washingtontimes--2020-07-05--The Latest: Sports stars to be exempt from UK quarantine

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : The UK government says selected @ @ @ @ @ exempt from quarantine requirements when competing in England .
However , those involved will instead @ @ @ @ @ bubbled ” environments behind closed doors , UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ allow Formula One , international soccer , golf and snooker events to take place .
@ @ @ @ @ will be granted quarantine exemptions .
International cricketers are also now formally exempt , although @ @ @ @ @ been made for the touring West Indies and Pakistan teams this summer .
Other people @ @ @ @ @ events such as officials , coaches , medics , mechanics and incoming members of the @ @ @ @ @ to travel without quarantine .
In return sporting authorities and event organisers must put in @ @ @ @ @ that they have a minimal impact on public health during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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Arizona manager Torey Lovullo says that relief pitchers Silvino Bracho and Junior Guerra have both tested positive for COVID-19.
The Diamondbacks had previously revealed that three players on the 40-man roster had tested positive but Sunday was the first time any were identified.
Lovullo said both players are doing well.
“The two guys I mentioned are asymptomatic and feel great,” Lovullo said. “They’re in the protocol, doing what they can and taking care of what they can at home and healing up.”
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The Milwaukee Bucks have closed their practice facility following the team’s Friday round of testing for the coronavirus.
Bucks officials confirmed Sunday that they had closed the facility and that they aren’t planning to reopen it before leaving for Florida on Thursday to prepare for the NBA’s resumption of the season at Walt Disney World.
The news of the closing was first reported by ESPN, which said the Bucks closed the facility after receiving results from Friday’s testing.
The Bucks owned an NBA-leading 53-12 record when play was suspended in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Their magic number for clinching the Eastern Conference’s top seed in the playoffs is two as they chase their first NBA title since 1971.
Milwaukee is scheduled to resume play July 31 against the Boston Celtics, its first of eight games to close the regular season.
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Lone Star Park, a horse track about 15 miles west of downtown Dallas that has been allowing fans to attend races, canceled eight of its nine scheduled races Sunday because of coronavirus concerns.
“Due to an abundance of caution, all racing operations at Lone Star Park have been suspended due to (COVID-19),” read a statement on the track’s Twitter account. “Racing will resume at a date to be determined.”
The announcement was made about 45 minutes after the first race was completed. Racing had been scheduled to resume Monday. There was no immediate announcement on a specific restart date or if the rest of the season, scheduled to run three or four days a week through Aug. 11, will be called off.
Lone Star Park had been mandating that fans attending all must wear masks, except when eating or drinking.
Texas reported a record daily increase of 8,258 confirmed coronavirus cases Saturday and has been retreating from what had been one of the country’s swiftest reopenings. Some officials in major cities such as Austin and Houston have been asking state leaders to restore previous stay-at-home orders.
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The Oakland Athletics’ first full-squad workout was pushed back from Sunday following the July 4 holiday given the club hadn’t received results from position player intake testing done Friday, according to general manager David Forst.
“We all know that being flexible and adjusting to the unknowns is going to be part of everything we do this season,” Forst said.
Manager Bob Melvin is eager to get everybody on the field together at the Coliseum while understanding he must be flexible during this fluid time.
‘“It feels like we’re five days behind with position players,” said Melvin, who has slated the first live batting practice during a longer workout Tuesday.
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Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez says two players out of 60 tested turned up positive for the novel coronavirus.
Martinez says the two players took their tests Wednesday before reporting to Nationals Park and that some are still awaiting their results. Reliever Sean Doolittle minutes earlier lamented not having his COVID-19 test results back from Friday and implored baseball to “clean this up.”
Doolittle, who was part of Washington’s World Series-winning team last season, said he’s still debating whether to play this season, weighing safety concerns and physical and mental health. The 33-year-old said the Nationals still haven’t received the respirator masks they were told were coming and expressed concerns about the situation.
- Stephen Whyno reporting from Washington
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The Chicago White Sox say two players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation.
The team said Sunday that the two unidentified players are asymptomatic, and contact tracing for both was conducted. They are being monitored by team medical staff and will receive follow-up testing in the coming days.
They will be allowed to return to baseball activities after they test negative twice and pass other appropriate COVID-19 protocols.
The White Sox say both players requested privacy, meaning the team isn’t able to comment further.
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The UK government says selected sports stars are to be exempt from quarantine requirements when competing in England.
However, those involved will instead live and work in “bubbled” environments behind closed doors, UK culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced on Sunday.
The new measures will allow Formula One, international soccer, golf and snooker events to take place. Competitors involved in these events will be granted quarantine exemptions.
International cricketers are also now formally exempt, although individual special arrangements have already been made for the touring West Indies and Pakistan teams this summer.
Other people essential to the staging of events such as officials, coaches, medics, mechanics and incoming members of the media will also be permitted to travel without quarantine.
In return, sporting authorities and event organizers must put in place stringent protocols to ensure that they have a minimal impact on public health during the coronavirus pandemic.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Bellagio error may be largest sportsbook loss in Las Vegas history

LAS VEGAS — The nearly quarter-million dollars in winning wagers reportedly placed at MGM Resorts last Sunday might be the largest sportsbook loss in Las Vegas history on bets made after an event has started .
Seven longtime Las Vegas bookmakers can ’ t recall a larger loss , the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports .
But each oddsmaker has taken hits on past posts and said it ’ s a fairly common occurrence at books .
According to an ESPN report , Sunday ’ s bets were allowed to be placed because incorrect start times were posted on some Korean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manual entry error .
Nearly all of the approximately 50 wagers were placed on self-serve kiosks at the Bellagio between 1:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. when the games in question started at 1 a.m. and 2 a.m .
Among the bets was a $ 250 , 10-leg parlay that paid more than $ 137,100 .
The Nevada Gaming Control Board is reportedly investigating the matter .
Anytime there is a dispute in excess of $ 500 , the state ’ s books are required to contact the board , which conducts an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abide by .
“ It ’ s happened to all of us , ” Westgate sportsbook director John Murray said .
“ I think every sportsbook probably since the beginning of time has dealt with this at some point .
“ We ’ ve had past post situations where our employees put in the wrong time or put in the wrong number or they forgot to close something .
It ’ s manual entry and humans are going to make mistakes.
” Robert Walker , USBookmaking director of sportsbook operations , is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as MGM Resorts sportsbook director from 1996-2008 .
“ I still haven ’ t gotten over some mistakes I made at The Mirage 20 years ago , ” he said .
“ There ’ s no worse feeling than when you see a bet come across on a game that ’ s already started .
“ I got lit up on some halftimes before .
If you don ’ t manually close out the halftime line , they keep betting it and that ’ s what they did.
” Walker said a college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halftime wager on Louisiana State late in the fourth quarter , when the bet couldn ’ t lose .
“ Once I saw that bet come across the ticker in the fourth quarter , I was mortified , ” he said .
The sportsbook locked out the ticket from cashing while Walker went to the MGM Grand to explain his mistake to the bettor .
“ He gave me the story that they didn ’ t know and they were LSU fans .
But yet you ’ re watching the game , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 % my fault .
They were guests of the casino , so at that point I sided with them and it was a mistake we had to eat .
”

LAS VEGAS — The nearly quarter-million dollars in winning wagers reportedly placed at MGM Resorts last Sunday might be the largest sportsbook loss in Las Vegas history on bets made after an event has started.
Seven longtime Las Vegas bookmakers can’t recall a larger loss, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. But each oddsmaker has taken hits on past posts and said it’s a fairly common occurrence at books.
According to an ESPN report, Sunday’s bets were allowed to be placed because incorrect start times were posted on some Korean and Chinese baseball games due to a manual entry error.
Nearly all of the approximately 50 wagers were placed on self-serve kiosks at the Bellagio between 1:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. when the games in question started at 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
Among the bets was a $250, 10-leg parlay that paid more than $137,100.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board is reportedly investigating the matter. Anytime there is a dispute in excess of $500, the state’s books are required to contact the board, which conducts an investigation and makes a ruling the books must abide by.
“It’s happened to all of us,” Westgate sportsbook director John Murray said. “I think every sportsbook probably since the beginning of time has dealt with this at some point.
“We’ve had past post situations where our employees put in the wrong time or put in the wrong number or they forgot to close something. It’s manual entry and humans are going to make mistakes.”
Robert Walker, USBookmaking director of sportsbook operations, is still haunted by getting past-posted during his tenure as MGM Resorts sportsbook director from 1996-2008.
“I still haven’t gotten over some mistakes I made at The Mirage 20 years ago,” he said. “There’s no worse feeling than when you see a bet come across on a game that’s already started.
“I got lit up on some halftimes before. If you don’t manually close out the halftime line, they keep betting it and that’s what they did.”
Walker said a college football bettor once placed a $3,000 halftime wager on Louisiana State late in the fourth quarter, when the bet couldn’t lose.
“Once I saw that bet come across the ticker in the fourth quarter, I was mortified,” he said.
The sportsbook locked out the ticket from cashing while Walker went to the MGM Grand to explain his mistake to the bettor.
“He gave me the story that they didn’t know and they were LSU fans. But yet you’re watching the game,” he said. “But it was 100% my fault. They were guests of the casino, so at that point I sided with them and it was a mistake we had to eat.”


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Thousands rally at Black Lives Matter protests in Australia

SYDNEY ( AP ) - Several thousand people rallied in Black Lives Matter protests across Australia over the weekend to call for racial equality and highlight deaths of Indigenous people while in police custody .
About 500 people protested Sunday in Newcastle , north of Sydney , after the New South Wales state Supreme Court approved the rally following an attempt by police to have it banned .
A rally in Sydney on Sunday began with a ceremony at which people mourned the Indigenous Australians who have died in police custody .
There have been more than 400 Indigenous deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue ended in 1991 .
No convictions have been recorded in any of the deaths .
“ We went through the lawful process , we sat through that process of the coronial inquiry , we listened to that process and we received no justice from that process , ” Sydney rally organizer Paul Silva told SBS Television .
“ This is our process to demand justice.
” On Saturday , Australians took part in Black Lives Matter rallies in the cities of Brisbane , Darwin , Perth and Adelaide .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain social distancing due to coronavirus concerns .
Australia ’ s Indigenous people are the most disadvantaged ethnic minority in the country .
They have higher-than-average rates of infant mortality and poor health , as well as shorter life expectancy and lower levels of education and employment than other Australians .

SYDNEY (AP) - Several thousand people rallied in Black Lives Matter protests across Australia over the weekend to call for racial equality and highlight deaths of Indigenous people while in police custody.
About 500 people protested Sunday in Newcastle, north of Sydney, after the New South Wales state Supreme Court approved the rally following an attempt by police to have it banned.
A rally in Sydney on Sunday began with a ceremony at which people mourned the Indigenous Australians who have died in police custody.
There have been more than 400 Indigenous deaths in custody since a royal commission into the issue ended in 1991. No convictions have been recorded in any of the deaths.
“We went through the lawful process, we sat through that process of the coronial inquiry, we listened to that process and we received no justice from that process,” Sydney rally organizer Paul Silva told SBS Television. “This is our process to demand justice.”
On Saturday, Australians took part in Black Lives Matter rallies in the cities of Brisbane, Darwin, Perth and Adelaide. Many of the protesters work masks and attempted to maintain social distancing due to coronavirus concerns.
Australia’s Indigenous people are the most disadvantaged ethnic minority in the country. They have higher-than-average rates of infant mortality and poor health, as well as shorter life expectancy and lower levels of education and employment than other Australians.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Georgia State Patrol headquarters damaged in Atlanta protests

ATLANTA — Protesters caused extensive damage to the Georgia State Patrol headquarters in Atlanta early Sunday by sparking flames inside the building with fireworks , breaking windows and spraying graffiti , the agency said .
Department of Public Safety workers put out the fire , and two employees were treated for smoke inhalation , Georgia State Patrol Lt. Stephanie Stallings said in a statement .
One of the agency ’ s vehicles parked in front of the building was also damaged .
Video showed several dozen people outside and the sound of drums being played in the background .
Smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the building after a red flash was seen inside .
As many as 100 people dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks were outside the building , Stallings said .
The incident was under investigation and no arrests had been made , the statement said .
The demonstration started peacefully , said Kimberly Krautter , who recorded video of the fire .
“ Only about three or four people ” looked to be trying to vandalize the building , she said .
Protests have taken place in Atlanta over the past month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks and George Floyd , but the subject of this protest wasn ’ t clear , Krautter said .
The building is located about 3 miles ( 5 kilometers ) southeast of downtown .
It also houses a number of other state agencies , news outlets reported .

ATLANTA — Protesters caused extensive damage to the Georgia State Patrol headquarters in Atlanta early Sunday by sparking flames inside the building with fireworks, breaking windows and spraying graffiti, the agency said.
Department of Public Safety workers put out the fire, and two employees were treated for smoke inhalation, Georgia State Patrol Lt. Stephanie Stallings said in a statement. One of the agency’s vehicles parked in front of the building was also damaged.
Video showed several dozen people outside and the sound of drums being played in the background. Smoke could be seen through a glass window of the building after a red flash was seen inside.
As many as 100 people dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks were outside the building, Stallings said. The incident was under investigation and no arrests had been made, the statement said.
The demonstration started peacefully, said Kimberly Krautter, who recorded video of the fire. “Only about three or four people” looked to be trying to vandalize the building, she said.
Protests have taken place in Atlanta over the past month in response to the deaths of Rayshard Brooks and George Floyd, but the subject of this protest wasn’t clear, Krautter said.
The building is located about 3 miles (5 kilometers) southeast of downtown. It also houses a number of other state agencies, news outlets reported.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--New U.S. coronavirus cases fall under 50,000

ST. PETE BEACH , Fla. — The United States has dipped under 50,000 new daily infections for the first time in four days , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University , but experts fear celebrations for the July 4th weekend will act like rocket fuel for the nation ’ s surging coronavirus outbreak .
Johns Hopkins on Sunday counted 45,300 new coronavirus infections reported Saturday in the U.S. after three days in which the daily count reached as high as 54,500 new cases .
The lower figure does not mean the situation in the U.S. is improving , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a national holiday .
The United States has the most infections and virus-related deaths in the world , with 2.8 million cases and nearly 130,000 dead , according to the university .
Experts say the true toll of the pandemic is significantly higher , due to people who died before they were tested and missed mild cases .
Worldwide , nearly 11.3 million people have been infected and over 531,000 have died , with outbreaks surging in India , South Africa , Pakistan , Brazil and several other Latin American countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday reported more than 10,000 new confirmed cases in a single day .
To show just how steep the U.S. infection curve is , authorities were reporting under 20,000 new infections a day as recently as June 15 .
On Saturday , Florida and Texas reported more record daily increases in confirmed cases and virus-related deaths have begun to rise .
Despite warnings by health experts to limit gatherings , President Donald Trump went ahead with a speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday and an evening of tribute and fireworks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump used the nation ’ s Independence Day as an occasion to assail those who do not support him and did not mention the horrific death toll from the pandemic .
Pat Lee of Upper Dublin , Pennsylvania , and two friends , none in masks , gathered near the event in Washington .
“ POTUS said it would go away , ” Lee said of the pandemic , using an acronym for president of the United States .
“ Masks , I think , are like a hoax.
” In another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said member states reported more than 212,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world on Saturday , the highest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic .
The Geneva-based organization said more than 60 % of the confirmed cases reports it received were in the Americas , which includes the United States and Brazil .
Faced with rising infections , many U.S. communities canceled parades and fireworks and cautioned people against hosting large gatherings .
Texas , which reported a record daily increase of 8,258 confirmed coronavirus cases Saturday , is retreating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s swiftest reopenings .
Much of the state began mandating face coverings Friday , with a $ 250 fine for scofflaws .
In Florida , which reported 11,445 confirmed infections on Saturday , bars statewide are shut down and some regional attractions , such as Zoo Miami and Jungle Island , have closed .
Officials in South Florida - including in Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys - also closed beaches through the weekend .
Other beaches remained open .
At St. Pete Beach on the Gulf of Mexico , parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ umbrellas and in cabanas on the sand .
Keisha Pereira came to the beach from Osceola County - more than 100 miles ( 160 kilometers ) inland - with her daughter and two other children .
“ We ’ re going to stay with each other , ” she said .
“ I feel pretty safe outside.
” The holiday weekend coincided with a big step back this week for California ’ s efforts to reopen the state ’ s economy .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered a three-week closure of bars and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 million people live .
In several California regions , economic woes prompted campaigns to convince state residents to travel within its borders .
But public health experts and mayors of popular beach towns Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay pleaded with people to stay home for the holiday .
Crista Luedtke said demand has been “ bonkers ” since reopening the 14-room Boon Hotel and Spa that she owns in the Sonoma County town of Guerneville .
Guests must stay at least two nights and are assigned lounges near the pool .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luedtke said .
“ I think people not following the rules is dangerous.
” In Britain , pubs and barbers reopened Saturday for the first time in months .
It did not overwhelm emergency services as many had feared , but one senior police officer said Sunday it was “ crystal clear ” that drunk people struggled , or ignored , social distancing rules .
Rafal Liszewski , a store manager in central London , voiced concerns about the swelling crowds on Saturday .
“ Quickly everything got out of control and by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party with people dancing and drinking , ” he said .
“ Barely anyone was wearing masks and nobody respected social distancing … .
to be honest , with that many people on one street , it was physically impossible.
” In Australia and northeast Spain , authorities ordered lockdowns for specific counties or communities to stomp out local outbreaks .
In the Bolivian city of Cochabamba , the relatives of one apparent virus victim left his coffin in the street for hours to protest the difficulties in having him buried .
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is collapsing the police personnel and funeral workers ” in the city of 630,000 people .
Chandler reported from Montgomery , Alabama , and Foody reported from Chicago .
AP writers around the world contributed to this report .

Tamara Lush, Kim Chandler, Kathleen Foody

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — The United States has dipped under 50,000 new daily infections for the first time in four days, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, but experts fear celebrations for the July 4th weekend will act like rocket fuel for the nation’s surging coronavirus outbreak.
Johns Hopkins on Sunday counted 45,300 new coronavirus infections reported Saturday in the U.S. after three days in which the daily count reached as high as 54,500 new cases. The lower figure does not mean the situation in the U.S. is improving, it could be due to reduced reporting on a national holiday.
The United States has the most infections and virus-related deaths in the world, with 2.8 million cases and nearly 130,000 dead, according to the university. Experts say the true toll of the pandemic is significantly higher, due to people who died before they were tested and missed mild cases.
Worldwide, nearly 11.3 million people have been infected and over 531,000 have died, with outbreaks surging in India, South Africa, Pakistan, Brazil and several other Latin American countries. In a first, South Africa on Sunday reported more than 10,000 new confirmed cases in a single day.
To show just how steep the U.S. infection curve is, authorities were reporting under 20,000 new infections a day as recently as June 15. On Saturday, Florida and Texas reported more record daily increases in confirmed cases and virus-related deaths have begun to rise.
Despite warnings by health experts to limit gatherings, President Donald Trump went ahead with a speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday and an evening of tribute and fireworks Saturday on the National Mall in Washington. Trump used the nation’s Independence Day as an occasion to assail those who do not support him and did not mention the horrific death toll from the pandemic.
Pat Lee of Upper Dublin, Pennsylvania, and two friends, none in masks, gathered near the event in Washington.
“POTUS said it would go away,” Lee said of the pandemic, using an acronym for president of the United States. “Masks, I think, are like a hoax.”
In another worrying sign, the World Health Organization said member states reported more than 212,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world on Saturday, the highest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic. The Geneva-based organization said more than 60% of the confirmed cases reports it received were in the Americas, which includes the United States and Brazil.
Faced with rising infections, many U.S. communities canceled parades and fireworks and cautioned people against hosting large gatherings.
Texas, which reported a record daily increase of 8,258 confirmed coronavirus cases Saturday, is retreating from what had been one of the country’s swiftest reopenings. Much of the state began mandating face coverings Friday, with a $250 fine for scofflaws.
In Florida, which reported 11,445 confirmed infections on Saturday, bars statewide are shut down and some regional attractions, such as Zoo Miami and Jungle Island, have closed. Officials in South Florida - including in Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys - also closed beaches through the weekend.
Other beaches remained open. At St. Pete Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, parking spaces were scarce and hundreds clustered under umbrellas and in cabanas on the sand. Keisha Pereira came to the beach from Osceola County - more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) inland - with her daughter and two other children.
“We’re going to stay with each other,” she said. “I feel pretty safe outside.”
The holiday weekend coincided with a big step back this week for California’s efforts to reopen the state’s economy. Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a three-week closure of bars and many indoor establishments in counties where some 30 million people live.
In several California regions, economic woes prompted campaigns to convince state residents to travel within its borders. But public health experts and mayors of popular beach towns Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay pleaded with people to stay home for the holiday.
Crista Luedtke said demand has been “bonkers” since reopening the 14-room Boon Hotel and Spa that she owns in the Sonoma County town of Guerneville. Guests must stay at least two nights and are assigned lounges near the pool.
“Tourism is not dangerous,” Luedtke said. “I think people not following the rules is dangerous.”
In Britain, pubs and barbers reopened Saturday for the first time in months. It did not overwhelm emergency services as many had feared, but one senior police officer said Sunday it was “crystal clear” that drunk people struggled, or ignored, social distancing rules.
Rafal Liszewski, a store manager in central London, voiced concerns about the swelling crowds on Saturday.
“Quickly everything got out of control and by 8-9 p.m. it was a proper street party with people dancing and drinking,” he said. “Barely anyone was wearing masks and nobody respected social distancing …. to be honest, with that many people on one street, it was physically impossible.”
In Australia and northeast Spain, authorities ordered lockdowns for specific counties or communities to stomp out local outbreaks.
In the Bolivian city of Cochabamba, the relatives of one apparent virus victim left his coffin in the street for hours to protest the difficulties in having him buried. Police Col. Iván Rojas said the demand “is collapsing the police personnel and funeral workers” in the city of 630,000 people.
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Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama, and Foody reported from Chicago. AP writers around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--South Carolina shooting: Multiple people shot at Lavish Lounge in Greenville

GREENVILLE , S.C. — A shooting at a South Carolina nightclub left two people dead and eight wounded , a sheriff ’ s official said .
Two Greenville County sheriff ’ s deputies noticed a disturbance at Lavish Lounge just before 2 a.m. , and saw a large crowd running out of the building , Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a press conference .
There was “ active gunfire from inside the building , ” Lt. Jimmy Bolt said in an initial statement , and Lewis said all the shots were fired inside .
Both Lewis and Bolt initially said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least four in critical condition , Lewis said - but Bolt later told WYFF-TV that the casualty figure had been revised .
A phone call and text message to Lewis and an email to Bolt from The Associated Press seeking clarification weren ’ t immediately returned .
No one was immediately taken into custody .
The sheriff ’ s office had “ some suspect information , ” Lewis said at the press conference , but wasn ’ t sure if there were multiple shooters .
“ We don ’ t really have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name , ” Lewis said , later adding that authorities weren ’ t sure what led to the gunfire .
The names and precise conditions of the victims weren ’ t immediately released .
Lewis said the victims were taken to the Prisma Health hospital in Greenville , some via private vehicle .
Prisma Health spokesperson Tammie Epps could not immediately comment when reached via telephone .
Lewis said a “ very large crowd ” was at the nightclub for “ some type of concert .
A post on Lavish Lounge ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by trap rapper Foogiano .
An Instagram direct message from the AP wasn ’ t immediately returned , but a bookings representative told the AP via text message that Foogiano was fine and his team was safe .
The nightclub is about 5 miles ( 8 kilometers ) southwest of downtown Greenville , in South Carolina ’ s Upstate region .
Coronavirus cases in South Carolina have risen swiftly and the state ’ s rate of positive tests is three times the recommended level .
In late June , Greenville - which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest COVID-19 rates - became the first city to mandate face coverings in South Carolina , where Gov .
Henry McMaster has refused to implement a statewide mask requirement .
McMaster reminded South Carolinians last week that he hadn ’ t lifted restrictions on large crowds , and that those operating nightclubs illegally or holding concerts against his orders don ’ t have to be caught in the act to face criminal charges , but instead could be charged weeks later if COVID-19 cases are traced back .
A phone call and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lavish Lounge weren ’ t immediately returned .
Lewis said at the press conference that he didn ’ t know whether the club had sought an exemption to the governor ’ s order or secured a permit for Saturday night ’ s event , but said it was clear that the club ’ s patrons weren ’ t 6 feet ( 2 meters ) .
“ It ’ s certainly not the best situation to stop the spread of this virus , ” the sheriff said .

GREENVILLE, S.C. — A shooting at a South Carolina nightclub left two people dead and eight wounded, a sheriff’s official said.
Two Greenville County sheriff’s deputies noticed a disturbance at Lavish Lounge just before 2 a.m., and saw a large crowd running out of the building, Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a press conference. There was “active gunfire from inside the building,” Lt. Jimmy Bolt said in an initial statement, and Lewis said all the shots were fired inside.
Both Lewis and Bolt initially said 12 people had been wounded - with at least four in critical condition, Lewis said - but Bolt later told WYFF-TV that the casualty figure had been revised. A phone call and text message to Lewis and an email to Bolt from The Associated Press seeking clarification weren’t immediately returned.
No one was immediately taken into custody. The sheriff’s office had “some suspect information,” Lewis said at the press conference, but wasn’t sure if there were multiple shooters.
“We don’t really have a person of interest that we can name,” Lewis said, later adding that authorities weren’t sure what led to the gunfire.
The names and precise conditions of the victims weren’t immediately released. Lewis said the victims were taken to the Prisma Health hospital in Greenville, some via private vehicle.
Prisma Health spokesperson Tammie Epps could not immediately comment when reached via telephone.
Lewis said a “very large crowd” was at the nightclub for “some type of concert. A post on Lavish Lounge’s Facebook page advertised a July 4 performance by trap rapper Foogiano.
An Instagram direct message from the AP wasn’t immediately returned, but a bookings representative told the AP via text message that Foogiano was fine and his team was safe.
The nightclub is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) southwest of downtown Greenville, in South Carolina’s Upstate region.
Coronavirus cases in South Carolina have risen swiftly and the state’s rate of positive tests is three times the recommended level. In late June, Greenville - which has experienced some of the state’s highest COVID-19 rates - became the first city to mandate face coverings in South Carolina, where Gov. Henry McMaster has refused to implement a statewide mask requirement.
McMaster reminded South Carolinians last week that he hadn’t lifted restrictions on large crowds, and that those operating nightclubs illegally or holding concerts against his orders don’t have to be caught in the act to face criminal charges, but instead could be charged weeks later if COVID-19 cases are traced back.
A phone call and an Instagram direct message from the AP to Lavish Lounge weren’t immediately returned.
Lewis said at the press conference that he didn’t know whether the club had sought an exemption to the governor’s order or secured a permit for Saturday night’s event, but said it was clear that the club’s patrons weren’t 6 feet (2 meters).
“It’s certainly not the best situation to stop the spread of this virus,” the sheriff said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Bald eagle trapped in Alaska tree rescued on 4th of July

JUNEAU , Alaska ( AP ) - A bird symbolizing America ’ s freedom had to be liberated on Independence Day after becoming stuck in a tree in Alaska , a wildlife official said .
An adult , female bald eagle was hurt but conscious Saturday after being untangled from a spruce tree in Juneau , The Juneau Empire reported Saturday .
“ She was up about 40 feet ( 12 meters ) in a Sitka spruce tree , ” said Kathy Benner , general manager of the Juneau Raptor Center .
The center received the report of the stranded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was stuck in the tree near the historic Ernest Gruening Cabin in Ernest Gruening State Historical Park , Benner said .
Steve Lewis of the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service ascended the tree using climbing spikes on his shoes and carried the eagle down in a bag around 3 p.m. Wildlife officials initially believed the eagle ’ s wing had become tethered to a tree branch by fishing line , but closer inspection revealed a cable or wire had restrained the bird , Benner said .
The eagle was taken by airplane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was expected to determine whether the bird suffered a broken bone .
The eagle appeared to be alert and “ feisty ” before the flight Saturday evening , Benner said .
While bald eagle rescues are not rare , Benner could not recall a previous instance of the U.S. national bird requiring assistance on the Fourth of July .
“ We feel pretty good about the rescue , especially on Independence Day , ” Benner said .

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A bird symbolizing America’s freedom had to be liberated on Independence Day after becoming stuck in a tree in Alaska, a wildlife official said.
An adult, female bald eagle was hurt but conscious Saturday after being untangled from a spruce tree in Juneau, The Juneau Empire reported Saturday.
“She was up about 40 feet (12 meters) in a Sitka spruce tree,” said Kathy Benner, general manager of the Juneau Raptor Center.
The center received the report of the stranded eagle around 10 a.m. The bird was stuck in the tree near the historic Ernest Gruening Cabin in Ernest Gruening State Historical Park, Benner said.
Steve Lewis of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ascended the tree using climbing spikes on his shoes and carried the eagle down in a bag around 3 p.m.
Wildlife officials initially believed the eagle’s wing had become tethered to a tree branch by fishing line, but closer inspection revealed a cable or wire had restrained the bird, Benner said.
The eagle was taken by airplane to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka, which was expected to determine whether the bird suffered a broken bone.
The eagle appeared to be alert and “feisty” before the flight Saturday evening, Benner said.
While bald eagle rescues are not rare, Benner could not recall a previous instance of the U.S. national bird requiring assistance on the Fourth of July.
“We feel pretty good about the rescue, especially on Independence Day,” Benner said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--At least 2 dead, 7 missing in boat capsizing in Indonesia

KUPANG , Indonesia ( AP ) - An overloaded fishing boat carrying 28 people capsized in eastern Indonesia , killing at least two children and leaving seven other people missing , an official said Monday .
Boat crews on nearby vessels recovered the bodies of two children and have rescued 19 people from choppy waters , said Emi Frizer , a local Search and Rescue Agency official .
Rescuers were searching for the seven others reported as still missing Monday .
The Kasih-25 sank on Sunday about one hour after it left Tablolong beach in Kupang , the capital of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-hour voyage to Rote island , Frizer said .
The wooden boat was carrying 16 passengers and 12 fishermen when it capsized in Pukuafu Strait after being hit by a 2-meter ( 6.5-foot ) wave and strong wind , Frizer said .
He said it was designed for fishing for just 15 people but the boat captain had carried passengers without permission from the head of the local port .
Television footage showed rescuers helping a passenger wearing a life vest onto a rescue boat , while other officers took two black body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Boats and ferries are a common means of transportation in Indonesia , an archipelago nation with more than 17,000 islands .
Accidents caused by overcrowding and poor safety standards are common .

KUPANG, Indonesia (AP) - An overloaded fishing boat carrying 28 people capsized in eastern Indonesia, killing at least two children and leaving seven other people missing, an official said Monday.
Boat crews on nearby vessels recovered the bodies of two children and have rescued 19 people from choppy waters, said Emi Frizer, a local Search and Rescue Agency official. Rescuers were searching for the seven others reported as still missing Monday.
The Kasih-25 sank on Sunday about one hour after it left Tablolong beach in Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, on a four-hour voyage to Rote island, Frizer said.
The wooden boat was carrying 16 passengers and 12 fishermen when it capsized in Pukuafu Strait after being hit by a 2-meter (6.5-foot) wave and strong wind, Frizer said.
He said it was designed for fishing for just 15 people but the boat captain had carried passengers without permission from the head of the local port.
Television footage showed rescuers helping a passenger wearing a life vest onto a rescue boat, while other officers took two black body bags from another ship on a port.
Boats and ferries are a common means of transportation in Indonesia, an archipelago nation with more than 17,000 islands. Accidents caused by overcrowding and poor safety standards are common.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Prosecutors seek Friday court appearance for Epstein pal

New York ( AP ) - Prosecutors on Sunday asked a judge to schedule a Friday court appearance in New @ @ @ @ @ s associate to face charges she helped him recruit women to sexually abuse .
British @ @ @ @ @ , was arrested Thursday at a Bradford , New Hampshire , $ 1 million estate @ @ @ @ @ without bail after agreeing to be moved to New York .
In a letter to @ @ @ @ @ said they have communicated with Maxwell ’ s defense lawyer , who would like a @ @ @ @ @ arguments are submitted by both sides Thursday and Friday .
Prosecutors said they expect the @ @ @ @ @ transport Maxwell to New York early this week .
Maxwell has been charged with conspiring @ @ @ @ @ as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 .
@ @ @ @ @ Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges .

New York (AP) — Prosecutors on Sunday asked a judge to schedule a Friday court appearance in New York for Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime associate to face charges she helped him recruit women to sexually abuse.
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 58, was arrested Thursday at a $1 million estate on 156 acres that she purchased last December in Bradford, New Hampshire.
She has been detained without bail after agreeing to be moved to New York. Prosecutors have labeled her an “extreme risk of flight” and said they want her jailed until trial.
In a letter to a judge Sunday, prosecutors said they have communicated with Maxwell’s defense lawyer, Christian Everdell, who would like a Friday bail hearing after written arguments are submitted by both sides Thursday and Friday. She will also be arraigned at the hearing.
An email seeking comment was sent to Everdell.
She has previously repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called some claims against her “absolute rubbish.”
Prosecutors said they expect the U.S. Marshals Service to transport Maxwell to New York early this week.
Maxwell has been indicted on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at Epstein’s residences in New York City, Florida, and New Mexico and at Maxwell’s residence in London. Prosecutors say the charges carry a potential penalty of up to 35 years in prison.
Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss told a news conference Thursday that the investigation is continuing as the government seeks to hold anyone it finds aided Epstein accountable.
The arrest of Maxwell, a citizen of the U.S., France and the United Kingdom, came after she was described by some Epstein’s victims as his chief enabler, someone who recruited and groomed young girls for abuse. Prosecutors say Maxwell had both a personal and professional relationship with Epstein.
Authorities said she sometimes hired girls to give him massages before joining as Epstein tried to engage the girls in sex acts.
Prosecutors last week outlined some arguments to keep Maxwell detained. They cited her wealth, saying she has had access to over $20 million in 15 bank accounts in recent years, along with her extensive international ties and the likelihood of a lengthy prison sentence if she is convicted.
Evidence in the case includes detailed corroborated information from multiple victims, along with documents including flight records, diary entries and business records, prosecutors said.
Since Epstein was arrested in July 2019, Maxwell had been in hiding in locations in New England, sometimes masking her location by changing her phone number and listing her name as “G Max,” prosecutors said.
___
Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Sheriff: 2 killed in plane collision over Lake Coeur d’Alene

COEUR D ’ ALENE , Idaho ( AP ) - Two people died in a plane crash Sunday over Lake Coeur d ’ Alene Sunday , the Kootenai County Sheriff ’ s Office told the Spokane Spokesman-Review .
Witnesses said they saw two planes colliding above the water , then crashing into the lake near Powderhorn Bay , according to a release from the Kootenai County Sheriff ’ s Office .
The crash took place about 2:20 p.m .
Multiple local agencies , including the sheriff ’ s marine teams , local fire departments and the United States Coast Guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper reported .
Lt. Ryan Higgins with the sheriff ’ s office confirmed two bodies had been recovered from the planes .
The victims have not been identified .
John Cowles told the newspaper that was on the lake with his family at the time of the crash .
Cowles said he saw what appeared to be an “ engine explosion ” on a seaplane flying no more than 200 feet overhead .
One of the plane ’ s wings then separated , and the plane fell into the water .
The National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation in the coming days , Higgins told the Spokesman-Review .

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) - Two bodies have been pulled from Idaho’s Lake Coeur d’Alene and as many as six other people are missing after two small planes collided above the water, authorities said.
Witnesses described the planes colliding and crashing into the lake near Powderhorn Bay at around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, a Kootenai County Sheriff’s statement said.
Multiple local agencies responded, including the sheriff’s marine teams, local fire departments and the U.S. Coast Guard, the Spokane Spokesman-Review reported.
Sheriff’s Lt. Ryan Higgins said the two recovered bodies had not been identified. Investigators are checking initial reports that there were eight people on the two planes. They don’t believe anyone survived.
John Cowles told the newspaper he was on the lake with his family when saw what appeared to be an “engine explosion” on a seaplane flying no more than 200 feet (61 meters) overhead. One of the plane’s wings then separated, and the plane fell into the water.
Patrick Pearce told the Spokesman-Review that he saw two single-engine planes coming towards each other at 800 to 900 feet (244 to 274 meters) above the water. Pearce, a pilot himself, said he recognized by the engine sounds that both were traveling at fairly high speeds when they collided and fell into the lake.
The National Transportation Safety Board will likely take over the investigation, Higgins told the Spokesman-Review.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Dane Hicks, Republican party chairman, tied Holocaust, mask order

TOPEKA , Kan. — A Kansas county Republican Party chairman who owns a weekly newspaper apologized Sunday for a cartoon posted on the paper ’ s Facebook page that equated the Democratic governor ’ s coronavirus-inspired order for people to wear masks in public with the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust .
Dane Hicks , owner and publisher of The Anderson County Review , said in a statement on Facebook that he was removing the cartoon after “ some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad .
The newspaper posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of critical responses and international attention .
A blog post by Hicks on Saturday defending it also drew critical responses .
Hicks is the GOP chairman for Anderson County in eastern Kansas .
The state party chairman deemed the cartoon “ inappropriate.
” Gov .
Laura Kelly , who is Catholic , called for it to be removed and she and other critics called it anti-Semitic .
The cartoon depicted Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it , next to what Hicks said was a hotoshopped image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Its caption is , “ Lockdown Laura says : Put on your mask … and step onto the cattle car.
” Hicks ’ newspaper is based in the Anderson County seat of Garnett , about 65 miles southwest of Kansas City and has a circulation of about 2,100 , according to the Kansas Press Association .
Hicks initially defended the posting as an example of how political cartoons are “ gross over-caricatures designed to provoke debate ” and “ fodder for the marketplace of ideas.
” He said the issue was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s administration and that he planned to publish the cartoon in the paper ’ s next edition on Tuesday .
But Hicks said in his statement Sunday : “ I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images of the Holocaust was deeply hurtful to members of a culture who ’ ve been dealt plenty of hurt throughout history – people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point.
” The governor issued the order because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s total to nearly 16,000 as of Friday , when Kansas finished its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began .
The state has reported 277 COVID-19-related deaths .

TOPEKA, Kan. — A Kansas county Republican Party chairman who owns a weekly newspaper apologized Sunday for a cartoon posted on the paper’s Facebook page that equated the Democratic governor’s coronavirus-inspired order for people to wear masks in public with the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Dane Hicks, owner and publisher of The Anderson County Review, said in a statement on Facebook that he was removing the cartoon after “some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad. The newspaper posted the cartoon Friday, and it drew dozens of critical responses and international attention. A blog post by Hicks on Saturday defending it also drew critical responses.
Hicks is the GOP chairman for Anderson County in eastern Kansas. The state party chairman deemed the cartoon “inappropriate.” Gov. Laura Kelly, who is Catholic, called for it to be removed and she and other critics called it anti-Semitic.
The cartoon depicted Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it, next to what Hicks said was a hotoshopped image of people being loaded onto train cars. Its caption is, “Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask … and step onto the cattle car.”
Hicks’ newspaper is based in the Anderson County seat of Garnett, about 65 miles southwest of Kansas City and has a circulation of about 2,100, according to the Kansas Press Association.
Hicks initially defended the posting as an example of how political cartoons are “gross over-caricatures designed to provoke debate” and “fodder for the marketplace of ideas.” He said the issue was the “governmental overreach” of Kelly’s administration and that he planned to publish the cartoon in the paper’s next edition on Tuesday.
But Hicks said in his statement Sunday: “I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images of the Holocaust was deeply hurtful to members of a culture who’ve been dealt plenty of hurt throughout history – people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point.”
The governor issued the order because of resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that increased the state’s total to nearly 16,000 as of Friday, when Kansas finished its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began. The state has reported 277 COVID-19-related deaths.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Kansas paper owner: Sorry for equating mask rule, Holocaust

TOPEKA , Kan. ( AP ) - A Kansas county Republican Party chairman who owns a weekly newspaper apologized Sunday for a cartoon posted on the paper ’ s Facebook page that equated the Democratic governor ’ s coronavirus-inspired order for people to wear masks in public with the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust .
Dane Hicks , owner and publisher of The Anderson County Review , said in a statement on Facebook that he was removing the cartoon after “ some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it drew dozens of critical responses and international attention .
A blog post by Hicks on Saturday defending it also drew critical responses .
Hicks is the GOP chairman for Anderson County in eastern Kansas .
The state party chairman deemed the cartoon “ inappropriate.
” Gov .
Laura Kelly , who is Catholic , called for it to be removed and she and other critics called it anti-Semitic .
“ I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images of the Holocaust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture who ’ ve been dealt plenty of hurt throughout history - people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point , ” Hicks said in his statement .
The cartoon depicted Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it , next to a digitally altered image of people being loaded onto train cars .
Its caption is , “ Lockdown Laura says : Put on your mask … and step onto the cattle car.
” Hicks said Saturday that he put the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cartoon in the paper ’ s next edition Tuesday .
His newspaper is based in the Anderson County seat of Garnett , about 65 miles ( 105 kilometers ) southwest of Kansas City and has a circulation of about 2,100 , according to the Kansas Press Association .
Kelly did not immediately respond to Hicks ’ a apology , but her office said she could address the issue during a news conference Monday .
The governor issued the mask order because of resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that increased the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when Kansas finished its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began .
State law allows counties to opt out of her mask mandate , and Anderson County has done so .
It has about 7,900 residents in a conservative swath of eastern Kansas , and President Donald Trump carried it with nearly 73 % of the vote in 2016 .
The state health department has reported only four coronavirus cases for Anderson County , all of them since May 8 .
State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fritzie Fritzshall , a survivor of the Auschwitz death camp and president of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie , north of Chicago , said anti-mask protesters have often compared government actions during the pandemic to those of the Nazi regime .
She called it “ ignorant and offensive.
” “ In this time of uncertainty and fear , imagery and slogans can be used to unite us in a common desire to return to civil discourse or divide us in ways that give a voice to hate and divisiveness , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rubin , a small business owner in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park who is Jewish , said the cartoon was painful for his family and the state ’ s Jewish community .
He said he appreciated Hicks ’ apology and is thankful that the U.S. is “ in a time of learning and reflection.
” “ The backlash of his use of the Holocaust as a modern-day comparison is reflective of the impact the suffering will always have in our society , ” he said in text to The Associated Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard on this subject provoke empathy and persuade others to keep their heart open to change.
” Hicks had initially defended the posting as an example of how political cartoons are “ gross over-caricatures designed to provoke debate ” and “ fodder for the marketplace of ideas.
” He said the issue was the “ governmental overreach ” of Kelly ’ s administration .
But Hicks said in his statement Sunday that “ it ’ s clear I should have chosen a less hurtful theme.
” “ It is not my intention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s apparent I previously lacked an adequate understanding of the severity of their experience and the pain of its images , ” he said .

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas county Republican Party chairman who owns a weekly newspaper apologized Sunday for a cartoon posted on the paper’s Facebook page that equated the Democratic governor’s coronavirus-inspired order for people to wear masks in public with the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Dane Hicks, owner and publisher of The Anderson County Review, said in a statement on Facebook that he was removing the cartoon after “some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad.” The newspaper posted the cartoon Friday, and it drew dozens of critical responses and international attention. A blog post by Hicks on Saturday defending it also drew critical responses.
Hicks is the GOP chairman for Anderson County in eastern Kansas. The state party chairman deemed the cartoon “inappropriate.” Gov. Laura Kelly, who is Catholic, called for it to be removed and she and other critics called it anti-Semitic.
“I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images of the Holocaust was deeply hurtful to members of a culture who’ve been dealt plenty of hurt throughout history - people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point,” Hicks said in his statement.
The cartoon depicted Kelly wearing a mask with a Jewish Star of David on it, next to a digitally altered image of people being loaded onto train cars. Its caption is, “Lockdown Laura says: Put on your mask … and step onto the cattle car.”
Hicks said Saturday that he put the images together and planned to publish the cartoon in the paper’s next edition Tuesday.
His newspaper is based in the Anderson County seat of Garnett, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City and has a circulation of about 2,100, according to the Kansas Press Association.
Kelly did not immediately respond to Hicks’a apology, but her office said she could address the issue during a news conference Monday.
The governor issued the mask order because of resurgence in reported coronavirus cases that increased the state’s total to nearly 16,000 as of Friday, when Kansas finished its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began.
State law allows counties to opt out of her mask mandate, and Anderson County has done so. It has about 7,900 residents in a conservative swath of eastern Kansas, and President Donald Trump carried it with nearly 73% of the vote in 2016. The state health department has reported only four coronavirus cases for Anderson County, all of them since May 8.
State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from Trump’s supporters. Fritzie Fritzshall, a survivor of the Auschwitz death camp and president of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, north of Chicago, said anti-mask protesters have often compared government actions during the pandemic to those of the Nazi regime. She called it “ignorant and offensive.”
“In this time of uncertainty and fear, imagery and slogans can be used to unite us in a common desire to return to civil discourse or divide us in ways that give a voice to hate and divisiveness,” she said in a statement.
Biff Rubin, a small business owner in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, who is Jewish, said the cartoon was painful for his family and the state’s Jewish community. He said he appreciated Hicks’ apology and is thankful that the U.S. is “in a time of learning and reflection.”
Rubin’s hometown was the site of three fatal shootings at a Jewish community center and retirement home in April 2014 by an avowed anti-Semite who was sentenced to death for the crimes.
Rubin said the backlash against Hicks’ use of Holocaust imagery reflects “the impact the suffering will always have in our society.”
“I hope the voices being heard on this subject provoke empathy and persuade others to keep their heart open to change,” he texted The Associated Press.
Hicks had initially defended the posting as an example of how political cartoons are “gross over-caricatures designed to provoke debate” and “fodder for the marketplace of ideas.” He said the issue was the “governmental overreach” of Kelly’s administration.
But Hicks said in his statement Sunday that “it’s clear I should have chosen a less hurtful theme.”
“It is not my intention to heap more grief onto this historical burden, and it’s apparent I previously lacked an adequate understanding of the severity of their experience and the pain of its images,” he said.
____
Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Official: Tree falls on garage in storm, 19 to hospitals

PASADENA , Md .
( AP ) - A large tree toppled onto a detached garage in a Maryland neighborhood where people attending a child ’ s birthday party sought shelter from a storm , sending 19 people to hospitals Sunday afternoon , authorities said .
Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman Russ Davies said one person was critically injured and five others were in serious condition but none of their conditions was life-threatening .
Among the 17 adults and two children in the garage at the time , the rest had minor injuries , he added .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday party .
When the storm came through the area they went into the garage to seek shelter and that ’ s when the tree fell on the garage , ” Davies told local media outlets .
“ This was a detached garage between two homes.
” Photos from the scene showed a large tree laying across what remained of the splintered garage .
Davies said first responders rushed to the area after the first 911 calls Sunday afternoon and found six people still trapped in the garage amid the debris .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freed and the last three were extricated soon after .
All were taken out within 45 minutes .
“ It was a very brief storm .
It came through very quickly , ” Davies said .
He added that the neighborhood is in a wooded area and rescuers had to work around broken bits of the fallen tree and the remains of the garage .
Authorities did not immediately identify the victims or elaborate on their conditions , including those of the two children .
Other trees were down in the area after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authorities said , causing power outages .
As a precaution , Davies said , firefighters and others searched the shattered garage after everyone was out and determined no one else was left in the debris .
None of the first responders was hurt .
Pasadena is a community about 20 miles ( 32 kilometers ) southeast of Baltimore in the Midatlantic corridor stretching between Baltimore and the nation ’ s capital .

PASADENA, Md. (AP) - A large tree toppled onto a detached garage in a Maryland neighborhood where people attending a child’s birthday party sought shelter from a storm, sending 19 people to hospitals Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman Russ Davies said one person was critically injured and five others were in serious condition but none of their conditions was life-threatening. Among the 17 adults and two children in the garage at the time, the rest had minor injuries, he added.
“They were gathered for a child’s birthday party. When the storm came through the area they went into the garage to seek shelter and that’s when the tree fell on the garage,” Davies told local media outlets. “This was a detached garage between two homes.”
Photos from the scene showed a large tree laying across what remained of the splintered garage.
Davies said first responders rushed to the area after the first 911 calls Sunday afternoon and found six people still trapped in the garage amid the debris. He said three of those people were quickly freed and the last three were extricated soon after. All were taken out within 45 minutes.
“It was a very brief storm. It came through very quickly,” Davies said. He added that the neighborhood is in a wooded area and rescuers had to work around broken bits of the fallen tree and the remains of the garage.
Authorities did not immediately identify the victims or elaborate on their conditions, including those of the two children.
Other trees were down in the area after the storm, along with electric lines, authorities said, causing power outages.
As a precaution, Davies said, firefighters and others searched the shattered garage after everyone was out and determined no one else was left in the debris. None of the first responders was hurt.
Pasadena is a community about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Baltimore in the Midatlantic corridor stretching between Baltimore and the nation’s capital.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Mexican president says ex-oil chief has offered to talk

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) - President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday the former head of Mexico ’ s state oil company has offered to talk about investigations into corruption at the company , known as Pemex .
López Obrador said Emilio Lozoya “ has offered to talk , ” adding “ it is going to be very interesting for this man to tell how much money he received and how the money was distributed.
” The investigations involve alleged bribes paid by the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht and the 2015 purchase of a fertilizer plant by Pemex at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against extradition from Spain in June and agreed to return to Mexico .
Spanish police arrested Lozoya in the southern city of Malaga in February on an international warrant issued by Mexico .
He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing .
Lozoya was director of Pemex between 2012 and 2016 , during the administration of former President Enrique Peña Nieto .
In late 2016 , Odebrecht reached an agreement with American , Brazilian and Swiss justice officials to pay millions of dollars in penalties .
As part of that accord , Odebrecht divulged details @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it paid $ 10.5 million to officials at Pemex between 2010 and 2014 .
Lozoya has denied taking bribes .
The scandal grew in late 2017 when a series of videos of statements by former Odebrecht executives were released , including its former Mexico director , Luis de Meneses .
They directly implicated Lozoya , who in 2012 had been a key member of Peña Nieto ’ s presidential campaign .
While the Odebrecht revelations led to a wave of corruption investigations and arrests across Latin America , Lozoya is the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

MEXICO CITY (AP) - President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday the former head of Mexico’s state oil company has offered to talk about investigations into corruption at the company, known as Pemex.
López Obrador said Emilio Lozoya “has offered to talk,” adding “it is going to be very interesting for this man to tell how much money he received and how the money was distributed.”
The investigations involve alleged bribes paid by the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht and the 2015 purchase of a fertilizer plant by Pemex at an inflated price. Lozoya dropped his fight against extradition from Spain in June and agreed to return to Mexico.
Spanish police arrested Lozoya in the southern city of Malaga in February on an international warrant issued by Mexico. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
Lozoya was director of Pemex between 2012 and 2016, during the administration of former President Enrique Peña Nieto.
In late 2016, Odebrecht reached an agreement with American, Brazilian and Swiss justice officials to pay millions of dollars in penalties. As part of that accord, Odebrecht divulged details of bribes across several countries. It said it paid $10.5 million to officials at Pemex between 2010 and 2014. Lozoya has denied taking bribes.
The scandal grew in late 2017 when a series of videos of statements by former Odebrecht executives were released, including its former Mexico director, Luis de Meneses. They directly implicated Lozoya, who in 2012 had been a key member of Peña Nieto’s presidential campaign.
While the Odebrecht revelations led to a wave of corruption investigations and arrests across Latin America, Lozoya is the first Mexican arrested in relation to the scandal.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Black Lives Matter mural defaced in California , investigated by police

MARTINEZ , Calif. — Police are investigating after a couple was filmed painting over a Black Lives Matter mural on @ @ @ @ @ the Contra Costa County courthouse , KNTV reported Sunday .
The couple was shown painting @ @ @ @ @ paint , hours after the city had given activists permission to paint the words “ @ @ @ @ @ the street , the TV station reported .
Similar murals have been painted on streets @ @ @ @ @ and New York .
In a video , the couple is seen arguing with activists @ @ @ @ @ matter and police killings are a consequence of resisting arrest , KNTV reported Activists recorded @ @ @ @ @ the truck the woman and man were driving , and the Martinez Police Department is @ @ @ @ @ reported .

MARTINEZ, Calif. — Police are investigating after a couple was filmed painting over a Black Lives Matter mural on a street in front of the Contra Costa County courthouse, KNTV reported Sunday.
The couple was shown painting over the mural with black paint, hours after the city had given activists permission to paint the words “Black Lives Matter” on the street, the TV station reported. Similar murals have been painted on streets in Washington, D.C., and New York.
In a video, the couple is seen arguing with activists and saying that all lives matter and police killings are a consequence of resisting arrest, KNTV reported
Activists recorded the license plate number of the truck the woman and man were driving, and the Martinez Police Department is investigating, the TV station reported.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Planned Parenthood accused of racism by employees, supporters

Pro-lifers have long accused Planned Parenthood of racism , but the nation ’ s largest abortion provider may face a reckoning led by hundreds of employees and supporters who have charged the organization with being “ steeped in white supremacy.
” A letter signed by more than 350 “ current and former staffers ” of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York , as well as about 800 donors , supporters and volunteers , declared that founder Margaret Sanger was “ a racist , white woman ” and that the organization suffers from “ institutional racism.
” “ We know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present steeped in white supremacy and we , the staff , are motivated to do the difficult work needed to improve , ” said the June 18 open letter from Save PPGNY .
The missive accomplished its primary goal : the ouster of Laura McQuade , who stepped down June 23 as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York .
But critics are watching to see whether Planned Parenthood , after decades of deflecting criticism from the pro-life movement , can withstand the scrutiny of the “ cancel culture ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parenthood staffers criticizing Margaret Sanger as racist is certainly unprecedented and completely justified , ” said Hayden Ludwig , an investigative researcher at the conservative Capital Research Center who has written extensively on Sanger .
“ This letter might be a sign that the left is close to jettisoning the socialist , eugenics-supporting , white supremacist Sanger , ” Mr. Ludwig said .
“ That can ’ t come soon enough.
” Planned Parenthood is the latest institution upended by the Black Lives Matter protest .
The letter ’ s writers said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movements led by Black people holding organizations and institutions accountable and working to dismantle systems of oppression and white supremacy.
” Planned Parenthood was vulnerable to such an accounting .
Debate has raged for years about the birth control pioneer ’ s support for eugenics , an early 20th-century social engineering movement that sought to improve humanity through sterilization and selective genetic breeding .
Sanger launched the Negro Project in 1939 aimed at “ helping Negroes to control their birthrate ” while advocating for a federal “ population bureau ” to police reproduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as W.E.B .
DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune but also spoke in 1926 to a Ku Klux Klan women ’ s auxiliary .
Planned Parenthood issued an eight-page “ fact sheet ” in 2016 defending Sanger and refuting racism allegations as well as acknowledging that she “ had some beliefs , practices , and associations that we acknowledge and denounce , and that we work to rectify today.
” Still , the Save PPGNY letter declared that “ Planned Parenthood was founded by a racist , white woman .
That is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed.
” Pro-life advocates argue that Sanger ’ s focus on Harlem and the South are manifested in Planned Parenthood ’ s work today .
Clinics are located disproportionately in minority neighborhoods — Planned Parenthood cites its commitment to underserved communities — and Black women received 36 % of abortions in 2014 even though they make up 13 % of the female population .
“ Anyone familiar with Planned Parenthood ’ s history , founded by Margaret Sanger who recommended selective breeding of ‘ the finest flowers ’ to prevent ‘ human weeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ knows that the racist roots of the nation ’ s No .
1 abortion vendor taints their entire organization , ” said Kristi Hamrick , spokeswoman for Students for Life of America .
She said the “ complaints of employees of Planned Parenthood that such policies continue are unsurprising but still tragic.
” The pro-choice Guttmacher Institute said in 2008 that the abortion rate for Black women is five times higher than for White women , but it argued that Black women have more unintended pregnancies as a result of inconsistent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan Bomberger , co-founder of the pro-life Radiance Foundation , said the letter shows “ Planned Parenthood ’ s own employees acknowledge what history has long documented.
” “ Margaret Sanger was a racist eugenicist and no amount of leftist revisionism will change that , ” Mr. Bomberger said in an email .
“ Sadly , those same employees refuse to see that the same systemic racism that birthed Planned Parenthood , led the abortion giant to become the leading killer of black lives today.
” Mr. Bomberger , who is Black , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the movement ’ s support for “ reproductive justice , ” including unfettered access to abortion .
Planned Parenthood Federation of America has expressed strong support for Black Lives Matter , including calls to defund police .
“ The pro-abortion # BlackLivesMatter movement forces the question : which black lives matter ?
” Radiance said in a post .
In their letter , the PPGNY staffers described a workplace culture of “ racism and anti-Blackness.
” They said they had complained for years about “ systemic racism , pay inequity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black staff , ” but nothing was addressed .
“ White and non-Black employees are still given more pay and more advancement opportunities than their Black colleagues , ” said a Save PPGNY post on equity .
“ Blanket statements are used to overshadow our grievances , while only exacerbating the problem.
” “ Black staff are further disheartened when our white and non-Black colleagues use their privilege to amplify our concerns , and find they , too , are challenged and manipulated into silence , ” it added .
The board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out in support of Ms. McQuade , said in a June 24 statement that it had begun “ reaffirming our commitment to being an anti-racist organization.
” “ The board will continue working to ensure that our composition is more representative of the communities we serve , ” said the statement .
“ We will advance the work of our equity committee with even more urgency so that equity is woven into decision making at every level of the organization.
” The organization was roiled by the novel coronavirus outbreak , which temporarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 28 % through layoffs , furloughs and reduced hours .
Protesters have attacked sculptures of Christopher Columbus , Ulysses S. Grant , Thomas Jefferson , Spanish priest Junipero Serra and Confederate generals , yet a bust of Sanger sits in the National Portrait Gallery .

Pro-lifers have long accused Planned Parenthood of racism, but the nation’s largest abortion provider may face a reckoning led by hundreds of employees and supporters who have charged the organization with being “steeped in white supremacy.”
A letter signed by more than 350 “current and former staffers” of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, as well as about 800 donors, supporters and volunteers, declared that founder Margaret Sanger was “a racist, white woman” and that the organization suffers from “institutional racism.”
“We know that Planned Parenthood has a history and a present steeped in white supremacy and we, the staff, are motivated to do the difficult work needed to improve,” said the June 18 open letter from Save PPGNY.
The missive accomplished its primary goal: the ouster of Laura McQuade, who stepped down June 23 as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. But critics are watching to see whether Planned Parenthood, after decades of deflecting criticism from the pro-life movement, can withstand the scrutiny of the “cancel culture” and Black Lives Matter.
“Planned Parenthood staffers criticizing Margaret Sanger as racist is certainly unprecedented and completely justified,” said Hayden Ludwig, an investigative researcher at the conservative Capital Research Center who has written extensively on Sanger.
“This letter might be a sign that the left is close to jettisoning the socialist, eugenics-supporting, white supremacist Sanger,” Mr. Ludwig said. “That can’t come soon enough.”
Planned Parenthood is the latest institution upended by the Black Lives Matter protest. The letter’s writers said they were “inspired and emboldened by national movements led by Black people holding organizations and institutions accountable and working to dismantle systems of oppression and white supremacy.”
Planned Parenthood was vulnerable to such an accounting. Debate has raged for years about the birth control pioneer’s support for eugenics, an early 20th-century social engineering movement that sought to improve humanity through sterilization and selective genetic breeding.
Sanger launched the Negro Project in 1939 aimed at “helping Negroes to control their birthrate” while advocating for a federal “population bureau” to police reproduction. She worked with prominent Black leaders such as W.E.B. DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune but also spoke in 1926 to a Ku Klux Klan women’s auxiliary.
Planned Parenthood issued an eight-page “fact sheet” in 2016 defending Sanger and refuting racism allegations as well as acknowledging that she “had some beliefs, practices, and associations that we acknowledge and denounce, and that we work to rectify today.”
Still, the Save PPGNY letter declared that “Planned Parenthood was founded by a racist, white woman. That is a part of history that cannot be changed.”
Pro-life advocates argue that Sanger’s focus on Harlem and the South are manifested in Planned Parenthood’s work today.
Clinics are located disproportionately in minority neighborhoods — Planned Parenthood cites its commitment to underserved communities — and Black women received 36% of abortions in 2014 even though they make up 13% of the female population.
“Anyone familiar with Planned Parenthood’s history, founded by Margaret Sanger who recommended selective breeding of ‘the finest flowers’ to prevent ‘human weeds’ and pushed a ‘Negro Project,’ knows that the racist roots of the nation’s No. 1 abortion vendor taints their entire organization,” said Kristi Hamrick, spokeswoman for Students for Life of America.
She said the “complaints of employees of Planned Parenthood that such policies continue are unsurprising but still tragic.”
The pro-choice Guttmacher Institute said in 2008 that the abortion rate for Black women is five times higher than for White women, but it argued that Black women have more unintended pregnancies as a result of inconsistent access to “high-quality contraceptive services.”
Ryan Bomberger, co-founder of the pro-life Radiance Foundation, said the letter shows “Planned Parenthood’s own employees acknowledge what history has long documented.”
“Margaret Sanger was a racist eugenicist and no amount of leftist revisionism will change that,” Mr. Bomberger said in an email. “Sadly, those same employees refuse to see that the same systemic racism that birthed Planned Parenthood, led the abortion giant to become the leading killer of black lives today.”
Mr. Bomberger, who is Black, is no fan of Black Lives Matter because of the movement’s support for “reproductive justice,” including unfettered access to abortion. Planned Parenthood Federation of America has expressed strong support for Black Lives Matter, including calls to defund police.
“The pro-abortion #BlackLivesMatter movement forces the question: which black lives matter?” Radiance said in a post.
In their letter, the PPGNY staffers described a workplace culture of “racism and anti-Blackness.” They said they had complained for years about “systemic racism, pay inequity, and a lack of upward mobility for Black staff,” but nothing was addressed.
“White and non-Black employees are still given more pay and more advancement opportunities than their Black colleagues,” said a Save PPGNY post on equity. “Blanket statements are used to overshadow our grievances, while only exacerbating the problem.”
“Black staff are further disheartened when our white and non-Black colleagues use their privilege to amplify our concerns, and find they, too, are challenged and manipulated into silence,” it added.
The board of directors of PPGNY, which initially came out in support of Ms. McQuade, said in a June 24 statement that it had begun “reaffirming our commitment to being an anti-racist organization.”
“The board will continue working to ensure that our composition is more representative of the communities we serve,” said the statement. “We will advance the work of our equity committee with even more urgency so that equity is woven into decision making at every level of the organization.”
The organization was roiled by the novel coronavirus outbreak, which temporarily shuttered a dozen clinics and slashed staff by 28% through layoffs, furloughs and reduced hours.
Protesters have attacked sculptures of Christopher Columbus, Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas Jefferson, Spanish priest Junipero Serra and Confederate generals, yet a bust of Sanger sits in the National Portrait Gallery.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Police probe painting-over of Black Lives Matter mural

MARTINEZ , Calif. ( AP ) - Police are investigating after a couple was filmed painting over a Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ in front of the Contra Costa County courthouse , KNTV reported Sunday .
The couple @ @ @ @ @ mural with black paint , hours after the city had given activists permission to paint @ @ @ @ @ Matter ” on the street , the TV station reported .
Similar murals have been @ @ @ @ @ , D.C. , and New York .
In a video , the couple is seen @ @ @ @ @ that all lives matter and police killings are a consequence of resisting arrest , KNTV @ @ @ @ @ plate number of the truck the woman and man were driving , and the Martinez @ @ @ @ @ the TV station reported .

MARTINEZ, Calif. (AP) - Police are investigating after a couple was filmed painting over a Black Lives Matter mural on a street in front of the Contra Costa County courthouse, KNTV reported Sunday.
The couple was shown painting over the mural with black paint, hours after the city had given activists permission to paint the words “Black Lives Matter” on the street, the TV station reported. Similar murals have been painted on streets in Washington, D.C., and New York.
In a video, the couple is seen arguing with activists and saying that all lives matter and police killings are a consequence of resisting arrest, KNTV reported
Activists recorded the license plate number of the truck the woman and man were driving, and the Martinez Police Department is investigating, the TV station reported.


washingtontimes--2020-07-05--Frederick Douglass statue vandalized in Rochester park

ROCHESTER , N.Y. ( AP ) - A statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was ripped from its base in Rochester on the anniversary of one of his most famous speeches , delivered in that city in 1852 .
Police said the statue of Douglass was taken on Sunday from Maplewood Park , a site along the Underground Railroad where Douglas and Harriet Tubman helped shuttle slaves to freedom .
The statue was found at the brink of the Genesee River gorge about 50 feet from its pedestal , police said .
There was damage to the base and a finger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1852 , Douglass gave the speech “ What to the Slave is the Fourth of July , ” in which he called the celebration of liberty a sham in a nation that enslaves and oppresses its Black citizens .
To a slave , Douglass said , Independence Day is “ a day that reveals to him , more than all other days in the year , the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.
” Carvin Eison , a leader of the project that brought the Douglass statue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Chronicle another statue will take its place because the damage is too significant .
“ Is this some type of retaliation because of the national fever over confederate monuments right now ?
Very disappointing , it ’ s beyond disappointing , ” Eison told WROC .

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - Police in Rochester were trying to determine Monday who ripped a statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass from its base on the anniversary of one of his most famous speeches, delivered in the upstate New York city in 1852.
The statue of Douglass was taken on Sunday from Maplewood Park, a site along the Underground Railroad where Douglass and Harriet Tubman helped shuttle slaves to freedom. The statue was found at the brink of the Genesee River gorge about 50 feet (15 meters) from its pedestal, police said. There was damage to the base and a finger.
As President Donald Trump and others pointed at possible culprits, Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary cautioned that investigators still don’t why the “disheartening” act of vandalism occurred.
“Right now, for me to guess would be pure speculation,” Singletary told reporters at a news conference.
Singletary said investigators will review camera footage.
In Rochester on July 5, 1852, Douglass gave the speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” in which he called the celebration of liberty a sham in a nation that enslaves and oppresses its Black citizens.
To a slave, Douglass said, Independence Day is “a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”
Carvin Eison, a leader of the project that brought the Douglass statue to the park, told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle another statue will take its place because the damage is too significant.
“Is this some type of retaliation because of the national fever over confederate monuments right now? Very disappointing, it’s beyond disappointing,” Eison told WROC.
Statues depicting Confederate leaders have been toppled or vandalized recently around the nation. But the destruction of a statue honoring the famous abolitionist set off a round of public mourning and finger-pointing on social media.
Trump on Monday tweeted a link to an article about the vandalism and said, without providing evidence, that it “shows these anarchists have no bounds!”
Kenneth B. Morris Jr., great-great-great-grandson of Douglass and co-founder of Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, said in a statement that the vandalism may have been simply a case of two intoxicated young men testing their strength on an inanimate object, as was the case with another Douglass statue in 2018.
“While the Douglass statues are indeed inanimate, they are a critical reminder of a legacy that is very much alive today,” Morris said. “In fact, the reactions from elected officials, laden with emotion and evocative language, are proof of Douglass’s relevance and the need for forthright discussion about dismantling policies and systems of racism that are still toxic 125 years after his death.”