washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Baltimore store to close after decades as a city staple

BALTIMORE ( AP ) - Eddie ’ s Market of Charles Village , a longtime Baltimore staple that drew a cast of regular customers , is closing its doors for good on Dec. 30 .
Owner Jerry Gordon , whose family has been running Eddie ’ s markets for decades , said he has been planning the closure for months .
He has plans for retirement that include visiting his out-of-state children more and enjoying “ other aspects of life.
” “ It ’ s a bittersweet moment for me , ” said Gordon , who turns 73 in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s when I was 15 as a student at Baltimore City College .
I have worked very hard for a long , long time.
” Gordon said none of his family members have interest in following in his footsteps .
Business has fluctuated during the coronavirus pandemic , with more activity in the initial months and less in the fall as Johns Hopkins University campuses remained closed to students .
But Gordon said he made the decision to close independent of the public health crisis .
“ This is a planned retirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s struggling , ” he said .
He said he has sold the property to MCB Real Estate , a local firm with a portfolio of shopping centers and some residential buildings .
P. David Bramble , MCB ’ s managing partner , did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday .
Gordon said all inquiries about the building ’ s future should be directed to MCB .
“ I trust they will deal with this property in a way that reflects their long-term commitment to this neighborhood , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ramos , who represents the Charles Village area , said she has spoken to Bramble , who is not sure what he will do with the space .
She said she would like to see another local grocery store , a worker-owned cooperative or minority-run business take its place .
“ It ’ s one of these places where they welcomed everybody , and we need more places like that , ” Ramos said .
“ Having a local place is going to be important to me .
… We ’ ll go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that space that stays true to our city.
” She called the shop an “ institution ” where employees know everyone ’ s name and order , and made it a point to hire local students , including Ramos ’ husband when he was a student at Loyola University Maryland .
Gordon and his wife , Darlene , are so committed to their neighbors , Ramos said , that they once spent the night sleeping in the market ’ s office during a major snowstorm so they could open the next morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bases of neighborhood patrons and deep ties to the Baltimore area .
As many as 26 Eddie ’ s markets once operated in the area , though that number has since been reduced as larger grocery chains with more products overtook the family-run stores .
Eddie ’ s of Roland Park , which operates independently of its Charles Village counterpart , is not closing , spokesman Jared Earley said , and has planned upgrades to the location .
“ We are actively recruiting talent , and would welcome the employees of Eddie ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and apply , ” Earley said .
The Eddie ’ s markets have generally operated autonomously , though they have collaborated on advertising and buying in the past .
The chain was founded by Edward A .
Levy , Gordon ’ s great uncle , in Sparrows Point in 1927 .
He sold the markets to Indegro Inc. in 1956 and stayed on as an adviser .
Gordon ’ s father , Edwin B. Gordon , bought the Charles Village store in 1962 .
In 1980 , Jerry Gordon took over as manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charles Village Eddie ’ s Supermarket to today ’ s Eddie ’ s Market of Charles Village .
He renovated the store in 2006 .
Gordon describes himself as an avid Johns Hopkins lacrosse fan who has dedicated menu items to the Blue Jays ( including the “ Fabulous smokin ’ Jays , ” the smoked turkey sandwich with mozzarella cheese ) .
He has served the staffs at Union Memorial Hospital , the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Johns Hopkins University .
Gordon ’ s loyal supporters came to his defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its developers discussed opening another grocery store near the Charles Village market .
The neighborhood is home to takeout operations as well as a cafe and some chain eateries .
Maureen Daly , president of the Abell Improvement Association , which encompasses the district immediately adjacent to Eddie ’ s , said the Gordon family will be missed - as will the store ’ s cold cut platters , breakfast sandwiches and bread selection .
“ I always felt they were a great place to shop because you could get everything you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was so great for our neighborhood , to have a full-service grocery store that was walkable .
It ’ s much more than a corner store.
” Gordon broke the news to staff late Tuesday and early Wednesday .
He said he is grateful to the hundreds of employees who have worked at the Charles Village store throughout the years .
The grocery stocks everyday pantry essentials as well as all the classic neighborhood market items : made-to-order sandwiches , local food brands , fresh coffee and olive oil , cheeses and @ @

BALTIMORE (AP) - Eddie’s Market of Charles Village, a longtime Baltimore staple that drew a cast of regular customers, is closing its doors for good on Dec. 30.
Owner Jerry Gordon, whose family has been running Eddie’s markets for decades, said he has been planning the closure for months. He has plans for retirement that include visiting his out-of-state children more and enjoying “other aspects of life.”
“It’s a bittersweet moment for me,” said Gordon, who turns 73 in January. “I started working at Eddie’s when I was 15 as a student at Baltimore City College. I have worked very hard for a long, long time.”
Gordon said none of his family members have interest in following in his footsteps.
Business has fluctuated during the coronavirus pandemic, with more activity in the initial months and less in the fall as Johns Hopkins University campuses remained closed to students. But Gordon said he made the decision to close independent of the public health crisis.
“This is a planned retirement; we’re not a business that’s struggling,” he said.
He said he has sold the property to MCB Real Estate, a local firm with a portfolio of shopping centers and some residential buildings. P. David Bramble, MCB’s managing partner, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Gordon said all inquiries about the building’s future should be directed to MCB.
“I trust they will deal with this property in a way that reflects their long-term commitment to this neighborhood,” Gordon said.
City Councilwoman Odette Ramos, who represents the Charles Village area, said she has spoken to Bramble, who is not sure what he will do with the space. She said she would like to see another local grocery store, a worker-owned cooperative or minority-run business take its place.
“It’s one of these places where they welcomed everybody, and we need more places like that,” Ramos said. “Having a local place is going to be important to me. … We’ll go through the community process to get something in that space that stays true to our city.”
She called the shop an “institution” where employees know everyone’s name and order, and made it a point to hire local students, including Ramos’ husband when he was a student at Loyola University Maryland. Gordon and his wife, Darlene, are so committed to their neighbors, Ramos said, that they once spent the night sleeping in the market’s office during a major snowstorm so they could open the next morning.
Eddie’s markets have strong bases of neighborhood patrons and deep ties to the Baltimore area. As many as 26 Eddie’s markets once operated in the area, though that number has since been reduced as larger grocery chains with more products overtook the family-run stores. Eddie’s of Roland Park, which operates independently of its Charles Village counterpart, is not closing, spokesman Jared Earley said, and has planned upgrades to the location.
“We are actively recruiting talent, and would welcome the employees of Eddie’s Market to explore our open positions and apply,” Earley said.
The Eddie’s markets have generally operated autonomously, though they have collaborated on advertising and buying in the past. The chain was founded by Edward A. Levy, Gordon’s great uncle, in Sparrows Point in 1927. He sold the markets to Indegro Inc. in 1956 and stayed on as an adviser. Gordon’s father, Edwin B. Gordon, bought the Charles Village store in 1962.
In 1980, Jerry Gordon took over as manager, and would change the name from Charles Village Eddie’s Supermarket to today’s Eddie’s Market of Charles Village. He renovated the store in 2006.
Gordon describes himself as an avid Johns Hopkins lacrosse fan who has dedicated menu items to the Blue Jays (including the “Fabulous smokin’ Jays,” the smoked turkey sandwich with mozzarella cheese). He has served the staffs at Union Memorial Hospital, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Johns Hopkins University.
Gordon’s loyal supporters came to his defense in recent years when Johns Hopkins University and its developers discussed opening another grocery store near the Charles Village market. The neighborhood is home to takeout operations as well as a cafe and some chain eateries.
Maureen Daly, president of the Abell Improvement Association, which encompasses the district immediately adjacent to Eddie’s, said the Gordon family will be missed - as will the store’s cold cut platters, breakfast sandwiches and bread selection.
“I always felt they were a great place to shop because you could get everything you needed,” Daly said. “It was so great for our neighborhood, to have a full-service grocery store that was walkable. It’s much more than a corner store.”
The store employs 24 workers.
Gordon broke the news to staff late Tuesday and early Wednesday. He said he is grateful to the hundreds of employees who have worked at the Charles Village store throughout the years.
The grocery stocks everyday pantry essentials as well as all the classic neighborhood market items: made-to-order sandwiches, local food brands, fresh coffee and olive oil, cheeses and jams.
—
Baltimore Sun librarian Paul McCardell contributed to this article.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--WVa nonprofits serving homeless people prepare for winter

FAIRMONT , W.Va. ( AP ) - Different local organizations that serve the homeless are ready for the cold winter months that lie ahead .
Fairmont Homeless Coalition coordinator D.D .
Meighen told Fairmont City Council Tuesday that the organization has been working to provide basic needs along with substance abuse recovery to the homeless during the past year .
“ During this year our Homeless Coalition has been a cooperative partner to help develop and support numerous programs that have been a godsend to many , ” Meighen said .
“ The Fairmont friendship center has served this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was closed for a few months.
” Meighen asked the council to support some of the Homeless Coalition ’ s programs , including one of its biggest endeavors , Blessings from the Basement , which is managed by the Fairmont Woman ’ s Club out of the Fleming Mansion .
“ As Christmas nears and people receive new furniture and appliances , perhaps they will wish to donate their used items to the Blessings from the Basement program , ” Meighen said .
“ Perhaps the city council could promote this idea , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or assist in ways we might not know about.
” Meighen credited the Woman ’ s Club and its president , Marcella Yaremchuk , with providing more than 100 people with household items and necessities that have been donated to the club or collected by its members .
He said the organization is always looking for donations of furniture , appliances and money to ensure it can continue providing people with what they need .
“ Our Blessings from the Basement program , started through our Homeless Coalition , that in the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing or apartments , ” Meighen said .
“ So far seven households have been settled in apartments or homes which involved four families.
” Meighen also credited the Union Mission and Scott Place Shelter with providing a safe haven for people throughout the year .
He also commemorated the one-year anniversary of the opening of Friendship Fairmont , which is housed in the Marion County Courthouse Annex .
The nonprofit , which was launched by Morgantown-based Milan Puskar Health Right , provides shelter during the day , as well as addiction counseling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have seen as many as 30 people a day , ” said Rochelle Satterfield , program manager of Friendship Fairmont .
“ A lot of people are coming in to get warm from the cold , and we are seeing a lot of people just trying to meet their basic needs .
That ’ s why we are having the Warm and Cozy drive , because they just need to get out of the cold.
” Satterfield referenced the organization ’ s “ Feeling Warm and Cozy for the Holidays ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hats , gloves , blankets and other winter clothing items to give to people in need .
She said the donated items will remove one additional worry to those on the path to recovery .
“ We have already given out 15 coats thanks to the United Way and other community organizations , ” Satterfield said .
“ There is such a need to have layers of clothing whenever the temperatures drop .
When all you have is the items on your back and they get wet , that poses a risk for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Friendship Fairmont has provided not only shelter and counseling services to people in need , but case workers and volunteers have helped people go through processes from getting a driver ’ s license , buying clothing and furniture , getting a credit card and finding jobs .
Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic , these processes have been more difficult .
“ There is still a very high demand to help them with services right now where they don ’ t have a consistent address , ” Satterfield said .
“ Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open right now .
A lot of services have changed their hours where they don ’ t allow you to just come.
” Satterfield said that while there was some initial trepidation from council members about the location of Friendship Fairmont , community support for the organization has been good since it began , and she is happy to be part of removing the stigma from issues of addiction and homelessness .
“ I think the biggest impact is just the support from the community , ” Satterfield said .
“ Helping Fairmont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stigma of homelessness and addiction .
I hope to be able to provide additional groups to the community and more volunteer opportunities .
”

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) - Different local organizations that serve the homeless are ready for the cold winter months that lie ahead.
Fairmont Homeless Coalition coordinator D.D. Meighen told Fairmont City Council Tuesday that the organization has been working to provide basic needs along with substance abuse recovery to the homeless during the past year.
“During this year our Homeless Coalition has been a cooperative partner to help develop and support numerous programs that have been a godsend to many,” Meighen said. “The Fairmont friendship center has served this year 1,911 persons, even though the center was closed for a few months.”
Meighen asked the council to support some of the Homeless Coalition’s programs, including one of its biggest endeavors, Blessings from the Basement, which is managed by the Fairmont Woman’s Club out of the Fleming Mansion.
“As Christmas nears and people receive new furniture and appliances, perhaps they will wish to donate their used items to the Blessings from the Basement program,” Meighen said. “Perhaps the city council could promote this idea, place a note in a bill send or assist in ways we might not know about.”
Meighen credited the Woman’s Club and its president, Marcella Yaremchuk, with providing more than 100 people with household items and necessities that have been donated to the club or collected by its members. He said the organization is always looking for donations of furniture, appliances and money to ensure it can continue providing people with what they need.
“Our Blessings from the Basement program, started through our Homeless Coalition, that in the year 2020 served 105 people in either permanent housing or apartments,” Meighen said. “So far seven households have been settled in apartments or homes which involved four families.”
Meighen also credited the Union Mission and Scott Place Shelter with providing a safe haven for people throughout the year.
He also commemorated the one-year anniversary of the opening of Friendship Fairmont, which is housed in the Marion County Courthouse Annex. The nonprofit, which was launched by Morgantown-based Milan Puskar Health Right, provides shelter during the day, as well as addiction counseling from peer recovery coaches and volunteers.
“We have seen as many as 30 people a day,” said Rochelle Satterfield, program manager of Friendship Fairmont. “A lot of people are coming in to get warm from the cold, and we are seeing a lot of people just trying to meet their basic needs. That’s why we are having the Warm and Cozy drive, because they just need to get out of the cold.”
Satterfield referenced the organization’s “Feeling Warm and Cozy for the Holidays” drive, which is collecting coats, hats, gloves, blankets and other winter clothing items to give to people in need. She said the donated items will remove one additional worry to those on the path to recovery.
“We have already given out 15 coats thanks to the United Way and other community organizations,” Satterfield said. “There is such a need to have layers of clothing whenever the temperatures drop. When all you have is the items on your back and they get wet, that poses a risk for health.”
Satterfield said in the past year, Friendship Fairmont has provided not only shelter and counseling services to people in need, but case workers and volunteers have helped people go through processes from getting a driver’s license, buying clothing and furniture, getting a credit card and finding jobs. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, these processes have been more difficult.
“There is still a very high demand to help them with services right now where they don’t have a consistent address,” Satterfield said. “Also just where to call; what is open right now. A lot of services have changed their hours where they don’t allow you to just come.”
Satterfield said that while there was some initial trepidation from council members about the location of Friendship Fairmont, community support for the organization has been good since it began, and she is happy to be part of removing the stigma from issues of addiction and homelessness.
“I think the biggest impact is just the support from the community,” Satterfield said. “Helping Fairmont and the area get rid of the stigma of homelessness and addiction. I hope to be able to provide additional groups to the community and more volunteer opportunities.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--AP: States spent over $7B competing for early virus supplies

Ray Bellia had a good business before the coronavirus pandemic .
He topped $ 4 million in annual sales from his New Hampshire store that specialized in protective gear for police .
Then he got a call from a buyer with the state of Massachusetts asking if he had anything that could protect people from COVID-19 .
As it happened , he did .
He went on to sell the state 300,000 disposable masks for 97 cents each .
“ From that point on , it ’ s been just insanity , ” Bellia said .
Masks .
Gowns .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thermometers .
Bellia has sold it all , and not just to Massachusetts .
Numerous other states , counties , cities and schools have lined up to buy from him .
While countless other businesses have tanked amid coronavirus shutdowns , Bellia ’ s store - Body Armor Outlet - rapidly evolved into one of the nation ’ s 20 largest suppliers of personal protective equipment to states this past spring , according to a nationwide analysis of state purchasing data by The Associated Press .
The AP tallied more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring for personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers .
The data , obtained through open-records requests , is the most comprehensive accounting to date of how much states were buying , what they were spending and whom they were paying during the chaotic early months of the pandemic , when inadequate national stockpiles left state governments scrambling for hard-to-get supplies .
Some governors described the early PPE marketplace as the Wild West , where supplies often went to the highest bidder , even if they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Much of the buying happened outside normal competitive bidding procedures , and in many states a lack of transparency from governors ’ administrations made it difficult for the public - and even lawmakers - to see how taxpayer money was being spent .
In some states , normal recordkeeping also went by the wayside .
Idaho didn ’ t initially itemize how much it paid for each mask and glove ordered from each supplier .
The state ’ s buyers were preoccupied with trying to buy large quantities as quickly as possible against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , senior buyer for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare .
“ It was chaos , pandemonium , ” Brady said .
“ None of us knew what we were doing.
” Though states have spent millions more this fall as COVID-19 cases surged again , the initial PPE spending panic has subsided as production increased and supply chains improved .
New Jersey and New York did not provide specific details about their purchases .
New Jersey ’ s health department said it would be too “ disruptive ” to agency operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s data shows that millions of dollars flowed from states to businesses that had never before sold PPE .
Those businesses faced a treacherous market , with backlogs at foreign manufacturers , shipping delays and multiple intermediaries .
All of that led to a spike in prices paid by the states , costing taxpayers millions of dollars .
Before the pandemic , an N95 mask that filters out tiny particles might have cost around 50 cents .
This spring , states paid an average of $ 3 each , according to the AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 10 a mask to get them quickly .
In mid-March , Louisiana paid $ 57,450 for 5,000 N95 masks - at $ 11.49 each - from Grey Wolf Safety Group in Broussard .
Grey Wolf owner Sean McClellan said that to fulfill the state ’ s order , he had to buy out whatever his competitors had in stock , often at high prices .
Then he marked up the price a bit more and resold them to the state , making a couple of dollars per mask .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McClellan said .
“ I have to make something , and I then have to pay my salesperson something.
” The largest supplier of PPE to states this spring had never sold a mask before the pandemic .
But from mid-March to early June , Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD sold $ 930 million worth of masks and sanitizer to states .
Two-thirds of that went to California , where Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom drew criticism for initially keeping secret the details of a deal that paid BYD $ 3.30 for each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , when China was in lockdown , BYD reported a 35 % decline in operating income .
That ’ s when company Chairman Wang Chuanfu decided to begin making masks and sanitizer .
BYD ’ s income rebounded to post a 12 % gain through the first three-quarters of the year .
Its stock price surged from $ 5 a share in January to more than $ 20 this fall , although it ’ s unclear how much of that is attributable to new PPE production .
Frank Girardot , senior communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chuanfu decided at the beginning of the outbreak “ that this was something that the company had to do in service to the world.
” Many of the companies in the AP ’ s data set are not publicly traded and thus can keep their financial figures private .
But some , including Bellia ’ s Salem , New Hampshire-based company , were more than willing to describe how PPE sales provided a lifeline at the onset of the pandemic .
The AP ’ s data for the spring includes just over $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Body Armor Outlet .
But Bellia said his total PPE sales this year are around $ 120 million , a roughly thirtyfold increase over his company ’ s total sales for 2019 .
Because of the success , Bellia increased his payroll from eight to 12 employees .
Even though he continues to sell body armor , he cleared almost all of it out of his warehouse to make room for coronavirus PPE .
“ While in a heartbeat I would trade this to go back to the way it was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great thing for us , ” he said .
Lieb reported from Jefferson City , Missouri , and Fassett from Santa Cruz , California .
Associated Press data editor Meghan Hoyer contributed to this report .
Fassett 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 .

Ray Bellia had a good business before the coronavirus pandemic. He topped $4 million in annual sales from his New Hampshire store that specialized in protective gear for police.
Then he got a call from a buyer with the state of Massachusetts asking if he had anything that could protect people from COVID-19. As it happened, he did. He went on to sell the state 300,000 disposable masks for 97 cents each.
“From that point on, it’s been just insanity,” Bellia said.
Masks. Gowns. Gloves. Goggles. Sanitizer. Coveralls. Thermometers. Bellia has sold it all, and not just to Massachusetts. From Maine to Hawaii, numerous other states, counties, cities, colleges and schools have lined up to buy from him.
While countless other businesses tanked amid coronavirus shutdowns, Bellia’s store - Body Armor Outlet - rapidly evolved into one of the nation’s 20 largest suppliers of personal protective equipment to states this past spring, according to a nationwide analysis of state purchasing data by The Associated Press.
The AP tallied more than $7 billion in purchases by states this spring for personal protective equipment, or PPE, and high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers.
The data, obtained through open-records requests, is the most comprehensive accounting to date of how much states were buying, what they were spending and whom they were paying during a chaotic spring when inadequate national stockpiles left state governments scrambling for hard-to-get supplies. Much of the buying happened outside normal competitive bidding procedures, and in many states a lack of transparency from governors’ administrations made it difficult for the public - and even lawmakers - to see how taxpayer money was being spent.
The spending data covers the period from the emergence of COVID-19 in the U.S. in early 2020 to the start of summer. Some governors described the early personal protective equipment marketplace as the Wild West, where supplies often went to the highest bidder, even if they had already been promised to someone else. States set up their own fraud tests, rejecting masks that failed to meet safety specifications or lacked medical labeling.
In some states, normal recordkeeping went by the wayside. Idaho didn’t initially itemize how much it paid for each mask and glove ordered from each supplier. That’s because the state’s buyers were preoccupied with trying to buy large quantities as quickly as possible against hundreds of competitors - all while working from home because of the pandemic, said J.P. Brady, senior buyer for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
“It was chaos, pandemonium,” Brady said. “None of us knew what we were doing.”
Though states have spent millions more this fall as COVID-19 cases surged again, the initial protective equipment spending panic has subsided as production increased and supply chains improved.
California spent the most during the pandemic’s initial months - at least $1.5 billion in the AP’s data - followed by Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington. New York also spent several hundred million dollars on protective equipment and ventilators through November, though it’s unclear how much of that occurred in the spring.
New Jersey and New York provided total figures but not specific details about their purchases. New Jersey’s health department said it would be too “disruptive” to agency operations to do so, and New York repeatedly postponed a response.
The AP’s data shows that millions of dollars flowed from states to businesses that had never before sold personal protective equipment, including a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, an American tribal organization and consultants with international connections. Idaho officials bought 50,000 N95 masks from a women’s clothing store in Los Angeles, and Ohio purchased 3 million gowns from an in-state marketing and printing company. In both cases, the businesses used their connections with Chinese manufacturers.
Traditional safety equipment suppliers also saw a surge in PPE sales, offsetting their losses from other products amid the sudden recession.
But the states’ burst of spending wasn’t a boon for everyone. Some businesses that tried to supply protective equipment lost millions of dollars when states canceled orders that failed to meet aggressive delivery deadlines or strict product specifications. Businesses selling PPE faced a treacherous market, with backlogs at foreign manufacturers, shipping delays and multiple intermediaries.
All of that led to a spike in prices paid by the states, costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
States paid an average cost during the spring of about 14 cents per glove, a fourfold increase over pre-pandemic prices. But the AP’s analysis found that more than half the states at times paid much more than that to certain vendors: up to 50 cents per glove.
Before the pandemic, an N95 mask that filters out tiny particles might have cost about 50 cents. This spring, states paid an average of $3 each, according to the AP’s analysis. Some states paid more than $10 a mask to get them quickly.
In mid-March, Louisiana paid $57,450 for 5,000 N95 masks - at $11.49 each - from Grey Wolf Safety Group in Broussard. Grey Wolf owner Sean McClellan said that to fulfill the state’s order, he had to buy out whatever his competitors had in stock. Some masks he got were designed for painting, others for welding. Some came with special breathing valves, while others did not.
“All the cheap masks that were N95, those were already gone,” McClellan said. “So I basically bought up the expensive ones that were left.”
Then he marked up the price a bit more and resold them to the state, making a couple of dollars per mask.
“I’m not price-gouging,” McClellan said. “I have to make something, and I then have to pay my salesperson something.”
Other businesses that charged high prices to states offered similar explanations. Go Green Solutions Inc. in South Grafton, Massachusetts, sold its home state several thousand N95 masks in early April for $11.25 to $11.50 each. The price was a product of limited supply and high demand, resulting in only modest profit margins, manager Jim Fisher said.
“Usually, if you found inventory with some of your suppliers, you had to make a purchase right then and there. You couldn’t wait,” he said, “because within an hour, it would be gone.”
States competed with each other, hospital systems, the federal government and even other countries to find and buy medical gear as the virus began spreading.
The pressure to obtain protective supplies led some states to unusual sources. Minnesota bought 2,300 waterproof gowns intended for milking cows from Udder Tech Inc. The special gowns cost about $46 each when freight was included - about seven times the average price that states were paying for medical gowns this spring. Before the pandemic, some health care systems could buy disposable gowns for about 40 cents each.
“They were looking to acquire anything they could at that point to help protect the health care workers,” said Dana Casto, business manager at the Rosemount, Minnesota-based dairy supply company.
While some states paid a premium for small orders from local suppliers, their purchasing agents also scrambled to secure large quantities of protective equipment, much of it manufactured in Asia. That created an opportunity for companies to enter the protective equipment field.
The largest supplier of personal protective equipment to states this spring had never sold a single mask before the pandemic. But from mid-March to early June, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD sold $930 million worth of masks and sanitizer to states. Two-thirds of that went to California, where Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom drew criticism for initially keeping secret the details of his “bold and big” deal that paid BYD $3.30 for each N95.
Like the leaders of some other states, Newsom sidestepped the traditional purchasing process of publicly soliciting competitive bids from vendors, which can take weeks or even months. Some state lawmakers responsible for budgeting complained that Newsom left them out of the loop.
Washington, which was among the first states to record coronavirus cases, bought tens of millions of N95 masks and similar KN95 masks from BYD this spring at prices ranging from $2.58 to $4.02 each. That helped rank Washington among the top states in mask purchasing rates per COVID-19 cases among its residents, according to the AP’s analysis.
BYD also sold to Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas this spring and signed an additional $316 million deal with California in July, after the period covered by the AP’s data. By then, the price the company charged to California had fallen to $2.13 per N95 mask and 20 cents per surgical mask, barely a third of the spring rate.
During the first quarter of 2020, when China was in lockdown, BYD reported a 35% decline in operating income. That’s when company Chairman Wang Chuanfu decided to begin making masks and sanitizer. BYD’s income rebounded to post a 12% gain through the first three-quarters of the year. Its stock price surged from $5 a share in January to more than $20 this fall, although it’s unclear how much of that is attributable to new protective equipment production versus its sales of electric vehicles and other products.
Frank Girardot, senior communications director for BYD North America, compared Chuanfu to an inventor “along the lines of Thomas Edison” who got into the personal protective equipment business for altruistic reasons.
“He, in January, decided that this was something that the company had to do in service to the world,” Girardot said.
BYD’s largest U.S. investor is Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett.
Fastenal Co. and W.W. Grainger, two industrial suppliers, also saw surges in PPE sales. The AP’s data includes $99 million in personal protective equipment sales to 32 states by Fastenal, and $50 million in protective equipment sales to 40 states by Grainger, which said its profits on those sales were squeezed by increased freight costs and previous contracts with reduced prices.
Many of the companies in the AP’s data set are not publicly traded and thus can keep their financial figures private. For example, one of the largest deals is California’s $179 million order of 20 million gowns from BuKo LLC. The New York-based company has a bare-bones website that describes it as “a brand and product development think tank.” Few other details are available about the company.
BuKo owner Rashmi Budhram declined to comment when reached by telephone.
Others, however, were more than willing to describe how personal protective equipment sales provided a lifeline at the onset of the pandemic.
The leaders at Grand Traverse Economic Development, a commercial investment entity for the Ottawa and Chippewa Native American tribes in Michigan, decided to get into the protective gear business when a shutdown affected the tribe’s other business ventures. The organization quickly became New Hampshire’s top PPE supplier, selling the state nearly $28 million worth of masks, gowns, coveralls, face shields and sanitizing wipes this spring. It made a profit of around 10% to 15%, business development director Lauren Tucker said.
“This helped us keep our doors open, keep our staff fully employed and engaged, and we grew during the pandemic,” she said.
Bellia, president of Body Armor Outlet, also expanded. The AP’s data for the spring includes just over $50 million in personal protective equipment sales to states by the Salem, New Hampshire, company. But Bellia said his total PPE sales this year are around $120 million - a roughly thirtyfold increase over his company’s total sales for 2019.
Because of the success, Bellia increased his payroll from eight to 12 employees. And while he continues to sell body armor, he cleared almost all of it out of his warehouse to make room for coronavirus protective equipment.
“While in a heartbeat I would trade this to go back to the way it was, I think unequivocally it’s been a great thing for us,” he said.
___
Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri, and Fassett from Santa Cruz, California. Associated Press data editor Meghan Hoyer contributed to this report.
___
Fassett is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Motorcycle club gives gifts to more than 500 kids in WVa

MARTINSBURG , W.Va. ( AP ) - A few years ago , the Sorry Souls Motorcycle Club Christmas toy event brought some joy to the lives of a few local families , relying on the donations brought in by the club holiday party .
Now , it ’ s fourth year in the current rendition , the drive is touching the lives of hundreds of local children and families as all the local Sorry Souls chapters work throughout the year to make sure Christmas will be merry for as many as possible .
“ When I got into the club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toys that we brought in at the Christmas party , and it was a small thing , ” club member Longshot said , nodding at the admission fee for the club holiday party , either a new , unwrapped toy or monetary donation .
At the time , fellow club member Stone was just taking off with his autism fundraiser through the club , one that it in its fifth year today and has brought in large amounts of money to help those in need .
“ That ’ s his passion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at me and said , ‘ If you can do something with Christmas , that ’ s your baby.
’ ” Talking with his wife , Longshot and his family happily jumped on board to make the drive what it is today .
He thought back to his wife ’ s childhood , coming from a large family where there weren ’ t too many gifts under the tree for each person but they were gifts that meant so much to each individual .
“ They were proud of that , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want any child who believes in Santa to wake up without presents on Christmas Day .
The club hosted families throughout the area over the weekend to distribute gifts to those invited inside the clubhouse , one that was turned into a mini-store after the Christmas party wrapped Saturday night .
In total , the club chapters gave presents to 546 children , helping more than 300 families .
Each child got four small gifts and one large one , the items broken down into categories by the club .
They also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clothes , hats and winter items as extra goodies , and the club provided wrapping paper , bows and a bag of food to each family as well to make it the most cheerful holiday possible .
“ I was proud , but with this COVID year , it was sad to see over 500 kids with families struggling like this , ” Longshot said .
“ 2020 has opened a lot of eyes.
” With each chapter involved in fundraising , donating and networking throughout the year , it showed how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club as it continues to grow .
Jefferson County chapter president Scoob and the members of that chapter were able to use $ 500 left over from a recent fundraiser to purchase some last-minute items that are highly requested year after year : balls and scooters .
“ As we grow , that ’ s another group helping in their area , ” Scoob said , nodding at his recently formed Jefferson County chapter .
“ It ’ s really exciting.
” The club members thanked their partners they work with regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful as it is , especially AFRS Auctions , which regularly donates as well as takes donations from its customers for the drive , and the Winchester Food Bank .
Spreading the holiday cheer won ’ t stop with the Christmas event as the Jefferson County chapter is gearing up to deliver holiday meals to families in need just like it did at Thanksgiving .
Last month , about seven members delivered to multiple families each in the area , coming together after to share their experiences .
“ Everybody had a story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scoob said .
That inspired the group to want to deliver meals again this holiday , the chapter ’ s partners , Jefferson County Community Ministries and the Jefferson County Boys and Girls Club , being right there to help .
JCCM had hams to deliver for Christmas meals and the Boys and Girls Club had plenty of turkeys as well as more than 1,550 pounds of food set aside for the members to use to share the joy .
Those meals will be delivered or picked up this weekend .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food between the two of them , ” Scoob said .

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) - A few years ago, the Sorry Souls Motorcycle Club Christmas toy event brought some joy to the lives of a few local families, relying on the donations brought in by the club holiday party.
Now, it’s fourth year in the current rendition, the drive is touching the lives of hundreds of local children and families as all the local Sorry Souls chapters work throughout the year to make sure Christmas will be merry for as many as possible.
“When I got into the club the first year, we did the toys that we brought in at the Christmas party, and it was a small thing,” club member Longshot said, nodding at the admission fee for the club holiday party, either a new, unwrapped toy or monetary donation.
At the time, fellow club member Stone was just taking off with his autism fundraiser through the club, one that it in its fifth year today and has brought in large amounts of money to help those in need.
“That’s his passion,” Longshot said. “He looked at me and said, ‘If you can do something with Christmas, that’s your baby.’”
Talking with his wife, Longshot and his family happily jumped on board to make the drive what it is today. He thought back to his wife’s childhood, coming from a large family where there weren’t too many gifts under the tree for each person but they were gifts that meant so much to each individual.
“They were proud of that,” he said, adding his wife didn’t want any child who believes in Santa to wake up without presents on Christmas Day.
The club hosted families throughout the area over the weekend to distribute gifts to those invited inside the clubhouse, one that was turned into a mini-store after the Christmas party wrapped Saturday night.
“It looked like a little Walmart,” Longshot laughed.
In total, the club chapters gave presents to 546 children, helping more than 300 families. Each child got four small gifts and one large one, the items broken down into categories by the club. They also had access to socks, movies, clothes, hats and winter items as extra goodies, and the club provided wrapping paper, bows and a bag of food to each family as well to make it the most cheerful holiday possible.
“I was proud, but with this COVID year, it was sad to see over 500 kids with families struggling like this,” Longshot said. “2020 has opened a lot of eyes.”
With each chapter involved in fundraising, donating and networking throughout the year, it showed how much good can come from the members and the club as it continues to grow.
Jefferson County chapter president Scoob and the members of that chapter were able to use $500 left over from a recent fundraiser to purchase some last-minute items that are highly requested year after year: balls and scooters.
“As we grow, that’s another group helping in their area,” Scoob said, nodding at his recently formed Jefferson County chapter. “It’s really exciting.”
The club members thanked their partners they work with regularly to help make the Christmas event as successful as it is, especially AFRS Auctions, which regularly donates as well as takes donations from its customers for the drive, and the Winchester Food Bank.
Spreading the holiday cheer won’t stop with the Christmas event as the Jefferson County chapter is gearing up to deliver holiday meals to families in need just like it did at Thanksgiving. Last month, about seven members delivered to multiple families each in the area, coming together after to share their experiences.
“Everybody had a story from someone they ran across,” Scoob said.
That inspired the group to want to deliver meals again this holiday, the chapter’s partners, Jefferson County Community Ministries and the Jefferson County Boys and Girls Club, being right there to help.
JCCM had hams to deliver for Christmas meals and the Boys and Girls Club had plenty of turkeys as well as more than 1,550 pounds of food set aside for the members to use to share the joy. Those meals will be delivered or picked up this weekend.
“We’re talking over a ton of food between the two of them,” Scoob said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Swamp project restores Delaware county's wetlands

FRANKFORD , Del .
( AP ) - As a young boy , a high school student and now a 33-year-old adult , Andrew Martin has been swamped .
The Great Cypress Swamp , Delaware Wild Lands Inc. ’ s 10,600-acre property nestled between Gumboro , Frankford and Selbyville in southern Sussex County , has been his playground and classroom .
Now , the swamp is part of his full-time job as program manager/field ecologist and director of social media at Delaware Wild Lands , the state ’ s largest nonprofit conservation landholder .
Mr. Martin ’ s passion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project that led to the restoration of 80 acres of freshwater wetlands , benefiting various species of Delaware wildlife , as well as migratory shorebirds .
“ With the swamp itself , part of it is just the scale of it .
It ’ s over 10,000 acres , and there is not a larger contiguous forest in Delaware .
It ’ s really down here in lower Sussex , about as close to a true wilderness as you ’ re going to find , ” said Mr. Martin .
“ It feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ( Delmarva ) Peninsula , both its size and the assemblage of species we have out there.
” “ Andrew has honestly spent his whole , entire life at the Great Cypress Swamp .
He grew up with one of Delaware Wild Lands ’ staff members , his dad , and even as a boy , he was out looking for frogs in the swamp , ” said Kate Hackett .
“ Later , as a high school student , he practiced cross country on the roads inside the swamp , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a lifetime of observation of what species are there and how water moves through that landscape .
He put all that together , and eventually , this project crystalized for him.
” Once a low-yield agricultural field , the 80-acre plot known as “ Long Field ” now consists of seven interconnected wetland cells that create a dynamic land- and waterscape .
Besides migratory birds , the project completed several weeks ago is proving beneficial to other waterfowl , rare and declining reptiles and amphibians , native pollinators and invertebrates , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ native to Delaware .
“ It ’ s providing a valuable wildlife corridor from the 10,000 acres in the Great Cypress Swamp down along the Pocomoke River into Maryland .
It ’ s definitely of regional significance , ” said Mr. Martin .
Strategic earthwork and select ditch-plugging completed as part of this project are diverting floodwaters back into the Great Cypress Swamp .
Swales and hummocks created through excavation connect the wetland cells and diversify the habitat and landscape features .
A variety of partners contributed their expertise , funding , oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great success , including The Nature Conservancy in Maryland/DC and Ducks Unlimited .
The Long Field project was set in motion several years ago , when Mr. Martin shared his plan with another of DWL ’ s partner organizations , the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service .
“ That was really the beginning of conceptualizing that project in a tangible way , so that we then could take that and work with our partners , The Nature Conservancy in Maryland and Ducks Unlimited , to implement , ” said Ms. Hackett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DWL will plant 10,000 native trees and shrubs across the 80-acre Long Field , including baldcypress , Atlantic white cedar and buttonbush .
“ The one great thing about this project : I can ’ t say enough great things about our contractor , Lyndon Hitchens .
He has done work for all of our partners before and knows the swamp and knows his stuff , ” said Ms. Hackett .
“ He actually finished the project under budget .
So we were able to take some of the money from that grant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree-planting that will happen on the site next year .
“ The earthwork , getting the contractors out there , all of that among all our partners was about $ 100,000 .
That doesn ’ t include our time , ” she added .
“ We have never gone to the work of adding up the staff time .
It ’ s hard to quantify the conceptual planning that went into the project.
” Scheduled fall 2021 plantings will grow into a forested wetland that , ultimately , will clean and cool the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sequestration , absorb rain from heavy storms to reduce flooding , provide enhanced bird and wildlife habitat and filter harmful pollutants from groundwater supplies .
“ Geographically speaking , it will benefit the residents of two major watersheds - the Inland Bays for Delaware and also the residents of the Chesapeake Bay , ” said Ms. Hackett .
“ By reconstructing that wetland and then reforesting it next year , the benefits to humans will be improved water quality and air quality , also floodwater retention.
” Mr. Martin ’ s exposure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his father , Peter Martin .
“ My father has been with the organization ( DWL ) around 45 years .
He ’ s part time now , ” said Mr. Martin , a Sussex Central High School graduate , who attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown , Pennsylvania , initially as a neuroscience major .
But after working a couple summers for Delaware State Parks , Mr. Martin decided he “ needed to be doing something outdoors.
” The Long Field is described by DWL as an “ L-shape disturbance ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swamp , which is bisected by Del .
54 , a connector of Gumboro and Selbyville .
“ A lot of people have a difficult time visualizing what 80 acres actually is .
It ’ s actually 60 football fields , ” said Ms. Hackett .
“ If you ( go ) through there in the summertime , you will notice a change in temperature .
It ’ s cooler .
It ’ s the canopy of the trees , the humidity of the water , so you can actually feel that change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s pretty remote at the swamp .
Cellphone service can be limited there .
It ’ s the largest remaining block of forestland on the Delmarva Peninsula .
Interestingly , that geography of the Great Cypress Swamp is within a 300-mile drive of 20 % of the U.S. population : Philadelphia , New York , Washington , D.C. , Richmond , ( Virginia ) , all of those places.
” The Great Cypress Swamp is the largest property owned and managed by the DWL , which has approximately 20,000 acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We think of it as a refuge for wildlife now .
It does have all this folklore and cultural history associated with it , too - everything from the Swamp Monster to the Underground Railroad , a place where people bootlegged booze during Prohibition and all those things , ” said Ms. Hackett .
“ So it is a very colorful place in that way , too .
”

FRANKFORD, Del. (AP) - As a young boy, a high school student and now a 33-year-old adult, Andrew Martin has been swamped.
The Great Cypress Swamp, Delaware Wild Lands Inc.’s 10,600-acre property nestled between Gumboro, Frankford and Selbyville in southern Sussex County, has been his playground and classroom.
Now, the swamp is part of his full-time job as program manager/field ecologist and director of social media at Delaware Wild Lands, the state’s largest nonprofit conservation landholder.
Mr. Martin’s passion for the Great Cypress Swamp recently precipitated a project that led to the restoration of 80 acres of freshwater wetlands, benefiting various species of Delaware wildlife, as well as migratory shorebirds.
“With the swamp itself, part of it is just the scale of it. It’s over 10,000 acres, and there is not a larger contiguous forest in Delaware. It’s really down here in lower Sussex, about as close to a true wilderness as you’re going to find,” said Mr. Martin. “It feels different than any other forest we have on the (Delmarva) Peninsula, both its size and the assemblage of species we have out there.”
DWL’s executive director explained Mr. Martin’s background in the swamp.
“Andrew has honestly spent his whole, entire life at the Great Cypress Swamp. He grew up with one of Delaware Wild Lands’ staff members, his dad, and even as a boy, he was out looking for frogs in the swamp,” said Kate Hackett. “Later, as a high school student, he practiced cross country on the roads inside the swamp, while his dad was working. He has a lifetime of observation of what species are there and how water moves through that landscape. He put all that together, and eventually, this project crystalized for him.”
Once a low-yield agricultural field, the 80-acre plot known as “Long Field” now consists of seven interconnected wetland cells that create a dynamic land- and waterscape.
Besides migratory birds, the project completed several weeks ago is proving beneficial to other waterfowl, rare and declining reptiles and amphibians, native pollinators and invertebrates, as well as many other species of wildlife native to Delaware.
“It’s providing a valuable wildlife corridor from the 10,000 acres in the Great Cypress Swamp down along the Pocomoke River into Maryland. It’s definitely of regional significance,” said Mr. Martin.
Strategic earthwork and select ditch-plugging completed as part of this project are diverting floodwaters back into the Great Cypress Swamp. Swales and hummocks created through excavation connect the wetland cells and diversify the habitat and landscape features.
A variety of partners contributed their expertise, funding, oversight and design skills to make this project a great success, including The Nature Conservancy in Maryland/DC and Ducks Unlimited.
The Long Field project was set in motion several years ago, when Mr. Martin shared his plan with another of DWL’s partner organizations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“That was really the beginning of conceptualizing that project in a tangible way, so that we then could take that and work with our partners, The Nature Conservancy in Maryland and Ducks Unlimited, to implement,” said Ms. Hackett.
Over the next two years, DWL will plant 10,000 native trees and shrubs across the 80-acre Long Field, including baldcypress, Atlantic white cedar and buttonbush.
“The one great thing about this project: I can’t say enough great things about our contractor, Lyndon Hitchens. He has done work for all of our partners before and knows the swamp and knows his stuff,” said Ms. Hackett. “He actually finished the project under budget. So we were able to take some of the money from that grant and allocate it to partially fund the tree-planting that will happen on the site next year.
“The earthwork, getting the contractors out there, all of that among all our partners was about $100,000. That doesn’t include our time,” she added. “We have never gone to the work of adding up the staff time. It’s hard to quantify the conceptual planning that went into the project.”
Scheduled fall 2021 plantings will grow into a forested wetland that, ultimately, will clean and cool the air, slow climate change through carbon sequestration, absorb rain from heavy storms to reduce flooding, provide enhanced bird and wildlife habitat and filter harmful pollutants from groundwater supplies.
“Geographically speaking, it will benefit the residents of two major watersheds - the Inland Bays for Delaware and also the residents of the Chesapeake Bay,” said Ms. Hackett. “By reconstructing that wetland and then reforesting it next year, the benefits to humans will be improved water quality and air quality, also floodwater retention.”
Mr. Martin’s exposure to the swamp has direct family ties - from his father, Peter Martin.
“My father has been with the organization (DWL) around 45 years. He’s part time now,” said Mr. Martin, a Sussex Central High School graduate, who attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, initially as a neuroscience major.
But after working a couple summers for Delaware State Parks, Mr. Martin decided he “needed to be doing something outdoors.”
The Long Field is described by DWL as an “L-shape disturbance” in the forested area of the Great Cypress Swamp, which is bisected by Del. 54, a connector of Gumboro and Selbyville.
“A lot of people have a difficult time visualizing what 80 acres actually is. It’s actually 60 football fields,” said Ms. Hackett.
“If you (go) through there in the summertime, you will notice a change in temperature. It’s cooler. It’s the canopy of the trees, the humidity of the water, so you can actually feel that change in climate,” she said. “It’s pretty remote at the swamp. Cellphone service can be limited there. It’s the largest remaining block of forestland on the Delmarva Peninsula. Interestingly, that geography of the Great Cypress Swamp is within a 300-mile drive of 20% of the U.S. population: Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., Richmond, (Virginia), all of those places.”
The Great Cypress Swamp is the largest property owned and managed by the DWL, which has approximately 20,000 acres of land in Delaware and Maryland.
“We think of it as a refuge for wildlife now. It does have all this folklore and cultural history associated with it, too - everything from the Swamp Monster to the Underground Railroad, a place where people bootlegged booze during Prohibition and all those things,” said Ms. Hackett. “So it is a very colorful place in that way, too.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Play in Virginia takes a spirited look at iconic characters

CHARLOTTESVILLE , Va. ( AP ) - Fans of live theater can give 2020 a proper sendoff by picturing spirits inspired by Charles Dickens ’ “ A Christmas Carol ” plying their trade in the Dark Ages .
“ In Hindsight , Maybe Ghosts Were a Bad Idea : A Holiday Play in Three Spirits , ” a new play by Matthew Minnicino , was performed at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday .
It will be performed at that time on Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Live Arts and livestreamed through a private Zoom webinar .
Amalia Oswald directs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical assistance .
Three spirits have the responsibility of crafting an attitude adjustment for a self-centered young monarch in hopes of bringing back holiday kindness just in time .
But as their own playwright describes them , these ghosts “ are terrible at their job and screw it up every chance they get.
” The overall effect ?
“ A situational holiday epic adventure , ” Minnicino said .
“ Maybe call it charming .
Maybe just wacky.
” At the heart of the can-do production is the enduring friendship between Minnicino and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2006 .
Choosing the Dark Ages for the piece ’ s period made sense because , well , 2020 - and because “ Matt and I are big Shakespeare/early modern theater nerds , ” Oswald said .
The Dark Ages offered plenty of inspiration - such as the layered tragedy and danger of a plague that killed millions and the perils of absolute power - that rang true to stage fans living through 2020 .
“ Matt did a really fine job of drawing those parallels , ” Oswald said .
Minnicino said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the formula .
“ If I screw something up with the text , I know she ’ ll be able to figure it out , ” he said of Oswald .
For the playwright , who has been writing more serious works of late , penning “ In Hindsight ” in the collegial environment of Live Arts offered a chance to enjoy working with lighter fare .
Minnicino relished the opportunity to make “ frivolous choices , ” such as assigning outlandish accents to his characters .
The Dark Ages offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layered tragedy and danger of a plague that killed millions and the perils of absolute power - that rang true to stage fans living through 2020 .
“ Matt did a really fine job of drawing those parallels , ” Oswald said .
Minnicino said the trust they share is an important part of the formula .
“ If I screw something up with the text , I know she ’ ll be able to figure it out , ” he said of Oswald .
For the playwright , who has been writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In Hindsight ” in the collegial environment of Live Arts offered a chance to enjoy working with lighter fare .
Minnicino relished the opportunity to make “ frivolous choices , ” such as assigning outlandish accents to his characters .
“ This is pretty much the opposite of highbrow theater , ” Minnicino said .
“ I ’ m hoping people at home will be thinking , ‘ This is dumb , and I ’ m having a good time.
’ ’ ’ The cast includes Josh Tucker , Chante Mack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Craghead-Way , Ginger Craghead-Way and Annie Way .
Alana Adams is production stage manager , with Warren Craghead , Kathleen Mueller and Ava Hession-Landman as assistant stage managers .
Will Goss and Rachel Lane are the camera crew members for Light House Studio .
Darryl O ’ Conner is set/props designer , and director Oswald does double duty as costume designer .
Live Arts ’ building offered a welcome logistical luxury .
“ Every performer is in a different room at Live Arts , ” Oswald said .
That gives each cast member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s plenty of space to keep each character ’ s costumes and set pieces in one location without having to lug everything back and forth .
Having separate rooms lends a creative staged-reading feel and adds its own notes of DIY excitement .
Oswald said she couldn ’ t help drawing comparisons to the energy of traveling medieval troupes who had little in the way of sets and trappings , but “ still made such magic in the stories they told .
This is really coming back to those basics.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director said the “ two people and a rundown wagon ” work ethic of performers who created a fresh new world in every town shines through .
“ It is in the moment ; it is performed live every night , ” Oswald said .
“ You really find in yourself , as a theater maker , why you love doing it .
”

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Fans of live theater can give 2020 a proper sendoff by picturing spirits inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” plying their trade in the Dark Ages.
“In Hindsight, Maybe Ghosts Were a Bad Idea: A Holiday Play in Three Spirits,” a new play by Matthew Minnicino, was performed at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday. It will be performed at that time on Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Live Arts and livestreamed through a private Zoom webinar. Amalia Oswald directs, and Light House Studio is providing technical assistance.
Three spirits have the responsibility of crafting an attitude adjustment for a self-centered young monarch in hopes of bringing back holiday kindness just in time. But as their own playwright describes them, these ghosts “are terrible at their job and screw it up every chance they get.”
The overall effect? “A situational holiday epic adventure,” Minnicino said. “Maybe call it charming. Maybe just wacky.”
“High jinks ensue,” Oswald said with a laugh.
At the heart of the can-do production is the enduring friendship between Minnicino and Oswald, who have been colleagues since 2006.
Choosing the Dark Ages for the piece’s period made sense because, well, 2020 - and because “Matt and I are big Shakespeare/early modern theater nerds,” Oswald said.
The Dark Ages offered plenty of inspiration - such as the layered tragedy and danger of a plague that killed millions and the perils of absolute power - that rang true to stage fans living through 2020. “Matt did a really fine job of drawing those parallels,” Oswald said.
Minnicino said the trust they share is an important part of the formula. “If I screw something up with the text, I know she’ll be able to figure it out,” he said of Oswald.
For the playwright, who has been writing more serious works of late, penning “In Hindsight” in the collegial environment of Live Arts offered a chance to enjoy working with lighter fare. Minnicino relished the opportunity to make “frivolous choices,” such as assigning outlandish accents to his characters.
The Dark Ages offered plenty of inspiration - such as the layered tragedy and danger of a plague that killed millions and the perils of absolute power - that rang true to stage fans living through 2020. “Matt did a really fine job of drawing those parallels,” Oswald said.
Minnicino said the trust they share is an important part of the formula. “If I screw something up with the text, I know she’ll be able to figure it out,” he said of Oswald.
For the playwright, who has been writing more serious works of late, penning “In Hindsight” in the collegial environment of Live Arts offered a chance to enjoy working with lighter fare. Minnicino relished the opportunity to make “frivolous choices,” such as assigning outlandish accents to his characters.
“This is pretty much the opposite of highbrow theater,” Minnicino said. “I’m hoping people at home will be thinking, ‘This is dumb, and I’m having a good time.’’’
The cast includes Josh Tucker, Chante Mack, Emily Dalton, Claire Chandler, Violet Craghead-Way, Ginger Craghead-Way and Annie Way.
Alana Adams is production stage manager, with Warren Craghead, Kathleen Mueller and Ava Hession-Landman as assistant stage managers. Will Goss and Rachel Lane are the camera crew members for Light House Studio. Darryl O’Conner is set/props designer, and director Oswald does double duty as costume designer.
Live Arts’ building offered a welcome logistical luxury. “Every performer is in a different room at Live Arts,” Oswald said. That gives each cast member space to move around in, and there’s plenty of space to keep each character’s costumes and set pieces in one location without having to lug everything back and forth.
Having separate rooms lends a creative staged-reading feel and adds its own notes of DIY excitement. Oswald said she couldn’t help drawing comparisons to the energy of traveling medieval troupes who had little in the way of sets and trappings, but “still made such magic in the stories they told. This is really coming back to those basics.”
In Live Arts’ production, the director said the “two people and a rundown wagon” work ethic of performers who created a fresh new world in every town shines through.
“It is in the moment; it is performed live every night,” Oswald said. “You really find in yourself, as a theater maker, why you love doing it.”
Tickets are $20 per household.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--W. Virginia spent little on masks, gloves in early pandemic

CHARLESTON , W.Va. ( AP ) - West Virginia , the last state to report a coronavirus case , spent sparsely on medical gear in the early months of the pandemic , buying less than $ 3.6 million worth of N95 masks , gloves and other protective equipment , an Associated Press analysis shows .
While other states spent tens of millions , sometimes trusting brand new companies that failed to deliver promised orders , West Virginia mostly spent on a handful of distributors .
It bought no ventilators .
The AP found that states nationwide spent more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers this spring .
The data , obtained through open record requests , is the most comprehensive look yet at how much states were buying , whom they were paying and how much they were spending as they raced to stockpile scarce supplies .
The data covers the period from the emergence of COVID-19 in the U.S. in early 2020 to the beginning of summer , when many governors were describing the marketplace for protective gear and medical equipment as the Wild West .
Supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if they were promised to someone else .
“ Given the pandemic ’ s global reach , West Virginia was buying everything it could once a potential vendor was vetted and determined to be trustworthy , ” Lawrence Messina , a spokesman for the state ’ s pandemic response , said in a statement .
“ It ’ s no exaggeration that the shortage was worldwide .
As a result , West Virginia had to consider companies that could get PPE from overseas.
” The state of nearly 1.8 million people didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 17 .
Republican Gov .
Jim Justice announced a stay-at-home order a week later .
That day , the state placed an order of more than $ 1.1 million for 200,000 N95 masks from Martinsburg-based Ballard Safety , according to the records .
It paid an average of $ 5.80 for each mask , which before the pandemic might have cost about 50 cents .
This spring , states paid an average of $ 3 each , according to the AP ’ s analysis .
Two days later , the state placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks .
This time , it paid industrial supply company Fastenal just 87 cents per mask .
West Virginia didn ’ t crack 10,000 confirmed cases until late August , and the outbreak has since dramatically worsened .
Daily case totals have broken records several times in recent weeks .
Confirmed and probable deaths linked to COVID-19 exceeded 1,000 this week .
There have been nearly 57,900 confirmed cases .
The bulk of the state ’ s three dozen orders in the early period went to Ballard Safety , with the initial pricey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it spent a total of $ 1.5 million to buy N95 and KN95 masks , goggles , gloves and coveralls .
West Virginia spent anywhere from 77 cents to nearly $ 6 for N95 masks across three suppliers .
The most expensive item it purchased was a single $ 226 thermometer from laboratory supplier Thomas Scientific .
Messina said Fastenal was initially “ efficient at providing small amounts ” of items , but the state looked to vendors that could fulfill larger orders .
He said the state has spent more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus outbreak .
- Nearly $ 6,000 for 60,000 gloves from New York wholesaler DirectGlove .
- 20 thermometers bought on Amazon for $ 92 each .
- Nearly $ 245,000 on 42,600 N95 masks from Applya , a Greenville , South Carolina-based vendor .
It cost $ 5.75 per mask .
- $ 55 for one lab coat from allheart .
The state had a cache of gloves , gowns , coveralls , N95 respirators and safety glasses left over from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic , Messina said .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the federal government ’ s stockpile and had enough ventilators in reserve .
“ We feel that we have a solid safety stock for the state , and the medical supply system is catching up , ” Messina said .

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - West Virginia, the last state to report a coronavirus case, spent relatively little on protective medical gear during the early months of the pandemic compared to other states, an Associated Press analysis shows.
While other states spent tens of millions of dollars, sometimes trusting new companies that failed to deliver promised orders, West Virginia mostly spent on a handful of distributors. It bought no ventilators.
State purchase orders given to AP through a public records request show West Virginia spent less than $3.6 million on masks, gloves, gowns and other protective gear from the onset of the pandemic through late spring.
Lawrence Messina, a spokesman for the state’s pandemic response, said Saturday that the state spent more than $8 million through early May on protective gear related to the virus outbreak. The additional expenditures were not included in the public records given to AP.
The AP found that states nationwide spent more than $7 billion for personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers this spring. The data, obtained through open record requests, is the most comprehensive look yet at how much states were buying, whom they were paying and how much they were spending as they raced to stockpile scarce supplies.
The data covers the period from the emergence of COVID-19 in the U.S. in early 2020 to late spring, when many governors were describing the marketplace for protective gear and medical equipment as the Wild West. Supplies often went to the highest bidder, even if they were promised to someone else.
“Given the pandemic’s global reach, West Virginia was buying everything it could once a potential vendor was vetted and determined to be trustworthy,” said Messina. “It’s no exaggeration that the shortage was worldwide. As a result, West Virginia had to consider companies that could get PPE from overseas.”
The state of nearly 1.8 million people didn’t report a virus case until March 17. Republican Gov. Jim Justice announced a stay-at-home order a week later.
That day, the state placed an order of more than $1.1 million for 200,000 N95 masks from Martinsburg-based Ballard Safety, according to the records. It paid an average of $5.80 for each mask, which before the pandemic might have cost about 50 cents. This spring, states paid an average of $3 each, according to the AP’s analysis.
Two days later, the state placed a much cheaper order for 400,000 N95 masks. This time, it paid industrial supply company Fastenal just 87 cents per mask.
West Virginia didn’t crack 10,000 confirmed cases until late August, and the outbreak has since dramatically worsened. Daily case totals have broken records several times in recent weeks. Confirmed and probable deaths linked to COVID-19 exceeded 1,000 this week. There have been nearly 57,900 confirmed cases.
The bulk of the state’s three dozen orders in the early period went to Ballard Safety, with the initial pricey mask order, and Fastenal, where it spent a total of $1.5 million to buy N95 and KN95 masks, goggles, gloves and coveralls.
West Virginia spent anywhere from 77 cents to nearly $6 for N95 masks across three suppliers, according to the data provided to AP. The most expensive item it purchased was a single $226 thermometer from laboratory supplier Thomas Scientific.
Messina said Fastenal was initially “efficient at providing small amounts” of items, but the state looked to vendors that could fulfill larger orders.
Other expenditures in AP’s analysis included:
- Nearly $6,000 for 60,000 gloves from New York wholesaler DirectGlove.
- 20 thermometers bought on Amazon for $92 each.
- Nearly $245,000 on 42,600 N95 masks from Applya, a Greenville, South Carolina-based vendor. It cost $5.75 per mask.
- $55 for one lab coat from allheart.
The state had a cache of gloves, gowns, coveralls, N95 respirators and safety glasses left over from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Messina said. He said the state also received personal protective equipment from the federal government’s stockpile and had enough ventilators in reserve.
“We feel that we have a solid safety stock for the state, and the medical supply system is catching up,” Messina said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Louisiana shopped the globe for protective gear in pandemic

BATON ROUGE , La .
( AP ) - Louisiana sent tens of millions of dollars to companies around the country and as far away as China for masks , gloves and ventilators in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic , with $ 87 million steered toward face coverings alone .
The state , competing against more populous ones that have greater purchasing power , scrambled to equip hospitals , nursing homes , first responders , chemical plants and others with protective gear and medical devices as its first coronavirus outbreak began in the New Orleans area and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero out the warehouse every day , ” Gov .
John Bel Edwards said in late March , describing a crushing need for inventory .
“ To say that demand is outpacing supply would be a gross understatement.
” Amid the rush for supplies , Louisiana found itself paying well above states ’ average on certain items , an Associated Press review of data across states shows .
One company that consistently sold Louisiana items at higher prices than other vendors , Garner Environmental Services , has ties to former Louisiana State Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeland security office - which was tasked with scouring the globe for limited equipment - bought coveralls , gowns , masks , gloves , thermometers and ventilators from businesses across 26 states , the District of Columbia , Canada and China , according to records documenting nearly $ 150 million in purchases from March 13 through June 25 .
Nationally , the AP found that states spent more than $ 7 billion this spring for personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers .
The data , obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period from the emergence of COVID-19 in the U.S. in early 2020 to the start of summer .
Of Louisiana ’ s spending , more than half went toward face coverings : $ 56 million for N95 and KN95 respirator masks , $ 15 million for other types of masks and $ 16 million for face shields .
Overall , the state bought more than 39 million face coverings during the pandemic ’ s first few months .
Amid the scramble , Louisiana sometimes found itself paying prices that were well above the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ At the beginning of this pandemic , ( the homeland security office ) worked very hard to source critical supplies anywhere we could .
While price was certainly a consideration , the most important consideration was availability and delivery timeframe , ” Mike Steele , spokesman for the Louisiana Governor ’ s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness , said in a statement .
Prices set by Texas-based Garner Environmental Services , a disaster response and recovery company that also sold protective gear to Florida , often were out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment across states .
Louisiana bought $ 3.4 million in items from the company in March , the first month of the state ’ s outbreak .
The company charged Louisiana $ 105.40 for each thermometer it sold the state in the data obtained by The AP , above the $ 79 average found across states .
It charged $ 22.94 for each of 10,000 face shields , well above the $ 4 average .
And Louisiana paid the firm $ 10.29 for each of 20,000 protective gowns , while the average per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was $ 6 .
Garner also exceeded the average across states on N95 masks .
Garner directed questions to its parent company , K-Solv Group .
Calls and an email to a company spokesperson weren ’ t returned .
Edmonson , who retired from his state police position in 2017 amid a series of controversies , is a consultant for K-Solv .
Steele , the spokesperson for Louisiana ’ s homeland security office , said the agency knew of Edmonson ’ s representation of Garner “ in some capacity , ” but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The decision-making was driven by availability of the resource .
If it was available and could be shipped quickly , the demand in our state required we obtain as much as we could as quickly as possible , ” he said .
He said supply chains stabilized in later months , “ and we were able to adjust our strategy to focus less on delivery timeframes and more on price.
” Since March , Louisiana has spent $ 234 million on protective equipment and devices , according to the homeland security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those early months reviewed in detail by the AP .
The state also spent at least $ 200 million to outfit the New Orleans convention center as a temporary hospital , which ended up little-used as the feared overruns of hospital capacity in the city never materialized .
Louisiana expects reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for much of the spending .
Follow AP ’ s coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .
Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http : //twitter.com/melindadeslatte .

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana sent tens of millions of dollars to companies around the country and as far away as China for masks, gloves and ventilators in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, with $87 million steered toward face coverings alone.
The state, competing against more populous ones that have greater purchasing power, scrambled to equip hospitals, nursing homes, first responders, chemical plants and others with protective gear and medical devices as its first coronavirus outbreak began in the New Orleans area and then crept across the state.
“We zero out the warehouse every day,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in late March, describing a crushing need for inventory. “To say that demand is outpacing supply would be a gross understatement.”
Amid the rush for supplies, Louisiana found itself paying well above states’ average on certain items, an Associated Press review of data across states shows. One company that consistently sold Louisiana items at higher prices than other vendors, Garner Environmental Services, has ties to former Louisiana State Police superintendent Mike Edmonson.
Louisiana’s homeland security office - which was tasked with scouring the globe for limited equipment - bought coveralls, gowns, masks, gloves, thermometers and ventilators from businesses across 26 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and China, according to records documenting nearly $150 million in purchases from March 13 through June 25.
Nationally, the AP found that states spent more than $7 billion this spring for personal protective equipment and high-demand medical devices such as ventilators and infrared thermometers. The data, obtained through public records requests, covers the period from the emergence of COVID-19 in the U.S. in early 2020 to the start of summer.
Of Louisiana’s spending, more than half went toward face coverings: $56 million for N95 and KN95 respirator masks, $15 million for other types of masks and $16 million for face shields. Overall, the state bought more than 39 million face coverings during the pandemic’s first few months.
Amid the scramble, Louisiana sometimes found itself paying prices that were well above the averages of what other states were charged.
“At the beginning of this pandemic, (the homeland security office) worked very hard to source critical supplies anywhere we could. While price was certainly a consideration, the most important consideration was availability and delivery timeframe,” Mike Steele, spokesman for the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said in a statement.
Prices set by Texas-based Garner Environmental Services, a disaster response and recovery company that also sold protective gear to Florida, often were out of step with the average prices charged for equipment across states. Louisiana bought $3.4 million in items from the company in March, the first month of the state’s outbreak.
The company charged Louisiana $105.40 for each thermometer it sold the state in the data obtained by The AP, above the $79 average found across states. It charged $22.94 for each of 10,000 face shields, well above the $4 average. And Louisiana paid the firm $10.29 for each of 20,000 protective gowns, while the average per item spent by states for that equipment was $6. Garner also exceeded the average across states on N95 masks.
Garner directed questions to its parent company, K-Solv Group. Calls and an email to a company spokesperson weren’t returned. Edmonson, who retired from his state police position in 2017 amid a series of controversies, is a consultant for K-Solv.
Steele, the spokesperson for Louisiana’s homeland security office, said the agency knew of Edmonson’s representation of Garner “in some capacity,” but he denied any preferential treatment for the company.
“The decision-making was driven by availability of the resource. If it was available and could be shipped quickly, the demand in our state required we obtain as much as we could as quickly as possible,” he said.
He said supply chains stabilized in later months, “and we were able to adjust our strategy to focus less on delivery timeframes and more on price.”
Since March, Louisiana has spent $234 million on protective equipment and devices, according to the homeland security department - 64% of it in those early months reviewed in detail by the AP. The state also spent at least $200 million to outfit the New Orleans convention center as a temporary hospital, which ended up little-used as the feared overruns of hospital capacity in the city never materialized.
Louisiana expects reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for much of the spending.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak. Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Tennessee father promotes organ donation after losing son

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) - Joe Foster , a retired paramedic , saw the good that organ donation can do firsthand over a long career , but when his 23-year-old son died suddenly of a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2017 , he went from supporter to evangelist .
“ About a month after Ben died , we got a letter that he had saved four people ’ s lives , ” Foster said during a recent videoconference interview from his home in Columbia , Tennessee .
“ A 2 year old got a kidney .
A 10 year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liver .
A 55 year old got his lungs.
” The fourth recipient was Carlo Rosario .
Then 62 , the Vietnam veteran had suffered from a chronic heart condition for many years and says he did not have long to live when he got the word that a donated heart was available .
“ If it wasn ’ t for ( Ben Foster ) , I wouldn ’ t be here , ” Rosario said .
“ Everywhere I go , I give testament to how it happened to me.
” Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosario for the first time .
Recalling how he used a stethoscope to listen to his son ’ s heart beating in Rosario ’ s chest , Foster choked up and couldn ’ t talk for several seconds .
Then he said , “ It was one of the most amazing things I ’ ve ever heard .
To hear his heart beating , and to see the person who was going to die but now is doing really great .
… Words can ’ t describe it.
” The two have stayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Foster had hoped Rosario would come to Tennessee to make an appearance at an annual Christmas concert that Foster ’ s band puts on .
It ’ s a fundraiser for the local high school band , but recently it ’ s also become a way for Foster to promote organ donation .
Foster said people are moved to become organ donors when they see the face of a real person whose life was saved .
Last year , the woman who received his son ’ s lungs came to the show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they were signing up to become donors .
Foster has also agreed to be an ambassador for Donate Life Tennessee , speaking to groups about organ donation .
But with COVID-19 cases in Tennessee at their highest levels ever , both the speaking events and the Christmas concert are on hold .
Foster now hopes Rosario will be his special guest at the Christmas concert in 2021 .
In the meantime , Rosario , speaking by phone from his home in Hartford , Connecticut , said he prays for Foster and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
In the morning , and at night , because I want them to have hope and faith .
”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Joe Foster, a retired paramedic, saw the good that organ donation can do firsthand over a long career, but when his 23-year-old son died suddenly of a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2017, he went from supporter to evangelist.
“About a month after Benton died, we got a letter that he had saved four people’s lives,” Foster said during a recent videoconference interview from his home in Columbia, Tennessee. “A 2 year old got a kidney. A 10 year old got the other kidney and his liver. A 55 year old got his lungs.”
The fourth recipient was Carlo Rosario. Then 62, the Vietnam veteran had suffered from a chronic heart condition for many years and says he did not have long to live when he got the word that a donated heart was available.
“If it wasn’t for (Benton Foster), I wouldn’t be here,” Rosario said. “Everywhere I go, I give testament to how it happened to me.”
Last year, Joe Foster got to meet Rosario for the first time. Recalling how he used a stethoscope to listen to his son’s heart beating in Rosario’s chest, Foster choked up and couldn’t talk for several seconds. Then he said, “It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard. To hear his heart beating, and to see the person who was going to die but now is doing really great. … Words can’t describe it.”
The two have stayed in touch on Facebook through the pandemic. Foster had hoped Rosario would come to Tennessee to make an appearance at an annual Christmas concert that Foster’s band puts on. It’s a fundraiser for the local high school band, but recently it’s also become a way for Foster to promote organ donation.
Foster said people are moved to become organ donors when they see the face of a real person whose life was saved. Last year, the woman who received his son’s lungs came to the show, and several people told Foster afterwards that they were signing up to become donors.
Foster has also agreed to be an ambassador for Donate Life Tennessee, speaking to groups about organ donation. But with COVID-19 cases in Tennessee at their highest levels ever, both the speaking events and the Christmas concert are on hold.
Foster now hopes Rosario will be his special guest at the Christmas concert in 2021. In the meantime, Rosario, speaking by phone from his home in Hartford, Connecticut, said he prays for Foster and his family, “every day, every day. In the morning, and at night, because I want them to have hope and faith.”
—
This story was first published on December 19, 2020. It was updated on December 20, 2020 to correct the first name of the organ donor to Benton.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--FDNY: 2 killed in three-alarm Queens house fire

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Two people were killed and at least four injured early Saturday in a three-alarm @ @ @ @ @ Two firefighters were among the wounded in a blaze that broke out after 5:30 in @ @ @ @ @ .
The Fire Department of New York said the fire was under control about 8 @ @ @ @ @ the fire remained under investigation .

NEW YORK (AP) - Three people were killed early Saturday in a three-alarm house fire in Queens.
Two firefighters were among the wounded in the blaze that broke out after 5:30 in the Elmhurst section of Queens. Officials said the roof of the three-floor building collapsed.
The Fire Department of New York said dozens of firefighters brought the blaze under control about 8 a.m.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.


washingtontimes--2020-12-19--Armenia honors Nagorno-Karabakh dead; some demand PM resign

YEREVAN , Armenia ( AP ) - Both opponents and supporters of Armenia ’ s prime minister rallied Saturday as the nation paid tribute to the thousands who died in fighting with Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Critics demanded that the leader resign and tried to pelt him with eggs .
The Azerbaijani army pushed deep into Nagorno-Karabakh in six weeks of hostilities that ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal on Nov. 10 that saw Azerbaijan reclaim large parts of the separatist region and surrounding territories .
The loss of lands that had been controlled by ethnic Armenian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traumatized Armenians , triggering weeks of protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan .
On Saturday , thousands of protesters rallied near the Yerablur military memorial cemetery on the outskirts of the Armenian capital of Yerevan as Pashinyan visited it to honor the soldiers killed in the latest fighting .
The nation is observing a three-day mourning period for the dead .
The prime minister ’ s opponents , shouting “ Nikol , you traitor !
, ” engaged in scuffles with his supporters and police .
Police dispersed the protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his security guards covered him with shields and umbrellas as protesters attempted to hit him with eggs .
Later in the day , about 20,000 opposition supporters marched across Yerevan for a memorial church service for the victims of the conflict .
Also on Saturday , 14 retired military generals issued a statement calling for the resignation of the government over its handling of the latest fighting .
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding territory in Armenian hands .
In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5,600 people killed on both sides , the Azerbaijani army fought its way deep into Nagorno-Karabakh , forcing Armenia to accept last month ’ s peace deal .
Russia has deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeepers for at least five years to monitor the peace agreement and facilitate the return of refugees .

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) - Both opponents and supporters of Armenia’s prime minister rallied Saturday as the nation paid tribute to the thousands who died in fighting with Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Critics demanded that the leader resign and tried to pelt him with eggs.
The Azerbaijani army pushed deep into Nagorno-Karabakh in six weeks of hostilities that ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal on Nov. 10 that saw Azerbaijan reclaim large parts of the separatist region and surrounding territories.
The loss of lands that had been controlled by ethnic Armenian forces for more than a quarter-century has traumatized Armenians, triggering weeks of protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
On Saturday, thousands of protesters rallied near the Yerablur military memorial cemetery on the outskirts of the Armenian capital of Yerevan as Pashinyan visited it to honor the soldiers killed in the latest fighting. The nation is observing a three-day mourning period for the dead.
The prime minister’s opponents, shouting “Nikol, you traitor!,” engaged in scuffles with his supporters and police. Police dispersed the protesters to clear the way for Pashinyan and his security guards covered him with shields and umbrellas as protesters attempted to hit him with eggs.
Later in the day, about 20,000 opposition supporters marched across Yerevan for a memorial church service for the victims of the conflict.
Also on Saturday, 14 retired military generals issued a statement calling for the resignation of the government over its handling of the latest fighting.
Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but was under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. That war left Nagorno-Karabakh itself and substantial surrounding territory in Armenian hands.
In 44 days of fighting that began in late September and left more than 5,600 people killed on both sides, the Azerbaijani army fought its way deep into Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing Armenia to accept last month’s peace deal.
Russia has deployed nearly 2,000 peacekeepers for at least five years to monitor the peace agreement and facilitate the return of refugees.