washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Vaccine injury claims could face bureaucratic ‘black hole’

Lost in the U.S. launch of the coronavirus vaccine is a fact most don ’ t know when they roll up their sleeves : In rare cases of serious illness from the shots , the injured are blocked from suing and steered instead to an obscure federal bureaucracy with a record of seldom paying claims .
Housed in a nondescript building in a Washington , D.C. , suburb , the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program has just four employees and few hallmarks of an ordinary court .
Decisions are made in secret by government officials , claimants can ’ t appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death cases are capped at $ 370,376 .
George Washington University law professor Peter Meyers has followed the program for years and bluntly calls it a “ black hole , ” obtaining federal documents this summer showing it has paid fewer than 1 in 10 claims in its 15-year history .
Vaccines historically provide broad protection with little risk but come with side effects just as any other drugs .
Few unexpected adverse effects have been reported in the early days of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the U.S. , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allergic reaction that included shortness of breath .
But experts are concerned that with the sheer volume of people expected to get coronavirus vaccines in the U.S. - more than 200 million - even a successful rollout with relatively few ill effects could be enough to swamp the program .
“ It would need to be ramped up for sure , ” said Dr. Vito Caserta , who oversaw the countermeasures program from its creation until his retirement in 2014 .
“ They may get overwhelmed very , very quickly.
” Asked about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman for the Health Resources and Services Administration that oversees the program , said it is “ planning to process the potential influx of COVID-19 claims .
… Additional staff and contractors will be hired as needed.
” Unlike the more established federal vaccine court , which decides cases of injury from most childhood vaccines and other common inoculations , the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program was created by a 2005 law specifically to deal with vaccines developed under emergency authorization .
The idea was to allow pharmaceutical companies and government entities the freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent public health needs without the threat of being overrun with expensive liability lawsuits .
Under the program , drug makers can only be sued for “ willful misconduct.
” Several senators objected at the time , with the late Massachusetts Democrat Edward M. Kennedy calling it a “ Christmas present to the drug industry and a bag of coal to everyday Americans.
” The vast majority of the claims under the program have stemmed from the H1N1 swine flu vaccine a decade ago .
And the low number of people awarded money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design .
Most claims have to be filed within a year of getting a vaccine , regardless of when side effects show up , and the program does not pay fees for lawyers or expert witnesses .
It provides little opportunity for those filing claims to participate .
And the awards do not pay for suffering or damages .
“ It ’ s illusory , ” said Sarasota , Florida-based vaccine lawyer Anne Carrion Toale .
“ No one is going to actually get compensation in that program.
” By contrast , vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pays for lawyers and witnesses , grants awards for pain and suffering , and permits appeals all the way to the Supreme Court .
The difference is reflected not only in the number of awards but their size .
The countermeasures program has paid out $ 6 million , for an average award of about $ 200,000 a claim .
The vaccine court has not only paid out in 7 of 10 cases in recent years , but its average per claim - $ 570,000 - is more than two and half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its three-decade history .
Law professor Meyers , who obtained the data on the compensation court though a Freedom of Information Act request , described the 29 awards so far as “ shockingly low ” and called for the program to be overhauled .
He also expressed concern that it could discourage people from taking vaccines in the midst of a pandemic that has so far infected more than 75 million and killed nearly 1.7 million people worldwide .
“ It is a great argument for the antivaxxers to say , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous and if something happens to you , the program is … going to turn their back to you , ’ ” said Meyers , former chair of a government advisory group for the vaccine court .
Meyers said it would be helpful to know specifically why each claim was approved or rejected in the compensation program but it doesn ’ t release even the most basic details such as the kinds of sicknesses people claim they got from vaccines .
Vaccine lawyer Toale believes one of the biggest reasons for rejection is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving dozens of calls from people saying they had been sickened by H1N1 vaccines a decade ago , some complaining of possible symptoms from Guillain-Barre syndrome , a rare immune system disorder that can result in paralysis or death .
“ They were all way too late , ” she said .
“ There was nothing we could do.
” That was the case for Christina Grim of Littlestown , Pennsylvania , who said she filed a claim about a year after learning from her mother ’ s doctor that an H1N1 vaccination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed the 76-year-old day-care worker .
“ The clock started ticking but she didn ’ t show any symptoms .
I didn ’ t know what was happening to her , ” said Grim , whose mom , Verl , racked up $ 25,000 in hospital bills after she was found crawling down a hallway at home , her legs limp , a few days before she died in 2010 .
“ I didn ’ t know the vaccine could do this to her.
” No one is sure just how many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive coronavirus vaccines are likely to develop severe side effects and not everyone who does will file a claim .
Only one in a million people who got the measles , mumps and rubella vaccines first administered a half century ago suffered severe reactions , but other vaccines had higher ratios .
Using the 25-per-million who suffered severe side effects from the H1N1 vaccine , for example , would put the number of such cases from the coronavirus vaccines at more than 5,000 .
That ’ s more than 10 times what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire history .
Meyers said one solution is to shift coronavirus claims to vaccine court , formally known as the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program , but that court itself is trying to work through a backlog of its own cases , with its eight judges currently taking more than five years to resolve claims .
Another problem is funding .
Unlike claims in vaccine court , which is financed from a 75-cent excise tax on every vaccine shot , the countermeasures program relies on Congress for its budget .
A $ 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and finance other efforts to fight the coronavirus allows some of that money to be transferred to a fund to pay claims , but none has been transferred yet .
HRSA spokesman Bowman said those requests will be made as the need for funding arises .
Former Justice Department vaccine lawyer Richard Topping , now chief legal officer for health insurer CareSource , said that ’ s not good enough .
“ We ’ ve essentially got no plan , no coverage , ” he said .
Condon reported from New York , @ @ @ @

Though most people who protect themselves with a coronavirus vaccine will never develop serious side effects, such rare cases are barred from federal court and instead steered to an obscure program with a record of seldom paying claims.
The Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, which was set up specifically to deal with vaccines under emergency authorization, has just four employees and few hallmarks of an ordinary court. Decisions are made in secret by government officials, claimants can’t appeal to a judge and payments in most death cases are capped at $370,376.
That stands in contrast to the much more established federal vaccine court, which decides cases of injury from most childhood vaccines and other common inoculations.
George Washington University law professor Peter Meyers has followed the countermeasures program for years and bluntly calls it a “black hole,” obtaining federal documents this summer showing it has paid fewer than 1 in 10 claims in its 15-year history.
Vaccines historically provide broad protection with little risk but come with occasional side effects just as any other drugs. Massive coronavirus vaccine trials involving tens of thousands of participants have so far surfaced no signs of serious side effects, and few unexpected adverse reactions have been reported in the early days of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the U.S.
But experts are concerned that with the sheer volume of people expected to get coronavirus vaccines in the U.S. - more than 200 million - even a successful rollout with relatively few ill effects could be enough to swamp the program. What’s more, such cases are complex and it’s often hard to prove a direct link between claims of illness and a vaccine.
“It would need to be ramped up for sure,” said Dr. Vito Caserta, who oversaw the countermeasures program from its creation until his retirement in 2014. “They may get overwhelmed very, very quickly.”
Asked about that possibility, David Bowman, a spokesman for the Health Resources and Services Administration that oversees the program, said it is “planning to process the potential influx of COVID-19 claims. … Additional staff and contractors will be hired as needed.”
The countermeasures program was created by a 2005 law to allow pharmaceutical companies and government entities the freedom to develop and distribute vaccines to meet urgent public health needs without the threat of being overrun with expensive liability lawsuits. Under the program, drug makers can only be sued for “willful misconduct.”
Several senators objected at the time, with the late Massachusetts Democrat Edward M. Kennedy calling it a “Christmas present to the drug industry and a bag of coal to everyday Americans.”
The vast majority of the claims under the program have stemmed from the H1N1 swine flu vaccine a decade ago. And the low number of people awarded money - 29 out of 499- reflects its design.
Most claims have to be filed within a year of getting a vaccine, regardless of when side effects show up, and the program does not pay fees for lawyers or expert witnesses. It provides little opportunity for those filing claims to participate. And the awards do not pay for suffering or damages.
By contrast, vaccine court allows for claims within three years, pays for lawyers and witnesses, grants awards for pain and suffering, and permits appeals all the way to the Supreme Court.
The difference is reflected not only in the number of awards but their size. The countermeasures program has paid out $6 million, for an average award of about $200,000 a claim. The vaccine court has not only paid out in 7 of 10 cases in recent years, but its average per claim - $570,000 - is more than two and half times larger, totaling $4.4 billion in its three-decade history.
Law professor Meyers, who obtained the data on the compensation court though a Freedom of Information Act request, described the 29 awards so far as “shockingly low” and called for the program to be overhauled.
He also expressed concern that it could discourage people from taking vaccines in the midst of a pandemic that has so far infected more than 75 million and killed nearly 1.7 million people worldwide.
“It is a great argument for the antivaxxers to say, ‘Oh, my God, this is dangerous and if something happens to you, the program is … going to turn their back to you,’” said Meyers, former chair of a government advisory group for the vaccine court.
Meyers said it would be helpful to know specifically why each claim was approved or rejected in the compensation program but it doesn’t release even the most basic details such as the kinds of sicknesses people claim they got from vaccines.
Sarasota, Florida-based vaccine lawyer Anne Carrion Toale believes one of the biggest reasons for rejection is the one-year filing deadline. She recalled receiving dozens of calls from people saying they had been sickened by H1N1 vaccines a decade ago, some complaining of possible symptoms from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare immune system disorder that can result in paralysis or death.
“They were all way too late,” she said. “There was nothing we could do.”
No one is sure just how many of the more than 200 million Americans expected to receive coronavirus vaccines are likely to develop severe side effects and not everyone who does will file a claim. Only one in a million people who got the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines first administered a half century ago suffered severe reactions, but other vaccines had higher ratios.
Using the 25-per-million who suffered severe side effects from the H1N1 vaccine, for example, would put the number of such cases from the coronavirus vaccines at more than 5,000. That’s more than 10 times what the countermeasures program has received in its entire history.
Meyers said one solution is to shift coronavirus claims to vaccine court, formally known as the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, but that court itself is trying to work through a backlog of its own cases, with its eight judges currently taking more than five years to resolve claims.
Vaccines covered by the countermeasures program can eventually shift to regular vaccine court once they are recommended by federal regulators for “routine” administration, specifically to children or pregnant women. But Meyers said that’s not happening anytime soon.
Another problem is funding. Unlike claims in vaccine court, which is financed from a 75-cent excise tax on every vaccine shot, the countermeasures program relies on Congress for its budget. A $30 billion allocation by Congress to buy vaccines and finance other efforts to fight the coronavirus allows some of that money to be transferred to a fund to pay claims, but none has been transferred yet.
HRSA spokesman Bowman said those requests will be made as the need for funding arises.
Former Justice Department vaccine lawyer Richard Topping, now chief legal officer for health insurer CareSource, said that’s not good enough.
“We’ve essentially got no plan, no coverage,” he said.
___
Condon reported from New York, Sedensky from Philadelphia.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Asian shares extend losses on US blacklist, spread of virus

European shares and U.S. futures advanced Tuesday after American lawmakers approved a $ 900 billion package of measures to help the economy get through the pandemic .
Stocks rose in Paris , London and Frankfurt but fell in Tokyo and other Asian markets .
The Shanghai Composite index dropped nearly 2 % .
The long awaited economic package approved late Monday in Washington helped offset worries over the discovery in Britain of a new , potentially more infectious strain of the virus that has countries around the world restricting travel from the United Kingdom .
It has added to fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new strain spreads to other countries or proves resistant to vaccines now being distributed .
Germany ’ s DAX climbed 1.2 % to 13,408.31 and the CAC 40 in Paris jumped 1.3 % to 5,461.81 .
In Britain , the FTSE 100 gained 0.4 % to 6,441.09 .
The future for the S & P ; 500 rose 0.2 % while the contract for the Dow industrials edged 0.1 % higher .
Shares retreated in Asia on Tuesday after the U.S. Commerce Department announced it was including 103 entities on a new “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 58 Chinese and 45 Russian companies .
Such a designation requires special licensing for exports and other sales of designated products to the listed companies to prevent certain technologies from being used by foreign militaries in China , Russia or Venezuela , it said .
Many of the companies are related to aviation and shipbuilding .
The list adds to strains between Washington and Beijing at a time when relations are at their worst level in decades amid feuds over technology , security and other issues .
Tokyo ’ s Nikkei 225 fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong , the Hang Seng sank 0.7 % to 26,119.25 .
South Korea ’ s Kospi declined 1.6 % to 2,733.68 .
In Australia , the S & P ; /ASX 200 gave up 1.1 % to 6,599.60 .
The Shanghai Composite index shed nearly 64 points to 3,356.78 .
Economists and investors have been clamoring for a new bundle of aid for U.S. businesses and families for months .
The $ 900 billion relief effort for the U.S. economy includes $ 600 in cash payments for most Americans , extra benefits for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was awaiting approval by President Donald Trump .
Congressional approval came after the closure of U.S. markets , where the S & P ; 500 fell 1.4 % to 3,694.92 .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1 % to 30,216.45 .
The Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1 % to 12,742.52 .
The Russell 2000 small-cap index gained 0.1 % to 1,970.33 .
The yield on the 10-year Treasury held steady at 0.93 % .
Benchmark U.S. crude oil lost 79 cents to $ 47.18 per barrel in electronic trading on the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.27 on Monday to $ 47.97 per barrel .
Brent crude , the international standard , slipped 73 cents to $ 50.18 per barrel .
The dollar rose to 103.40 Japanese yen from 103.31 yen on Monday .
The euro fell to $ 1.2222 from $ 1.2243 .

BEIJING (AP) - Asian stock markets rose Wednesday after President Donald Trump suggested he may veto a $900 billion economic aid package.
Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and South Korea advanced in light trading ahead of this week’s Christmas holiday.
Overnight, Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index lost 0.2% after Trump criticized the aid plan approved by Congress. He urged lawmakers to raise payments to the public.
“Hopes for an unambiguous ‘Santa rally’ have been tragically hijacked,” said Mizuho Bank in a report.
Meanwhile, investor nerves were rattled by the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus in Britain that spreads more easily. That has prompted some 40 governments to ban travelers from Britain.
The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.8% to 3,382.08 and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo added 0.1% to 26,470.94. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong gained 0.2% to 26,180.10.
The Kospi in Seoul climbed 0.6% to 2,751.30 and Australia’s S&P-ASX 200 was 0.5% higher at 6,630.30. New Zealand advanced while Singapore and Indonesia declined.
Investors are hoping a new aid package from Congress can prop up the economy until the rollout of coronavirus vaccines allows business and consumer activity to revive.
Congress, after months of wrangling, approved a plan Monday night that would send $600 to most Americans, give $300 per week to the unemployed and deliver other aid to businesses.
Trump, however, complained on Twitter that the measure did too little for ordinary Americans. He urged legislators to increase payments to as much as $4,000 per couple and “get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill.”
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 declined to 3,687.26. About 65% of the companies in the index fell. Communication services, financial and other companies accounted for much of the selling. Tech companies rose.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.7% to 30,015.51. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.5% to a record 12,807.92.
Even without the variant form of the virus, the resurgent pandemic has already been dragging on the U.S. economy.
Two reports Tuesday added to discouraging economic data.
One showed consumer confidence fell more than expected this month. Another showed the red-hot housing market is slowing.
In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude lost 67 cents to $46.35 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 72 cents on Tuesday to $47.02. Brent crude, the basis for pricing international oils, declined 68 cents to $49.48 per barrel in London. It shed 83 cents the previous session to $50.08 a barrel.
The dollar declined to 103.48 yen from Tuesday’s 103.67. The euro gained to $1.2186 from $1.2161.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Congress approves $900B COVID relief bill, sending to Trump

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Congress passed a $ 900 billion pandemic relief package that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths .
Lawmakers tacked on a $ 1.4 trillion catchall spending bill and thousands of pages of other end-of-session business in a massive bundle of bipartisan legislation as Capitol Hill prepared to close the books on the year .
The bill approved Monday night went to President Donald Trump for his signature , which was expected in the coming days .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sped through the House and Senate in a matter of hours .
The Senate cleared the package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved it by another lopsided vote , 359-53 .
The tallies were a bipartisan coda to months of partisanship and politicking , a logjam that broke after President-elect Joe Biden urged his party to accept a compromise with top Republicans that is smaller than many Democrats would have liked .
The bill combines coronavirus-fighting funds with financial relief for individuals and businesses .
It would establish a temporary $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans , along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses , restaurants and theaters and money for schools , health care providers and renters facing eviction .
The 5,593-page legislation - by far the longest bill ever - came together Sunday after months of battling , posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached .
Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was less than half the size that Democrats wanted in the fall .
“ This deal is not everything I want - not by a long shot , ” said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern , D-Mass.
, a longstanding voice in the party ’ s old-school liberal wing .
“ The choice before us is simple .
It ’ s about whether we help families or not .
It ’ s about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not .
It ’ s about whether we boost ( food stamp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
And whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not .
To me , this is not a tough call.
” Congress also approved a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight and give Trump time to sign the sweeping legislation .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , a key negotiator , said on CNBC on Monday morning that the direct payments would begin arriving in bank accounts next week .
Democrats promised more aid to come once Biden takes office , but Republicans were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would fund the government through September , wrapping a year ’ s worth of action on annual spending bills into a single package that never saw Senate committee or floor debate .
The legislation followed a tortured path .
Democrats played hardball up until Election Day , amid accusations that they wanted to deny Trump a victory that might help him prevail .
Democrats denied that , but their demands indeed became more realistic after Trump ’ s loss and as Biden made it clear that half a loaf was better than none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a $ 1 trillion package put together by Senate Republican leaders in July , a proposal that at the time was scoffed at by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , as way too little .
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , took a victory lap after blocking far more ambitious legislation from reaching the Senate floor .
He said the pragmatic approach of Biden was key .
“ The president-elect suggesting that we needed to do something now was helpful in moving both Pelosi and Schumer into a better place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My view about what comes next is let ’ s take a look at it .
Happy to evaluate that based upon the needs that we confront in February and March.
” Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , came to the Senate to cast her vote for the bill .
“ The American people need relief and I want to be able to do what I can to help them , ” she said .
On direct payments , the bill provides $ 600 to individuals making up to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couples making up to $ 150,000 , with payments phased out for higher incomes .
An additional $ 600 payment will be made per dependent child , similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring .
The $ 300 per week bonus federal jobless benefit was half that provided under the $ 1.8 billion CARES Act in March .
The direct $ 600 stimulus payment was also half the March payment .
The CARES Act was credited with keeping the economy from falling off a cliff during widespread lockdowns in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate cited debt concerns in pushing against Democratic demands .
“ Anyone who thinks this bill is enough hasn ’ t heard the desperation in the voices of their constituents , has not looked into the eyes of the small-business owner on the brink of ruin , ” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer , a lifelong New Yorker who pushed hard for money to help his city ’ s transit systems , renters , theaters and restaurants .
Progress came after a bipartisan group of pragmatists and moderates devised a $ 908 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the top four leaders of Congress - the GOP and Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate - used as the basis for their talks .
The lawmakers urged leaders on both sides to back off of hardline positions .
“ At times we felt like we were in the wilderness because people on all sides of the aisle didn ’ t want to give , in order to give the other side a win , ” said freshman Rep. Elssa Slotkin , D-Mich. “ And it was gross to watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on reviving the Paycheck Protection Program with $ 284 billion , which would cover a second round of PPP grants to especially hard-hit businesses .
Democrats won set-asides for low-income and minority communities .
The sweeping bill also contains $ 25 billion in rental assistance , $ 15 billion for theaters and other live venues , $ 82 billion for local schools , colleges and universities , and $ 10 billion for child care .
Six GOP senators voted against the bill : Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee , Ted Cruz of Texas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Florida , Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin .
The governmentwide appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $ 1.4 billion installment for Trump ’ s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature .
The Pentagon would receive $ 696 billion .
Democrats and Senate Republicans prevailed in a bid to use bookkeeping maneuvers to squeeze $ 12.5 billion more for domestic programs into the legislation .
The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill ’ s unfinished business , including an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control , environmental and coastal protection projects .
Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks , such as one for craft brewers , wineries and distillers .
It also would carry numerous clean-energy provisions sought by Democrats with fossil fuel incentives favored by Republicans , $ 7 billion to increase access to broadband , $ 4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people , $ 14 billion for cash-starved transit systems , $ 1 billion for Amtrak and $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15 % .
The Senate Historical Office said the previous record for the length of legislation was the 2,847-page tax reform bill of 1986 - about one-half the size of Monday ’ s behemoth .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Lawmakers tacked on a $1.4 trillion catchall spending bill and thousands of pages of other end-of-session business in a massive bundle of bipartisan legislation as Capitol Hill prepared to close the books on the year. The bill approved Monday night went to President Donald Trump for his signature, which was expected in the coming days.
The relief package, unveiled Monday afternoon, sped through the House and Senate in a matter of hours. The Senate cleared the package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved it by another lopsided vote, 359-53. The tallies were a bipartisan coda to months of partisanship and politicking, a logjam that broke after President-elect Joe Biden urged his party to accept a compromise with top Republicans that is smaller than many Democrats would have liked.
The bill combines coronavirus-fighting funds with financial relief for individuals and businesses. It would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.
The 5,593-page legislation - by far the longest bill ever - came together Sunday after months of battling, posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached. Biden was eager for a deal to deliver long-awaited help to suffering people and a boost to the economy, even though it was less than half the size that Democrats wanted in the fall.
“This deal is not everything I want - not by a long shot,” said Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a longstanding voice in the party’s old-school liberal wing. “The choice before us is simple. It’s about whether we help families or not. It’s about whether we help small businesses and restaurants or not. It’s about whether we boost (food stamp) benefits and strengthen anti-hunger programs or not. And whether we help those dealing with a job loss or not. To me, this is not a tough call.”
Congress also approved a one-week stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight and give Trump time to sign the sweeping legislation.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a key negotiator, said on CNBC on Monday morning that the direct payments would begin arriving in bank accounts next week.
Democrats promised more aid to come once Biden takes office, but Republicans were signaling a wait-and-see approach.
The measure would fund the government through September, wrapping a year’s worth of action on annual spending bills into a single package that never saw Senate committee or floor debate. Similarly, a $328 billion tax title - including $164 billion for the $600 stimulus checks - never saw prior legislative action until being bundled into the end-of-session grab bag.
The legislation followed a tortured path. Democrats played hardball up until Election Day, amid accusations that they wanted to deny Trump a victory that might help him prevail. Democrats denied that, but their demands indeed became more realistic after Trump’s loss and as Biden made it clear that half a loaf was better than none.
The final bill bore ample resemblance to a $1 trillion package put together by Senate Republican leaders in July, a proposal that at the time was scoffed at by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as way too little.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took a victory lap after blocking far more ambitious legislation from reaching the Senate floor. He said the pragmatic approach of Biden was key.
“The president-elect suggesting that we needed to do something now was helpful in moving both Pelosi and Schumer into a better place,” McConnell told reporters. “My view about what comes next is let’s take a look at it. Happy to evaluate that based upon the needs that we confront in February and March.”
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, D-Calif., came to the Senate to cast her vote for the bill. “The American people need relief and I want to be able to do what I can to help them,” she said.
On direct payments, the bill provides $600 to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and $1,200 to couples making up to $150,000, with payments phased out for higher incomes. An additional $600 payment will be made per dependent child, similar to the last round of relief payments in the spring.
The $300 per week bonus federal jobless benefit was half that provided under the $1.8 trillion CARES Act in March. The direct $600 stimulus payment was also half the March payment.
The CARES Act was credited with keeping the economy from falling off a cliff during widespread lockdowns in the spring, but Republicans controlling the Senate cited debt concerns in pushing against Democratic demands.
“Anyone who thinks this bill is enough hasn’t heard the desperation in the voices of their constituents, has not looked into the eyes of the small-business owner on the brink of ruin,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a lifelong New Yorker who pushed hard for money to help his city’s transit systems, renters, theaters and restaurants.
Progress came after a bipartisan group of pragmatists and moderates devised a $908 billion plan that built a middle-ground position that the top four leaders of Congress - the GOP and Democratic leaders of both the House and Senate - used as the basis for their talks. The lawmakers urged leaders on both sides to back off of hardline positions.
“At times we felt like we were in the wilderness because people on all sides of the aisle didn’t want to give, in order to give the other side a win,” said freshman Rep. Elssa Slotkin, D-Mich. “And it was gross to watch, frankly.”
Republicans were most intent on reviving the Paycheck Protection Program with $284 billion, which would cover a second round of PPP grants to especially hard-hit businesses. Democrats won set-asides for low-income and minority communities.
The sweeping bill also contains $25 billion in rental assistance, $15 billion for theaters and other live venues, $82 billion for local schools, colleges and universities, and $10 billion for child care.
Six GOP senators voted against the bill: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
The governmentwide appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $1.4 billion installment for Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature. The Pentagon would receive $696 billion. Democrats and Senate Republicans prevailed in a bid to use bookkeeping maneuvers to squeeze $12.5 billion more for domestic programs into the legislation.
The bill was an engine to carry much of Capitol Hill’s unfinished business, including an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects. Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks, such as one for craft brewers, wineries and distillers.
It also would carry numerous clean-energy provisions sought by Democrats with fossil fuel incentives favored by Republicans, $7 billion to increase access to broadband, $4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people, $14 billion for cash-starved transit systems, $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for airports and concessionaires. Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15%.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Highlights of $900 billion COVID-19 relief, wrapup bills

The massive , year-end catchall bill Congress passed combines $ 900 billion in COVID-19 aid with a $ 1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill and reams of other unfinished legislation on taxes , energy , education and health care .
It awaits President Donald Trump ’ s signature .
Highlights of the measure with overall funding amounts and specific amounts for some but not necessarily all initiatives .
Unemployment insurance ( $ 120 billion ) .
Revives supplemental federal pandemic unemployment benefits but at $ 300 per week - through March 14 - instead of the $ 600 per week benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic benefits for “ gig ” workers and extends the maximum period for state-paid jobless benefits to 50 weeks .
Direct payments ( $ 166 billion ) .
Provides $ 600 direct payments to individuals making up to $ 75,000 per year and couples making up to $ 150,000 per year - with payments phased out for higher incomes — with $ 600 additional payments per dependent child .
Paycheck Protection Program ( $ 284 billion ) .
Revives the Paycheck Protection Program , which provides forgivable loans to qualified businesses .
Especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be eligible for a second round .
Ensures that PPP subsidies are not taxed .
Vaccines , testing , health providers ( $ 69 billion ) .
Delivers more than $ 30 billion for procurement of vaccines and treatments , distribution funds for states , and a strategic stockpile .
Adds $ 22 billion for testing , tracing and mitigation , $ 9 billion for health care providers , and $ 4.5 billion for mental health .
Schools and universities ( $ 82 billion ) .
Delivers $ 54 billion to public K-12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 billion for colleges and universities ; $ 4 billion would be awarded to a Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund ; nearly $ 1 billion for Native American schools .
Rental assistance ( $ 25 billion ) .
Provides money for a first-ever federal rental assistance program ; funds to be distributed by state and local governments to help people who have fallen behind on their rent and may be facing eviction .
Food/farm aid ( $ 26 billion ) .
Increases stamp benefits by 15 % for six months and provides funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other food aid .
Provides an equal amount ( $ 13 billion ) to farmers and ranchers .
Child Care ( $ 10 billion ) .
Provides $ 10 billion to the Child Care Development Block Grant to help families with child care costs and help providers cover increased operating costs .
Postal Service ( $ 10 billion ) .
Forgives a $ 10 billion loan to the Postal Service provided in earlier relief legislation .
The omnibus measure wraps 12 spending bills into one and funds agency operating budgets through Sept. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic priorities such as a $ 12.5 billion increase over existing budget limits for domestic programs while cutting Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and removal costs by $ 431 million .
COVID-19 has contributed to sharply lower costs .
Republicans supported sustained defense spending , energy provisions and longstanding bans on federal funding of abortion .
The measure also provides President Donald Trump with a last , $ 1.4 billion installment for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border .
The measure also contains more than 3,000 pages of miscellaneous legislation , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation to protect consumers from huge surprise medical bills after receiving treatment from out-of-network providers .
Community health centers .
Reauthorizes , for three years , funding for community health centers and extends a variety of expiring health care policies , including reimbursement rates for various health care providers and procedures under Medicare and Medicaid Tax extenders .
Extends a variety of expiring tax breaks , including lower excise taxes on craft brewers and distillers .
Renewable energy sources would see tax breaks extended , as would motorsport facilities , and people making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 % deductible through 2022 and out-of-pocket health care costs would be deductible after they reach 7.5 % of income .
It would also extend favorable tax treatment for “ look through ” entities of offshore subsidiaries of U.S. corporations .
Water projects .
Includes an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $ 10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control , environmental and coastal protection projects .
Clean energy .
Boosts “ clean energy ” programs like research and development , efficiency incentives and tax credits .
Phases out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Includes a bipartisan agreement to forgive about $ 1.3 billion in federal loans to historically Black colleges and universities and simplify college financial aid forms .
Boosts the maximum Pell Grant for low-income college students by $ 150 to $ 6,495 .
Offers “ second chance ” Pell Grants to incarcerated prisoners .
Horse racing “ doping.
” Adds bipartisan legislation by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , to create national medication and safety standards for the horse racing industry as lawmakers move to clamp down on the use of performance-enhancing drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
New Smithsonian museums .
Establishes the Women ’ s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino as new Smithsonian museums located near the National Mall .
Pipeline safety .
Folds in pipeline safety legislation reauthorizing operating grants and safety standards for oil and gas pipelines .
Aircraft safety .
Adds , after the scandal involving Boeing 737 MAX crashes , legislation to beef up the Federal Aviation Administration ’ s aircraft certification process .
Addresses human factors , automation in the cockpit , and international pilot training while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next five years to carry out the legislation .

The massive, year-end catchall bill Congress passed combines $900 billion in COVID-19 aid with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill and reams of other unfinished legislation on taxes, energy, education and health care. It awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
Highlights of the measure with overall funding amounts and specific amounts for some but not necessarily all initiatives.
COVID-19 RELIEF
Unemployment insurance ($120 billion). Revives supplemental federal pandemic unemployment benefits but at $300 per week - through March 14 - instead of the $600 per week benefit that expired in July. Extends special pandemic benefits for “gig” workers and extends the maximum period for state-paid jobless benefits to 50 weeks.
Direct payments ($166 billion). Provides $600 direct payments to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and couples making up to $150,000 per year - with payments phased out for higher incomes — with $600 additional payments per dependent child.
Paycheck Protection Program ($284 billion). Revives the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides forgivable loans to qualified businesses. Especially hard-hit businesses that received PPP grants would be eligible for a second round. Ensures that PPP subsidies are not taxed.
Vaccines, testing, health providers ($69 billion). Delivers more than $30 billion for procurement of vaccines and treatments, distribution funds for states, and a strategic stockpile. Adds $22 billion for testing, tracing and mitigation, $9 billion for health care providers, and $4.5 billion for mental health.
Schools and universities ($82 billion). Delivers $54 billion to public K-12 schools affected by the pandemic and $23 billion for colleges and universities; $4 billion would be awarded to a Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund; nearly $1 billion for Native American schools.
Rental assistance ($25 billion). Provides money for a first-ever federal rental assistance program; funds to be distributed by state and local governments to help people who have fallen behind on their rent and may be facing eviction.
Food/farm aid ($26 billion). Increases stamp benefits by 15% for six months and provides funding to food banks, Meals on Wheels and other food aid. Provides an equal amount ($13 billion) to farmers and ranchers.
Child Care ($10 billion). Provides $10 billion to the Child Care Development Block Grant to help families with child care costs and help providers cover increased operating costs.
Postal Service ($10 billion). Forgives a $10 billion loan to the Postal Service provided in earlier relief legislation.
___
OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS ($1.4 TRILLION)
The omnibus measure wraps 12 spending bills into one and funds agency operating budgets through Sept. 30 of next year. It combines Democratic priorities such as a $12.5 billion increase over existing budget limits for domestic programs while cutting Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and removal costs by $431 million. COVID-19 has contributed to sharply lower costs. Republicans supported sustained defense spending, energy provisions and longstanding bans on federal funding of abortion. The measure also provides President Donald Trump with a last, $1.4 billion installment for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
___
MISCELLANEOUS
The measure also contains more than 3,000 pages of miscellaneous legislation, such as:
Surprise medical billing. Includes bipartisan legislation to protect consumers from huge surprise medical bills after receiving treatment from out-of-network providers.
Community health centers. Reauthorizes, for three years, funding for community health centers and extends a variety of expiring health care policies, including reimbursement rates for various health care providers and procedures under Medicare and Medicaid
Tax extenders. Extends a variety of expiring tax breaks, including lower excise taxes on craft brewers and distillers. Renewable energy sources would see tax breaks extended, as would motorsport facilities, and people making charitable contributions. Business meals would be 100% deductible through 2022 and out-of-pocket health care costs would be deductible after they reach 7.5% of income. It would also extend favorable tax treatment for “look through” entities of offshore subsidiaries of U.S. corporations.
Water projects. Includes an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects.
Clean energy. Boosts “clean energy” programs like research and development, efficiency incentives and tax credits. Phases out “superpollutant” hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
Education. Includes a bipartisan agreement to forgive about $1.3 billion in federal loans to historically Black colleges and universities and simplify college financial aid forms. Boosts the maximum Pell Grant for low-income college students by $150 to $6,495. Offers “second chance” Pell Grants to incarcerated prisoners.
Horse racing “doping.” Adds bipartisan legislation by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to create national medication and safety standards for the horse racing industry as lawmakers move to clamp down on the use of performance-enhancing drugs that can lead to horse injuries and deaths.
New Smithsonian museums. Establishes the Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino as new Smithsonian museums located near the National Mall.
Pipeline safety. Folds in pipeline safety legislation reauthorizing operating grants and safety standards for oil and gas pipelines.
Aircraft safety. Adds, after the scandal involving Boeing 737 MAX crashes, legislation to beef up the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft certification process. Addresses human factors, automation in the cockpit, and international pilot training while authorizing nearly $275 million over the next five years to carry out the legislation.
Intelligence programs. Reauthorizes intelligence programs for 2021.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--California could see 100,000 hospitalizations within a month

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) — California has recorded a half-million coronavirus cases in the last two weeks , overwhelming emergency rooms in urban centers and rural areas including along the Mexican border where a small hospital system warns it is fast running out of patient beds .
The state could be facing a once-unthinkable caseload of nearly 100,000 hospitalizations within a month , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Monday .
Conditions at El Centro Regional Medical Center in the southeast corner of the state are desperate , even worse than during a summer surge that caught the attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We don ’ t have space for anybody .
We ’ ve been holding patients for days because we can ’ t get them transferred , can ’ t get beds for them , ” said Lenz , an emergency room physician at the medical center in Imperial County , home to 180,000 people .
Of the 175 patients at the hospital on Monday , 131 had COVID-19 .
The facility licensed for 161 beds has erected a 50-bed tent in its parking lot and was converting three operating rooms to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the second time in two months , said a state projection model shows previously unfathomable hospitalization numbers and he ’ s likely to extend his stay-at-home order for much of the state next week .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s secretary of Health and Human Services , said it ’ s feared entire areas of the state may run out of room even in their makeshift “ surge ” capacity units “ by the end of the month and early in January.
” In response , the state is updating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ration care if everyone can ’ t get the treatment they need , he said .
“ Our goal is to make sure those plans are in place , but work hard to make sure no one has to put them into place anywhere in California , ” Ghaly said .
It hopes to accomplish that by beefing up temporary staffing , opening makeshift hospitals in places like gymnasiums , tents and a vacant NBA arena , and by sending patients to regions of the state that might have precious remaining beds .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ spike in cases and hospitalizations .
All of Southern California and the 12-county San Joaquin Valley to the north have been out of regular ICU capacity for days .
California is averaging almost 44,000 newly confirmed cases a day and has recorded 525,000 in the last two weeks .
It ’ s estimated 12 % those who test positive end up in the hospital .
That means 63,000 hospitalizations from the last 14 days of cases .
The current figure is 17,190 .
The state ’ s public health department in June released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care facilities during the pandemic .
It provides detailed guidance for how to manage care decisions when resources are scarce .
The goal is the best possible outcome for the largest number of people , the document says .
The guidelines emphasize the importance of planning for crisis scenarios and of ensuring decisions are not made based on discriminatory factors such as age , race , disability , gender , socioeconomic status , insurance status .
The document outlines best practices for “ proactive triage ” that must occur when a hospital has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows the first consideration should be whether a patient is actively dying or certain to die , in which case they should only be given palliative care .
For patients not in that category , care providers are broadly asked to assess a person ’ s prognosis of survival compared to others when determining how to allocate limited resources .
Los Angeles is among the hardest hit areas of the state but its hospitals aren ’ t there yet , LA County Department of Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which means shifting around staff and equipment .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said experts have drawn “ a straight line ” between the current spikes in cases and Thanksgiving gatherings and warned people to stay home in the coming weeks .
“ If you gather for the holidays , our hospitals will be overrun , ” Garcetti said .
“ This is not a good sign , and it ’ s a recipe for a Christmas and New Year ’ s surge.
” Newsom gave Monday ’ s briefing from his home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the second time in two months after a staff member tested positive for the virus .
The governor was tested and his result came back negative .
In a rare bright note , Newsom said federal relief aid and more vaccines are both on the way .
The first 110,000 doses of the newly approved Moderna vaccine arrived in the state a week after California hospitals administered the first 70,258 doses of the Pfizer vaccine .
The explosion of cases in the last six weeks has California ’ s death toll climbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total to 22,676 , though Newsom cautioned the daily figure was likely too low because of a normal weekend reporting lag .
The state has averaged 233 deaths each day for the last 14 days .
Associated Press reporters John Antczak and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles , Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Kathleen Ronayne in Sacramento contributed to this report .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California has recorded a half-million coronavirus cases in the last two weeks, overwhelming emergency rooms in urban centers and rural areas including along the Mexican border where a small hospital system warns it is fast running out of patient beds.
The state could be facing a once-unthinkable caseload of nearly 100,000 hospitalizations within a month, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
Conditions at El Centro Regional Medical Center in the southeast corner of the state are desperate, even worse than during a summer surge that caught the attention of the governor, hospital officials said.
“We don’t have space for anybody. We’ve been holding patients for days because we can’t get them transferred, can’t get beds for them,” said Lenz, an emergency room physician at the medical center in Imperial County, home to 180,000 people.
Of the 175 patients at the hospital on Monday, 131 had COVID-19. The facility licensed for 161 beds has erected a 50-bed tent in its parking lot and was converting three operating rooms to virus care.
Newsom, himself quarantined for the second time in two months, said a state projection model shows previously unfathomable hospitalization numbers and he’s likely to extend his stay-at-home order for much of the state next week.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s secretary of Health and Human Services, said it’s feared entire areas of the state may run out of room even in their makeshift “surge” capacity units “by the end of the month and early in January.” In response, the state is updating its planning guide for how hospitals would ration care if everyone can’t get the treatment they need, he said.
“Our goal is to make sure those plans are in place, but work hard to make sure no one has to put them into place anywhere in California,” Ghaly said.
It hopes to accomplish that by beefing up temporary staffing, opening makeshift hospitals in places like gymnasiums, tents and a vacant NBA arena, and by sending patients to regions of the state that might have precious remaining beds.
California is enduring by far its worst spike in cases and hospitalizations. All of Southern California and the 12-county San Joaquin Valley to the north have been out of regular ICU capacity for days.
California is averaging almost 44,000 newly confirmed cases a day and has recorded 525,000 in the last two weeks. It’s estimated 12% those who test positive end up in the hospital. That means 63,000 hospitalizations from the last 14 days of cases. The current figure is 17,190.
The state’s public health department in June released crisis planning guidelines for hospitals and other care facilities during the pandemic. It provides detailed guidance for how to manage care decisions when resources are scarce.
The goal is the best possible outcome for the largest number of people, the document says.
The guidelines emphasize the importance of planning for crisis scenarios and of ensuring decisions are not made based on discriminatory factors such as age, race, disability, gender, socioeconomic status, insurance status.
The document outlines best practices for “proactive triage” that must occur when a hospital has exhausted its resources. A basic graphic shows the first consideration should be whether a patient is actively dying or certain to die, in which case they should only be given palliative care.
For patients not in that category, care providers are broadly asked to assess a person’s prognosis of survival compared to others when determining how to allocate limited resources.
Los Angeles is among the hardest hit areas of the state but its hospitals aren’t there yet, LA County Department of Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said Monday. They are in the contingency stage, which means shifting around staff and equipment.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said experts have drawn “a straight line” between the current spikes in cases and Thanksgiving gatherings and warned people to stay home in the coming weeks.
“If you gather for the holidays, our hospitals will be overrun,” Garcetti said. “This is not a good sign, and it’s a recipe for a Christmas and New Year’s surge.”
Newsom gave Monday’s briefing from his home as he began a 10-day quarantine Sunday for the second time in two months after a staff member tested positive for the virus. The governor was tested and his result came back negative.
In a rare bright note, Newsom said federal relief aid and more vaccines are both on the way. The first 110,000 doses of the newly approved Moderna vaccine arrived in the state a week after California hospitals administered the first 70,258 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
The explosion of cases in the last six weeks has California’s death toll climbing. Another 83 fatalities reported Sunday raised the total to 22,676, though Newsom cautioned the daily figure was likely too low because of a normal weekend reporting lag.
The state has averaged 233 deaths each day for the last 14 days.
___
Associated Press reporters John Antczak and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Kathleen Ronayne in Sacramento contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--New Mexico State University grows brand with official coffee

LAS CRUCES , N.M. ( AP ) - New Mexico State University is growing its brand with a new coffee .
Named after the desert peak that looms over the Las Cruces campus , “ A ” Mountain Roast adds to the school ’ s collection of collegiate-licensed products .
NMSU already has official beer , wine and whiskey .
The school announced the new coffee and its partnership with California-based Estas Manos Coffee Roasters on Monday , saying the company has New Mexico roots and is currently operating in Las Cruces .
The coffee will be available online , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Las Cruces retailers beginning Tuesday .
A portion of the proceeds will support more than 400 student athletes .
Athletic Director Mario Moccia said he ’ s been looking forward to having an official Aggie coffee for some time .
“ With NMSU ’ s position as the state ’ s land-grant institution and our history of agriculture , the collaboration makes perfect sense , ” he said in a statement .
Estas Manos was founded in 2018 by Nicholas Gonzales , along with business partner Leandra Gamboa .
The company works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latin America through sustainable coffee sourcing and production .
Gamboa is from Las Cruces and a graduate of NMSU .
She and Gonzales met in law school in San Francisco .
Gonzales described the roast as bold with a smooth finish .
He said he hopes it sparks Aggie spirit and inspires thoughts of “ A ” Mountain .
The landmark has been part of NMSU history for decades .
Since the 1920s , the football field-sized “ A ” atop Tortugas Mountain has been maintained by the university .
Each year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coat of fresh paint to mark the beginning of a new spring semester .

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico State University is growing its brand with a new coffee.
Named after the desert peak that looms over the Las Cruces campus, “A” Mountain Roast adds to the school’s collection of collegiate-licensed products. NMSU already has official beer, wine and whiskey.
The school announced the new coffee and its partnership with California-based Estas Manos Coffee Roasters on Monday, saying the company has New Mexico roots and is currently operating in Las Cruces. The coffee will be available online, at Estas Manos popup locations and at other Las Cruces retailers beginning Tuesday.
A portion of the proceeds will support more than 400 student athletes.
Athletic Director Mario Moccia said he’s been looking forward to having an official Aggie coffee for some time.
“With NMSU’s position as the state’s land-grant institution and our history of agriculture, the collaboration makes perfect sense,” he said in a statement.
Estas Manos was founded in 2018 by Nicholas Gonzales, along with business partner Leandra Gamboa. The company works to help farmers and farming communities in Latin America through sustainable coffee sourcing and production. Gamboa is from Las Cruces and a graduate of NMSU. She and Gonzales met in law school in San Francisco.
Gonzales described the roast as bold with a smooth finish. He said he hopes it sparks Aggie spirit and inspires thoughts of “A” Mountain.
The landmark has been part of NMSU history for decades. Since the 1920s, the football field-sized “A” atop Tortugas Mountain has been maintained by the university. Each year, students give the “A” a coat of fresh paint to mark the beginning of a new spring semester.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Consumer relief: COVID bill to end 'surprise' medical bills

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - People with private health insurance will see the nasty shock of “ surprise ” medical bills virtually gone , thanks to the coronavirus compromise passed by Congress .
The charges that can run from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars come from doctors and hospitals that are outside the network of a patient ’ s health insurance plan .
It ’ s estimated that about 1 in 5 emergency visits and 1 in 6 inpatient admissions will trigger a surprise bill .
Although lawmakers of both parties long agreed that the practice amounted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors and insurers had thwarted a compromise , allowing the impasse to become a symbol of dysfunction in Washington .
“ This has been a profoundly distressing pocketbook issue for families for years , ” said Karen Pollitz , a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation .
“ Some of these bills are onerous , and they all strike people as completely unfair.
” The compromise would take patients and their families out of the financial crosshairs by limiting what they can be billed for out-of-network services to a fee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The amount consumers pay would get counted toward their in-network annual deductible .
Insurers and service providers would submit their billing disputes to an independent dispute resolution process , which will follow certain guidelines .
The main provisions of the legislation would take effect Jan. 1 , 2022 .
“ Generally speaking , keeping the consumer out of it and forcing the providers to be the ones to settle is a positive , ” said Eagan Kemp , a policy expert with Public Citizen , a liberal advocacy group .
Although states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , federal action was needed because states do not have jurisdiction over large employer plans that cover tens of millions of workers and their families .
Key elements of the legislation would : - Hold patients harmless from surprise bills stemming from emergency medical care .
That would apply if the patient is seen at an out-of-network facility , or if they are treated by an out-of-network clinician at an in-network hospital .
In either case , the patient could only be billed based on their plan ’ s in-network rate .
- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a planned procedure when an out-of-network clinician gets involved .
This can happen when a surgeon is called in to assist in the operating room , or if the anesthesiologist on duty is not part of the patient ’ s plan .
- Generally require out-of-network service providers to give patients 72-hour notice of their estimated charges .
Patients would have to agree to receive out-of-network care for the hospital or doctor to then bill them .
- Bar air ambulance services from sending patients surprise bills for more than the in-network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have become a bigger problem in states where patients have to travel long distances to get to the best hospitals .
However , ground ambulance services will not face the same restrictions , and the legislation only calls for more study of their billing practices .
The compromise legislation involved two years of work from dozens of lawmakers of both parties and key committees , including Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means in the House , and Health , Education , Labor and Pensions in the Senate .
Surprise bills hit patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable - after a medical emergency or following a complex surgical procedure .
Often patients are able to negotiate lower charges by working with their insurers and the medical provider .
But the process usually takes months , adding stress and anxiety .
Sometimes it doesn ’ t work out and the bills are sent to collection agencies .
“ Our constituents have done everything right at the doctor ’ s office or hospital yet still found themselves stuck with surprise medical bills , sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hassan , D-N.H. , and Bill Cassidy , R-La .
“ And frequently , they have to fight these bills at the same time they are facing a medical crisis.
” According to the Kaiser Foundation , 18 % of emergency visits lead to at least one out-of-network charge for people covered by large employers , as do 16 % of in-network inpatient admissions .
New York and Texas have among the highest rates .
The problem is a direct of result of high health care costs .
To try to keep premiums @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hospitals and doctors who agree in advance on payment levels .
But some high-demand clinicians , such as emergency room doctors and anesthesiologists , have an incentive to stay out of at least some networks , trying to maximize their earning power .
That dynamic has grown more complicated as profit-seeking investors buy out medical practices that have greater billing leverage .
Insurers were cool to the compromise , saying the structure of the dispute resolution process could lead to higher payouts that then feed premium increases .
Some Democrats had advocated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billing disputes , but that struck Republicans and other Democrats as too close to government rate setting .
“ Our for-profit health care system really allows companies to make money in the different gaps of the system , ” said Kemp , the health care advocate from Public Citizen .
“ This is a hopeful day .
I thought between the insurers and the providers , there wasn ’ t going to be surprise billing legislation passed.
” Public programs like Medicare and Medicaid prohibit or restrict such billing practices .

WASHINGTON (AP) - People with private health insurance will see the nasty shock of “surprise” medical bills virtually gone, thanks to the coronavirus compromise passed by Congress.
The charges that can run from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars come from doctors and hospitals that are outside the network of a patient’s health insurance plan. It’s estimated that about 1 in 5 emergency visits and 1 in 6 inpatient admissions will trigger a surprise bill.
Although lawmakers of both parties long agreed that the practice amounted to abusive billing, a lobbying war between doctors and insurers had thwarted a compromise, allowing the impasse to become a symbol of dysfunction in Washington.
“This has been a profoundly distressing pocketbook issue for families for years,” said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “Some of these bills are onerous, and they all strike people as completely unfair.”
The compromise would take patients and their families out of the financial crosshairs by limiting what they can be billed for out-of-network services to a fee that’s based on in-network charges. The amount consumers pay would get counted toward their in-network annual deductible.
Insurers and service providers would submit their billing disputes to an independent dispute resolution process, which will follow certain guidelines. The main provisions of the legislation would take effect Jan. 1, 2022.
“Generally speaking, keeping the consumer out of it and forcing the providers to be the ones to settle is a positive,” said Eagan Kemp, a policy expert with Public Citizen, a liberal advocacy group. Although states have been moving to curb surprise billing, federal action was needed because states do not have jurisdiction over large employer plans that cover tens of millions of workers and their families.
Key elements of the legislation would:
- Hold patients harmless from surprise bills stemming from emergency medical care. That would apply if the patient is seen at an out-of-network facility, or if they are treated by an out-of-network clinician at an in-network hospital. In either case, the patient could only be billed based on their plan’s in-network rate.
- Protect patients admitted to an in-network hospital for a planned procedure when an out-of-network clinician gets involved. This can happen when a surgeon is called in to assist in the operating room, or if the anesthesiologist on duty is not part of the patient’s plan.
- Generally require out-of-network service providers to give patients 72-hour notice of their estimated charges. Patients would have to agree to receive out-of-network care for the hospital or doctor to then bill them.
- Bar air ambulance services from sending patients surprise bills for more than the in-network cost sharing amount. Air ambulance charges have become a bigger problem in states where patients have to travel long distances to get to the best hospitals. However, ground ambulance services will not face the same restrictions, and the legislation only calls for more study of their billing practices.
The compromise legislation involved two years of work from dozens of lawmakers of both parties and key committees, including Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means in the House, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in the Senate.
Surprise bills hit patients and their families when they are most vulnerable - after a medical emergency or following a complex surgical procedure. Often patients are able to negotiate lower charges by working with their insurers and the medical provider. But the process usually takes months, adding stress and anxiety. Sometimes it doesn’t work out and the bills are sent to collection agencies.
“Our constituents have done everything right at the doctor’s office or hospital yet still found themselves stuck with surprise medical bills, sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars,” said Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Bill Cassidy, R-La. “And frequently, they have to fight these bills at the same time they are facing a medical crisis.”
According to the Kaiser Foundation, 18% of emergency visits lead to at least one out-of-network charge for people covered by large employers, as do 16% of in-network inpatient admissions. New York and Texas have among the highest rates.
The problem is a direct of result of high health care costs. To try to keep premiums in check, insurers set up networks of hospitals and doctors who agree in advance on payment levels. But some high-demand clinicians, such as emergency room doctors and anesthesiologists, have an incentive to stay out of at least some networks, trying to maximize their earning power. That dynamic has grown more complicated as profit-seeking investors buy out medical practices that have greater billing leverage.
Insurers were cool to the compromise, saying the structure of the dispute resolution process could lead to higher payouts that then feed premium increases. Some Democrats had advocated using a predetermined price list to resolve billing disputes, but that struck Republicans and other Democrats as too close to government rate setting.
“Our for-profit health care system really allows companies to make money in the different gaps of the system,” said Kemp, the health care advocate from Public Citizen. “This is a hopeful day. I thought between the insurers and the providers, there wasn’t going to be surprise billing legislation passed.”
Public programs like Medicare and Medicaid prohibit or restrict such billing practices.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Premium oil and gas tracts in short supply in New Mexico

SANTA FE , N.M. ( AP ) - There are fewer premium tracts available for leasing by oil and gas developers on state trust land in the Permian Basin , and New Mexico land managers say that ’ s having an effect on revenues generated by monthly lease sales .
The State Land Office said Monday that lease sales netted nearly $ 17 million for the year , marking a decrease of nearly 68 % when compared to 2019 .
The sale completed earlier this month brought in more than $ 2.3 million for 2,880 acres .
After the December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust land mineral estate in the premium part of the Permian Basin is available to be leased , according to the agency .
Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said that means all or almost all of the premium trust land tracts could be held by a lease within the next few years .
“ The State Land Office has taken action to assure that we are making as much money for our beneficiaries as possible from the land that we still have available , ” she said , pointing to the implementation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gas sales .
Revenues generated from the drilling and other development on state trust land is used to fund public schools , colleges and hospitals .
Each acre leased for oil and gas exploration has an assigned beneficiary institution , with the payment for lease bonus sales as well as the subsequent royalties on oil and gas production directly benefiting that beneficiary .
Despite the record drop in prices earlier this year and the economic fallout stemming from the pandemic , industry officials say the Permian Basin has remained productive .

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - There are fewer premium tracts available for leasing by oil and gas developers on state trust land in the Permian Basin, and New Mexico land managers say that’s having an effect on revenues generated by monthly lease sales.
The State Land Office said Monday that lease sales netted nearly $17 million for the year, marking a decrease of nearly 68% when compared to 2019. The sale completed earlier this month brought in more than $2.3 million for 2,880 acres.
After the December sale, only 9% of state trust land mineral estate in the premium part of the Permian Basin is available to be leased, according to the agency.
Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said that means all or almost all of the premium trust land tracts could be held by a lease within the next few years.
“The State Land Office has taken action to assure that we are making as much money for our beneficiaries as possible from the land that we still have available,” she said, pointing to the implementation of minimum bids for all trust land oil and gas sales.
Revenues generated from the drilling and other development on state trust land is used to fund public schools, colleges and hospitals. Each acre leased for oil and gas exploration has an assigned beneficiary institution, with the payment for lease bonus sales as well as the subsequent royalties on oil and gas production directly benefiting that beneficiary.
Despite the record drop in prices earlier this year and the economic fallout stemming from the pandemic, industry officials say the Permian Basin has remained productive.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--California desperately searches for more nurses and doctors

SAN FRANCISCO ( AP ) - Since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S. , Sara Houze has been on the road - going from one hospital to another to care for COVID-19 patients on the brink of death .
A cardiac intensive care nurse from Washington , D.C. , with expertise in heart rhythm , airway and pain management , her skills are in great demand as infections and hospitalizations skyrocket nationwide .
Houze is among more than 500 nurses , doctors and other medical staff California has brought in and deployed to hospitals that are running out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases .
Her six-week assignment started Monday in San Bernardino , about 60 miles ( 97 kilometers ) east of Los Angeles , and she anticipates working 14-hour shifts with a higher-than-usual caseload .
San Bernardino County has 1,545 people in hospitals and more than 125 are in makeshift “ surge ” beds , which are being used because regular hospital space isn ’ t available .
“ I expect patients to die .
That ’ s been my experience : they die , I put them in body bags , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes , ” Houze said .
Much of California has exhausted its usual ability to staff intensive care beds , and the nation ’ s most populated state is desperately searching for 3,000 temporary medical workers to meet demand .
State officials are reaching out to foreign partners in places like Australia and Taiwan amid a shortage of temporary medical workers in the U.S. , particularly nurses trained in critical care .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said the state has relationships with countries that provide aid during crises such as wildfires .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we have surges all across the country , so nobody has many nurses to spare , ” said Dr. Janet Coffman , a professor of public policy at the University of California , San Francisco .
California hospitals typically turn to staffing agencies during flu season , when they rely on travel nurses to meet patient care needs .
It is the only state in the nation with strict nurse-to-patient ratios requiring hospitals to provide one nurse for every two patients in intensive care and one nurse for every four patients in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those ratio requirements are being waived at many hospitals as virus cases surge .
But the pool of available travel nurses is drying up as demand for them jumped to 44 % over the last month , with California , Texas , Florida , New York and Minnesota requesting the most extra staff , according to San Diego-based health care staffing firm Aya Healthcare .
It is one of two companies contracted by California to fulfill hospitals ’ staffing requests .
“ We are hiring like crazy and working insane hours , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of account management at Aya Healthcare .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , California ’ s Health and Human Services secretary , said the state is “ lucky to get two-thirds ” of its requests for travel nurses fulfilled right now .
It ’ s a sharp contrast from the spring , when Newsom ordered the nation ’ s first stay-at-home order .
As infection rates slowed and hospitals voluntarily suspended elective surgeries for weeks , health care providers from California flew to New York to help their overworked colleagues .
This time , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergencies , said Jan Emerson-Shea , a spokeswoman for the California Hospital Association .
California also has opened alternative care facilities for people with less serious illnesses to save hospital beds for the sickest patients .
That also means hospitals have fewer nurses to deploy to ICUs from other units , Coffman said .
And many health workers became infected or have had to quarantine because they were exposed to someone with COVID-19 during the surge , she said .
Another factor is the dip in the number of nurses 60 and older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 320,000 registered nurses , many older nurses told researchers at UCSF ’ s Healthforce Center that they stopped working out of concern for their or their family ’ s health , said Joanne Spetz , the center ’ s associate director of research .
Houze , 50 , said she ’ s able to travel to work because her twin sons are in college but not without contracting a mild case of COVID-19 somewhere along the way .
On Monday , more than 17,000 people were hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached in July - and a state model that uses current data to forecast future trends shows the number could reach nearly 100,000 by January .
More than 3,600 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care units .
Dr. Marc Futernick , an emergency room physician in Los Angeles who is on the board of the California chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians , helped set up a Los Angeles surge hospital last spring .
Now , he ’ s fielding texts and phone calls asking when it will reopen .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open again .
There would be no way to staff it , ” he said .
Ghaly , head of state Health and Human Services , said entire areas of California may run out of room even in surge capacity units “ by the end of the month and early in January.
” It ’ s trying to avoid that by opening makeshift hospitals in places like gymnasiums , tents and a vacant NBA arena , and sending patients to parts of the state with empty beds .
Newsom this spring sought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid volunteer California Health Corps , and he touted the many thousands who signed up .
But with cases skyrocketing now , just 28 members are working at 13 facilities .
The number has dwindled even after Newsom made repeated appeals for more retired medical professionals to sign up .
The state is updating its planning guide for how hospitals would ration care if everyone can ’ t get the treatment they need .
A document recently circulated among doctors at the four hospitals run by Los Angeles County calls for them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to save a life , their goal during the crisis is to save as many patients as possible .
That means those less likely to survive won ’ t get the same kind of care offered in normal times .
Houze said her online community of nurses is offering webinars about moral distress because many of them have had to change the way they care for patients .
“ The patients that aren ’ t yet intubated , and even the ones intubated , aren ’ t getting the kind of nursing care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our resources are so limited and time is taxed , ” she said .
“ It ’ s really disheartening.
” Associated Press writer Don Thompson in Sacramento contributed to this report .

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - With so many states seeing a flood of coronavirus patients, U.S. hospitals are again worried about finding enough medical workers to meet demand just as infections from the holiday season threaten to add to the burden on American health care.
California, which is enduring by far its worst spike in cases and hospitalizations, is reaching out to places like Australia and Taiwan to fill the need for 3,000 temporary medical workers, particularly nurses trained in critical care.
“We’re now in a situation where we have surges all across the country, so nobody has many nurses to spare,” said Dr. Janet Coffman, a professor of public policy at the University of California in San Francisco.
Hospitals in some states have enlisted retired nurses and students. In Alabama, more than 120 students and faculty members from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s nursing school began helping with care last week at UAB Hospital.
“I know our biggest concern is staff, even more concerned about that than physical beds and physical ICU units,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday.
Elected leaders and health officials across the U.S. are asking people to stay home for the holidays while also trying show the public that the COVID-19 vaccines trickling out to health care workers and nursing home residents are safe.
A day after getting vaccinated on live television, President-elect Joe Biden said Tuesday that he has full confidence in the vaccine. He also thanked front-line workers, scientists, researchers and clinical trial participants while urging Americans to avoid large gatherings over the Christmas holidays.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, received the initial dose of the newest vaccine, produced by Moderna, alongside other federal health leaders who helped oversee its development.
Fauci told “Good Morning America” on Tuesday that he expects to start vaccinating the general population in late March or early April and that most Americans will have access to the injections by mid-summer.
Also on Tuesday, Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, said she planned to retire, but she is willing to first help Biden’s team as needed. Birx, in an interview with the news site Newsy, did not give a specific timetable on her plans.
The medical worker staffing shortages are happening as some states report a record number of deaths. Both Mississippi and West Virginia surpassed their previous highs for virus deaths reported in a single day on Tuesday while Arizona saw its second-highest daily increase during the pandemic.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tested positive for the virus and was to receive outpatient antibody treatment for “mild symptoms,” his office said Tuesday.
In Tennessee, which is seeing the nation’s worst new COVID-19 infection surge per capita, the state health commissioner has warned that combining the Thanksgiving surge with another would “completely break our hospitals.”
Deaths in Florida’s nursing homes doubled during the Thanksgiving holiday, according to statistics gathered by AARP. The rise drew concern from advocates also worried about gatherings over Christmas and other year-end celebrations.
“There is nothing to celebrate. The national average is a catastrophe,” said Dave Bruns, the spokesperson for AARP Florida.
Much of California has exhausted its usual ability to staff intensive care beds. All of Southern California and the 12-county San Joaquin Valley to the north have been out of regular ICU capacity for days.
An emergency room physician in Los Angeles who helped set up a surge hospital last spring said there are no plans to reopen it. “There would be no way to staff it,” said Dr. Marc Futernick.
California hospitals typically turn to staffing agencies during flu season, when they rely on travel nurses to meet patient care needs.
But the pool of available travel nurses is drying up as demand for them jumped 44% over the last month, with California, Texas, Florida, New York and Minnesota requesting the most extra staff, according to San Diego-based health care staffing firm Aya Healthcare.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Health and Human Services secretary, said the state is “lucky to get two-thirds” of its requests for travel nurses fulfilled right now.
It’s a sharp contrast from the spring, when health care providers from California flew to New York to help their overworked colleagues.
Ghaly said entire areas of California may run out of room even in surge capacity units “by the end of the month and early in January.” It’s trying to avoid that by opening makeshift hospitals in places like gymnasiums, tents and a vacant NBA arena, and sending patients to parts of the state with empty beds.
While larger hospital systems can stretch their staff, some smaller or unaffiliated hospitals do not have that ability and are a priority for state staffing assistance particularly with nurses and respiratory therapists, he said.
Sara Houze, a traveling cardiac intensive care nurse from Washington, D.C., began a new assignment this week caring for COVID-19 patients on the brink of death in San Bernardino, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.
She said her online community of nurses is offering webinars about moral distress because many of them have had to change the way they care for patients.
“The patients that aren’t yet intubated, and even the ones intubated, aren’t getting the kind of nursing care that I want to give them because our resources are so limited and time is taxed,” she said. “It’s really disheartening.”
___
Associated Press reporters from around the U.S. contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--COVID-19 claims 3 more Alabama inmates, total deaths top 50

MONTGOMERY , Ala. ( AP ) - Three more Alabama inmates have died after contracting COVID-19 , bringing the system ’ s total number of inmate deaths from the illness to more than 50 , the Department of Corrections said .
The deaths of Larry Gene Knight , 72 ; Dennis Guyton , 73 ; and Danny Charles Cunningham , 68 , who all had other health problems , brought Alabama ’ s total number of inmate fatalities from the pandemic to 52 , and two employees have died , according to department statistics .
That ranks fifth in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of COVID-19 deaths per 10,000 inmates , according to figures compiled by The Associated Press and the Marshall Project .
About 10 % of the 10,858 Alabama inmates who have been screened for the new coronavirus have tested positive .
The largest concentration of inmates sickened by the new coronavirus is at Bibb Correctional Facility , where 163 prisoners and 48 employees have tested positive .
While the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people , it can be deadly for people with serious underlying health problems and the @ @

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Three more Alabama inmates have died after contracting COVID-19, bringing the system’s total number of inmate deaths from the illness to more than 50, the Department of Corrections said.
The deaths of Larry Gene Knight, 72; Dennis Guyton, 73; and Danny Charles Cunningham, 68, who all had other health problems, brought Alabama’s total number of inmate fatalities from the pandemic to 52, and two employees have died, according to department statistics.
That ranks fifth in the country, tied with Kentucky, for the number of COVID-19 deaths per 10,000 inmates, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press and the Marshall Project.
About 10% of the 10,858 Alabama inmates who have been screened for the new coronavirus have tested positive. The largest concentration of inmates sickened by the new coronavirus is at Bibb Correctional Facility, where 163 prisoners and 48 employees have tested positive.
While the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, it can be deadly for people with serious underlying health problems and the elderly.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--New dorms at University of Maryland honor students of color

COLLEGE PARK , Md .
( AP ) - Officials at the University of Maryland in College Park say they @ @ @ @ @ halls after former students who helped diversify the campus in the 19th and 20th centuries @ @ @ @ @ Monday that Whittle-Johnson Hall will honor two people .
One is Hiram Whittle .
In @ @ @ @ @ first Black man to be admitted to the university .
The other is Elaine Johnson @ @ @ @ @ she became the first Black woman to graduate with an undergraduate degree .
Another building @ @ @ @ @ Su and Chunjen Constant Chen .
It will be called Pyon-Chen Hall .
Pyon served @ @ @ @ @ before moving to the United States .
In 1891 , he became the first Korean @ @ @ @ @ from the Maryland Agricultural College , which is now the University of Maryland .
Chen @ @ @ @ @ to enroll at the college in 1915 .
Both residence halls are scheduled to open @ @ @ @ @ .
They will house 900 first- and second-year students .

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Officials at the University of Maryland in College Park say they will name two new residence halls after former students who helped diversify the campus in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Washington Post reported Monday that Whittle-Johnson Hall will honor two people.
One is Hiram Whittle. In 1951, he was the first Black man to be admitted to the university. The other is Elaine Johnson Coates. In 1959, she became the first Black woman to graduate with an undergraduate degree.
Another building will pay tribute to Pyon Su and Chunjen Constant Chen. It will be called Pyon-Chen Hall.
Pyon served as a diplomat in Korea before moving to the United States. In 1891, he became the first Korean student to receive a degree from the Maryland Agricultural College, which is now the University of Maryland. Chen became the first Chinese student to enroll at the college in 1915.
Both residence halls are scheduled to open during the 2021-2022 school year. They will house 900 first- and second-year students.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Ex-team owner sentenced in rape case in 1 of several probes

SEATTLE ( AP ) - The former owner of a Seattle professional indoor soccer team has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for a Kirkland rape and faces additional prison time when he ’ s expected to plead guilty to orchestrating a federal tax fraud scheme .
A change-of-plea hearing for Dion Earl has been set for Jan. 11 in the tax fraud case , The Seattle Times reported .
It should bring to an end three major criminal investigations into Earl that so far have resulted in over 14 years of prison time .
The former owner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison term in Arizona for sexually assaulting two women there .
Earl pleaded guilty in September to a charge of felony rape in Kirkland , dating back to September 2009 .
A massage parlor attendant told Kirkland police she ’ d been raped after-hours by a customer not previously known to her but who was later identified as Earl .
Earl initially denied raping the woman and then claimed they ’ d had consensual sex .
Police let the case lapse and then closed it , citing a lack of evidence , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest in Arizona .
King County prosecutors had recommended the 33-month term as part of a plea agreement reached with Earl .
He also must register as a sex offender and pay financial restitution to the woman .
Earl came under scrutiny in 2014 when he became owner of the Impact team in the Major Arena Soccer League .
After just one regular-season game , 22 of his players walked out on him when two members of the Impact ’ s all-female dance team accused Earl of sexually assaulting them .
The King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case for a lack of evidence , though the two dancers and four other former team staffers later won almost $ 1 million in damages and court fees from Earl in a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault , harassment and unfair treatment by him .
In the tax case , he ’ s accused of bilking the government of $ 1.1 million by misstating revenues from the Impact , other businesses and interest he paid on mortgages .

SEATTLE (AP) - The former owner of a Seattle professional indoor soccer team has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for a Kirkland rape and faces additional prison time when he’s expected to plead guilty to orchestrating a federal tax fraud scheme.
A change-of-plea hearing for Dion Earl has been set for Jan. 11 in the tax fraud case, The Seattle Times reported.
It should bring to an end three major criminal investigations into Earl that so far have resulted in over 14 years of prison time. The former owner of the Seattle Impact is serving a 12-year prison term in Arizona for sexually assaulting two women there. Earl pleaded guilty in September to a charge of felony rape in Kirkland, dating back to September 2009.
A massage parlor attendant told Kirkland police she’d been raped after-hours by a customer not previously known to her but who was later identified as Earl.
Earl initially denied raping the woman and then claimed they’d had consensual sex. Police let the case lapse and then closed it, citing a lack of evidence, before reopening it shortly after Earl’s arrest in Arizona.
King County prosecutors had recommended the 33-month term as part of a plea agreement reached with Earl. He also must register as a sex offender and pay financial restitution to the woman.
Earl came under scrutiny in 2014 when he became owner of the Impact team in the Major Arena Soccer League. After just one regular-season game, 22 of his players walked out on him when two members of the Impact’s all-female dance team accused Earl of sexually assaulting them.
The King County Sheriff’s Office dropped that case for a lack of evidence, though the two dancers and four other former team staffers later won almost $1 million in damages and court fees from Earl in a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault, harassment and unfair treatment by him.
In the tax case, he’s accused of bilking the government of $1.1 million by misstating revenues from the Impact, other businesses and interest he paid on mortgages.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Man guilty of manslaughter in crash that killed woman, child

ALBANY , Ore. ( AP ) - A jury in Albany has found a Sweet Home man guilty of manslaughter @ @ @ @ @ woman and child in a drunken driving crash .
Brian McIntire , 30 , was @ @ @ @ @ County Circuit Court of two counts of first-degree manslaughter , one count of assault and @ @ @ @ @ intoxicants , KEZI-TV reported .
Stormy Barge , 24 , and her 5-year-old daughter , @ @ @ @ @ a crash on July 23 , 2019 .
The Linn County Sheriff ’ s Office @ @ @ @ @ 1999 Jeep Wrangler east of Crawfordsville when it left its lane and collided with a @ @ @ @ @ Ty Kirkland .
Stormy Barge and her two children were passengers in the Mitsubishi .
@ @ @ @ @ 3 , were injured in the crash .

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - A jury in Albany has found a Sweet Home man guilty of manslaughter in the deaths of a woman and child in a drunken driving crash.
Brian McIntire, 30, was convicted on Monday in Linn County Circuit Court of two counts of first-degree manslaughter, one count of assault and driving under the influence of intoxicants, KEZI-TV reported.
Stormy Barge, 24, and her 5-year-old daughter, Emma Pulido, died after a crash on July 23, 2019.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said McIntire was driving a 1999 Jeep Wrangler east of Crawfordsville when it left its lane and collided with a southbound Mitsubishi Lancer driven by Ty Kirkland. Stormy Barge and her two children were passengers in the Mitsubishi. Kirkland and Macy Pulido, 3, were injured in the crash.
Sentencing is set for mid-January.


washingtontimes--2020-12-22--Three dead after wrong-way wreck near West Branch

WEST BRANCH , Iowa ( AP ) - An investigation continues into a wrong-way accident that killed three people on @ @ @ @ @ The Des Moines Register reports that the accident happened about 4:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate @ @ @ @ @ West Branch in Cedar County .
The Iowa State Patrol says 20-year-old Eric Nunez of @ @ @ @ @ driving a 2015 Nissan Altima eastbound in the westbound lanes when the car struck a @ @ @ @ @ 70-year-old Robert Larson of West Liberty .
Nunez , Robert Larson and Teresa Larson , @ @ @ @ @ Liberty , all died in the crash .

WEST BRANCH, Iowa (AP) - An investigation continues into a wrong-way accident that killed three people on an Iowa interstate highway.
The Des Moines Register reports that the accident happened about 4:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate 80 near the town of West Branch in Cedar County.
The Iowa State Patrol says 20-year-old Eric Nunez of Plano, Illinois, was driving a 2015 Nissan Altima eastbound in the westbound lanes when the car struck a Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 70-year-old Robert Larson of West Liberty.
Nunez, Robert Larson and Teresa Larson, 68, also of West Liberty, all died in the crash.