would begin six weeks’ planned medical leave for the birth of her son, her first child, and so would be ineligible for unemployment during that time.
“They told me to continue to file but to put that I was not available and not able to work for the six weeks that I was going to be on medical leave,” Hagstrom said. “To just be honest.”
That’s when her problems began. A few days later she realized she was still receiving unemployment checks. She called and was told she was doing everything correctly. She received more money and called again, receiving the same response.
Her medical leave ended and despite her frequent calls to the state, she was informed she owed $6,600 in overpayments, including almost $1,000 in taxes which she had elected to have withheld.
Eventually, after weeks of phone calls, she won her appeal of the overpayment and learned she wouldn’t have to pay back the taxes. But as of this week, the state is once again saying - without explanation - that she owes $3,000 in overpayments and is deducting the money from what would be her regular payments.
Hagstrom is still owed about $4,700 from early on. She’s given up calling the state and is working through her state representative instead.
Hagstrom said she and her husband are living off his salary and struggling to pay for health insurance. While no one could predict a pandemic, eight months in - with Christmas around the corner - she thinks the state could have gotten things together.
“This is already a really stressful time for people. And they don’t seem to have any accountability or any care to make it easier,” Hagstrom said. “Everyone’s stressed out. The least they could do is make the process a little more simple.”
Hagstrom’s state representative, Democrat Jeff Crossman, said his email inbox is filled with similar requests for help. Much of his and his staff’s time has been spent trying to go to bat for people with the state.
State officials are responsive when he calls, but many constituents feel like they’re caught in a game of ping pong when they reach someone.
The state “needs to try to deliver their services more efficiently, more quickly, turn things around a little bit more more quickly,” Crossman said. “That’s my expectation.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Some Dems want maskless House GOP lawmakers sworn in last

HARRISBURG , Pa. ( AP ) - A group of Democrats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives wants their adamantly maskless Republican colleagues to be sworn in next month after everyone else , to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
As a safety measure , the 203 state representatives will take the oath of office on Jan. 5 in four sets of about 50 people each , starting with newly elected members , the House speaker ’ s office said Wednesday .
Philadelphia state Rep. Joe Hohenstein , who has objected strenuously to some Republicans remaining maskless during recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ significant support ” among his fellow Democrats to have the maskless “ just simply be placed at the end of the line so that they don ’ t potentially contaminate the House floor.
” Hohenstein said a medical exception to the House bipartisan leadership group ’ s policy on masks needs some teeth , suggesting the leaders might require a doctor ’ s note verifying the maskless member ’ s condition .
“ The process by which people are claiming exemption from wearing masks isn ’ t a real process and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind , I think - legitimately balance the safety of everyone involved , ” Hohenstein said .
In a memo to members sent last week , House Speaker Bryan Cutler , R-Lancaster , said masks “ will be required of everyone unless an individual can not wear a face covering due to a medical condition.
” A cohort of a few dozen House Republicans has been insistently maskless this year , attending floor session and committee meetings in closed rooms .
Messages seeking comment from several of those House Republicans were not returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two state senators have contracted COVID-19 this year , two Democrats and nine Republicans .
Cutler ’ s spokesperson Mike Straub said the bipartisan leadership group ’ s mask guidance “ will be in effect ” and said members will be encouraged to wear them .
Swearing-in day is traditionally a crowded , festive event , with members hosting catered parties for their family and supporters throughout the Capitol complex .
But on Jan. 5 , the Capitol will be closed to visitors without tickets to the chamber floor or gallery .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewing of the ceremony in the Rotunda , as was routine in the past .
Cutler asked members not to hold celebratory receptions , and if they do , to limit the number of people in their offices .
Extra chairs and tables aren ’ t being provided this year .
“ If you do wish to hold a small office gathering , please confer with your suite mate beforehand , ” the speaker said .

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A group of Democrats in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives wants their adamantly maskless Republican colleagues to be sworn in next month after everyone else, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
As a safety measure, the 203 state representatives will take the oath of office on Jan. 5 in four sets of about 50 people each, starting with newly elected members, the House speaker’s office said Wednesday.
Philadelphia state Rep. Joe Hohenstein, who has objected strenuously to some Republicans remaining maskless during recent State Government Committee meetings, said there is “significant support” among his fellow Democrats to have the maskless “just simply be placed at the end of the line so that they don’t potentially contaminate the House floor.”
Hohenstein said a medical exception to the House bipartisan leadership group’s policy on masks needs some teeth, suggesting the leaders might require a doctor’s note verifying the maskless member’s condition.
“The process by which people are claiming exemption from wearing masks isn’t a real process and doesn’t really - in my mind, I think - legitimately balance the safety of everyone involved,” Hohenstein said.
In a memo to members sent last week, House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, said masks “will be required of everyone unless an individual cannot wear a face covering due to a medical condition.”
A cohort of a few dozen House Republicans has been insistently maskless this year, attending floor session and committee meetings in closed rooms. Messages seeking comment from several of those House Republicans were not returned.
At least nine state representatives and three state senators have contracted COVID-19 this year, two Democrats, nine Republicans and Luzerne state Sen. John Yudichak, an independent who disclosed his diagnosis on Thursday.
Cutler’s spokesperson, Mike Straub, said the bipartisan leadership group’s mask guidance “will be in effect” and said members will be encouraged to wear them.
The Pennsylvania Constitution says state lawmakers’ “oath or affirmation” shall be given to members “in the hall of the House to which he shall have been elected.”
Swearing-in day is traditionally a crowded, festive event, with members hosting catered parties for their family and supporters throughout the Capitol complex. But on Jan. 5, the Capitol will be closed to visitors without tickets to the chamber floor or gallery.
There will not be televisions for overflow viewing of the ceremony in the Rotunda, as was routine in the past.
Cutler asked members not to hold celebratory receptions, and if they do, to limit the number of people in their offices. Extra chairs and tables aren’t being provided this year.
“If you do wish to hold a small office gathering, please confer with your suite mate beforehand,” the speaker said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Jersey City marks 1 year since deadly bias attack

JERSEY CITY , N.J. ( AP ) - Jersey City will pause Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of a bias attack that killed a police officer and three people in a Jewish grocery store .
A ceremony will honor Police Det .
Joseph Seals at the cemetery where he was shot and killed on Dec. 10 , 2019 , during a chance meeting with assailants David Anderson and Francine Graham .
Anderson and Graham then drove to the kosher market where they shot and killed three people including the store ’ s owner , 31-year-old Mindel Ferencz , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held the back door open for a wounded customer to escape before he was shot .
Seals , a 40-year-old married father of five , was lauded as a model officer who helped get guns off the streets of the city of 270,000 that sits across the Hudson River from New York City .
Anderson and Graham barricaded themselves inside the store and were killed after a lengthy gunfight with police .
Authorities said notes and online posts by the pair reflected a hatred of Jews and law enforcement .
It wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though authorities have speculated Seals may have stopped the U-Haul van Anderson and Graham were driving because it fit the description of a vehicle connected to the slaying of a livery car driver a few days earlier .
In doing so , Seals may have thrown off their plans and prevented more bloodshed .
Investigators found five weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the store afterward , and found a bomb in the couple ’ s van plus materials that could have made a second bomb .

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) - Jersey City paused Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of a bias attack that killed a police officer and three people in a Jewish grocery store, and shone a light on tensions between city residents and a burgeoning Orthodox community.
The ceremony was held at the cemetery where Police Detective Joseph Seals was shot and killed on Dec. 10, 2019, during a chance meeting with assailants David Anderson and Francine Graham. Seals had gone to meet an informant when, authorities have speculated, he may have stopped the U-Haul van Anderson and Graham were driving because it fit the description of a vehicle connected to the slaying of a livery car driver a few days earlier.
Seals “chose to meet the informant here by himself, because he thought it would be beneficial in getting more information and helping the broader community,” Mayor Steven Fulop said. “He chose to walk over to a vehicle he recognized that could have been involved in something else around the city. He chose to put himself in harm’s way because he thought that would keep other people safe.”
The encounter may have thrown off the pair’s plans and prevented more bloodshed. After shooting Seals, Anderson and Graham drove to the kosher market about five minutes away, where they shot and killed three people including the store’s owner, 31-year-old Mindel Ferencz; Moshe Deutsch, 24, a rabbinical student from Brooklyn who was shopping there; and store employee Douglas Miguel Rodriguez, who held the back door open for a wounded customer to escape before he was shot.
A separate commemoration for them was scheduled for later Thursday, coinciding with the first night of Hanukkah.
Seals, a 40-year-old married father of five, was lauded as a model officer who served on a special team focused on seizing illegal weapons in the city of 270,000 that sits across the Hudson River from New York City.
“You have to turn this into a positive,” Police Chief Michael Kelly said Thursday. “These folks who have given the ultimate sacrifice give us our strength. We have to continue to memorialize them and continue to let our young cops know that these sacrifices are going to be remembered forever.”
Anderson and Graham, who had connections to Jersey City but weren’t living there at the time of the attacks, barricaded themselves inside the store and were killed after a lengthy gunfight with police. Authorities said notes and online posts by the pair, who were Black, reflected a hatred of Jews and law enforcement. Investigators found five weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the store afterward, and found a bomb in the couple’s van plus materials that could have made a second bomb.
Tensions flared in the days after the shootings when Black board of education member Joan Terrell-Paige wrote on Facebook that members of the Black community had been threatened and harassed to sell their homes by “brutes of the Jewish community” and went on to question whether the attackers may have had had a message to send. Terrell-Paige is still listed as a member on the board’s website.
Anderson and Graham weren’t Jersey City residents at the time of the shooting but had ties to the city.
Fulop denied Thursday that the shooting was indicative of broader tensions between Blacks and Orthodox Jews in the city, and said in the ensuing months numerous events were held to bring the two communities together.
“We didn’t see any of the signs of anti-Semitism prior to this where you would think it was a broader narrative,” he said.
Rabbi Shmully Levitan of Chabad of Hoboken and Jersey City, who lives in Jersey City and said he worships at the synagogue next to the market, said relations hadn’t changed dramatically in the last year but praised city officials for their efforts. He said he has helped organize events like a shabbat dinner for more than 200 people that brought together a diverse group of attendees.
“We’ve realized we need to be more proactive about coming together as one,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Lebanese judge charges caretaker PM in port blast

BEIRUT ( AP ) — The Lebanese prosecutor probing last summer ’ s port explosion in Beirut filed charges on Thursday against the caretaker prime minister and three former ministers , Lebanon ’ s official news agency said .
Judge Fadi Sawwan filed the charges against Hassan Diab and former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil , as well as Ghazi Zeiter and Youssef Fenianos , both former ministers of public works .
All four were charged with negligence leading to deaths over the Aug. 4 explosion at Beirut port , which killed more than 200 people and injured thousands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a large stockpile of explosive material that had been stored at the port for years , with the knowledge of top security officials and politicians who did nothing about it .
The four are the most senior individuals to be indicted so far in the probe , which is being conducted in secrecy .
Anger has been building up over the slow investigation , lack of answers and the fact that no senior officials have been indicted .
About 30 other security officials and port and customs officials have been detained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university professor , resigned few days after the blast , which leveled the port and destroyed large parts of the city .
Zeitar was transport and public works minister in 2014 , followed by Fenianos in 2016 , who held the job until the beginning of 2020 .
Khalil was finance minister in 2014 , 2016 and until 2020 .
Both Khalil and Fenanios were sanctioned by the U.S. in September this year , the first two officials to be subjected to those outside of Hezbollah group

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese prosecutor probing last summer’s port explosion in Beirut filed charges on Thursday against the caretaker prime minister and three former ministers, Lebanon’s official news agency said.
Judge Fadi Sawwan filed the charges against Hassan Diab and former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, as well as Ghazi Zeiter and Youssef Fenianos, both former ministers of public works.
All four were charged with negligence leading to deaths over the Aug. 4 explosion at Beirut port, which killed more than 200 people and injured thousands. The explosion was caused by the ignition of a large stockpile of explosive material that had been stored at the port for years, with the knowledge of top security officials and politicians who did nothing about it.
The four are the most senior individuals to be indicted so far in the probe, which is being conducted in secrecy. Anger has been building up over the slow investigation, lack of answers and the fact that no senior officials have been indicted.
About 30 other security officials and port and customs officials have been detained in the probe.
Diab, a former university professor, resigned few days after the blast, which leveled the port and destroyed large parts of the city.
Zeitar was transport and public works minister in 2014, followed by Fenianos in 2016, who held the job until the beginning of 2020. Khalil was finance minister in 2014, 2016 and until 2020.
Both Khalil and Fenanios were sanctioned by the U.S. in September this year, the first two officials to be subjected to those outside of Hezbollah group


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Renters to get nearly $550K in apartment conditions lawsuit

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) - The former owners and manager of an apartment complex in North Carolina agreed to pay nearly $ 550,000 to former tenants who claimed they were paying rent despite ongoing health and safety violations .
The settlement money would be divided among 97 former tenants of Charlotte ’ s Lake Arbor apartments in their class action lawsuit , The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday .
Charlotte code inspectors had found violations at the apartment complex after tenants complained of pests , unsafe wiring and water damage .
“ These landlords kept taking the rent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusing to fix serious safety problems in tenants ’ units , as found by the city , ” former tenant and plaintiff Serita Russell said in a statement announcing the settlement .
The property owners also sparked outrage and changes to the city ’ s code violation policies when they announced last year that they would remove renters for renovations .
Housing advocates sounded alarms that the decision could cause homelessness .
The apartment complex was sold in April to a New York-based company , Mecklenburg County property records show .
Defense attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake Arbor Dean TIC LLC and Lake Arbor 80M TIC LLC , and its property manager are not liable .
They only settled to avoid time and the cost of a trial , he said .
The settlement money will be awarded after getting approval from the state ’ s superior court .

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The former owners and manager of an apartment complex in North Carolina agreed to pay nearly $550,000 to former tenants who claimed they were paying rent despite ongoing health and safety violations.
The settlement money would be divided among 97 former tenants of Charlotte’s Lake Arbor apartments in their class action lawsuit, The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday. Charlotte code inspectors had found violations at the apartment complex after tenants complained of pests, unsafe wiring and water damage.
“These landlords kept taking the rent and taking the rent, all the while refusing to fix serious safety problems in tenants’ units, as found by the city,” former tenant and plaintiff Serita Russell said in a statement announcing the settlement.
The property owners also sparked outrage and changes to the city’s code violation policies when they announced last year that they would remove renters for renovations. Housing advocates sounded alarms that the decision could cause homelessness.
The apartment complex was sold in April to a New York-based company, Mecklenburg County property records show.
Defense attorney Erik Rosenwood said the former owners, Lake Arbor Dean TIC LLC and Lake Arbor 80M TIC LLC, and its property manager are not liable. They only settled to avoid time and the cost of a trial, he said.
The settlement money will be awarded after getting approval from the state’s superior court.


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--EU inches toward landmark budget, virus recovery fund deal

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Thursday that the European Union is on the brink of sealing an agreement on a massive budget and a coronavirus recovery package , signaling that it has almost overcome objections from his country and Poland about tying EU funds to upholding the rule of law .
“ We are just one inch from reaching a consensus , ” Orban told reporters as he arrived at EU headquarters in Brussels for a two-day summit , adding that all sides are fighting for ” a victory for common sense.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so many millions of people are in real need because of ( the ) pandemic and the economic consequences of that , we have to behave reasonably , ” said Orban , whose nationalist governments has been accused of undermining judicial independence and media freedoms .
The 1.82 trillion-euro ( $ 2.21 trillion ) long-term budget and recovery package is considered vital for many European countries whose economies have been devastated by the virus .
Poland and Hungary had agreed to the deal in July but later vetoed it over a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off EU funds to countries that violate Europe ’ s democratic standards .
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned that it ’ s a case of us now , you tomorrow .
“ We have to avoid any arbitrary and politically motivated decisions , ” he said .
“ Today , we fear that we might be attacked in unjustified way , but of course in the future ( it can be ) any country.
” The apparent breakthrough comes just days after it appeared that their 25 EU partners might go it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ package without them .
Ahead of the two-day summit , EU diplomats and officials said the solution would take the form of a declaration clarifying that the rule of law mechanism would not be used against any country without a ruling from the EU ’ s top court , the European Court of Justice , first .
That process could take a year .
“ A compromise is currently being found .
I hope it can be finalized in the coming hours , ” French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday .
But Dutch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He plans to seek legal advice , particularly as to whether the compromise would violate the agreement previously reached between EU member countries and the European Parliament .
Rutte said he also wants to be sure that any court ruling “ can retroactively establish that violations have occurred.
” If the leaders fail to adopt the budget for 2021-2027 before the end of the year , the bloc will have to function on limited resources , with a maximum of one-twelfth of the budget for the previous financial year to be spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Hungary - which are already being formally investigated by the EU for their potential violations of the rule of law - could be held up .
Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report .

BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union leaders on Thursday clinched a deal on a massive long-term budget and a fund to help the bloc’s ravaged economies recover from the impact of the coronavirus, but critics said the agreement lets Hungary and Poland off the hook for abusing the rule of law.
The 1.82 trillion-euro ($2.21 trillion) seven-year budget and recovery package was meant to come into effect on Jan. 1. Poland and Hungary agreed to the deal in July but later vetoed it, fearing the new “rule of law mechanism” might target them for possible breaches of Europe’s democratic standards.
“Now we can start with the implementation and build back our economies. Our landmark recovery package will drive forward our green and digital transitions,” EU Council President Charles Michel said in a tweet after the deadlock was broken at an EU summit he chaired in Brussels.
The breakthrough came just days after it appeared that Poland and Hungary’s 25 EU partners might go it alone and create a new coronavirus recovery package without them, potentially depriving them of billions of euros worth of assistance.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was in a celebratory mood.
“It was a nice evening. We can chill the champagne,” Orban said in a video posted to his Facebook page, trumpeting the news that “common sense has won.”
“We have averted the danger of budgetary means being used to force Hungary to make decisions that it doesn’t want to make or accept, and in the end we defended Hungarians’ money which will come in handy for the economic developments of the coming years,” he said.
Also taking to Facebook, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the deal as “a double victory.”
“The EU budget can be implemented now, and Poland will receive from it 770 billion zlotys (173 billion euros.) This money is safe because the conditionality mechanism has been limited by very precise criteria,” he said.
Under the compromise, the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, would draw up guidelines for using the new rule of law mechanism and what might trigger it, with Europe’s top court weighing in on their validity. The commission would take no action against any country until the guidelines are drafted.
A French official, who was not permitted to discuss the sensitive deliberations on the record, said that the steps taken against any country for failing to uphold the rule of law would apply retroactively from Jan. 1, 2021.
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that the leaders “adopted a robust agreement on the mechanism to put in place, in respect of the rule of law. Europe moves forward, united, and displays its values.”
While acknowledging that national governments are in dire need of coronavirus funds, some warned of the dangers of delaying action yet again against Hungary and Poland, whose nationalist governments have been accused of undermining judicial independence and media freedoms.
Daniel Freund, the Green group negotiator on the rule of law in the European Parliament, warned that the compromise being discussed would put the system “on hold for 1-2 years.”
“Europe’s rule of law is in crisis,” he said, adding that EU members should not be pressing the European Commission to avoid enforcing “existing laws while judicial independence is abolished in Poland or billions of EU funds end up with Orban’s family and friends.”
Eve Geddie, Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office said the delay “will allow for irreparable damage to the human rights of people in Poland and Hungary, and to the integrity of the rule of law across the EU.”
Had the leaders failed to adopt the budget for 2021-2027 before the end of the year, the bloc would have been forced to function on limited resources, with a maximum of one-twelfth of the budget for the previous financial year to be spent each month.
Many projects for Poland and Hungary - which are already being formally investigated by the EU for their potential violations of the rule of law - would have been held up.
___
Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw and Justin Spike in Budapest contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--AP Interview: Digital minister says Taiwan to guard privacy

TAIPEI , Taiwan ( AP ) - Taiwan plans to create an independent agency to enforce digital privacy , a Cabinet minister says , tackling an increasingly urgent issue as countries step up surveillance during the pandemic .
Taiwan is one of Asia ’ s most robust democracies and has been praised for its outbreak response , which has kept its death toll at seven .
But privacy advocates object to measures used to track the public and say there are too few safeguards for personal information .
The proposed council , if approved by lawmakers , would have power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is in charge of open government initiatives and social innovation , told The Associated Press in an interview .
President Tsai Ing-wen said creating such a body would be a priority following her re-election in January .
The opposition Nationalist Party made a similar proposal to the legislature this month .
The agency “ will truly be independent , ” reporting directly to the head of Tsai ’ s Cabinet , Tang said Thursday .
Other governments including China and South Korea track the public with smartphone apps , credit cards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments have faced strong public resistance to tracking apps due to privacy concerns .
The United States is wrestling with how to enforce data privacy following thefts from corporate and government databases .
The Trump administration is pressing the Chinese owner of video service TikTok to sell its U.S. unit and is trying to bar messaging service WeChat from the country on the grounds that they might gather too much personal data about Americans .
In Taiwan , authorities use a system dubbed an “ electric fence ” based on cell phone location @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be quarantined .
It alerts police if the person ’ s phone leaves a designated area .
Taiwan is one of the world ’ s most digitally connected societies with an internet penetration rate of around 82 % , according to government survey in 2017 .
The global penetration rate for internet usage was 53.6 % in 2019 , according to the U.N. International Telecommunication Union .
Taiwan ’ s Central Epidemic Command Center was given expanded powers to take “ necessary response measures ” under legislation enacted in April .
Privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give the epidemic agency information including about immigration .
They said there should be limits on how data could be used or how long it would be held .
“ The criticism is valid , ” Tang said .
However , she said the government has set up no new data collection and instead relied on databases such as health insurance cards and a disaster warning system that already were in place .
Tang said Taiwan ’ s lack of a central agency to enforce digital privacy prevents it from qualifying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the European Union under the 27-nation trade bloc ’ s stringent data protection rules .
Taiwan ’ s approach was “ a balance between collectivism and individualism , ” Tang said .
“ The most we can do during that fight of a pandemic is not to make the norm even more destructive for privacy purposes , ” she said .
Tang was an entrepreneur and activist for open government before joining Tsai ’ s Cabinet .
In a Twitter message to U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world can start with one simple principle : trust the citizens more .
”

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan plans to create an independent agency to enforce digital privacy, a Cabinet minister says, tackling an increasingly urgent issue as countries step up surveillance during the pandemic.
Taiwan is one of Asia’s most robust democracies and has been praised for its outbreak response, which has kept its death toll at seven. But privacy advocates object to measures used to track the public and say there are too few safeguards for personal information.
The proposed council, if approved by lawmakers, would have power to enforce privacy rules, Audrey Tang, who is in charge of open government initiatives and social innovation, told The Associated Press in an interview.
President Tsai Ing-wen said creating such a body would be a priority following her re-election in January. The opposition Nationalist Party made a similar proposal to the legislature this month.
The agency “will truly be independent,” reporting directly to the head of Tsai’s Cabinet, Tang said Thursday.
Other governments including China and South Korea track the public with smartphone apps, credit cards and other technology. In Europe, governments have faced strong public resistance to tracking apps due to privacy concerns.
The United States is wrestling with how to enforce data privacy following thefts from corporate and government databases. The Trump administration is pressing the Chinese owner of video service TikTok to sell its U.S. unit and is trying to bar messaging service WeChat from the country on the grounds that they might gather too much personal data about Americans.
In Taiwan, authorities use a system dubbed an “electric fence” based on cell phone location data to track people who are supposed to be quarantined. It alerts police if the person’s phone leaves a designated area.
Taiwan is one of the world’s most digitally connected societies with an internet penetration rate of around 82%, according to government survey in 2017. The global penetration rate for internet usage was 53.6% in 2019, according to the U.N. International Telecommunication Union.
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center was given expanded powers to take “necessary response measures” under legislation enacted in April.
Privacy activists expressed concern about merging of databases to give the epidemic agency information including about immigration. They said there should be limits on how data could be used or how long it would be held.
“The criticism is valid,” Tang said. However, she said the government has set up no new data collection and instead relied on databases such as health insurance cards and a disaster warning system that already were in place.
Tang said Taiwan’s lack of a central agency to enforce digital privacy prevents it from qualifying for the top level of information sharing with the European Union under the 27-nation trade bloc’s stringent data protection rules.
Taiwan’s approach was “a balance between collectivism and individualism,” Tang said.
“The most we can do during that fight of a pandemic is not to make the norm even more destructive for privacy purposes,” she said.
Tang was an entrepreneur and activist for open government before joining Tsai’s Cabinet.
In a Twitter message to U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in November, Tang said, “Governments around the world can start with one simple principle: trust the citizens more.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-10--Fontes to help with Pima County recorder transition

TUCSON , Ariz. ( AP ) - Defeated Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes will help Pima County ’ s newly @ @ @ @ @ office next year .
Pima County ’ s Gabriella Cázares-Kelly announced Thursday that she ’ @ @ @ @ @ chief deputy recorder in Tucson .
Fontes and Cázares-Kelly are both Democrats .
Cázares-Kelly is @ @ @ @ @ F. Ann Rodriguez , who is retiring along with her chief deputy , Christopher Roads @ @ @ @ @ bid to Republican Steven Richer after overseeing elections in Arizona ’ s largest county for @ @ @ @ @ ll start his new job Jan. 1 and stay for at least three months while @ @ @ @ @ a permanent elections director , Cázares-Kelly said in a news release .

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Defeated Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes will help Pima County’s newly elected recorder when she takes office next year.
Pima County’s Gabriella Cázares-Kelly announced Thursday that she’ll appoint Fontes as interim chief deputy recorder in Tucson. Fontes and Cázares-Kelly are both Democrats.
Cázares-Kelly is replacing longtime Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez, who is retiring along with her chief deputy, Christopher Roads. Fontes lost his reelection bid to Republican Steven Richer after overseeing elections in Arizona’s largest county for four years.
He’ll start his new job Jan. 1 and stay for at least three months while he leads the search for a permanent elections director, Cázares-Kelly said in a news release.