washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Close prisons, save schools? OR faces tough budget options

SALEM , Ore. ( AP ) - The state ’ s top budget writers have proposed closing two Oregon prisons as lawmakers try to balance a huge budget shortfall created by the COVID-19 pandemic and business shutdowns .
In May , state economists predicted that a hit to income taxes , lottery revenue and business sales could result in Oregon taking in $ 2.7 billion less than expected for the two year budget cycle that ends in June 2021 .
Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that lawmakers are considering shutting the Shutter Creek Correctional Institution and the Warner Creek Correctional Facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 795 inmates .
At the same time , lawmakers have prioritized protecting the $ 9 billion state school fund , which pays for K-12 education in the state .
Lawmakers also hope to keep intact money for early learning and statewide initiatives slated to be funded by a new sales tax on businesses , and maintaining funding for universities and community colleges , according to Rep. Dan Rayfield , D-Corvallis , a co-chair of the Legislature ’ s budget writing committee .
“ We think that this next year is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for vulnerable Oregonians , ” Rayfield said .
“ We were leery about making cuts ( to those things ) , which caused us to look at other cuts.
” In a 13-page framework , the budget co-chairs - Rayfield , along with state Sens .
Elizabeth Steiner Hayward and Betsy Johnson - said they tried to “ protect essential investments in public education , health care , child welfare , housing , economic development , and other critical areas during this unprecedented public health and economic crisis.
” Among those “ other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding for Oregon State Police troopers and fighting wildfires .
While not a final product , the ideas include a mix of nearly $ 400 million in cuts and administrative savings , pulling another $ 400 million from a state reserve fund for schools , and tapping a series of resource adjustments that allow the state to close a nearly $ 1.1 billion budget gap .
Those numbers could look far different if Congress passes another aid package to help states struggling with COVID-19 , something the governor and other state leaders have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.4 billion from the $ 2 trillion CARES Act passed earlier this year .
The proposed prison closures would be staggered .
Shutter Creek , a 302-bed facility in North Bend , would close quickly under the plan .
Warner Creek , a 492-bed facility in Lakeview , would close during the budget cycle that runs from 2021-23 .
Despite the closures , the budget framework contains funding for the current prison population .
Cuts to agencies within the human services realm represent the largest portion of the budget realignment , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending .
More than $ 80 million of that comes in the form of holding positions vacant , reducing services and supplies spending , restricting travel and actuarial adjustments .
But lawmakers have also proposed eliminating some services at the Oregon State Hospital , which would include laying off 22 “ non-direct care staff.
” The details of those changes are not laid out in the framework .

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The state’s top budget writers have proposed closing two Oregon prisons as lawmakers try to balance a huge budget shortfall created by the COVID-19 pandemic and business shutdowns.
In May, state economists predicted that a hit to income taxes, lottery revenue and business sales could result in Oregon taking in $2.7 billion less than expected for the two year budget cycle that ends in June 2021.
Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that lawmakers are considering shutting the Shutter Creek Correctional Institution and the Warner Creek Correctional Facility, prisons that can hold a combined 795 inmates.
At the same time, lawmakers have prioritized protecting the $9 billion state school fund, which pays for K-12 education in the state. Lawmakers also hope to keep intact money for early learning and statewide initiatives slated to be funded by a new sales tax on businesses, and maintaining funding for universities and community colleges, according to Rep. Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, a co-chair of the Legislature’s budget writing committee.
“We think that this next year is going to be extremely critical in terms of providing services for vulnerable Oregonians,” Rayfield said. “We were leery about making cuts (to those things), which caused us to look at other cuts.”
In a 13-page framework, the budget co-chairs - Rayfield, along with state Sens. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward and Betsy Johnson - said they tried to “protect essential investments in public education, health care, child welfare, housing, economic development, and other critical areas during this unprecedented public health and economic crisis.”
Among those “other critical areas,” the proposal maintains funding for Oregon State Police troopers and fighting wildfires.
While not a final product, the ideas include a mix of nearly $400 million in cuts and administrative savings, pulling another $400 million from a state reserve fund for schools, and tapping a series of resource adjustments that allow the state to close a nearly $1.1 billion budget gap.
Those numbers could look far different if Congress passes another aid package to help states struggling with COVID-19, something the governor and other state leaders have called for repeatedly. Oregon already received $1.4 billion from the $2 trillion CARES Act passed earlier this year.
The proposed prison closures would be staggered. Shutter Creek, a 302-bed facility in North Bend, would close quickly under the plan. Warner Creek, a 492-bed facility in Lakeview, would close during the budget cycle that runs from 2021-23. Despite the closures, the budget framework contains funding for the current prison population.
Cuts to agencies within the human services realm represent the largest portion of the budget realignment, with more than $180 million in reduced spending.
More than $80 million of that comes in the form of holding positions vacant, reducing services and supplies spending, restricting travel and actuarial adjustments. But lawmakers have also proposed eliminating some services at the Oregon State Hospital, which would include laying off 22 “non-direct care staff.” The details of those changes are not laid out in the framework.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Man who fled California hospital steals sheriff's SUV

LAGUNA HILLS , Calif. ( AP ) - A man who fled a Southern California hospital while on a mental health hold was arrested after he stole a sheriff ’ s department SUV and led deputies on a pursuit that ended with a crash , authorities said .
Orange County deputies responded around 3:45 a.m. Thursday after staff at the Laguna Hills hospital reported a patient had run away , said sheriff ’ s spokeswoman Carrie Braun .
Deputies found the man , in his 20s , on foot near an on-ramp of Interstate 5 , Braun said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get into one of their SUVs and drive away on the highway , she said .
Eventually he exited onto surface streets and was arrested after crashing into at least one parked car and a fire hydrant in San Juan Capistrano , Braun said .
While deputies tried to talk to the man , they said , he assaulted them .
At some point he accessed their SUV and drove southbound on the freeway , Braun said .
The man , who was not named , was hospitalized with unspecified injuries .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mental health evaluation the man will likely face charges including assaulting a peace officer .
No deputies were seriously injured , the newspaper reported .

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (AP) - A man who fled a Southern California hospital while on a mental health hold was arrested after he stole a sheriff’s department SUV and led deputies on a pursuit that ended with a crash, authorities said.
Orange County deputies responded around 3:45 a.m. Thursday after staff at the Laguna Hills hospital reported a patient had run away, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Braun.
Deputies found the man, in his 20s, on foot near an on-ramp of Interstate 5, Braun said. The man assaulted the deputies and managed to get into one of their SUVs and drive away on the highway, she said.
Eventually he exited onto surface streets and was arrested after crashing into at least one parked car and a fire hydrant in San Juan Capistrano, Braun said.
While deputies tried to talk to the man, they said, he assaulted them. At some point he accessed their SUV and drove southbound on the freeway, Braun said.
The man, who was not named, was hospitalized with unspecified injuries. The Orange County Register reported that after undergoing a mental health evaluation the man will likely face charges including assaulting a peace officer.
No deputies were seriously injured, the newspaper reported.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Colorado governor orders statewide mask mandate

DENVER ( AP ) - Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said Thursday he is issuing an executive order requiring face coverings in indoor public areas to help curb the spread of the coronavirus .
Polis , a Democrat , had long resisted issuing a statewide mask mandate .
But he ’ s come under increasing pressure as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations mount in Colorado .
Several local governments have caused confusion by opting out of mask orders issued by individual county health departments .
Polis ’ order will override those local decisions .
The governor has recently become more vocal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying at a news conference last week , “ Wear a damn mask.
” In a Facebook post Sunday , he called people who refuse to wear masks “ selfish bastards.
” More than 38,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Colorado , and more than 1,700 people have died with the disease , according to state health officials .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including pneumonia , and death .
The vast majority of people recover .

DENVER (AP) - Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Thursday he is issuing an executive order requiring face coverings in indoor public areas to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Polis, a Democrat, had long resisted issuing a statewide mask mandate, but he has come under increasing pressure from some lawmakers and business owners as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations mount in Colorado.
Several local governments have caused confusion by opting out of mask orders issued by individual county health departments. Polis said his order, which will override those local decisions, will add “statewide clarity, moral clarity, health clarity no matter where you live, no matter how you work.”
“The virus has spread less in areas that have had mask wearing orders by a statistically significant amount, and that is an incredibly important data point for me in making this statewide,” Polis said. “We have a choice in Colorado: Either more mask wearing and more attention to social distancing, or more damage to our economy and loss of life.”
Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, pointed to an increase in cases and hospitalizations. The data suggests a recent reduction in social distancing and an influx of visitors from hot spot states like Texas, Florida and California contributed to a risk that Colorado could exceed its intensive care unit hospital capacity by September.
“We’re really on the knife’s edge,” Polis said. “Many nearby states have shown us what will happen … if we don’t regain our footing and take social distancing and masks seriously.”
Polis’ order, which takes effect at midnight Thursday, applies to people older than 10 and allows for several exemptions, including when eating at a restaurant and exercising alone. Police officers, firefighters and EMTs also are exempt from the order because masks could hinder their ability to communicate, Polis said.
The governor has recently become more vocal about the importance of wearing a mask.
“Wear a damn mask,” he said at a news conference last week. He called people who refuse to wear masks “selfish bastards” in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Polis was joined Thursday by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, a Democrat, and Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, a Republican, who supported the statewide order.
“This is really, again, the least invasive approach that we can do as a preventative strategy,” Coffman said.
But some other Republicans, including House Minority Leader Patrick Neville, assailed the order, arguing in part that the state’s COVID-19 death rate is down dramatically from this spring.
“The governor seems to believe that those who make educated decisions for themselves are ‘selfish bastards,’” Neville said in a statement.
Although national health officials have called on people to wear face coverings, President Donald Trump’s administration has not issued any nationwide guidance. Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia now require masks.
More than 38,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Colorado, and more than 1,700 people have died with the disease, according to state health officials.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.
___
Associated Press writer James Anderson contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Search continues for remains from Tulsa massacre; none found

TULSA , Okla. ( AP ) - The search for remains of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre continued for a fourth day on Thursday with no remains found during an excavation of a cemetery .
“ We continue to be optimistic , ” that remains of victims will be found in Tulsa ’ s Oaklawn Cemetery , said state Archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck .
“ We have only tested a portion of this area overall , so we have more to investigate and more to look for .
I continue to be optimistic that we are in the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excavation that began Monday has been expanded .
Searchers have added an augur probe to drill further into the soil and collect samples that could indicate the presence of human remains that could include clothing , caskets or personal items buried with a body .
On May 31 and June 1 in 1921 , white residents looted and burned Tulsa ’ s black Greenwood District , killing as many as 300 people .
Items discovered thus far include broken bottles , animal bones , unidentified pieces of metal and a shell casing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the massacre .

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - The search for remains of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre continued for a fourth day on Thursday with no remains found during an excavation of a cemetery.
“We continue to be optimistic,” that remains of victims will be found in Tulsa’s Oaklawn Cemetery, said state Archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck.
“We have only tested a portion of this area overall, so we have more to investigate and more to look for. I continue to be optimistic that we are in the right place,” Stackelbeck said.
The excavation that began Monday has been expanded. Searchers have added an augur probe to drill further into the soil and collect samples that could indicate the presence of human remains that could include clothing, caskets or personal items buried with a body.
On May 31 and June 1 in 1921, white residents looted and burned Tulsa’s black Greenwood District, killing as many as 300 people.
Items discovered thus far include broken bottles, animal bones, unidentified pieces of metal and a shell casing that is not believed to be related to the massacre.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--California churches sue for constitutional right to sing

Three evangelical churches in Northern California are suing the state for banning singing only in houses of worship and not @ @ @ @ @ casinos .
River of Life Church , Calvary Chapel of Ukiah and Calvary Chapel Fort @ @ @ @ @ in federal court in Redding for a temporary restraining order on a statewide worship ban @ @ @ @ @ and chanting amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The Worship Ban is not ‘ narrowly @ @ @ @ @ compelling government interest , ” wrote the churches ’ attorneys , who include Jay Sekulow @ @ @ @ @ Law and Justice .
The lawsuit argues that bans on worship services violate the churches @ @ @ @ @

Three evangelical churches in Northern California are suing the state for banning singing only in houses of worship and not protests, TV studios or casinos.
River of Life Church, Calvary Chapel of Ukiah and Calvary Chapel Fort Bragg filed a request Wednesday in federal court in Redding for a temporary restraining order on a statewide worship ban and county ordinances prohibiting singing and chanting amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Worship Ban is not ‘narrowly tailored’ to further any compelling government interest,” wrote the churches’ attorneys, who include Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice.
The lawsuit argues that bans on worship services violate the churches’ First Amendment rights.
• Christopher Vondracek can be reached at cvondracek@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Michigan department announces child care reforms after death

LANSING , Mich. ( AP ) - Michigan officials announced a series of emergency rules Thursday after a 16-year-old boy was restrained at a youth facility and died two days later of cardiac arrest .
Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo has since lost its contract with the state to care for youth in the state ’ s foster care and juvenile justice systems and had its license to operate suspended .
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced emergency rules that prohibit state-licensed child-caring institutions from using dangerous restraints that involve placing children face-down while they are being restrained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Families and the state must be be given timely notification when a restraint is used .
Cornelius Fredericks was pushed to the floor on April 29 and held down by at least seven male staff members because he threw a sandwich in the cafeteria at Lakeside Academy .
Surveillance video shows that the men sat or laid on the teen ’ s chest for about 12 minutes .
A lawsuit filed by the Fredericks estate in June alleges that he screamed “ I can ’ t breathe ” before going into cardiac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The death was ruled a homicide and the doctor who performed the autopsy said Fredericks died of asphyxia .
Three former Lakeside Academy staff members face charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse in Fredericks ‘ death .
Change is more than just addressing bad actors , MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said at a news conference announcing the emergency rules .
He said the entire system has to transform to afford children who are in the state ’ s care the same health and happiness everyone wants for their own children .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ending the use of restraints in institutional settings , ” Gordon said .
“ Restraints are too often used as an easy way to control youth , in place of the harder , but unnecessary work of evidence-based practices that help young people address mental health challenges and heal and overcome trauma.
” Gordon said Fredericks ‘ death has forced the state to face its institutional racism , much like George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis police custody led to a national reckoning about racial injustice .
Fredericks , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he deserved , he said .
“ In our child welfare system , we have an acute responsibility to do all we can to keep families , particularly Black families safely intact , ” Gordon said .
“ When a child does come into care , we need to make that care as family-like as possible .
That is what Cornelius Fredericks deserved and did not get it , and what other young people deserve and must get.
” Data collected from facilities on the use of restraints will be compiled and include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are restrained , including a designation for indigenous children .
Lakeside Academy had a series of violations of previous restraint rules , MDHHS Children ’ s Services Agency Executive Director JooYeun Chang said .
The facility would commonly respond by firing staffers who violated the rules , but there needs to be a better statewide effort to train facilities on trauma-informed deescalation .
Chang said following Fredericks ‘ death , the department did a review of every licensed child care facility and looked to see how many in the past two years had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety incidents , with 76 facilities marked and given new guidance and assistance .
Anna Liz Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan officials announced a series of emergency rules Thursday after a 16-year-old boy was restrained at a youth facility and died two days later of cardiac arrest.
Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo has since lost its contract with the state to care for youth in the state’s foster care and juvenile justice systems and had its license to operate suspended.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced emergency rules that prohibit state-licensed child-caring institutions from using dangerous restraints that involve placing children face-down while they are being restrained or any other restraint that restricts breathing. Families and the state must be be given timely notification when a restraint is used.
Cornelius Fredericks was pushed to the floor on April 29 and held down by at least seven male staff members because he threw a sandwich in the cafeteria at Lakeside Academy. Surveillance video shows that the men sat or laid on the teen’s chest for about 12 minutes.
A lawsuit filed by the Fredericks estate in June alleges that he screamed “I can’t breathe” before going into cardiac arrest and dying two days later.
The death was ruled a homicide and the doctor who performed the autopsy said Fredericks died of asphyxia. Three former Lakeside Academy staff members face charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse in Fredericks’ death.
Change is more than just addressing bad actors, MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said at a news conference announcing the emergency rules. He said the entire system has to transform to afford children who are in the state’s care the same health and happiness everyone wants for their own children.
“We are moving toward the goal of ending the use of restraints in institutional settings,” Gordon said. “Restraints are too often used as an easy way to control youth, in place of the harder, but unnecessary work of evidence-based practices that help young people address mental health challenges and heal and overcome trauma.”
Gordon said Fredericks’ death has forced the state to face its institutional racism, much like George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody led to a national reckoning about racial injustice. Fredericks, who was Black, did not get the care he deserved, he said.
“In our child welfare system, we have an acute responsibility to do all we can to keep families, particularly Black families safely intact,” Gordon said. “When a child does come into care, we need to make that care as family-like as possible. That is what Cornelius Fredericks deserved and did not get it, and what other young people deserve and must get.”
Data collected from facilities on the use of restraints will be compiled and include information on the race of children who are restrained, including a designation for indigenous children.
Lakeside Academy had a series of violations of previous restraint rules, MDHHS Children’s Services Agency Executive Director JooYeun Chang said. The facility would commonly respond by firing staffers who violated the rules, but there needs to be a better statewide effort to train facilities on trauma-informed deescalation.
Chang said following Fredericks’ death, the department did a review of every licensed child care facility and looked to see how many in the past two years had even one serious safety incident or repeated safety incidents, with 76 facilities marked and given new guidance and assistance.
___
Anna Liz Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Exposed by son, man fights COVID-19 in Florida hospital

MIAMI ( AP ) - For weeks , Michelle Zymet pleaded with her stepson to avoid going out with friends and to always wear a mask .
“ It ’ s just not the time , ” the Florida woman says she told him , begging him to think about his dad , who is at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness because he is overweight and diabetic .
One evening in early June , the young man went out against her wishes , gathered with friends and removed his mask while eating and drinking .
Days later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the get-together told him she had tested positive for the new coronavirus .
By then , it already had taken hold in the young man ’ s household .
The man ’ s father , John Place , 42 , is now fighting the virus at a hospital ’ s intensive care unit .
The illness ’ s spread among members of the Plantation , Florida , family highlights the outcome dreaded by authorities who feared the recent surge of cases hitting younger Floridians would spread to older , more vulnerable people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listen .
It could be peer pressure , ” said Zymet , 42 .
“ Maybe they think , ‘ None of us are sick .
We are fine.
’ They don ’ t understand many of us are asymptomatic and are positive carriers of the virus.
” The young man , who did not want to talk to the media , had told his father and stepmother that he initially thought he had a common cold and took over-the-counter medication .
When he heard about his friend testing positive for the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think he had it .
But members of the family started to fall ill one by one , starting with his 14-year-old brother , who is also overweight and was wheezing , coughing and lethargic .
The 6-year-old sister had only a runny nose .
The stepmother was achy , with a fever and chills .
They all tested positive , but only Place , the father , required hospitalization after four days of fever and nonstop coughing .
He has now been in the hospital for nearly three weeks .
With Place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , Zymet ’ s friends are raising funds for the family as they brace to handle hefty medical bills .
Zymet said she has been called an “ awful mother , ” and an “ evil witch ” for placing the blame on the stepson , but she said she thought it was important to share her family ’ s story amid a surge of infections first detected among young people .
South Florida mayors gathered earlier this week with Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis and told him that gatherings of young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise in cases that emerged in June in their region .
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said younger people were celebrating the end of school or college , in some cases joining street protests and otherwise just getting together at house parties , underground venues and restaurants that converted themselves into bars late at night in violation of the rules .
With so many close-knit , multigenerational families in the community , spread to older members of families seemed inevitable , he said .
“ Since the young kids started infecting each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more older folks are now going into the hospital , ” Gimenez said Tuesday .
“ Exactly what we feared - that they were going to take it to their parents , that they were going to take it to their grandparents.
” On Wednesday , Florida passed the 300,000 mark of confirmed coronavirus cases and has been averaging about 96 deaths per day - more than triple the rate it was about a month ago .
Zymet and her family have been isolating at home , and Place was on a ventilator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says her stepson has been helping taking care of the younger children and researching the disease while she juggles work in between calls to the hospital , nurses and doctors .
She said the younger generation “ won ’ t know until it hits home.
” “ This has definitely brought us together , ” she added .
“ We could have eventually gotten this disease somewhere else .
But it is the unfortunate truth that he did bring it home.
” Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and @ @ @ @

MIAMI (AP) - For weeks, Michelle Zymet pleaded with her stepson to avoid going out with friends and to always wear a mask.
“It’s just not the time,” the Florida woman says she told him, begging him to think about his dad, who is at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness because he is overweight and diabetic.
One evening in early June, the young man went out against her wishes, gathered with friends and removed his mask while eating and drinking. Days later, he felt cold symptoms and a friend at the get-together told him she had tested positive for the new coronavirus. By then, it already had taken hold in the young man’s household.
The man’s father, John Place, 42, is now fighting the virus at a hospital’s intensive care unit.
The illness’s spread among members of the Plantation, Florida, family highlights the outcome dreaded by authorities who feared the recent surge of cases hitting younger Floridians would spread to older, more vulnerable people.
“They don’t necessarily listen. It could be peer pressure,” said Zymet, 42. “Maybe they think, ‘None of us are sick. We are fine.’ They don’t understand many of us are asymptomatic and are positive carriers of the virus.”
The young man, who did not want to talk to the media, had told his father and stepmother that he initially thought he had a common cold and took over-the-counter medication. When he heard about his friend testing positive for the new coronavirus, he still didn’t think he had it.
But members of the family started to fall ill one by one, starting with his 14-year-old brother, who is also overweight and was wheezing, coughing and lethargic.
The 6-year-old sister had only a runny nose. The stepmother was achy, with a fever and chills. They all tested positive, but only Place, the father, required hospitalization after four days of fever and nonstop coughing. He has now been in the hospital for nearly three weeks.
With Place unable to work at his photo booth business, Zymet’s friends are raising funds for the family as they brace to handle hefty medical bills.
Zymet said she has been called an “awful mother,” and an “evil witch” for placing the blame on the stepson, but she said she thought it was important to share her family’s story amid a surge of infections first detected among young people.
South Florida mayors gathered earlier this week with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and told him that gatherings of young people were a key factor in the rise in cases that emerged in June in their region.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said younger people were celebrating the end of school or college, in some cases joining street protests and otherwise just getting together at house parties, underground venues and restaurants that converted themselves into bars late at night in violation of the rules.
With so many close-knit, multigenerational families in the community, spread to older members of families seemed inevitable, he said.
“Since the young kids started infecting each other, now we see the results as more older folks are now going into the hospital,” Gimenez said Tuesday. “Exactly what we feared - that they were going to take it to their parents, that they were going to take it to their grandparents.”
On Wednesday, Florida passed the 300,000 mark of confirmed coronavirus cases and has been averaging about 96 deaths per day - more than triple the rate it was about a month ago.
Zymet and her family have been isolating at home, and Place was on a ventilator for more than two weeks. She says her stepson has been helping taking care of the younger children and researching the disease while she juggles work in between calls to the hospital, nurses and doctors.
She said the younger generation “won’t know until it hits home.”
“This has definitely brought us together,” she added. “We could have eventually gotten this disease somewhere else. But it is the unfortunate truth that he did bring it home.”
___
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--North Dakota active COVID cases hit new high; 1 new death

BISMARCK , N.D. ( AP ) - Active cases of COVID-19 hit a new high in North Dakota , state health officials said Thursday .
According to the North Dakota Department of Health , the state has 783 confirmed active cases of the disease in the state .
That ’ s up 66 from the previous day .
The record number of active cases statewide is based on daily data reported by the state , The Bismarck Tribune reported .
Except for several days of results in late May that were affected by equipment malfunctions at the state lab , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active cases reported in one day was 739 on May 7 .
North Dakota reported one new death from COVID-19 , a woman in her 60s from Mountrail County with underlying health conditions .
That raises North Dakota ’ s death toll to 89 .
It was the first death reported in Mountrail County , in northwestern North Dakota .
Another 104 people tested positive for the coronavirus , raising the total number of cases in the state to 4,668 since the pandemic began .
Cass County reported 26 new confirmed cases while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new cases bring Burleigh County ’ s total to 500 cases .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Active cases of COVID-19 hit a new high in North Dakota, state health officials said Thursday.
According to the North Dakota Department of Health, the state has 783 confirmed active cases of the disease in the state. That’s up 66 from the previous day.
The record number of active cases statewide is based on daily data reported by the state, The Bismarck Tribune reported. Except for several days of results in late May that were affected by equipment malfunctions at the state lab, North Dakota’s highest number of active cases reported in one day was 739 on May 7.
North Dakota reported one new death from COVID-19, a woman in her 60s from Mountrail County with underlying health conditions. That raises North Dakota’s death toll to 89. It was the first death reported in Mountrail County, in northwestern North Dakota.
Another 104 people tested positive for the coronavirus, raising the total number of cases in the state to 4,668 since the pandemic began.
Cass County reported 26 new confirmed cases while Burleigh County reported 22 new cases. The new cases bring Burleigh County’s total to 500 cases.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Complaints prompt Polis promise to clean state Capitol

DENVER ( AP ) - The state Capitol will be cleaned and washed “ as quickly as possible , ” a spokesperson for Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis said , after a Republican lawmaker and others complained bitterly that graffiti and other damage inflicted weeks ago during protests over police misconduct had not been addressed .
“ It ’ s not only a disgrace , but it ’ s embarrassing , ” state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg told KCNC-TV .
“ Nobody is being held accountable , and that you and I as taxpayers have to foot the bill.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in graffiti , windows and lights are shattered , and monuments and memorials are defaced or destroyed .
A spokesperson for Polis ’ office said the governor is “ outraged ” and “ frustrated ” and “ has directed that our Capitol is cleaned and washed as quickly as possible , and the building further fortified.
” Ronald Craft , a native of Denver , told the station there ’ s no excuse for the damage or the delay in cleaning it up .
“ It could been done a long time ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m with the George Floyd thing all the way , but this is not what they are about .
Governor , I ’ ll come down and help.
” Colorado State Patrol says it has troopers on duty around-the-clock outside the building , but it won ’ t risk them or others being injured for property crimes .
Denver police say there has been one arrest .

DENVER (AP) - The state Capitol will be cleaned and washed “as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said, after a Republican lawmaker and others complained bitterly that graffiti and other damage inflicted weeks ago during protests over police misconduct had not been addressed.
“It’s not only a disgrace, but it’s embarrassing,” state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg told KCNC-TV. “Nobody is being held accountable, and that you and I as taxpayers have to foot the bill.”
The building’s granite walls are covered in graffiti, windows and lights are shattered, and monuments and memorials are defaced or destroyed.
A spokesperson for Polis’ office said the governor is “outraged” and “frustrated” and “has directed that our Capitol is cleaned and washed as quickly as possible, and the building further fortified.”
Ronald Craft, a native of Denver, told the station there’s no excuse for the damage or the delay in cleaning it up. “It could been done a long time ago,” he said.
“I’m with the George Floyd thing all the way, but this is not what they are about. Governor, I’ll come down and help.”
Colorado State Patrol says it has troopers on duty around-the-clock outside the building, but it won’t risk them or others being injured for property crimes. Denver police say there has been one arrest.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Coronavirus grounds Thunderbirds ahead of Wyoming show

CHEYENNE , Wyo .
( AP ) - Coronavirus among U.S. Air Force personnel has grounded the Thunderbirds .
The fighter jet demonstration team was scheduled to perform in Cheyenne next Wednesday but canceled because “ a few of our team members ” tested positive for the virus , Nellis Air Force Base said in a statement .
The base near Las Vegas is headquarters for the Thunderbirds .
The Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy ’ s Blue Angels have overflown several U.S. cities in recent months in a show of national unity amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Federal regulations prohibit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel have the virus and their conditions , but none of them is a pilot , Thunderbirds spokeswoman Capt .
Remoshay Nelson said Thursday .
Those testing positive will self-isolate for 14 days , and the team plans to resume flying next week .
Contact tracing by public health officials was underway to determine if anyone else had the virus , Nelson said .
“ Our primary focus is ensuring the health and welfare of our personnel so we can safeguard our mission readiness and capabilities , ” Nelson said by email .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year are canceled amid public health orders banning large crowds .
The Cheyenne event was originally scheduled as part of the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo festival held each year over the last two weeks of July .
Frontier Days is canceled for the first time in the event ’ s 124-year history because of the coronavirus .
Several other military aircraft remain scheduled to participate in an air show in Cheyenne on Wednesday .
The Thunderbrids ’ next scheduled event is an Ocean City , Maryland , air show Aug. 15-16 .

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Coronavirus among U.S. Air Force personnel has grounded the Thunderbirds.
The fighter jet demonstration team was scheduled to perform in Cheyenne next Wednesday but canceled because “a few of our team members” tested positive for the virus, Nellis Air Force Base said in a statement.
The base near Las Vegas is headquarters for the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels have overflown several U.S. cities in recent months in a show of national unity amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Federal regulations prohibit the Air Force from saying how many personnel have the virus and their conditions, but none of them is a pilot, Thunderbirds spokeswoman Capt. Remoshay Nelson said Thursday.
Those testing positive will self-isolate for 14 days, and the team plans to resume flying next week. Contact tracing by public health officials was underway to determine if anyone else had the virus, Nelson said.
“Our primary focus is ensuring the health and welfare of our personnel so we can safeguard our mission readiness and capabilities,” Nelson said by email.
Most of the Thunderbirds’ scheduled shows this year are canceled amid public health orders banning large crowds. The Cheyenne event was originally scheduled as part of the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo festival held each year over the last two weeks of July.
Frontier Days is canceled for the first time in the event’s 124-year history because of the coronavirus. Several other military aircraft remain scheduled to participate in an air show in Cheyenne on Wednesday.
The Thunderbrids’ next scheduled event is an Ocean City, Maryland, air show Aug. 15-16.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Bowser delays decision about DCPS school year

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Thursday that she is delaying her decision on how D.C. Public Schools will operate this fall , but added that an online-only option will be available for all students .
Miss Bowser postponed until next Friday a decision on the DCPS fall schedule after the District experienced some trends in the coronavirus data that were “ not ideal ” for making plans for the upcoming school year .
For the first time since early May , the city ’ s transmission rate of the virus has risen above 1 and remained there for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate of the number of people who will become infected by each positive coronavirus case , according to the D.C. Department of Health .
Officials cite a transmission rate of less than 1 for five consecutive days as a condition for moving to the next phase of reopening .
“ It means that on the 31st , depending on health indicators , we could decide that we are only going to be able to start the school year virtually and may move throughout the school year to another option , ” Miss Bowser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may mean that we have determined that the trends we have seen for the last week don ’ t persist , and we are able to offer an all virtual option or a hybrid option where the students would come in on the various days you just saw and learn virtually for the balance of the week , ” she added .
DCPS Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee on Thursday presented learning options for families to choose if the mayor decides that schools can reopen for in-person learning .
Parents can opt for online-only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person learning that places students in small groups , or cohorts , to limit their potential exposure to the virus .
For pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students , the first cohort will have in-person lessons Mondays and Tuesdays , and the second cohort will have face-to-face instruction on Thursdays and Fridays .
Both cohorts will have online instruction on Wednesdays , when schools will undergo a deep cleaning .
For middle and high school students , each of four cohorts will spend one day a week in school , and Wednesdays will be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will guarantee all requests for online-only instruction , which is not an option for pre-kindergarteners , and will try to accommodate requests for the hybrid option , which depends on staffing capacity .
Schools have been closed since mid-March .
Mr. Ferebee said DCPS is asking families to commit to either option for the first term of the school year , which ends in October , adding that it would be complicated to transition from the only-only option to the hybrid option .
Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn said that each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own schedule but that many charter school leaders have told him they want to work on the same schedule as traditional public schools .
Miss Bowser said it is “ premature ” to say whether teachers will be able to opt out of in-person instruction , adding that they will be able to use COVID-19-related medical leave .
She said the Trump administration ’ s insistence on in-person learning “ has no impact on our decision.
” We are driven by this value , that is , that children do better in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings with their peers , ” she said .
“ So we have worked very hard to make sure we have options available for families where that can happen as long as our experience with the pandemic allows it.
” DCPS will be the last school district in the region to finalize its plan for learning in the fall .
Schools in Prince George ’ s and Montgomery counties will start their academic year with online-only learning .
Fairfax County and Loudoun County schools are offering an online-only option and a hybrid option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Public Schools originally announced a hybrid plan of online and in-person instruction , along with an online-only option .
But criticism from teachers and parents and an uptick in new coronavirus cases in the county prompted Superintendent Francisco Durán to propose a plan for online-only learning and delay the start of school by a week .
The school board was to vote on Mr. Durán ’ s plan Thursday night .

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Thursday that she is delaying her decision on how D.C. Public Schools will operate this fall, but added that an online-only option will be available for all students.
Miss Bowser postponed until next Friday a decision on the DCPS fall schedule after the District experienced some trends in the coronavirus data that were “not ideal” for making plans for the upcoming school year.
For the first time since early May, the city’s transmission rate of the virus has risen above 1 and remained there for the last couple of days.The transmission rate is an estimate of the number of people who will become infected by each positive coronavirus case, according to the D.C. Department of Health. Officials cite a transmission rate of less than 1 for five consecutive days as a condition for moving to the next phase of reopening.
“It means that on the 31st, depending on health indicators, we could decide that we are only going to be able to start the school year virtually and may move throughout the school year to another option,” Miss Bowser during a press conference.
“It may mean that we have determined that the trends we have seen for the last week don’t persist, and we are able to offer an all virtual option or a hybrid option where the students would come in on the various days you just saw and learn virtually for the balance of the week,” she added.
DCPS Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee on Thursday presented learning options for families to choose if the mayor decides that schools can reopen for in-person learning.
Parents can opt for online-only instruction or a combination of online and in-person learning that places students in small groups, or cohorts, to limit their potential exposure to the virus.
For pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students, the first cohort will have in-person lessons Mondays and Tuesdays, and the second cohort will have face-to-face instruction on Thursdays and Fridays. Both cohorts will have online instruction on Wednesdays, when schools will undergo a deep cleaning.
For middle and high school students, each of four cohorts will spend one day a week in school, and Wednesdays will be used for deep cleaning.
DCPS officials said they will guarantee all requests for online-only instruction, which is not an option for pre-kindergarteners, and will try to accommodate requests for the hybrid option, which depends on staffing capacity. Schools have been closed since mid-March.
Mr. Ferebee said DCPS is asking families to commit to either option for the first term of the school year, which ends in October, adding that it would be complicated to transition from the only-only option to the hybrid option.
Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn said that each charter school is authorized to make its own schedule but that many charter school leaders have told him they want to work on the same schedule as traditional public schools.
Miss Bowser said it is “premature” to say whether teachers will be able to opt out of in-person instruction, adding that they will be able to use COVID-19-related medical leave.
She said the Trump administration’s insistence on in-person learning “has no impact on our decision.”We are driven by this value, that is, that children do better in person, face-to-face with teachers in their school buildings with their peers,” she said. “So we have worked very hard to make sure we have options available for families where that can happen as long as our experience with the pandemic allows it.”
DCPS will be the last school district in the region to finalize its plan for learning in the fall.
Schools in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties will start their academic year with online-only learning. Fairfax County and Loudoun County schools are offering an online-only option and a hybrid option of in-person and online instruction.
Arlington County Public Schools originally announced a hybrid plan of online and in-person instruction, along with an online-only option. But criticism from teachers and parents and an uptick in new coronavirus cases in the county prompted Superintendent Francisco Durán to propose a plan for online-only learning and delay the start of school by a week.
The school board was to vote on Mr. Durán’s plan Thursday night.
• Sophie Kaplan can be reached at skaplan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Some California hospitals are overwhelmed by virus cases

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - Teams of military doctors , nurses and other health care specialists are being deployed to eight California hospitals facing staffing shortages amid a record-breaking surge of coronavirous cases across the state .
The Air Force , at California ’ s request , assigned 160 people to increase capacity in intensive care units .
Some teams arrived this week , including 20 people each to the Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital in San Joaquin County on Wednesday ; and Eisenhower Health Hospital in Southern California ’ s Riverside County on Thursday .
Both hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they did not have the staff to care for them - highlighting a growing problem across the state as coronavirus hospitalizations reach record levels .
“ I think people erroneously think of hospital capacity as all about beds and space , ” said Carmela Coyle , president and CEO of the California Hospital Association .
“ It ’ s far more than a mattress and a pillow .
The most important resource are the people who are taking care of patients.
” On Thursday California reported its largest two-day total of confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 258 deaths in the last 48 hours .
There are more than 8,000 people in hospitals who have either tested positive for the coronavirus or are suspected to have it .
Coyle said some models suggest hospitals should prepare for four times as many coronavirus patients as they have now , raising questions about the future of health care staffing “ in what may be a new era of virus and pandemic.
” Eisenhower Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alan Williamson said the hospital is at 80 % bed capacity but was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” San Joaquin County ’ s seven hospitals were at 71 % capacity on Wednesday , but 121 % capacity in their intensive care units .
A team of 20 doctors , nurse practitioners , respiratory therapists and nurses arrived from Travis Air Force base , according to Marissa Matta , spokeswoman for the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services .
Los Angeles County , where a quarter of the state ’ s nearly 40 million residents live , on Thursday reported its largest increase in additional cases - 4,592 - while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said coronavirus patients in hospitals “ are needing intensive care at higher numbers than we ’ ve seen before.
” Just south of Los Angeles , in Orange County , cases are rising fast and medical workers are tired , said Dr. Clayton Chau , the interim public health director .
He said that the county has capacity in its intensive care units in terms of beds “ but we always have concerns of staffing.
” Hospitals are licensed to have a certain number of beds , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to staff all of them at one time .
The facilities have plans to share resources for emergencies , but those plans are designed for local or regional disasters .
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted nearly every hospital in the state for more than four months .
Zenei Triunfo-Cortez , president of the California Nurses Association , said hospitals were already facing a staffing shortage before the pandemic .
She said the coronavirus has just made it worse .
“ You would think that our hospitals would learn from that and would try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if a surge happens again , they will be prepared , ” she said .
“ If they really want to hire nurses , they could.
” John Pasha , an intensive care nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose , said he often works shifts without a break because there are no nurses available to fill in for him .
“ We ’ re all tired and we ’ re all exhausted , ” he said .
“ We don ’ t have anything left to give.
” Associated Press reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taxin in Orange County contributed to this report .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Teams of military doctors, nurses and other health care specialists are being deployed to eight California hospitals facing staffing shortages amid a record-breaking surge of coronavirus cases across the state.
The Air Force, at California’s request, assigned 160 people to increase capacity in intensive care units. Some teams arrived this week, including 20 people each to the Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital in San Joaquin County on Wednesday; and Eisenhower Health Hospital in Southern California’s Riverside County on Thursday.
Both hospitals had beds available for extra patients, but they did not have the staff to care for them - highlighting a growing problem across the state as coronavirus hospitalizations reach record levels.
“I think people erroneously think of hospital capacity as all about beds and space,” said Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the California Hospital Association. “It’s far more than a mattress and a pillow. The most important resource are the people who are taking care of patients.”
On Thursday California reported its largest two-day total of confirmed cases, nearly 20,000, along with 258 deaths in the last 48 hours. There are more than 8,000 people in hospitals who have either tested positive for the coronavirus or are suspected to have it.
Coyle said some models suggest hospitals should prepare for four times as many coronavirus patients as they have now, raising questions about the future of health care staffing “in what may be a new era of virus and pandemic.”
Eisenhower Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alan Williamson said the hospital is at 80% bed capacity but was “virtually 100% of our staffing capacity.”
San Joaquin County’s seven hospitals were at 71% capacity on Wednesday, but 121% capacity in their intensive care units. A team of 20 doctors, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists and nurses arrived from Travis Air Force base, according to Marissa Matta, spokeswoman for the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services.
Los Angeles County, where a quarter of the state’s nearly 40 million residents live, on Thursday reported its largest increase in additional cases - 4,592 - while hospitalizations remained above 2,100. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said coronavirus patients in hospitals “are needing intensive care at higher numbers than we’ve seen before.”
Just south of Los Angeles, in Orange County, cases are rising fast and medical workers are tired, said Dr. Clayton Chau, the interim public health director. He said that the county has capacity in its intensive care units in terms of beds “but we always have concerns of staffing.”
Hospitals are licensed to have a certain number of beds, but they typically don’t have enough people to staff all of them at one time. The facilities have plans to share resources for emergencies, but those plans are designed for local or regional disasters. The coronavirus pandemic has impacted nearly every hospital in the state for more than four months.
Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, president of the California Nurses Association, said hospitals were already facing a staffing shortage before the pandemic. She said the coronavirus has just made it worse.
“You would think that our hospitals would learn from that and would try and beef up the staffing so that if a surge happens again, they will be prepared,” she said. “If they really want to hire nurses, they could.”
John Pasha, an intensive care nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, said he often works shifts without a break because there are no nurses available to fill in for him.
“We’re all tired and we’re all exhausted,” he said. “We don’t have anything left to give.”
_____
Associated Press reporters Christopher Weber in Los Angeles and Amy Taxin in Orange County contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Struggling India set to cross 1 million coronavirus cases

NEW DELHI ( AP ) - India inched closer to 1 million coronavirus cases on Friday , third only to the United States and Brazil , prompting concerns about its readiness to confront an inevitable surge that could overwhelm hospitals and test the country ’ s feeble health care system .
The Health Ministry has reported nearly 25,000 deaths and 612,814 recoveries so far .
The grim milestone comes at a time when several Indian states are imposing focused lockdowns to stem the outbreak amid frantic efforts by local governments to protect the economy .
So far , three states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - have accounted for more than half of total cases .
But in India ’ s vast countryside , which is much less prepared and with weaker health care , the pandemic is clearly growing .
“ The acceleration in cases remains the main challenge for India in the coming days , ” said Dr. Ashish Jha , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute , adding that a vast majority of cases were still being missed .
The continuing surge has forced authorities to reinstate lockdowns in some cities and states .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself as the center of of Indian technology innovation , the government ordered a weeklong lockdown that began Tuesday evening after the cases surged exponentially .
In Bihar , an eastern state with a population of 128 million and a fragile health system , a two-week lockdown was announced Thursday .
In Uttar Pradesh , the most populous state with more than 200 million people , authorities have started placing residents under strict weekend curfews , which will remain in place until the end of the month .
Other local governments are increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy .
Nearly a dozen states have imposed restrictions on “ containment zones ” - areas that can be as small as a few houses or a street .
Dr. Anant Bhan , a global health researcher , said that India was likely to see “ a series of peaks , ” as the infection spread in rural areas .
He pointed out that the capital of New Delhi and the financial capital , Mumbai , had already seen surges , while infections have now shifted to smaller cities .
India ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then it bought time by locking down its entire population of 1.4 billion people when Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed a nationwide lockdown for three weeks on March 24 .
“ If ( the ) situation is not handled in these 21 days , the country and your family could go back 21 years , ” Modi said then in a televised address to Indians , many of whom were still unaware of the scale of the crisis in the country .
The nationwide lockdown , then extended for five more weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis when millions of impoverished migrant workers were forced to return to the countryside due to job losses and hunger .
Aimed at increasing the capacity of the health care system , the lockdown slowed down the virus , but it wasn ’ t enough .
Cases kept increasing while testing still remained abysmally low and the virus rocketed through India ’ s vast landscape - from high up in the Himalayan Kashmir to the sprawling beaches of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu .
“ Slowdown isn ’ t eradication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiologist at the Christian Medical College in Vellore .
Muliyil said that India had to try and slow down the virus because it didn ’ t have enough beds but was only partly successful since the “ requirement was quite large.
” India ’ s public health care system is one of the most chronically underfunded in the world and access to hospitals in rural areas is very low .
Experts say the challenge for India will be to tightrope the opening up of the economy while trying to restrict the increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t overwhelm hospitals .
“ India ’ s strategy going forward will revolve around containment zones , ” said Rajesh Bhushan of India ’ s federal Health Ministry .
Once more zones are mapped out , health care workers will go from house to house and test those with symptoms , he said .
Dr. Ujjwal Parakh , a senior consultant at the department of respiratory medicine at Ganga Ram Hospital , New Delhi , said authorities could have been more transparent about testing guidelines .
Initially , India had some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and used only about a third of its testing capacity .
After months of sluggishness , it has now ramped up testing , from a single lab in January to over 1,200 .
Over 300,000 samples are being tested every day .
In some cities , it has also allowed tests without a doctor ’ s prescription .
“ The battle plan is to do all the things we know work .
Open the economy , as much as it is safe .
Track things very closely , ” said Jha .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a foothold.
” Associated Press journalist Rishabh R. Jain contributed to this report .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

NEW DELHI (AP) - India crossed 1 million coronavirus cases on Friday, third only to the United States and Brazil, prompting concerns about its readiness to confront an inevitable surge that could overwhelm hospitals and test the country’s feeble health care system.
A surge of 34.956 new cases in the past 24 hours took the national total to 1,003,832.
The Health Ministry also reported a record number of 687 deaths for a total of 25,602. It said 635,757 people have recovered and the recovery rate was continuing to improve at 63%.
The grim milestone comes at a time when several Indian states are imposing focused lockdowns to stem the outbreak amid frantic efforts by local governments to protect the economy.
So far, three states - Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu - have accounted for more than half of total cases. But in India’s vast countryside, which is much less prepared and with weaker health care, the pandemic is clearly growing.
“The acceleration in cases remains the main challenge for India in the coming days,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, adding that a vast majority of cases were still being missed.
The continuing surge has forced authorities to reinstate lockdowns in some cities and states.
In Bangalore, a city that prides itself as the center of of Indian technology innovation, the government ordered a weeklong lockdown that began Tuesday evening after the cases surged exponentially.
In Bihar, an eastern state with a population of 128 million and a fragile health system, a two-week lockdown was announced Thursday.
In Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state with more than 200 million people, authorities have started placing residents under strict weekend curfews, which will remain in place until the end of the month.
Other local governments are increasingly focusing on smaller lockdowns that shield the economy. Nearly a dozen states have imposed restrictions on “containment zones” - areas that can be as small as a few houses or a street.
Dr. Anant Bhan, a global health researcher, said that India was likely to see “a series of peaks,” as the infection spread in rural areas. He pointed out that the capital of New Delhi and the financial capital, Mumbai, had already seen surges, while infections have now shifted to smaller cities.
India’s response to the virus was initially sluggish and then it bought time by locking down its entire population of 1.4 billion people when Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed a nationwide lockdown for three weeks on March 24.
“If (the) situation is not handled in these 21 days, the country and your family could go back 21 years,” Modi said then in a televised address to Indians, many of whom were still unaware of the scale of the crisis in the country.
The nationwide lockdown, then extended for five more weeks, came at an enormous economic cost amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis when millions of impoverished migrant workers were forced to return to the countryside due to job losses and hunger.
Aimed at increasing the capacity of the health care system, the lockdown slowed down the virus, but it wasn’t enough. Cases kept increasing while testing still remained abysmally low and the virus rocketed through India’s vast landscape - from high up in the Himalayan Kashmir to the sprawling beaches of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
“Slowdown isn’t eradication,” said Jayaprakash Muliyil, an epidemiologist at the Christian Medical College in Vellore.
Muliyil said that India had to try and slow down the virus because it didn’t have enough beds but was only partly successful since the “requirement was quite large.”
India’s public health care system is one of the most chronically underfunded in the world and access to hospitals in rural areas is very low. Experts say the challenge for India will be to tightrope the opening up of the economy while trying to restrict the increase in cases to manageable levels that don’t overwhelm hospitals.
“India’s strategy going forward will revolve around containment zones,” said Rajesh Bhushan of India’s federal Health Ministry. Once more zones are mapped out, health care workers will go from house to house and test those with symptoms, he said.
Experts say low testing remains a concern.
Dr. Ujjwal Parakh, a senior consultant at the department of respiratory medicine at Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, said authorities could have been more transparent about testing guidelines.
Initially, India had some of the world’s most stringent testing criteria and used only about a third of its testing capacity. After months of sluggishness, it has now ramped up testing, from a single lab in January to over 1,200. Over 300,000 samples are being tested every day. In some cities, it has also allowed tests without a doctor’s prescription. “The battle plan is to do all the things we know work. Open the economy, as much as it is safe. Track things very closely,” said Jha. “But don’t let the virus get a foothold.”
—
Associated Press journalist Rishabh R. Jain contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--AP PHOTOS: India fights virus as cases near 1 million

NEW DELHI , India ( AP ) - From high up in the Himalayan valley of Kashmir to the seemingly endless sprawl of beaches in Kanyakumari , the virus despair has stretched across the large swathes of India , overwhelming its hospitals and burial grounds .
On Friday , the reported cases approached a million , still soaring at an alarming pace , as the Indian government looks to confront an inevitable surge that could test the country ’ s feeble health care system .
But because testing has been limited , official statistics can not capture the full picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought immense grief to Indians .
Nearly 25,000 people have died so far .
The already ailing economy has been severely hit .
Millions of migrants have been forced to return to the countryside due to job losses and hunger during lockdown , triggering an unprecedented humanitarian crisis .
The virus , like elsewhere in the world , has also upended religious ceremonies for the dead , which are largely devoid of rituals that comfort mourners .
Freshly dug graves have been filling up quickly for weeks and crematoriums are working extra hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to capacity .
The virus , however , also brought out the best in Indians .
Volunteers have been at the forefront of delivering food and medicine to the needy .
Nonprofit groups have pitched in with masks , sanitizers and hazmat suits for medical workers .
Over the past few months , Associated Press photographers across the country have captured the agony experienced by regular Indians .
They spent days traversing the narrow alleys of teeming slums , deserted highways , crowded hospitals and sometimes inside the homes of India ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis .
They documented health care workers checking on virus victims , shared grief with families burying or cremating loved ones , and chronicled the once vibrant and colorful life brought to a sudden grinding halt by the pandemic .
The stay-at-home orders are back in many cities , with authorities allowing only essential food supplies and health services .
The economy is far from recovering .

NEW DELHI, India (AP) - From high up in the Himalayan valley of Kashmir to the seemingly endless sprawl of beaches in Kanyakumari, the virus despair has stretched across the large swathes of India, overwhelming its hospitals and burial grounds.
On Friday, the confirmed cases passed 1 million, still soaring at an alarming pace, as the Indian government looks to confront an inevitable surge that could test the country’s feeble health care system.
But because testing has been limited, official statistics cannot capture the full picture. Yet, the virus has already brought immense grief to Indians.
Nearly 25,000 people have died so far. The already ailing economy has been severely hit. Millions of migrants have been forced to return to the countryside due to job losses and hunger during lockdown, triggering an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
The virus, like elsewhere in the world, has also upended religious ceremonies for the dead, which are largely devoid of rituals that comfort mourners. Freshly dug graves have been filling up quickly for weeks and crematoriums are working extra hours.
Across the country, hospitals are close to capacity.
The virus, however, also brought out the best in Indians. Volunteers have been at the forefront of delivering food and medicine to the needy. Nonprofit groups have pitched in with masks, sanitizers and hazmat suits for medical workers.
Over the past few months, Associated Press photographers across the country have captured the agony experienced by regular Indians. They spent days traversing the narrow alleys of teeming slums, deserted highways, crowded hospitals and sometimes inside the homes of India’s poor who bear the brunt of the crisis.
They documented health care workers checking on virus victims, shared grief with families burying or cremating loved ones, and chronicled the once vibrant and colorful life brought to a sudden grinding halt by the pandemic.
The stay-at-home orders are back in many cities, with authorities allowing only essential food supplies and health services. The economy is far from recovering.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Man held in Vegas terror plot also facing child sex charges

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) - One of three men accused of plotting terrorism attacks during Las Vegas protests in May of the death of a man in Minneapolis police custody is also facing child sexual assault and lewdness charges .
Stephen Parshall ’ s attorney , Robert Draskovich , acknowledged Thursday that a 26-count criminal complaint was filed Tuesday in Las Vegas , but said his client has not yet appeared before a judge .
Court records showed a warrant was being issued for Parshall ’ s arrest .
Draskovich said Parshall , 36 , will plead not guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with two co-defendants , Andrew Lynam Jr. and William Loomis , in a separate case .
Each faces state terrorism and explosives charges and federal conspiracy and firearms allegations .
Police and the FBI allege in court documents that the men have ties to an extremist right-wing group dubbed the “ boogaloo ” movement that supports overthrowing the U.S. government .
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported police began investigating the sex case involving Parshall following the June 24 arrest of one of Parshall ’ s longtime friends on child sex charges .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual assault with a minor and lewdness with a child .
He could face 30 years to life in state prison , the newspaper said .

LAS VEGAS (AP) - One of three men accused of plotting terrorism attacks during Las Vegas protests in May of the death of a man in Minneapolis police custody is also facing child sexual assault and lewdness charges.
Stephen Parshall’s attorney, Robert Draskovich, acknowledged Thursday that a 26-count criminal complaint was filed Tuesday in Las Vegas, but said his client has not yet appeared before a judge. Court records showed a warrant was being issued for Parshall’s arrest.
Draskovich said Parshall, 36, will plead not guilty.
Parshall is currently in federal custody with two co-defendants, Andrew Lynam Jr. and William Loomis, in a separate case. Each faces state terrorism and explosives charges and federal conspiracy and firearms allegations.
Police and the FBI allege in court documents that the men have ties to an extremist right-wing group dubbed the “boogaloo” movement that supports overthrowing the U.S. government.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported police began investigating the sex case involving Parshall following the June 24 arrest of one of Parshall’s longtime friends on child sex charges.
The friend, Phillip Merrill, 35, pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual assault with a minor and lewdness with a child. He could face 30 years to life in state prison, the newspaper said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Mexico governor seeks unity with president on facing crime

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) - President Andrés Manuel López Obrador heard frank disagreement Thursday during his tour of three opposition-governed states that are among Mexico ’ s most violent .
In a visit to western Jalisco state , Gov .
Enrique Alfaro told López Obrador that he disagrees with the president on some points , but distanced himself from a public letter circulated Wednesday by writers and intellectuals .
That letter accused the populist president of “ concentrating power in his hands , to the detriment of the other branches of government and the states.
” Alfaro noted he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
López Obrador favors fossil fuels and in May his administration cited the coronavirus pandemic as a justification for new rules to reduce the role of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power - a policy that is being challenged in the courts by Alfaro and others .
But the governor said he wants to join with Mexico ’ s leader in confronting the problem of crime and killings caused in large part by the violent Jalisco New Generation drug cartel .
“ In Jalisco , there is unity with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close ranks for the good of the country , and we understand there is no other path to undertaking the enormous challenge of regaining peace , ” the governor said .
The two leaders face a major challenge in Jalisco , which is the home base of the cartel of Jalisco New Generation .
The state leads the nation in the number of bodies found in mass graves and clandestine burial pits .
“ In the face of threats , intimidations , we say to Governor Alfaro that he is not alone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenge of crime , ” López Obrador said .
But the president defended his policy of avoiding direct confrontations with the cartels .
He prefers to address social problems like poverty and unemployment that he says contribute to the crime problem .
“ This problem can not be solved with massacres .
It is going to be done more with intelligence than force , ” said López Obrador , who stopped in Guanajuato state Wednesday and was heading to Colima state .
Alfaro and López Obrador also have had differences over how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor favoring more tough measures to enforce social distancing and mask wearing .
López Obrador seldom wears a mask and does not favor the use of force or fines in health measures .
Mexico reported 6,406 more confirmed coronavirus cases Thursday , and 668 more deaths - in line with the daily numbers in recent weeks .
Mexico now has had 324,041 confirmed cases and 37,574 deaths related to COVID-19 , though both numbers are clearly undercounts as Mexico has performed very little testing .
The country , with a population of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about three-quarters of a million tests since the pandemic began .

MEXICO CITY (AP) - President Andrés Manuel López Obrador heard frank disagreement Thursday during his tour of three opposition-governed states that are among Mexico’s most violent.
In a visit to western Jalisco state, Gov. Enrique Alfaro told López Obrador that he disagrees with the president on some points, but distanced himself from a public letter circulated Wednesday by writers and intellectuals. That letter accused the populist president of “concentrating power in his hands, to the detriment of the other branches of government and the states.”
Alfaro noted he disagrees with the president on renewable energy. López Obrador favors fossil fuels and in May his administration cited the coronavirus pandemic as a justification for new rules to reduce the role of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power - a policy that is being challenged in the courts by Alfaro and others.
But the governor said he wants to join with Mexico’s leader in confronting the problem of crime and killings caused in large part by the violent Jalisco New Generation drug cartel.
“In Jalisco, there is unity with the president. We share the need to close ranks for the good of the country, and we understand there is no other path to undertaking the enormous challenge of regaining peace,” the governor said.
The two leaders face a major challenge in Jalisco, which is the home base of the cartel of Jalisco New Generation. The state leads the nation in the number of bodies found in mass graves and clandestine burial pits.
“In the face of threats, intimidations, we say to Governor Alfaro that he is not alone, that we are with him in facing the challenge of crime,” López Obrador said.
But the president defended his policy of avoiding direct confrontations with the cartels. He prefers to address social problems like poverty and unemployment that he says contribute to the crime problem.
“This problem cannot be solved with massacres. It is going to be done more with intelligence than force,” said López Obrador, who stopped in Guanajuato state Wednesday and was heading to Colima state.
Alfaro and López Obrador also have had differences over how to handle the coronavirus pandemic, with the governor favoring more tough measures to enforce social distancing and mask wearing. López Obrador seldom wears a mask and does not favor the use of force or fines in health measures.
Mexico reported 6,406 more confirmed coronavirus cases Thursday, and 668 more deaths - in line with the daily numbers in recent weeks.
Mexico now has had 324,041 confirmed cases and 37,574 deaths related to COVID-19, though both numbers are clearly undercounts as Mexico has performed very little testing. The country, with a population of nearly 130 million, has administered only about three-quarters of a million tests since the pandemic began.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--AP PHOTOS: AP Week in Pictures, Asia

AP PHOTOS: AP Week in Pictures, Asia

This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Asia and @ @ @ @ @ curated by AP photo editor Masayo Yoshida in Tokyo .

July 10-16, 2020
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Asia and Pacific.
The gallery was curated by AP photo editor Masayo Yoshida in Tokyo.
Follow AP visual journalism:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews
AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images
AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--3-year-old boy found shot to death in suburban Denver

COMMERCE CITY , Colo. ( AP ) - Police are investigating after a 3-year-old boy was found shot to death @ @ @ @ @ City officers called to a neighborhood just west of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ a gunshot found the child dead .
Two other children , whose ages have not @ @ @ @ @ the area at the time of the shooting and were not injured .
Investigators have @ @ @ @ @ the shooting .
No other information was released .

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - Police are investigating after a 3-year-old boy was found shot to death in suburban Denver.
Commerce City officers called to a neighborhood just west of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal on Thursday afternoon on a report of a gunshot found the child dead. Two other children, whose ages have not been released, were in the area at the time of the shooting and were not injured.
Investigators have not said what led to the shooting. No other information was released.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Ark. woman charged with nearly $2M coronavirus relief fraud

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - An Arkansas woman was arrested Thursday after she was indicted on @ @ @ @ @ federal small-business coronavirus relief program out of almost $ 2 million .
The federal indictment @ @ @ @ @ , on two bank fraud counts , two of lying on a loan application and @ @ @ @ @ from proceeds of unlawful activity .
The indictment alleges that the Little Rock woman obtained @ @ @ @ @ two sham businesses and used the proceeds for such expenditures as online shopping and a @ @ @ @ @ was released on bond .
A telephone number listed for her was not accepting calls @ @ @ @ @

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An Arkansas woman was arrested Thursday after she was indicted on charges that she defrauded the federal small-business coronavirus relief program out of almost $2 million.
The federal indictment charged Ganell Tubbs, 41, on two bank fraud counts, two of lying on a loan application and one of a monetary transaction from proceeds of unlawful activity.
The indictment alleges that the Little Rock woman obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans for two sham businesses and used the proceeds for such expenditures as online shopping and a student loan payment.
Tubbs was released on bond. A telephone number listed for her was not accepting calls from The Associated Press.


washingtontimes--2020-07-16--Trump handling of coronavirus cost minority, younger voters

President Trump ’ s hopes of eating into the Obama coalition have faded in recent weeks as his handling of the coronavirus has left a sour taste in the mouths of minorities , young voters and college graduates .
Democratic candidate Joseph R. Biden ’ s lead among voters younger than 35 has more than tripled since April , from 12 percentage points to 42 points .
Among white college-educated voters , he has gone from 9 points to 33 points over Mr. Trump , according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll .
Earlier this year , Mr. Trump was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the share of the minority vote .
Some polls suggested that the strong economy could power him to nearly 40 % support among Hispanic voters .
All of that has changed as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps an icy grip on the country .
Glenn Bolger , a Republican Party pollster , said voters used to be split between those who saw the coronavirus as more of a health care problem and those who saw it as an economic problem .
No longer .
“ Now more people say it is a health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting for Biden , ” Mr. Bolger said .
A CBS News poll released over the weekend showed Mr. Biden winning 72 % of the voters in Arizona , 68 % of the voters in Texas and 67 % of voters in Florida who are “ very concerned ” about the coronavirus .
All three states have become COVID-19 hot spots .
The slide for Mr. Trump has crossed most demographics .
Mr. Biden cut into Mr. Trump ’ s lead among non-college-educated voters and now holds a 49 % to 43 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reversal from three months ago .
No Democrat has won the White vote since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 .
Even among self-identified Republicans , Mr. Trump is no longer at the record highs he has touted : 15 % of them said Mr. Biden would do a better job of confronting the coronavirus crisis .
“ From the moment it became clear that the coronavirus was a long-term , life-altering , national crisis , the president ’ s numbers have been in a free fall , ” said Tim Malloy , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy went with it , reelection got a lot more difficult.
” A majority of registered voters in an NBC News poll released Thursday did approve of the way Mr. Trump has handled the economy , but 6 in 10 voters panned the way he has handled the coronavirus and race relations .
Mr. Trump ’ s strongest backers , in most polls , continued to be men and non-college-educated voters .
Republican faithful say they don ’ t see danger signs and think party voters will support the president in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , the virus has kept the focus on the president , making it harder for him to define Mr. Biden and frame the race on his terms .
“ I think the biggest impact all the health concerns have had is the president hasn ’ t had an opportunity to be on the offensive against Biden as much as he ’ d like to and talk about what a second term would look like , ” said Bruce Ash , a member of the Republican National Committee from Arizona .
“ Obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go on forever , and they will make their case and he will carry Arizona.
” “ I know what the polls say , but I don ’ t believe all the polls , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t believe the polls when they say we are up or when they say we are down.
” Mr. Trump has derided the polls as “ fake.
” He said they are meant to dampen the spirit of his supporters and pointed out that “ Crooked Hillary Clinton ” lost in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But there are signs Mr. Trump and his campaign are worried .
The president took the first steps with a campaign shake-up this week , ousting Brad Parscale as a campaign manager and installing Bill Stepien .
He also took to the White House Rose Garden in a stunning display of campaign oratory , unloading in deeply partisan terms on Mr. Biden and going point by point through the Democrats ’ proposed “ unity ” platform on immigration , taxes and the economy .
The Trump camp this week started airing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Biden is a vote for the “ left-wing mob ” that wants to “ defund ” the police .
“ Who will be there to answer the call when your children aren ’ t safe ?
” the narrator says in the ominous ad .
Asked about the recent polling , the Trump campaign repeated the charge that Mr. Biden “ has become a puppet of the far left.
” “ These socialist policies will tank our economy , raise our taxes , kill our jobs , defund our police , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all Americans regardless of age or political affiliation , ” said Courtney Parella , a Trump campaign spokeswoman .
Yet for many voters , Mr. Biden is an afterthought .
Their vote is about Mr. Trump , and they are increasingly dissatisfied .
The Gallup Poll shows Mr. Trump ’ s approval rating has dropped 10 points over the past two months to 39 % .
In Arizona , an OH Predictive Insights tracking poll of likely voters released Thursday showed Mr. Biden up by 5 points and found Mr. Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for him as they were a month ago .
In Florida , the new epicenter of the epidemic , people blame Mr. Trump , said Doug Kaplan , president of Gravis Marketing polls .
“ Trump has a big problem , ” he said .
Mr. Trump defended his response to the pandemic .
He said the moves his administration has made in regard to travel bans , testing and the distribution of ventilators has “ saved millions of lives ” and made governors look good .
“ But if we had listened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of additional lives would have been lost , ” Mr. Trump said .
Mr. Biden , aware of the good fortunes of the moment , is pressing his advantage .
He rolled out a campaign ad in Florida this week focusing on the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and urging people to stay safe by wearing masks .
He is even running ads in Texas , the biggest state in the Republican coalition and one that no Democrat has won since Jimmy Carter in 1976 .
Patrick Murray , director of the Monmouth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ huge gap between the president and pretty much any other public official in the public ’ s ratings of how they are handling the outbreak.
” “ But other factors also carry some weight , ” he said .
“ For example , on top of the pandemic , Trump ’ s response to racial unrest has generated negative reactions among key swing voters , which has also bolstered Biden.
” Republican Party insiders are now wondering just how poisonous the situation is , and the party ’ s three-seat advantage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @

President Trump’s hopes of eating into the Obama coalition have faded in recent weeks as his handling of the coronavirus has left a sour taste in the mouths of minorities, young voters and college graduates.
Democratic candidate Joseph R. Biden’s lead among voters younger than 35 has more than tripled since April, from 12 percentage points to 42 points. Among white college-educated voters, he has gone from 9 points to 33 points over Mr. Trump, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll.
Earlier this year, Mr. Trump was eating into those demographics and also into the share of the minority vote. Some polls suggested that the strong economy could power him to nearly 40% support among Hispanic voters.
All of that has changed as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps an icy grip on the country.
Glenn Bolger, a Republican Party pollster, said voters used to be split between those who saw the coronavirus as more of a health care problem and those who saw it as an economic problem. No longer.
“Now more people say it is a health care problem, and those people are overwhelmingly voting for Biden,” Mr. Bolger said.
A CBS News poll released over the weekend showed Mr. Biden winning 72% of the voters in Arizona, 68% of the voters in Texas and 67% of voters in Florida who are “very concerned” about the coronavirus. All three states have become COVID-19 hot spots.
The slide for Mr. Trump has crossed most demographics.
Mr. Biden cut into Mr. Trump’s lead among non-college-educated voters and now holds a 49% to 43% edge among White voters, marking a reversal from three months ago. No Democrat has won the White vote since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
Even among self-identified Republicans, Mr. Trump is no longer at the record highs he has touted: 15% of them said Mr. Biden would do a better job of confronting the coronavirus crisis.
“From the moment it became clear that the coronavirus was a long-term, life-altering, national crisis, the president’s numbers have been in a free fall,” said Tim Malloy, of the Quinnipiac Polling Institute. “When the economy went with it, reelection got a lot more difficult.”
A majority of registered voters in an NBC News poll released Thursday did approve of the way Mr. Trump has handled the economy, but 6 in 10 voters panned the way he has handled the coronavirus and race relations.
Mr. Trump’s strongest backers, in most polls, continued to be men and non-college-educated voters.
Republican faithful say they don’t see danger signs and think party voters will support the president in November. But for swing voters, they say, the virus has kept the focus on the president, making it harder for him to define Mr. Biden and frame the race on his terms.
“I think the biggest impact all the health concerns have had is the president hasn’t had an opportunity to be on the offensive against Biden as much as he’d like to and talk about what a second term would look like,” said Bruce Ash, a member of the Republican National Committee from Arizona. “Obviously, this isn’t going to go on forever, and they will make their case and he will carry Arizona.”
“I know what the polls say, but I don’t believe all the polls,” he said. “I don’t believe the polls when they say we are up or when they say we are down.”
Mr. Trump has derided the polls as “fake.” He said they are meant to dampen the spirit of his supporters and pointed out that “Crooked Hillary Clinton” lost in 2016 after leading the “SUPPRESSION POLLS.”
But there are signs Mr. Trump and his campaign are worried.
The president took the first steps with a campaign shake-up this week, ousting Brad Parscale as a campaign manager and installing Bill Stepien.
He also took to the White House Rose Garden in a stunning display of campaign oratory, unloading in deeply partisan terms on Mr. Biden and going point by point through the Democrats’ proposed “unity” platform on immigration, taxes and the economy.
The Trump camp this week started airing a campaign ad warning that a vote for Mr. Biden is a vote for the “left-wing mob” that wants to “defund” the police.
“Who will be there to answer the call when your children aren’t safe?” the narrator says in the ominous ad.
Asked about the recent polling, the Trump campaign repeated the charge that Mr. Biden “has become a puppet of the far left.”
“These socialist policies will tank our economy, raise our taxes, kill our jobs, defund our police, and destroy our health care system, hurting all Americans regardless of age or political affiliation,” said Courtney Parella, a Trump campaign spokeswoman.
Yet for many voters, Mr. Biden is an afterthought. Their vote is about Mr. Trump, and they are increasingly dissatisfied.
The Gallup Poll shows Mr. Trump’s approval rating has dropped 10 points over the past two months to 39%.
In Arizona, an OH Predictive Insights tracking poll of likely voters released Thursday showed Mr. Biden up by 5 points and found Mr. Trump’s supporters are not as enthusiastic about voting for him as they were a month ago.
In Florida, the new epicenter of the epidemic, people blame Mr. Trump, said Doug Kaplan, president of Gravis Marketing polls.
“Trump has a big problem,” he said.
Mr. Trump defended his response to the pandemic. He said the moves his administration has made in regard to travel bans, testing and the distribution of ventilators has “saved millions of lives” and made governors look good.
“But if we had listened to Joe Biden, hundreds of thousands of additional lives would have been lost,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Biden, aware of the good fortunes of the moment, is pressing his advantage.
He rolled out a campaign ad in Florida this week focusing on the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and urging people to stay safe by wearing masks.
He is even running ads in Texas, the biggest state in the Republican coalition and one that no Democrat has won since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University poll, said there is a “huge gap between the president and pretty much any other public official in the public’s ratings of how they are handling the outbreak.”
“But other factors also carry some weight,” he said. “For example, on top of the pandemic, Trump’s response to racial unrest has generated negative reactions among key swing voters, which has also bolstered Biden.”
Republican Party insiders are now wondering just how poisonous the situation is, and the party’s three-seat advantage in the Senate is suddenly in doubt.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.