washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Virus, economy top concerns as Lithuanians vote in runoff

VILNIUS , Lithuania ( AP ) - The coronavirus pandemic is the main domestic issue as Lithuania holds a parliamentary runoff election Sunday , and the winner will have to tackle a rapidly deteriorating public health sector and high unemployment .
The election is widely expected to bring about a change in the southernmost Baltic nation , which has been governed by a center-left coalition for four years .
In the first round of this month ’ s voting , three center-right opposition parties finished with a combined lead .
In the second round , 68 of the 141 seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Seimas , are up for grabs .
The other seats were allotted after the Oct. 11 first round of voting .
More than 7 % of Lithuania ’ s 2.5 million voters have already cast early ballots for the runoff , according to election authorities who set up special drive-in polling stations because of the pandemic .
Lithuania fared comparatively well during the first wave of the pandemic , but like elsewhere in Europe this fall , the nation of 3 million people has reported worrying spikes in recent weeks .
Overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 126 reported deaths .
After weeks of hesitation , the Lithuanian government imposed a quarantine in 12 of 60 districts that starts on Monday .
Opposition lawmakers have criticized the government for not doing enough to stabilize the latest outbreak .
The economic impact of the pandemic has hit Lithuania hard : it ’ s unemployment rate was over 14 % in September compared to 9 % in February .
The outgoing parliament had drafted a 2021 budget with a 4-billion euro ( $ 4.7 billion ) deficit .
The election ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Union party winning 23 seats , or 24.8 % of the vote , while the ruling Farmers and Greens party only grabbed 16 seats , or 17.5 % .
“ If the conservatives are successful on Sunday , they would very likely try to form a new ruling coalition with other two center-right partners - the Freedom Party and the Liberal movement , ” Vilnius University political scientist Tomas Janeliunas told The Associated Press .
“ Yet this would be a rather fragile majority.
” Some 54 Homeland Union candidates made it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Greens have 32 contenders .
Together , the Freedom Party and the Liberal movement have 21 candidates .
Two other center-left parties that have crossed the 5 % support threshold into parliament could join the Farmers and Greens in a new coalition but they have few candidates in the runoff .
Lithuania , a member of the European Union and NATO , has kept strong democratic traditions and sustainable economic growth since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 .
It has also played a major diplomatic role as the protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfold against that nation ’ s authoritarian leader .

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) - The coronavirus pandemic is the main domestic issue as Lithuania holds a parliamentary runoff election Sunday, and the winner will have to tackle a rapidly deteriorating public health sector and high unemployment.
The election is widely expected to bring about a change in the southernmost Baltic nation, which has been governed by a center-left coalition for four years. In the first round of this month’s voting, three center-right opposition parties finished with a combined lead.
In the second round, 68 of the 141 seats in Lithuania’s legislative assembly, the Seimas, are up for grabs. The other seats were allotted after the Oct. 11 first round of voting.
More than 7% of Lithuania’s 2.5 million voters have already cast early ballots for the runoff, according to election authorities who set up special drive-in polling stations because of the pandemic.
Lithuania fared comparatively well during the first wave of the pandemic, but like elsewhere in Europe this fall, the nation of 3 million people has reported worrying spikes in recent weeks. Overall, it has seen over 9,100 infections and 126 reported deaths.
After weeks of hesitation, the Lithuanian government imposed a quarantine in 12 of 60 districts that starts on Monday. Opposition lawmakers have criticized the government for not doing enough to stabilize the latest outbreak.
The economic impact of the pandemic has hit Lithuania hard: it’s unemployment rate was over 14% in September compared to 9% in February. The outgoing parliament had drafted a 2021 budget with a 4-billion euro ($4.7 billion) deficit.
The election’s first round resulted in the conservative Homeland Union party winning 23 seats, or 24.8% of the vote, while the ruling Farmers and Greens party only grabbed 16 seats, or 17.5%.
“If the conservatives are successful on Sunday, they would very likely try to form a new ruling coalition with other two center-right partners - the Freedom Party and the Liberal movement,” Vilnius University political scientist Tomas Janeliunas told The Associated Press. “Yet this would be a rather fragile majority.”
Some 54 Homeland Union candidates made it into the runoff, while the Farmers and Greens have 32 contenders. Together, the Freedom Party and the Liberal movement have 21 candidates. Two other center-left parties that have crossed the 5% support threshold into parliament could join the Farmers and Greens in a new coalition but they have few candidates in the runoff.
Lithuania, a member of the European Union and NATO, has kept strong democratic traditions and sustainable economic growth since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. It has also played a major diplomatic role as the protests in Belarus, its southern neighbor, unfold against that nation’s authoritarian leader.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Old Bellows Falls building to be renovated into apartments

BELLOWS FALLS , Vt. ( AP ) - A blighted , 100-year-old building in the Vermont village of Bellows Falls @ @ @ @ @ into 26 apartments .
The Bellows Falls Garage once held a number of businesses in @ @ @ @ @ Windsor Housing Trust will convert the building into a combination of studios , one and @ @ @ @ @ will include adding another floor to the structure .
The trust ’ s Peter Paggi @ @ @ @ @ 8.7 million project will begin later this month .
Paggi says the former Bellows Falls @ @ @ @ @ few industrial concrete buildings in the state .
The Brattleboro Reformer reports the building ’ @ @ @ @ @ ceiling , made out of poured concrete , will be restored and visible in the @ @ @ @ @ the sign on the front of the building with its name in concrete will also @ @ @ @ @ siding will be removed and returned to its original concrete facade .

BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. (AP) - A blighted, 100-year-old building in the Vermont village of Bellows Falls is going to be renovated into 26 apartments.
The Bellows Falls Garage once held a number of businesses in the community.
The Windham Windsor Housing Trust will convert the building into a combination of studios, one and two-bedroom units. The project will include adding another floor to the structure.
The trust’s Peter Paggi says work on the $8.7 million project will begin later this month.
Paggi says the former Bellows Falls Garage is one of the few industrial concrete buildings in the state.
The Brattleboro Reformer reports the building’s distinctive “waffle” ceiling, made out of poured concrete, will be restored and visible in the apartments,.
Paggi said the sign on the front of the building with its name in concrete will also be restored while the wood siding will be removed and returned to its original concrete facade.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Maine's youth deer hunters ready for their day in the woods

AUGUSTA , Maine ( AP ) - Maine ’ s annual Youth Deer Day is Saturday and kicks off a @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fall hunting seasons .
Youth Deer Day allows young hunters to harvest bucks @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s followed by Maine Resident Only Day on Oct. 31 , and then @ @ @ @ @ runs from Nov. 2 to Nov. 28 .
Maine approved a record number of deer @ @ @ @ @ attempt to help control the size of the deer herd .
The state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ taking place right now .
The Maine moose hunt also restarts on Monday .
The @ @ @ @ @ hunt runs from Nov. 2 to Nov. 28 .
The bear and turkey seasons are @ @ @ @

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine’s annual Youth Deer Day is Saturday and kicks off a busy stretch of the state’s fall hunting seasons.
Youth Deer Day allows young hunters to harvest bucks all over the state. It’s followed by Maine Resident Only Day on Oct. 31, and then the firearms season for deer runs from Nov. 2 to Nov. 28.
Maine approved a record number of deer permits this year in an attempt to help control the size of the deer herd. The state’s archery season for deer is taking place right now.
The Maine moose hunt also restarts on Monday. The longest stretch of the moose hunt runs from Nov. 2 to Nov. 28. The bear and turkey seasons are also still active.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Gardner Museum receives $5M matching gift challenge

BOSTON ( AP ) - Boston ’ s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is getting a $ 5 million gift from an anonymous donor , but it comes with one condition - the museum must raise an additional $ 5 million in endowment funds from its donors .
The matching gift was made to the museum ’ s $ 65 million “ Renewing the Promise : For the Public Forever ” fundraising campaign , which is raising funds to implement the Gardner ’ s current strategic plan , officials said in a statement .
The gift challenges the museum to raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2024 .
The strategic plan ’ s goals are to strengthen the museum ’ s core values and reach broader audiences .
The campaign was more than halfway to its goal as of August .
“ We are deeply grateful to our challenge donor for this incredible gift .
Isabella herself made the promise that the Museum would be dedicated ‘ for the education and enjoyment of the public forever , ’ ” museum Director Peggy Fogelman said in a statement .
“ Now over a century later , this promise not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring forth the ideas and issues embedded in the art that relate to people ’ s own lives and offer opportunities for new creativity and new narratives from traditionally marginalized voices , ” she said

BOSTON (AP) - Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is getting a $5 million gift from an anonymous donor, but it comes with one condition - the museum must raise an additional $5 million in endowment funds from its donors.
The matching gift was made to the museum’s $65 million “Renewing the Promise: For the Public Forever” fundraising campaign, which is raising funds to implement the Gardner’s current strategic plan, officials said in a statement.
The gift challenges the museum to raise $5 million in endowment funds by 2024.
The strategic plan’s goals are to strengthen the museum’s core values and reach broader audiences.
The campaign was more than halfway to its goal as of August.
“We are deeply grateful to our challenge donor for this incredible gift. Isabella herself made the promise that the Museum would be dedicated ‘for the education and enjoyment of the public forever,’ ” museum Director Peggy Fogelman said in a statement.
“Now over a century later, this promise not only still resonates, but challenges us to bring forth the ideas and issues embedded in the art that relate to people’s own lives and offer opportunities for new creativity and new narratives from traditionally marginalized voices,” she said


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--UK-US trade pact opposed with Trump, cows and pigs as props

LONDON ( AP ) - Demonstrators dressed as chickens , a cow and President Donald Trump gathered Saturday in London @ @ @ @ @ trade deal that activists say will lower food safety standards .
Some 50 people assembled @ @ @ @ @ to protest the ongoing negotiations for the trade deal , which the U.K. government is @ @ @ @ @ impact of Britain ’ s departure from the European Union .
Demonstrators are worried the @ @ @ @ @ food imports from the U.S. One protester wore an oversized Trump head and carried a @ @ @ @ @ that beef treated with hormones could be sold in the U.K .
Critics are also @ @ @ @ @ chickens washed in chlorine , a practice they suggest covers up poor animal husbandry practices @ @ @ @ @ a cow named Daisy .
Asked whether she was uneasy about the possible lowering of @ @ @ @ @ and said : “ Moo .
’ ’

LONDON (AP) - Demonstrators dressed as chickens, a cow and President Donald Trump gathered Saturday in London to protest a proposed U.S.-U.K. trade deal that activists say will lower food safety standards.
Some 50 people assembled near the Houses of Parliament to protest the ongoing negotiations for the trade deal, which the U.K. government is counting on to cushion the impact of Britain’s departure from the European Union. Demonstrators are worried the agreement will relax rules for food imports from the U.S.
One protester wore an oversized Trump head and carried a giant syringe to highlight concerns that beef treated with hormones could be sold in the U.K. Critics are also worried about the importation of chickens washed in chlorine, a practice they suggest covers up poor animal husbandry practices.
Another demonstrator dressed as a cow named Daisy. Asked whether she was uneasy about the possible lowering of food standards, she nodded and said: “Moo.’’


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Official: Bombing in Kabul kills ten, including children

KABUL , Afghanistan ( AP ) - A bombing Saturday in Afghanistan ’ s capital killed at least ten people and wounded eight others , including schoolchildren , the interior ministry said .
The explosion struck outside an educational center in Kabul .
The interior ministry spokesman Tariq Arian did not immediately provide further details about the explosion .
There has been an upsurge in violence between Taliban and Afghan forces in the country , even as representatives from the two warring sides begin peace talks in Doha to end the decades-long war in Afghanistan .
The U.S. signed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , opening up a path toward withdrawing American troops from the conflict .
Earlier Saturday a roadside bomb killed nine people in eastern Afghanistan after it struck a minivan full of civilians , a local official said .
Ghazni province police spokesman Ahmad Khan Sirat said that a second roadside bomb killed two policemen , after it struck their vehicle that was making its way to the victims of the first explosion .
Sirat added that the bombings had wounded several others , and that the attacks were under investigation .
No one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The provincial police spokesman claimed the Taliban had placed the bomb .

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The death toll from the suicide attack Saturday in Afghanistan’s capital has risen to at least 18 killed and 57 people wounded, including students, the interior ministry said.
The explosion struck outside an education center in a heavily Shiite neighborhood of western Kabul, Dasht-e-Barchi.
Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian says that the attacker was trying to enter the center when he was stopped by security guards.
According to Arian, the casualty toll may rise further as family members of victims of the suicide bombing are still searching the several different hospitals where the wounded have been taken.
No group claimed immediate responsibility for the bombing. The Taliban rejected any connection with the attack.
An Islamic State affiliate claimed responsibility for a similar suicide attack at an education center in August 2018, in which 34 students were killed. Within Afghanistan, IS has launched large-scale attacks on minority Shiites, Sikhs and Hindus, whom it views as apostates.
Hundreds of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan fled the country in September after a gunman loyal to the militant group killed 25 members of the shrinking community in an attack on their share a place of worship in Kabul.
The U.S. signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February, opening up a path toward withdrawing American troops from the conflict. U.S. officials said the deal would also help refocus security efforts on fighting the Islamic State, which is a rival of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
There has been an upsurge in violence between Taliban and Afghan forces in the country recently, even as representatives from the two warring sides begin their own peace talks in Doha to end the decades-long war in Afghanistan.
Earlier Saturday a roadside bomb killed nine people in eastern Afghanistan after it struck a minivan full of civilians, a local official said.
Ghazni province police spokesman Ahmad Khan Sirat said that a second roadside bomb killed two policemen, after it struck their vehicle that was making its way to the victims of the first explosion.
Sirat added that the bombings had wounded several others, and that the attacks were under investigation.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks. The provincial police spokesman claimed the Taliban had placed the bomb.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Cook County residents can get budget details on new website

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Cook County residents can get more information on its spending plan through a recently released @ @ @ @ @ President Toni Preckwinkle said the new website is more interactive than previous versions .
Visitors @ @ @ @ @ and download tables from the budget proposal for the coming fiscal year .
Visitors also @ @ @ @ @ expenses with previous years , back to fiscal year 2018 .
More than 5 million @ @ @ @ @ .
The Chicago Sun-Times reported this month that the county ’ s proposed $ 6.9 @ @ @ @ @ to create new taxes .
Officials have proposed a mix of layoffs , eliminating empty @ @ @ @ @ to close a $ 222.2 million budget gap .

CHICAGO (AP) - Cook County residents can get more information on its spending plan through a recently released website.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said the new website is more interactive than previous versions. Visitors can filter and sort data and download tables from the budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.
Visitors also can compare current revenue and expenses with previous years, back to fiscal year 2018.
More than 5 million people reside in Cook County.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported this month that the county’s proposed $6.9 billion budget is not expected to create new taxes. Officials have proposed a mix of layoffs, eliminating empty positions and relying on reserves to close a $222.2 million budget gap.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Afghan officials say bombing outside educational center in Kabul kills at least ten and wounds 20, i

KABUL , Afghanistan ( AP ) - Afghan officials say bombing outside educational center in Kabul kills at least ten @ @ @ @ @ children .

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan officials say bombing outside educational center in Kabul kills at least ten and wounds 20, including children.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--US housing officials investigate General Iron's Chicago move

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Federal housing officials are investigating why the city of Chicago is allowing a chronic polluter company to move its operation from a wealthy , largely white neighborhood to a low-income , predominantly Latino neighborhood .
The Ohio-based company that bought General Iron Industries - a clout-heavy scrap shredder with a long history of pollution problems - wants to move their operation from Lincoln Park on the city ’ s North Side to a site on the Calumet River in the East Side neighborhood near Illinois ’ border with Indiana .
It ’ s an area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playgrounds are already contaminated with heavy metals and toxic chemicals from other companies , including steelmakers that left decades ago .
After community activists complained and accused Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s administration of violating provisions of the federal Fair Housing Act by adding yet another polluter to a neglected corner of the city , the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agreed to follow up on the complaint , according to a letter that was made public Tuesday .
The complaint urged federal officials to withhold lucrative grants until the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tribune reported .
Zoning and planning ordinances protect industries in certain parts of Chicago without considering the health and well-being of nearby residents , many of whom are Black and Latino , according to a recent city report on air quality throughout Chicago .
“ Racist policies are killing our neighborhood by making it a dumping ground for the dirtiest and most dangerous polluters , ” said Peggy Salazar , director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force , one of three nonprofit groups that petitioned for federal intervention .
Though Lightfoot says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chicago Department of Public Health still approved one of at least two permits General Iron needs before completing its move .
The department also has stopped meeting with community groups to discuss environmental justice concerns .
If other permits are granted , General Iron would be the latest tenant of an East Side manufacturing district that already includes facilities handling brain-damaging metals and toxic chemicals .
“ This approach towards our communities has to change , ” said Cheryl Johnson , director of People for Community Recovery , another nonprofit group behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fundamental that our voices are heard if we are going to dismantle environmental racism in Chicago .
”

CHICAGO (AP) - Federal housing officials are investigating why the city of Chicago is allowing a chronic polluter company to move its operation from a wealthy, largely white neighborhood to a low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhood.
The Ohio-based company that bought General Iron Industries - a clout-heavy scrap shredder with a long history of pollution problems - wants to move their operation from Lincoln Park on the city’s North Side to a site on the Calumet River in the East Side neighborhood near Illinois’ border with Indiana. It’s an area where residential yards, baseball fields and playgrounds are already contaminated with heavy metals and toxic chemicals from other companies, including steelmakers that left decades ago.
After community activists complained and accused Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration of violating provisions of the federal Fair Housing Act by adding yet another polluter to a neglected corner of the city, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agreed to follow up on the complaint, according to a letter that was made public Tuesday.
The complaint urged federal officials to withhold lucrative grants until the city overhauls its land-use policies, the Chicago Tribune reported. Zoning and planning ordinances protect industries in certain parts of Chicago without considering the health and well-being of nearby residents, many of whom are Black and Latino, according to a recent city report on air quality throughout Chicago.
“Racist policies are killing our neighborhood by making it a dumping ground for the dirtiest and most dangerous polluters,” said Peggy Salazar, director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force, one of three nonprofit groups that petitioned for federal intervention.
Though Lightfoot says she agrees with the complaints from activists, the Chicago Department of Public Health still approved one of at least two permits General Iron needs before completing its move. The department also has stopped meeting with community groups to discuss environmental justice concerns.
If other permits are granted, General Iron would be the latest tenant of an East Side manufacturing district that already includes facilities handling brain-damaging metals and toxic chemicals.
“This approach towards our communities has to change,” said Cheryl Johnson, director of People for Community Recovery, another nonprofit group behind the federal complaint. “It’s fundamental that our voices are heard if we are going to dismantle environmental racism in Chicago.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--'All talk, no action' defense likely in Michigan kidnap case

TRAVERSE CITY , Mich. ( AP ) - When members of a Michigan paramilitary group were accused a decade ago of scheming to overthrow the U.S. government , their defense was based largely on one claim : We were all talk , no action .
It worked so well that a federal judge took the rare step of dismissing most charges against the extremist group known as Hutaree , without giving the jury a say .
A defense lawyer in that case now represents Ty Garbin , one of six men accused of conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov .
Gretchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies to contain the coronavirus .
Again , attorney Mark Satawa contends his client had no intention to carry out the alleged plan , whatever he might have said in recorded or online conversations .
“ Saying things like ‘ I hate the governor , the governor is tyrannical ’ … is not illegal , even if you ’ re holding a gun and running around the woods when you do it , ” Satawa told The Associated Press .
The “ big talk ” argument likely will be a primary theme for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a preliminary hearing this month .
The verdict may turn on whether the judge or jury are convinced the plot was serious , say trial lawyers not involved with the matter .
Yet they caution that unique factors pose challenges and uncertainties for both sides - particularly as the matter unfolds against the backdrop of a pandemic , economic upheaval and a yawning political divide in the U.S. “ The defense lawyers are going to have their work cut out for them finding fair and impartial jurors who haven ’ t predetermined the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Mike Rataj , another member of the defense team for the Hutaree , who were acquitted in 2012 .
“ On its face it looks terrible , ” Rataj said , referring to police and news reports about the kidnap plot allegations .
A crucial difference between the Hutaree case and this one is that the Hutaree extremists were charged with sedition - rebellion against the government .
In the alleged plot against Whitmer , six men , led by Adam Fox of the Michigan III % ers , are charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - a more specific allegation .
Authorities say members of a second anti-government organization also participated in the abduction scheme .
Eight other men are believed to be members or associates of a group called the Wolverine Watchmen and are charged in state court with counts including providing material support for terrorist acts .
Some of the Wolverine Watchmen are accused of planning and training for other violent crimes , including storming the Michigan Capitol building .
To win a conviction on the federal charges , prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kidnap the governor and took at least one step toward carrying out the plan .
The preliminary hearing showed the prosecution would use text messages and conversations secretly recorded by informants as evidence .
The plotters cased Whitmer ’ s northern Michigan vacation home in August and September and one purchased a Taser , while others agreed to buy explosives and tactical gear , FBI agent Richard Trask testified .
Defense attorneys grilled Trask about missing details , such as how the kidnapping would be done and where Whitmer would be taken .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the defendants .
They argued that inflammatory comments and even live-fire training exercises were constitutionally protected .
Magistrate Judge Sally Berens ruled there was enough to send the case to a grand jury , which could issue indictments .
“ The government isn ’ t required to show that the conspirators signed on a dotted line or had a five-step plan for exactly how it was to go , ” she said .
“ They ’ re required to show unity of purpose.
” But the defense likely will portray the plot as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smietanka , a former federal prosecutor .
“ The tricky thing about conspiracy cases is … when you have multiple parties , whether they have the same motives and agree on a common plan , ” said Smietanka , who also has been a defense lawyer .
“ What exactly did they agree to , and how ?
” Defense attorneys probably also will focus on the informants and raise the idea of entrapment , he said .
While polls show many Michigan residents support Whitmer ’ s strict handling of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from some conservatives , including people who rallied at the state Capitol .
The jury pool in a kidnapping trial would be drawn from western Michigan , which leans Republican .
“ Some of them may be sympathetic to these guys , ” Rataj said .
“ They may not like the governor .
They might be the kind of folks who think she exceeded her power.
” Prosecutors will try to weed out potential jurors who might be biased against Whitmer or the government in general , or skeptical about the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meanwhile , will be on the lookout for those who might be turned off by anti-government paramilitary activities .
“ A federal judge is going to give you a lot of leeway in asking jurors about their sympathies and thinking ” in the hope of getting an impartial panel , said Terry Dillon , another former federal prosecutor .
But at a time of bitter partisanship and overheated political rhetoric , he said , a claim that “ this was loose talk , I was frustrated , I was just mouthing off , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do anything ” might be enough to raise doubts .
“ All you need is one to hang a jury , ” Dillon said .

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - When members of a Michigan paramilitary group were accused a decade ago of scheming to overthrow the U.S. government, their defense was based largely on one claim: We were all talk, no action.
It worked so well that a federal judge took the rare step of dismissing most charges against the extremist group known as Hutaree, without giving the jury a say.
A defense lawyer in that case now represents Ty Garbin, one of six men accused of conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer because of anger over her stay-at-home policies to contain the coronavirus. Again, attorney Mark Satawa contends his client had no intention to carry out the alleged plan, whatever he might have said in recorded or online conversations.
“Saying things like ‘I hate the governor, the governor is tyrannical’ … is not illegal, even if you’re holding a gun and running around the woods when you do it,” Satawa told The Associated Press.
The “big talk” argument likely will be a primary theme for the defense, as attorneys indicated during a preliminary hearing this month. The verdict may turn on whether the judge or jury are convinced the plot was serious, say trial lawyers not involved with the matter.
Yet they caution that unique factors pose challenges and uncertainties for both sides - particularly as the matter unfolds against the backdrop of a pandemic, economic upheaval and a yawning political divide in the U.S.
“The defense lawyers are going to have their work cut out for them finding fair and impartial jurors who haven’t predetermined the outcome before they hear the case,” said Mike Rataj, another member of the defense team for the Hutaree, who were acquitted in 2012.
“On its face it looks terrible,” Rataj said, referring to police and news reports about the kidnap plot allegations.
A crucial difference between the Hutaree case and this one is that the Hutaree extremists were charged with sedition - rebellion against the government. In the alleged plot against Whitmer, six men, led by Adam Fox of the Michigan III%ers, are charged in federal court with conspiracy to kidnap - a more specific allegation.
Authorities say members of a second anti-government organization also participated in the abduction scheme. Eight other men are believed to be members or associates of a group called the Wolverine Watchmen and are charged in state court with counts including providing material support for terrorist acts. Some of the Wolverine Watchmen are accused of planning and training for other violent crimes, including storming the Michigan Capitol building.
To win a conviction on the federal charges, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that more than one person agreed to kidnap the governor and took at least one step toward carrying out the plan.
The preliminary hearing showed the prosecution would use text messages and conversations secretly recorded by informants as evidence. The plotters cased Whitmer’s northern Michigan vacation home in August and September and one purchased a Taser, while others agreed to buy explosives and tactical gear, FBI agent Richard Trask testified.
Defense attorneys grilled Trask about missing details, such as how the kidnapping would be done and where Whitmer would be taken. They questioned whether infiltrators had egged on the defendants. They argued that inflammatory comments and even live-fire training exercises were constitutionally protected.
Magistrate Judge Sally Berens ruled there was enough to send the case to a grand jury, which could issue indictments.
“The government isn’t required to show that the conspirators signed on a dotted line or had a five-step plan for exactly how it was to go,” she said. “They’re required to show unity of purpose.”
But the defense likely will portray the plot as more fantasy than reality, said John Smietanka, a former federal prosecutor.
“The tricky thing about conspiracy cases is … when you have multiple parties, whether they have the same motives and agree on a common plan,” said Smietanka, who also has been a defense lawyer. “What exactly did they agree to, and how?”
Defense attorneys probably also will focus on the informants and raise the idea of entrapment, he said.
A potential wild card is the defendants’ alleged political motivation.
While polls show many Michigan residents support Whitmer’s strict handling of the coronavirus outbreak, she has drawn fierce opposition from some conservatives, including people who rallied at the state Capitol.
The jury pool in a kidnapping trial would be drawn from western Michigan, which leans Republican.
“Some of them may be sympathetic to these guys,” Rataj said. “They may not like the governor. They might be the kind of folks who think she exceeded her power.”
Prosecutors will try to weed out potential jurors who might be biased against Whitmer or the government in general, or skeptical about the pandemic, he said.
Defense attorneys, meanwhile, will be on the lookout for those who might be turned off by anti-government paramilitary activities.
“A federal judge is going to give you a lot of leeway in asking jurors about their sympathies and thinking” in the hope of getting an impartial panel, said Terry Dillon, another former federal prosecutor.
But at a time of bitter partisanship and overheated political rhetoric, he said, a claim that “this was loose talk, I was frustrated, I was just mouthing off, I never in this world intended to do anything” might be enough to raise doubts.
“All you need is one to hang a jury,” Dillon said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Two men convicted in 2017 Hinsdale jewelry store robbery

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Two Illinois men stole more than $ 200,000 in merchandise from a Hinsdale jewelry store in 2017 , a federal jury decided this week .
According to the office of U.S. Attorney John Lausch , Jr. , 26-year-old Tobias Diggs and 31-year-old Joshua McClellan were convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery , robbery , transportation of stolen goods and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence .
A federal judge has not yet scheduled a date to determine their sentences .
Authorities said two other people participated in the robbery .
A warrant has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago , who is considered a fugitive , and the fourth person has not been identified .
Lausch ’ s office said evidence presented during the six-day trial showed Diggs pointed a gun at a woman who was working at Razny Jewelers during the robbery .
Diggs also hit the woman with the weapon and dragged her by her hair to a back room , prosecutors said .
Diggs and two others then entered the store ’ s safe and took the jewelry .
Lausch ’ s office said evidence at trial showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store .
Prosecutors also said the men tried to sell some of the stolen items in the Chicago area and in Atlanta .

CHICAGO (AP) - Two Illinois men stole more than $200,000 in merchandise from a Hinsdale jewelry store in 2017, a federal jury decided this week.
According to the office of U.S. Attorney John Lausch, Jr., 26-year-old Tobias Diggs and 31-year-old Joshua McClellan were convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, transportation of stolen goods and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
A federal judge has not yet scheduled a date to determine their sentences.
Authorities said two other people participated in the robbery. A warrant has been issued for a 42-year-old man from Chicago, who is considered a fugitive, and the fourth person has not been identified.
Lausch’s office said evidence presented during the six-day trial showed Diggs pointed a gun at a woman who was working at Razny Jewelers during the robbery. Diggs also hit the woman with the weapon and dragged her by her hair to a back room, prosecutors said.
Diggs and two others then entered the store’s safe and took the jewelry.
Lausch’s office said evidence at trial showed McClellan drove the group away from the store. Prosecutors also said the men tried to sell some of the stolen items in the Chicago area and in Atlanta.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Attack, then pandemic: Pittsburgh Jewish congregations cope

Two years ago , the three congregations sharing space at Pittsburgh ’ s Tree of Life synagogue relocated after an anti-Semitic gunman killed 11 worshippers .
Last March , the congregations dispersed from their new locations due to the coronavirus pandemic and switched to virtual services .
On Tuesday , as they again mourn those killed on Oct. 27 , 2018 , they ’ ll also celebrate the resilience that has enabled them to persevere .
Maggie Feinstein of the 10.27 Healing Partnership , which has been supporting those affected by the attack , was impressed by how the congregations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They started phone chains , thought about ways to reach their vulnerable population , ” she said .
“ I found it incredibly inspiring that these three congregations , when crisis hit , knew how to pull together as a community and not leave anybody behind.
” The centerpiece of the commemorations is an online ceremony Tuesday evening that includes a performance by world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo-Ma of a piece by Jewish composer Ernest Bloch .
And a day of community service is being organized for Sunday by the Pittsburgh branch of Repair the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include a blood drive , food distribution and cleanups of Jewish cemeteries .
Coinciding with the commemoration will be publication of an anthology of essays by Pittsburgh-area writers , reflecting on how the attack impacted them and their community .
Co-editor Beth Kissileff is the wife of Rabbi Jonathan Perlman , who took shelter in a supply closet with three members of his New Light congregation during the attack .
One of them , 87-year-old Melvin Wax , who was deaf , as a result left the closet before it was safe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commemorations were planned by a group that included the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh , the Jewish Community Center and members of the three congregations .
One of the group ’ s co-chairs lost her brother in the shooting ; the other lost her mother .
Organizers have strived to offer emotional support .
One-on-one counseling will be offered virtually , and there ’ s a tent set up near the synagogue where people can access in-person support from humans and comfort dogs in a socially distanced environment .
Planning committee member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Federation , said the pandemic posed challenges .
“ Once you can ’ t do everything in-person , there aren ’ t as many opportunities for healing , ” she said .
“ Last year we had chaplains , therapists helping people face-to-face .
That can ’ t happen this year.
” Of the three congregations based in the synagogue in 2018 , only Tree of Life , the host , plans to return when the building reopens after renovation .
There ’ s no timeline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has hired consultants to help with logistics and wants to accommodate other organizations and activities .
Nearby Chatham University and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh are expected to share some of the reconfigured space .
There also will be a memorial to those killed in the attack .
Before the pandemic , Tree of Life was holding services at Rodef Shalom , a historic temple completed in 1907 .
But since March , in-person worship and group activities have been halted in favor of virtual gatherings .
Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said his appearances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his living room , have gained a loyal following , including a woman in Australia who joins Tuesday classes in which he discusses prayers offered the preceding Friday .
“ During the pandemic , people are seeking community , ” he said .
“ We try in any way to help them find solace and hope and inspiration.
” A second congregation , Dor Hadash , also had been worshipping at Rodef Shalom and plans to return there once the pandemic eases enough to allow in-person services , according to its president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has remained politically active , engaging issues such as racial justice and gun violence .
The third , New Light , had been at the Beth Shalom synagogue in the same Squirrel Hill neighborhood where the attack occurred .
Congregation co-president Stephen Cohen said the arrangement has worked well and New Light plans to remain there long-term .
Of the three , only New Light has resumed in-person services , but Cohen said most members , many of whom are over 70 , remain wary and participate via Zoom .
The 15 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sit at least 6 feet apart .
“ Before March we were beginning to recreate our community , and then on March 23 it all falls apart , ” Cohen said , referring to the imposition of a stay-at-home order .
“ We have adapted as best we can.
” The idea for the anthology arose from conversations among New Light members , encouraged by Kissileff , an author and essayist .
She recruited as co-editor Eric Lidji , a Pittsburgh-based historian who has overseen efforts to preserve documentation of the 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 other writers , journalists , academics and rabbis to contribute to the anthology , “ Bound in the Bond of Life.
” The entries include poetry , oral history and an essay by Carnegie Mellon University historian Laura Zittrain Eisenberg about the memorials that sprung up outside the synagogue after the attack and items left there - flowers , candles , a guitar , a pair of sneakers .
Kissileff and Lidji included three non-Jews among the contributors : Peter Smith , religion writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ; Tony Norman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Pittsburgh-based New York Times correspondent .
“ I wanted to acknowledge this didn ’ t just affect the Jewish community , ” Kissileff said .
In his essay , “ I Read Somewhere That Pittsburgh is Stronger Than Hate , ” Norman , who is Black , evoked other mass shootings such as the 2015 attack by a racist gunman that killed nine Black people gathered for Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston , South Carolina .
“ We know that there ’ s hate in Pittsburgh , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tree of Life massacre showed us , there is also considerable pushback to evil .
While much of the nation was still in shock , the seeds of an extraordinary response took root in a city often divided by race and class.
” Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

Two years ago, the three congregations sharing space at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue relocated after an anti-Semitic gunman killed 11 worshippers. Last March, the congregations dispersed from their new locations due to the coronavirus pandemic and switched to virtual services.
On Tuesday, as they again mourn those killed on Oct. 27, 2018, they’ll also celebrate the resilience that has enabled them to persevere.
Maggie Feinstein of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, which has been supporting those affected by the attack, was impressed by how the congregations have coped with the pandemic.
“They started phone chains, thought about ways to reach their vulnerable population,” she said. “I found it incredibly inspiring that these three congregations, when crisis hit, knew how to pull together as a community and not leave anybody behind.”
The centerpiece of the commemorations is an online ceremony Tuesday evening that includes a performance by world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo-Ma of a piece by Jewish composer Ernest Bloch.
And a day of community service is being organized for Sunday by the Pittsburgh branch of Repair the World, a Jewish nonprofit. Activities include a blood drive, food distribution and cleanups of Jewish cemeteries.
Coinciding with the commemoration will be publication of an anthology of essays by Pittsburgh-area writers, reflecting on how the attack impacted them and their community. Co-editor Beth Kissileff is the wife of Rabbi Jonathan Perlman, who took shelter in a supply closet with three members of his New Light congregation during the attack. One of them, 87-year-old Melvin Wax, who was hearing impaired, as a result left the closet before it was safe, and was shot dead.
Most of the commemorations were planned by a group that included the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, the Jewish Community Center and members of the three congregations. One of the group’s co-chairs lost her brother in the shooting; the other lost her mother.
Organizers have strived to offer emotional support. One-on-one counseling will be offered virtually, and there’s a tent set up near the synagogue where people can access in-person support from humans and comfort dogs in a socially distanced environment.
Planning committee member and Rabbi Amy Bardack, director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Federation, said the pandemic posed challenges.
“Once you can’t do everything in-person, there aren’t as many opportunities for healing,” she said. “Last year we had chaplains, therapists helping people face-to-face. That can’t happen this year.”
Of the three congregations based in the synagogue in 2018, only Tree of Life, the host, plans to return when the building reopens after renovation. There’s no timeline yet for that project; the congregation has hired consultants to help with logistics and wants to accommodate other organizations and activities.
Nearby Chatham University and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh are expected to share some of the reconfigured space. There also will be a memorial to those killed in the attack.
Before the pandemic, Tree of Life was holding services at Rodef Shalom, a historic temple completed in 1907. But since March, in-person worship and group activities have been halted in favor of virtual gatherings.
Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said his appearances on Zoom and Facebook, livestreamed from his living room, have gained a loyal following, including a woman in Australia who joins Tuesday classes in which he discusses prayers offered the preceding Friday.
“During the pandemic, people are seeking community,” he said. “We try in any way to help them find solace and hope and inspiration.”
A second congregation, Dor Hadash, also had been worshipping at Rodef Shalom and plans to return there once the pandemic eases enough to allow in-person services, according to its president, Donna Coufal.
She said Dor Hadash has remained politically active, engaging issues such as racial justice and gun violence.
The third, New Light, had been at the Beth Shalom synagogue in the same Squirrel Hill neighborhood where the attack occurred. Congregation co-president Stephen Cohen said the arrangement has worked well and New Light plans to remain there long-term.
Of the three, only New Light has resumed in-person services, but Cohen said most members, many of whom are over 70, remain wary and participate via Zoom. The 15 or so who attend in person wear masks and sit at least 6 feet apart.
“Before March we were beginning to recreate our community, and then on March 23 it all falls apart,” Cohen said, referring to the imposition of a stay-at-home order. “We have adapted as best we can.”
The idea for the anthology arose from conversations among New Light members, encouraged by Kissileff, an author and essayist. She recruited as co-editor Eric Lidji, a Pittsburgh-based historian who has overseen efforts to preserve documentation of the 2018 attack.
They in turn brought in 22 other writers, journalists, academics and rabbis to contribute to the anthology, “Bound in the Bond of Life.”
The entries include poetry, oral history and an essay by Carnegie Mellon University historian Laura Zittrain Eisenberg about the memorials that sprung up outside the synagogue after the attack and items left there - flowers, candles, a guitar, a pair of sneakers.
Kissileff and Lidji included three non-Jews among the contributors: Peter Smith, religion writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Tony Norman, a Post-Gazette columnist; and Campbell Robertson, a Pittsburgh-based New York Times correspondent.
“I wanted to acknowledge this didn’t just affect the Jewish community,” Kissileff said.
In his essay, “I Read Somewhere That Pittsburgh is Stronger Than Hate,” Norman, who is Black, evoked other mass shootings such as the 2015 attack by a racist gunman that killed nine Black people gathered for Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
“We know that there’s hate in Pittsburgh,” Norman wrote. “But as the Tree of Life massacre showed us, there is also considerable pushback to evil. While much of the nation was still in shock, the seeds of an extraordinary response took root in a city often divided by race and class.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--'Iron 9': The all-female bridge watch team of a Navy ship

NORFOLK , Va. ( AP ) - Women have been serving on Navy ships for a quarter-century , although the deck department - especially the bridge watch sections responsible for steering the ship and keeping a lookout for hazards - have remained a mainly male preserve .
That changed with USS Gerald R. Ford last month - all the deck department sailors assigned to the boatswain ’ s mates bridge watch teams were women .
They call themselves the Iron 9 .
“ They did great .
If there ’ s a grade higher than ‘ A , ’ that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , ” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Faeline Matthews , the boatswain ’ s mate who leads the team and whose job is to make sure the relatively young sailors in a bridge watch section are qualified to do the work .
“ I think it shows what we can do.
” While one of the Iron 9 , Seaman Adriyanna Jones , thinks the group ’ s achievement will influence how female sailors are seen for years to come , she believes they also showed something about the deck department .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ aircraft carrier , a lot of people focus on flight deck operations and aircraft maneuvering , ” she said .
“ Sometimes deck department is overlooked as an essential asset , but recently there ’ s been a lot more acknowledgement towards how necessary we are to the ship.
” What a bridge watch section does requires concentration and focus .
At the helm , a post that on the Ford combines what helmsman , who steers the ship , and lee helmsman , who controls its speed , do on other carriers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with dials displaying the Ford ’ s current direction and trim .
Keeping a 100,000 ton carrier capable of 30 knots on course can be a strain , which is why the drill is for the helm , the bridge messenger and the three lookouts in the section to spell each other .
They rotate every hour through the watch .
Not that being a lookout is stress-free .
The job involves being alert for hazards - like the small craft that can seem to pop up out of the blue , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s assistant first lieutenant , who regularly stands watch as officer of the deck .
Lookouts have phones hanging on cords around their neck so they can call in anything they spot .
But except for their phones , orders and reports come in calm , conversational tones across the bridge .
He should know .
Carney ’ s job , when he ’ s on the bridge , is to make sure orders from the captain or the officer who has the conn - overall direction for where the carrier is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he helps coordinate and respond to what navigators , the engine room and sailors on radar watch , working in a compartment behind the bridge itself , report .
In his 15 years in the Navy , Carney said he ’ s never seen an all-female bridge watch section .
“ I think it sends a great signal to the Ford , and to the whole Navy , ” he said .
“ The deck department ’ s traditionally been mostly male.
” He ’ s got high hopes for the Iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OJT ( on the job training ) , ” he said .
“ They have specific things they have to do and get checked off on … then BM2 Matthews tests them to be sure they ’ ve got it.
” And , as far as he ’ s concerned , Matthews and the Iron 9 are the future of the Navy .
“ These boatswain ’ s mates have the best work ethic I ’ ve ever seen in my career , ” he said .
“ I can easily see some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Navy .
The sky ’ s the limit for this crew .
”

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Women have been serving on Navy ships for a quarter-century, although the deck department - especially the bridge watch sections responsible for steering the ship and keeping a lookout for hazards - have remained a mainly male preserve.
That changed with USS Gerald R. Ford last month - all the deck department sailors assigned to the boatswain’s mates bridge watch teams were women. They call themselves the Iron 9.
“They did great. If there’s a grade higher than ‘A,’ that’s what I’d give them,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Faeline Matthews, the boatswain’s mate who leads the team and whose job is to make sure the relatively young sailors in a bridge watch section are qualified to do the work. “I think it shows what we can do.”
While one of the Iron 9, Seaman Adriyanna Jones, thinks the group’s achievement will influence how female sailors are seen for years to come, she believes they also showed something about the deck department.
“Since we’re on an aircraft carrier, a lot of people focus on flight deck operations and aircraft maneuvering,” she said. “Sometimes deck department is overlooked as an essential asset, but recently there’s been a lot more acknowledgement towards how necessary we are to the ship.”
What a bridge watch section does requires concentration and focus.
At the helm, a post that on the Ford combines what helmsman, who steers the ship, and lee helmsman, who controls its speed, do on other carriers, a sailor has two screens, with dials displaying the Ford’s current direction and trim.
Keeping a 100,000 ton carrier capable of 30 knots on course can be a strain, which is why the drill is for the helm, the bridge messenger and the three lookouts in the section to spell each other. They rotate every hour through the watch.
Not that being a lookout is stress-free. The job involves being alert for hazards - like the small craft that can seem to pop up out of the blue, said Lt. Brandon Carney, the Ford’s assistant first lieutenant, who regularly stands watch as officer of the deck.
Lookouts have phones hanging on cords around their neck so they can call in anything they spot. But except for their phones, orders and reports come in calm, conversational tones across the bridge.
“There’s a lot of information flowing,” Carney said.
He should know. Carney’s job, when he’s on the bridge, is to make sure orders from the captain or the officer who has the conn - overall direction for where the carrier is going - are relayed and carried out, as he helps coordinate and respond to what navigators, the engine room and sailors on radar watch, working in a compartment behind the bridge itself, report.
In his 15 years in the Navy, Carney said he’s never seen an all-female bridge watch section.
“I think it sends a great signal to the Ford, and to the whole Navy,” he said. “The deck department’s traditionally been mostly male.”
He’s got high hopes for the Iron 9. “It’s basically OJT (on the job training),” he said. “They have specific things they have to do and get checked off on … then BM2 Matthews tests them to be sure they’ve got it.”
And, as far as he’s concerned, Matthews and the Iron 9 are the future of the Navy.
“These boatswain’s mates have the best work ethic I’ve ever seen in my career,” he said. “I can easily see some of these sailors commissioning during their time in the Navy. The sky’s the limit for this crew.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Growers raise giant pumpkins despite squashed festivals

CULLODEN , W.Va. ( AP ) - Leaves are falling and the air is getting cooler , but the festivities of fall have been muffled , if not entirely muted .
The wave of fair and festival cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic have continued past the summer .
There was no Forest Festival in Elkins , no Black Walnut Festival in Spencer and the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton was canceled .
Over the phone , Cindy Hinkle , the pumpkin festival president , sighed and said , “ First time , after 30-some years .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened to the champion , giant-sized pumpkins - the pumpkins that weigh as much as small cars ?
Chris Rodebaugh from Lewisburg was the Pumpkin Festival ’ s 2019 pumpkin champion .
He won the festival ’ s largest pumpkin contest last year with a 1,384-pound pumpkin .
A family dentist , Rodebaugh said he was inspired to try growing his own giant pumpkin after a trip the State Fair of West Virginia .
“ I always go , ” he said .
“ I saw one that was 200 or 300 pounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He went online and researched what a gardener needed to do to grow that kind of a pumpkin .
“ I really fell down the rabbit hole , ” he said , laughing .
“ And I thought , ‘ Wow , I ’ m pretty good at this , ’ ” he said .
Justin Conner , last year ’ s third-place grower from Culloden , said the giant pumpkins are fun to grow .
“ My family gets a lot of joy in just watching them grow , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pumpkins in late April or May , which is ahead of when seeds for pie or jack-o ’ -lantern pumpkins are typically planted in July .
The giant pumpkins face the same sort of pests that trouble the smaller varieties - deer , groundhogs and the ravenous squash vine borer .
Conner uses a fence and pesticides , which helps with the borer .
Rodebaugh said he tried hot pepper powder to keep the deer away .
That only slowed them down , but he settled on an electric fence .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
After the plants fruit , the pumpkins grow fast , both growers said .
“ This year , mine was growing 40 pounds a day at its peak , ” Conner said .
“ You can actually go out and watch it grow .
At peak , they ’ ll grow three , four , five inches a day.
” After the Pumpkin Festival was canceled in July , Conner said he and his family decided to keep growing their monster pumpkin .
At Labor Day , he said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then things took a turn for the worse .
Not long after Labor Day , the area got a bunch of rain .
The pumpkin soaked up the water like a sponge and split open .
“ By then , it was too late for us to start anything else , ” Conner said .
He probably would ’ ve had a hard time keeping up with growing the pumpkin anyway .
In early September , Conner caught COVID-19 .
“ I had a pretty bad case , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days.
” Rodebaugh had trouble this year , too .
He said the weather worked against him and he really didn ’ t have his soil fixed .
His best pumpkins for this year failed , but he did manage to grow a 955-pound green squash , which is a state record .
Both growers said they would try again next year .
Conner has already cleared the plot where his family will raise the next monster pumpkin and planted a cover crop for the winter .
“ I ’ m happy about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for the biggest carrot , the state record for the tallest sunflower and the biggest sunflower head , ” he said .
“ These are all accolades - hooray , but nothing compares to the pumpkin .
For those who didn ’ t grow their own pumpkins ( giant or otherwise ) , farmers markets - including the Capitol Market in Charleston - are practically overrun with them .
JoAnna Hays at Ed & Ellen ’ s at the market said people have been buying up a lot of what they put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which she said are coated to last far longer than a raw pumpkin .
Ron Crihfield of Crihfield Farms said it ’ s been a bit slower for him , but he ’ s still selling a lot of produce .
“ People are buying some of the carnival-type pumpkins , ” he offered .
Crihfield expected pumpkin traffic to pick up and soon .
Shrewd pumpkin pickers will pluck up the best of the lot the first or second weekend in October , the grower said , but last weekend ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still good pumpkins , but they won ’ t last .
Pumpkins will keep for weeks , as long as you don ’ t carve into them or drop a gourd hard on the ground .
Once the skin of the pumpkin is cut or the flesh bruised , it will begin to rot .
The West Virginia Pumpkin Festival will return to Milton , next year - at least , organizers hope to .
“ We started planning for next year just as soon as we had to cancel for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We hope to be back a little bigger than before .
”

CULLODEN, W.Va. (AP) - Leaves are falling and the air is getting cooler, but the festivities of fall have been muffled, if not entirely muted.
The wave of fair and festival cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic have continued past the summer. There was no Forest Festival in Elkins, no Black Walnut Festival in Spencer and the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton was canceled.
Over the phone, Cindy Hinkle, the pumpkin festival president, sighed and said, “First time, after 30-some years. It was very sad for us.”
But what happened to the champion, giant-sized pumpkins - the pumpkins that weigh as much as small cars?
Chris Rodebaugh from Lewisburg was the Pumpkin Festival’s 2019 pumpkin champion. He won the festival’s largest pumpkin contest last year with a 1,384-pound pumpkin.
A family dentist, Rodebaugh said he was inspired to try growing his own giant pumpkin after a trip the State Fair of West Virginia.
“I always go,” he said. “I saw one that was 200 or 300 pounds and I thought that was pretty cool.”
He went online and researched what a gardener needed to do to grow that kind of a pumpkin.
“I really fell down the rabbit hole,” he said, laughing.
His first season, Rodebaugh grew a 1,550-pound pumpkin.
“And I thought, ‘Wow, I’m pretty good at this,’” he said.
Justin Conner, last year’s third-place grower from Culloden, said the giant pumpkins are fun to grow.
“My family gets a lot of joy in just watching them grow,” he said.
Conner and Rodebaugh begin their pumpkins in late April or May, which is ahead of when seeds for pie or jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are typically planted in July.
The giant pumpkins face the same sort of pests that trouble the smaller varieties - deer, groundhogs and the ravenous squash vine borer.
Conner uses a fence and pesticides, which helps with the borer. Rodebaugh said he tried hot pepper powder to keep the deer away. That only slowed them down, but he settled on an electric fence.
“That keeps them away just fine,” he said.
After the plants fruit, the pumpkins grow fast, both growers said.
How fast?
“This year, mine was growing 40 pounds a day at its peak,” Conner said. “You can actually go out and watch it grow. At peak, they’ll grow three, four, five inches a day.”
After the Pumpkin Festival was canceled in July, Conner said he and his family decided to keep growing their monster pumpkin.
At Labor Day, he said they had a real trophy winner.
“It was 980 pounds,” he laughed.
But then things took a turn for the worse. Not long after Labor Day, the area got a bunch of rain. The pumpkin soaked up the water like a sponge and split open.
“By then, it was too late for us to start anything else,” Conner said.
He probably would’ve had a hard time keeping up with growing the pumpkin anyway. In early September, Conner caught COVID-19.
“I had a pretty bad case,” he said. “I was away from work for 38 days.”
Conner only recently returned to work.
Rodebaugh had trouble this year, too. He said the weather worked against him and he really didn’t have his soil fixed. His best pumpkins for this year failed, but he did manage to grow a 955-pound green squash, which is a state record.
“And that’s pretty cool,” he said.
Both growers said they would try again next year.
Conner has already cleared the plot where his family will raise the next monster pumpkin and planted a cover crop for the winter.
He has high hopes.
Rodebaugh does, too.
“I’m happy about the squash and I have the state record for the biggest carrot, the state record for the tallest sunflower and the biggest sunflower head,” he said. “These are all accolades - hooray, but nothing compares to the pumpkin.
“It’s the Super Bowl.”
For those who didn’t grow their own pumpkins (giant or otherwise), farmers markets - including the Capitol Market in Charleston - are practically overrun with them.
JoAnna Hays at Ed & Ellen’s at the market said people have been buying up a lot of what they put out, particularly the painted pumpkins, which she said are coated to last far longer than a raw pumpkin.
Ron Crihfield of Crihfield Farms said it’s been a bit slower for him, but he’s still selling a lot of produce.
“People are buying some of the carnival-type pumpkins,” he offered.
Crihfield expected pumpkin traffic to pick up and soon.
Shrewd pumpkin pickers will pluck up the best of the lot the first or second weekend in October, the grower said, but last weekend’s rains probably reduced the crowds.
There are still good pumpkins, but they won’t last.
Pumpkins will keep for weeks, as long as you don’t carve into them or drop a gourd hard on the ground. Once the skin of the pumpkin is cut or the flesh bruised, it will begin to rot.
The West Virginia Pumpkin Festival will return to Milton, next year - at least, organizers hope to.
“We started planning for next year just as soon as we had to cancel for this year,” Hinkle said. “We hope to be back a little bigger than before.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--East Canyon Park becomes Utah's 14th dark sky park

MORGAN , Utah ( AP ) - Officials from East Canyon State Park believe darkness is a natural resource worth protecting .
The northeastern Utah mountain recreation preserve was recently designated an International Dark Sky Park - a classification that means East Canyon ’ s nighttime skies are free enough of light pollution and have an “ exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and nocturnal environment , ” according to the nonprofit that grants the classification .
” ( The ) designation means that East Canyon State Park has beautifully dark night skies that allow visitors to clearly view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” reads a press release from the International Dark Sky Association .
Partly inspired by the science fiction television series “ Star Trek , ” East Canyon State Park Manager Chris Haramoto said work to get the parked tabbed with a dark sky designation took about a half-decade .
“ It took our team about five years to complete and it was a very long process , ” Haramoto said during a dedication ceremony last week .
Haramoto , park staff , and a team of interns and volunteers had to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spelled out by the IDA .
In 2014 , the East Canyon officials began hosting “ Star Park Academy ” courses for the public - a series of hands-on , informational classes on astronomy .
In 2016 , the crew also started measuring the quality of the darkness within the park .
From 2017 to 2019 , the group worked on changing out old park lights for new , dark sky-friendly fixtures with soft tones , full cut-off shielding , motion detectors and timers .
The new lighting system helped to enhance the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now has 14 official dark sky parks , more than any other state .
“ Utah … leads the state park systems of the United States in terms of total designations , ” IDA Executive Director Ruskin Hartley said in a statement .
“ Not only is this an important achievement for East Canyon State Park , but it is a testament to the commitment shown by Utah State Parks to elevate the importance of dark-sky protections among its constituent park units.
” Northern Utah alone boasts three dark sky sites .
North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an International Dark Sky Park in April 2015 .
Most recently , Antelope Island was tabbed in April 2017 .
According to a press release from the Utah Division of Natural Resources , Fremont Indian State Park , Goosenecks State Park , Gunlock State Park , Jordanelle State Park , Kodachrome State Park , Rockport State Park and Wasatch Mountain State Park will all submit International Dark Sky Park applications in November .

MORGAN, Utah (AP) - Officials from East Canyon State Park believe darkness is a natural resource worth protecting.
The northeastern Utah mountain recreation preserve was recently designated an International Dark Sky Park - a classification that means East Canyon’s nighttime skies are free enough of light pollution and have an “exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and nocturnal environment,” according to the nonprofit that grants the classification.
”(The) designation means that East Canyon State Park has beautifully dark night skies that allow visitors to clearly view the Milky Way and other celestial objects,” reads a press release from the International Dark Sky Association.
Partly inspired by the science fiction television series “Star Trek,” East Canyon State Park Manager Chris Haramoto said work to get the parked tabbed with a dark sky designation took about a half-decade.
“It took our team about five years to complete and it was a very long process,” Haramoto said during a dedication ceremony last week.
Haramoto, park staff, and a team of interns and volunteers had to meet strict programming, monitoring and infrastructure requirements spelled out by the IDA.
In 2014, the East Canyon officials began hosting “Star Park Academy” courses for the public - a series of hands-on, informational classes on astronomy. In 2016, the crew also started measuring the quality of the darkness within the park.
From 2017 to 2019, the group worked on changing out old park lights for new, dark sky-friendly fixtures with soft tones, full cut-off shielding, motion detectors and timers. The new lighting system helped to enhance the natural darkness within the park.
Utah now has 14 official dark sky parks, more than any other state.
“Utah … leads the state park systems of the United States in terms of total designations,” IDA Executive Director Ruskin Hartley said in a statement. “Not only is this an important achievement for East Canyon State Park, but it is a testament to the commitment shown by Utah State Parks to elevate the importance of dark-sky protections among its constituent park units.”
Northern Utah alone boasts three dark sky sites. North Fork Park in Weber County was named an International Dark Sky Park in April 2015. Most recently, Antelope Island was tabbed in April 2017.
According to a press release from the Utah Division of Natural Resources, Fremont Indian State Park, Goosenecks State Park, Gunlock State Park, Jordanelle State Park, Kodachrome State Park, Rockport State Park and Wasatch Mountain State Park will all submit International Dark Sky Park applications in November.


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--Tree in Virginia honors people who died from drug overdose

WINCHESTER , Va. ( AP ) - The red maple tree that was recently planted at Timbrook Park honors fatal overdose victims , but it also is a symbol of hope to survivors .
“ We plant roots in recovery and the tree is going to grow in the city , ” Andrea Wright , a recovery advocate with Aspen Recovery Consultants , told about 20 drug treatment supporters at the ceremony last week .
“ It ’ s a way for us to give back and plant roots here by way of recovery.
” The $ 250 tree was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Wright and Paul Hampton Thomson , Winchester commonwealth ’ s attorney from 1986 to 2001 .
Both are in long-term recovery and work with about 10 clients in recovery through their company , which formed in 2018 .
Thomson said the ceremony , which included police and prosecutors , was part of a “ sea change ” in attitudes about drug users .
While heavy crack cocaine use in the 1980s , much of it involving Black people , triggered harsh drug laws , the opiate epidemic , which has mainly involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater focus on treating users rather than punishing them .
The change is credited with slowing overdose deaths , which skyrocketed nationally and locally in the last several years .
In 2018 , there were 67,367 fatal overdoses - most from opioids - compared to 70,237 in 2017 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
In 2018 in the Lord Fairfax Health District , encompassing Winchester as well as Clarke , Frederick , Page , Shenandoah and Warren counties , there were 22 deaths compared to 40 in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But drug deaths have ballooned in 40 states since the onset of coronavirus pandemic , including Virginia , according to the American Medical Association ’ s Advocacy Research Center .
In the Lord Fairfax Health District this year through Tuesday , 45 people ( 33 men and 12 women ) have fatally overdosed and there have been 160 non-fatal overdoses involving 116 men and 44 women , according to Joshua T. Price , Northwest Regional Drug and Gang Task Force coordinator .
At this time last year , 24 people had died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there had been 110 non-fatal overdoses ( 116 men and 44 women ) .
Recovery advocates blame COVID-19 for increasing isolation and decreasing access to hands-on treatment , which was already hard to get before the pandemic .
There are some advantages to online treatment such as for parents who can ’ t leave their children at home due to school closures or people who can make a call rather than having to take time off from work .
Nonetheless , Thomson said in an interview that one-on-one treatment is important .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the journey of recovery in a much more meaningful way , ” he said .
“ When you have to do it by Zoom or telephone , you sometimes lose contact with people.
” To reduce drug abuse and deaths , Wright said the federal government should increase funding of treatment programs that have demonstrated success in reducing substance abuse , including those that provide medication-assisted treatment , such as methadone and Suboxone .
Wright also hopes the Virginia General Assembly , which this year reduced the penalty for carrying an ounce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 fine rather than an arrest , will expand drug decriminalization .
Wright studied how Portugal decriminalized drugs in 2001 for her master ’ s degree and most recently visited the country in 2017 .
She said she understands the U.S. is far bigger and more conservative than Portugal , but said it can still be a model .
She emphasized decriminalization includes enforcement , unlike drug legalization .
The difference is casual users avoid incarceration and abusers get treatment .
“ It helps users , not the people that are drug dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to get help , ” she said .
“ We can be doing a lot more to prevent lives being lost and families torn apart .
”

WINCHESTER, Va. (AP) - The red maple tree that was recently planted at Timbrook Park honors fatal overdose victims, but it also is a symbol of hope to survivors.
“We plant roots in recovery and the tree is going to grow in the city,” Andrea Wright, a recovery advocate with Aspen Recovery Consultants, told about 20 drug treatment supporters at the ceremony last week. “It’s a way for us to give back and plant roots here by way of recovery.”
The $250 tree was purchased through Winchester’s Adopt-A-Tree Program by Wright and Paul Hampton Thomson, Winchester commonwealth’s attorney from 1986 to 2001. Both are in long-term recovery and work with about 10 clients in recovery through their company, which formed in 2018.
Thomson said the ceremony, which included police and prosecutors, was part of a “sea change” in attitudes about drug users. While heavy crack cocaine use in the 1980s, much of it involving Black people, triggered harsh drug laws, the opiate epidemic, which has mainly involved white people, has led to a greater focus on treating users rather than punishing them.
The change is credited with slowing overdose deaths, which skyrocketed nationally and locally in the last several years. In 2018, there were 67,367 fatal overdoses - most from opioids - compared to 70,237 in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2018 in the Lord Fairfax Health District, encompassing Winchester as well as Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties, there were 22 deaths compared to 40 in 2017. Last year there were 27 deaths.
But drug deaths have ballooned in 40 states since the onset of coronavirus pandemic, including Virginia, according to the American Medical Association’s Advocacy Research Center. In the Lord Fairfax Health District this year through Tuesday, 45 people (33 men and 12 women) have fatally overdosed and there have been 160 non-fatal overdoses involving 116 men and 44 women, according to Joshua T. Price, Northwest Regional Drug and Gang Task Force coordinator. At this time last year, 24 people had died (19 men and five women) and there had been 110 non-fatal overdoses (116 men and 44 women).
Recovery advocates blame COVID-19 for increasing isolation and decreasing access to hands-on treatment, which was already hard to get before the pandemic. There are some advantages to online treatment such as for parents who can’t leave their children at home due to school closures or people who can make a call rather than having to take time off from work. Nonetheless, Thomson said in an interview that one-on-one treatment is important.
“You can share emotion and reflect on the journey of recovery in a much more meaningful way,” he said. “When you have to do it by Zoom or telephone, you sometimes lose contact with people.”
To reduce drug abuse and deaths, Wright said the federal government should increase funding of treatment programs that have demonstrated success in reducing substance abuse, including those that provide medication-assisted treatment, such as methadone and Suboxone. Wright also hopes the Virginia General Assembly, which this year reduced the penalty for carrying an ounce or less of marijuana to a $25 fine rather than an arrest, will expand drug decriminalization.
Wright studied how Portugal decriminalized drugs in 2001 for her master’s degree and most recently visited the country in 2017. She said she understands the U.S. is far bigger and more conservative than Portugal, but said it can still be a model. She emphasized decriminalization includes enforcement, unlike drug legalization. The difference is casual users avoid incarceration and abusers get treatment.
“It helps users, not the people that are drug dealing, but users, to have the opportunity to get help,” she said. “We can be doing a lot more to prevent lives being lost and families torn apart.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-24--'Quilt of Valor': Delaware veterans receive quilt donations

DOVER , Del .
( AP ) - Three local Vietnam War veterans recently received a heartwarming acknowledgment of their service to the country , and emotions ran high .
U.S. Air Force retiree Lawrence Gant choked up when describing the impact of receiving a “ Quilt of Valor , ” recognizing his 24-year military career .
“ It ’ s a great honor to all the veterans , and I never anticipated getting anything like this , ” the Dover resident explained .
“ I had seen the church put it out in their messenger and knew of different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past , but I never anticipated receiving it.
” The 10-minute ceremony at the Wyoming United Methodist Church continued to further the Quilts of Valor Foundation ’ s mission statement : “ to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.
” Members of the Dover-based Helping Hands Quilt Guild stitched the blankets for the organization ’ s sixth annual presentation to veterans .
Combat veteran and former U.S. Marine Corps infantryman and lance corporal , David Van Kavelaar of Wyoming , said that “ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all anyone can ask.
” “ The Helping Hands Quilt Guild , I ’ d never heard of it but am glad they exist , and I know it makes all of us proud to receive this , ” he added .
When winter arrives , Mr. Van Kavelaar said he will appreciate the gift even more .
“ It ’ s warm right now .
We ’ ll surely have a place for it , ” he said , as he sat draped in his quilt .
U.S. Navy veteran Thomas Vella @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years in the Boatswain Division and two years in the reserves , was the third recipient .
He was also noted for decorations including a National Defense Service Medal , a Good Conduct Medal , a Bronze Star for service in Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal .
“ I ’ m just a guy who went into the service , did my duty and got out , so to win this was nothing I ever could have expected , ” he said .
Mr. Van Kavelaar earned a Purple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a National Defense Service Medal , a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry , a Vietnam Civil Action Medal , a Vietnam Campaign Medal , a Vietnam Service Medal and the Marksmanship Medal .
A senior master sergeant serving as an aircraft instrument craftsman , Mr. Gant earned a Meritorious Service Medal , an Air Force Commendation Medal , an Air Force Good Conduct Medal , a National Defense Service Medal , a Vietnam Service Medal and a Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal .
Fashioning the quilts required a group effort among Helping Hand Quilt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not present at the awards due to COVID-19 concerns , organization president Mary Kokoszka said .
Ms. Kokoszka described the members as having “ unselfishly donated their time , talents , fabrics , battings , backings , bindings and labels for the making of the quilts each of our honored guests will receive tonight.
” The presentation was a special affair , with members able to put a recipient ’ s face to the quilt .
Previously completed quilts had been sent to the Serendipity quilt shop in Dagsboro , where they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
“ The members of our guild never knew where our quilts went or who was awarded the quilts we made , ” she said .
“ We decided , as a group , to award our quilts locally , so we get the chance to meet the recipients , and they get the chance to meet the ladies who worked so hard to make their quilt.
” The Quilts of Valor Foundation was launched by Seaford resident Catherine Roberts in 2003 and has expanded to more than 10,000 members nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More information is available online at qovf.org .
Prior to the quilt presentations , Ms. Kokoszka retold the story of Ms. Roberts ’ reported inspiration for the project , which began with a dream of a veteran “ sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night , hunched over.
” “ She could see his war demons clustered around him , dragging him down into an emotional gutter of utter despair .
Then , as if viewing a movie , in the next scene , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demeanor had changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being , ” Ms. Kokoszka said .
“ The quilt had made this dramatic difference .
The message was clear - quilts equal healing.
” The Helping Hands Quilt Guild also contributes its creations to needy children and adults , as well as pillowcases for hospitalized children , face masks and many other fiber arts-related service projects made by volunteers , according to a news release promoting this week ’ s awards ceremony .
More information on the Helping Hands Quilt @ @ @ @ @ @

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Three local Vietnam War veterans recently received a heartwarming acknowledgment of their service to the country, and emotions ran high.
U.S. Air Force retiree Lawrence Gant choked up when describing the impact of receiving a “Quilt of Valor,” recognizing his 24-year military career.
“It’s a great honor to all the veterans, and I never anticipated getting anything like this,” the Dover resident explained.
“I had seen the church put it out in their messenger and knew of different people who had received it in the past, but I never anticipated receiving it.”
The 10-minute ceremony at the Wyoming United Methodist Church continued to further the Quilts of Valor Foundation’s mission statement: “to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.”
Members of the Dover-based Helping Hands Quilt Guild stitched the blankets for the organization’s sixth annual presentation to veterans.
Combat veteran and former U.S. Marine Corps infantryman and lance corporal, David Van Kavelaar of Wyoming, said that “to be remembered for your military service is all anyone can ask.”
“The Helping Hands Quilt Guild, I’d never heard of it but am glad they exist, and I know it makes all of us proud to receive this,” he added.
When winter arrives, Mr. Van Kavelaar said he will appreciate the gift even more.
“It’s warm right now. We’ll surely have a place for it,” he said, as he sat draped in his quilt.
U.S. Navy veteran Thomas Vella of Camden, an ex-seaman who served two years in the Boatswain Division and two years in the reserves, was the third recipient. He was also noted for decorations including a National Defense Service Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, a Bronze Star for service in Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
“I’m just a guy who went into the service, did my duty and got out, so to win this was nothing I ever could have expected,” he said.
Mr. Van Kavelaar earned a Purple Heart, a Combat Action Ribbon, a National Defense Service Medal, a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, a Vietnam Civil Action Medal, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal and the Marksmanship Medal.
A senior master sergeant serving as an aircraft instrument craftsman, Mr. Gant earned a Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Air Force Good Conduct Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal and a Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Fashioning the quilts required a group effort among Helping Hand Quilt Guild members, many of whom were not present at the awards due to COVID-19 concerns, organization president Mary Kokoszka said.
Ms. Kokoszka described the members as having “unselfishly donated their time, talents, fabrics, battings, backings, bindings and labels for the making of the quilts each of our honored guests will receive tonight.”
The presentation was a special affair, with members able to put a recipient’s face to the quilt. Previously completed quilts had been sent to the Serendipity quilt shop in Dagsboro, where they were shipped to a regional or national collection point.
“The members of our guild never knew where our quilts went or who was awarded the quilts we made,” she said.
“We decided, as a group, to award our quilts locally, so we get the chance to meet the recipients, and they get the chance to meet the ladies who worked so hard to make their quilt.”
The Quilts of Valor Foundation was launched by Seaford resident Catherine Roberts in 2003 and has expanded to more than 10,000 members nationwide, who have created more than 257,000 quilts. More information is available online at qovf.org.
Prior to the quilt presentations, Ms. Kokoszka retold the story of Ms. Roberts’ reported inspiration for the project, which began with a dream of a veteran “sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over.”
“She could see his war demons clustered around him, dragging him down into an emotional gutter of utter despair. Then, as if viewing a movie, in the next scene, he was wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor had changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being,” Ms. Kokoszka said.
“The quilt had made this dramatic difference. The message was clear - quilts equal healing.”
The Helping Hands Quilt Guild also contributes its creations to needy children and adults, as well as pillowcases for hospitalized children, face masks and many other fiber arts-related service projects made by volunteers, according to a news release promoting this week’s awards ceremony.
More information on the Helping Hands Quilt Guild is available at helpinghandsquiltguild.com.