washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Urban schools ready to reopen; rural districts are mixed

ST. PAUL , MInn. ( AP ) - New state guidance that will enable Minnesota ’ s youngest learners to head back to school next month is getting cheers from urban districts , jeers from rural schools and a mixed response from teachers .
Within hours of Gov .
Tim Walz ’ s announcement that elementary schools soon can operate at full capacity , even as coronavirus case rates remain high , some of the state ’ s largest school districts said they ’ d move as quickly as possible .
Anoka-Hennepin , Osseo , Elk River and Robbinsdale all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person schedule for grades 2 and under on Jan. 19 , with grades 3 to 5 joining them two weeks later .
St. Paul Public Schools said it will make the same transition , starting Feb. 1 .
“ We know students are more successful when they are face-to-face with their teachers and engaging socially with their peers , so we are enthusiastic about bringing our youngest scholars back under the governor ’ s revised plan and we hope case rates will continue to decline so that staff is less at risk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email Friday .
The change in state guidance means elementary school leaders no longer will have to monitor weekly reports on county-level coronavirus data when deciding whether they can open , the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported .
Under the state ’ s previous rules , Ramsey County ’ s latest case rate would have been more than five times too high for a fully in-person elementary schedule .
Metro superintendents are “ really glad that they have a new approach , ” said Deb Henton , executive director of the Minnesota Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than school leaders expected by allowing any elementary school to run at full capacity .
The onerous hybrid schedules , with students splitting learning time between home and school , no longer are required in those grades , no matter how prevalent the virus is in their counties .
“ Hybrid was a difficult model for schools to implement .
It was really hard on our teachers , ” Henton said .
Anoka-Hennepin made the hybrid schedule work but it was hard on teachers and families , spokesman Jim Skelly said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the long term , ” he said .
William Hanage , Harvard University associate professor of epidemiology , said hybrid schemes might be more risky than in-person school schedules because children who require child care outside the home come into contact with more people .
And if kids are in school every day , it ’ ll be easier to trace their contacts if there is an infection .
“ You have more power to regulate people while they ’ re in the school than you can when there ’ s an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in a room because the parents have to work , ” Hanage said in an interview .
St .
Cloud is among the few districts that still intends to use a hybrid schedule for elementary schools before transitioning to fully in-person .
Since the school year began , the state ’ s larger , urban districts have pulled back on in-person instruction as Minnesota became one of the world ’ s worst coronavirus hotspots , and with too many teachers out sick or on quarantine .
But many smaller districts have kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions to keep the virus from spreading .
Walz ’ s new guidance requires schools to be even more careful .
Teachers will have to wear face shields in addition to masks , students must stay in their primary classrooms for meals , music and art , and schools must make coronavirus testing available to staff every two weeks .
In Hawley , east of Fargo , North Dakota , elementary students have been in their classrooms full-time since September .
The school changed its schedule to allow for greater social distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunchroom .
Both Hawley schools have had outbreaks , but as of mid-December no elementary students or staff had a known infection , Superintendent Phil Jensen said .
“ It ’ s very difficult to tell your staff that now they have to wear a mask and a shield .
What we ’ ve been doing since Sept. 8 has been working , ” he said .
Jensen sees the new state guidance as helping Twin Cities schools .
He wishes state officials would pay closer attention to what the rural schools need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of frustration here in west-central Minnesota with superintendents , ” he said .
Henton said that after a call between superintendents and the state education department , she expects the state at least will relax the requirement that students eat at their desks .
Walz said the state is changing its elementary school guidance in light of evidence that there ’ s relatively little risk of young children spreading the coronavirus or getting seriously ill. Health experts agree the risk is low , as long as everyone ’ s wearing face masks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that elementary-school-age children are less likely to get infected ” and spread the virus , said Hanage , the Harvard epidemiologist .
“ It ’ s the older age groups that do a lot of transmission.
” It ’ s usually impossible to know for sure how a particular student or teacher has contracted the virus .
But the state health department ’ s best guess is that 326 public and private schools so far have had the virus spread among people inside the building .
That ’ s the number of schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staff in the building while infectious over a two-week period .
Michael Osterholm , director of the University of Minnesota ’ s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy , agrees elementary schools can safely operate while the pandemic is raging , but that middle and high schools should stay in distance learning .
He said on a recent podcast episode that young children are less likely to spread the virus or get seriously ill once infected .
Meanwhile , they ’ re suffering by trying to do school from home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being harmed by not being in school ; distance learning just isn ’ t as good .
The mental health issues , the socialization , all those things are key issues , ” he said .
As for teachers , he said , the research suggests they ’ re getting infected in the community , not in the workplace .
“ Bring ’ em back , let ’ s see how it goes , ” he said .
The public response from teachers unions has been mixed .
Education Minnesota President Denise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workable , ” as long as the state ensures safety precautions are followed .
But St. Paul teachers union leaders said they ’ re “ very concerned and disappointed ” by plans to reopen , saying the diversity of St. Paul ’ s students make those students and their families especially vulnerable to the virus .
The local union negotiated a long list of safety measures and other steps the district would take if it transitioned to a hybrid schedule , with each student in school two days a week .
But that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon running on a full-time schedule .
St. Paul schools spokesman Kevin Burns said the hybrid deal they developed with teachers will be a useful tool for ensuring schools are as safe as possible .
But he said a full-time schedule will let students and teachers do their best work .
“ We believe this is right for our students and families , ” he said .

ST. PAUL, MInn. (AP) - New state guidance that will enable Minnesota’s youngest learners to head back to school next month is getting cheers from urban districts, jeers from rural schools and a mixed response from teachers.
Within hours of Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement that elementary schools soon can operate at full capacity, even as coronavirus case rates remain high, some of the state’s largest school districts said they’d move as quickly as possible.
Anoka-Hennepin, Osseo, Elk River and Robbinsdale all said they would resume a full-time, in-person schedule for grades 2 and under on Jan. 19, with grades 3 to 5 joining them two weeks later.
St. Paul Public Schools said it will make the same transition, starting Feb. 1.
“We know students are more successful when they are face-to-face with their teachers and engaging socially with their peers, so we are enthusiastic about bringing our youngest scholars back under the governor’s revised plan and we hope case rates will continue to decline so that staff is less at risk,” Osseo spokeswoman Barb Olson said by email Friday.
The change in state guidance means elementary school leaders no longer will have to monitor weekly reports on county-level coronavirus data when deciding whether they can open, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.
Under the state’s previous rules, Ramsey County’s latest case rate would have been more than five times too high for a fully in-person elementary schedule.
Metro superintendents are “really glad that they have a new approach,” said Deb Henton, executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.
Walz went further than school leaders expected by allowing any elementary school to run at full capacity.
The onerous hybrid schedules, with students splitting learning time between home and school, no longer are required in those grades, no matter how prevalent the virus is in their counties.
“Hybrid was a difficult model for schools to implement. It was really hard on our teachers,” Henton said.
Anoka-Hennepin made the hybrid schedule work but it was hard on teachers and families, spokesman Jim Skelly said.
“It wasn’t an ideal situation for the long term,” he said.
William Hanage, Harvard University associate professor of epidemiology, said hybrid schemes might be more risky than in-person school schedules because children who require child care outside the home come into contact with more people. And if kids are in school every day, it’ll be easier to trace their contacts if there is an infection.
“You have more power to regulate people while they’re in the school than you can when there’s an ad hoc, getting a bunch of people in a room because the parents have to work,” Hanage said in an interview.
St. Cloud is among the few districts that still intends to use a hybrid schedule for elementary schools before transitioning to fully in-person.
Since the school year began, the state’s larger, urban districts have pulled back on in-person instruction as Minnesota became one of the world’s worst coronavirus hotspots, and with too many teachers out sick or on quarantine.
But many smaller districts have kept their schools open while continuing to take precautions to keep the virus from spreading.
Walz’s new guidance requires schools to be even more careful. Teachers will have to wear face shields in addition to masks, students must stay in their primary classrooms for meals, music and art, and schools must make coronavirus testing available to staff every two weeks.
Already, rural school leaders are pushing back.
In Hawley, east of Fargo, North Dakota, elementary students have been in their classrooms full-time since September. The school changed its schedule to allow for greater social distancing and is using its gymnasium as a second lunchroom.
Both Hawley schools have had outbreaks, but as of mid-December no elementary students or staff had a known infection, Superintendent Phil Jensen said.
“It’s very difficult to tell your staff that now they have to wear a mask and a shield. What we’ve been doing since Sept. 8 has been working,” he said.
Jensen sees the new state guidance as helping Twin Cities schools. He wishes state officials would pay closer attention to what the rural schools need.
“There’s a lot of frustration here in west-central Minnesota with superintendents,” he said.
Henton said that after a call between superintendents and the state education department, she expects the state at least will relax the requirement that students eat at their desks.
Walz said the state is changing its elementary school guidance in light of evidence that there’s relatively little risk of young children spreading the coronavirus or getting seriously ill.
Health experts agree the risk is low, as long as everyone’s wearing face masks.
“There’s increasingly good evidence that elementary-school-age children are less likely to get infected” and spread the virus, said Hanage, the Harvard epidemiologist. “It’s the older age groups that do a lot of transmission.”
It’s usually impossible to know for sure how a particular student or teacher has contracted the virus.
But the state health department’s best guess is that 326 public and private schools so far have had the virus spread among people inside the building. That’s the number of schools that have had five or more students and staff in the building while infectious over a two-week period.
Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, agrees elementary schools can safely operate while the pandemic is raging, but that middle and high schools should stay in distance learning.
He said on a recent podcast episode that young children are less likely to spread the virus or get seriously ill once infected. Meanwhile, they’re suffering by trying to do school from home.
“I know that 5- to 9-year-olds are being harmed by not being in school; distance learning just isn’t as good. The mental health issues, the socialization, all those things are key issues,” he said.
As for teachers, he said, the research suggests they’re getting infected in the community, not in the workplace.
“Bring ’em back, let’s see how it goes,” he said.
The public response from teachers unions has been mixed.
Education Minnesota President Denise Specht called Walz’s plan “workable,” as long as the state ensures safety precautions are followed.
But St. Paul teachers union leaders said they’re “very concerned and disappointed” by plans to reopen, saying the diversity of St. Paul’s students make those students and their families especially vulnerable to the virus.
The local union negotiated a long list of safety measures and other steps the district would take if it transitioned to a hybrid schedule, with each student in school two days a week. But that plan will be shelved with elementary schools soon running on a full-time schedule.
St. Paul schools spokesman Kevin Burns said the hybrid deal they developed with teachers will be a useful tool for ensuring schools are as safe as possible. But he said a full-time schedule will let students and teachers do their best work.
“We believe this is right for our students and families,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Shaken baby syndrome: Life of Bismarck girl changed forever

BISMARCK , N.D. ( AP ) - Kenadi Zappone will never know what it ’ s like to dash across a playground after racing down a curvy slide to the rocking horses , or kick a ball on the schoolyard grass like the other preschool children attending the Bismarck Early Childhood Education Program .
The 4-year-old won ’ t be able to watch the path of a butterfly as it floats in front of her face , or explore the sea of trees at Sertoma Park .
She won ’ t be able to learn how to play games with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say “ I love you ” as her mother , Brittany , tucks her into bed each night .
All of those childhood wonders and milestones — and the promise of a normal existence — were taken away from her on an early winter day in 2016 at the family home in Westhope , a small town northwest of Bottineau .
Authorities say her father , Matthew Zappone , shook her and struck her , breaking her ribs , fracturing her skull and damaging her brain .
“ I thought she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zappone said , referencing her daughter ’ s long fingers .
“ But I just wanted her to have a happy , healthy life.
” At not quite 3 months old , Kenadi ’ s body was disfigured , her life distorted and her family destroyed .
Shaken baby syndrome is abusive head trauma resulting from the violent shaking of an infant or child , potentially resulting in death or in a permanent disability .
About 1,300 cases are reported each year in the U.S. , mostly in babies 6 months old or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About one-fourth of child abuse-related deaths in the country are attributed to shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma , according to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome .
In North Dakota in 2018 , there were 15 confirmed victims age 3 and younger of assaults involving head injury , brain damage , skull fracture or shaken baby syndrome , according to North Dakota Child Protective Services .
There were 10 victims last year , and 11 so far this year .
For Kenadi , being a victim has meant more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to doctors , specialists and therapists each year since the assault .
She has undergone 18 surgeries , including 10 on her brain .
She is dealing with 18 medical diagnoses including epilepsy , retinal and brain hemorrhages , stroke , blood clots , fluid buildup in the brain and vision impairment .
“ Kenadi has made a lot of progress , ” said Zappone , who is now a 27-year-old divorced mother of two living in Bismarck .
“ She ’ s not talking a lot , but she is showing us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenadi undergoes vision therapy for extreme nearsightedness , it ’ s becoming clearer that she might have to use assistive technology as a means to communicate .
She ’ s learning fundamental sign language gestures or verbal noises to show she is hungry , but therapists are still determining which small communication devices with switches , blinking lights or sounds might be the most productive forms of conversing .
Along the way , Kenadi has made achievements that doctors and specialists didn ’ t think possible .
“ They said she couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crawl , she couldn ’ t eat , and she ’ s come a long way with her walking , ” Zappone said .
Kenadi is walking with the aid of a mobility harness strapped in tandem with a physical therapist .
“ If she can pull herself up , I think she will walk in the future , ” Zappone said .
“ She ’ s accomplished a lot .
She ’ s proving them all wrong.
” But Zappone estimates that her daughter still is about 1 ½ years behind where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to remind myself she has her own time frame , ” Zappone said .
“ So we might be ready , but she ’ s not.
” Along the way , Zappone has had to navigate the confusing , difficult and at times frustrating paths of medical procedures and needed pediatric therapy sessions , government social service programs , and educational needs for both Kenadi and Kohner .
“ I didn ’ t really know much back then , ” she said .
“ I learned to ask questions .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ropes.
” She also learned to build strong relationships with the nurses , doctors and specialists , and direct-support professionals caring for Kenadi in the home .
During Kenadi ’ s initial seven-week hospital stay after the assault , nurses in Fargo showed Zappone how to use the gastrostomy tube inserted in Kenadi ’ s abdomen for feeding and administering medications .
The neurosurgeon took the time to explain about Kenadi ’ s brain and the complications as a result of the trauma .
There also is a long list of family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I wouldn ’ t be able to do anything without their support , ” Zappone said .
“ I would be just running crazy.
” Zappone ’ s mom , Holly Gerou , a registered nurse , is there to help with medical advice .
Her younger brother , Michael Gerou , helps by hanging out with Kohner .
“ My little brother is a really good role model to Kohner , ” Zappone said .
“ He looks up to his uncle.
” Gerou said her daughter has “ done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put a good structure in place for her children .
She ’ s very attentive to them and she very much looks out for the kids .
I ’ m very proud of her.
” To navigate Burleigh County Social Services and the educational system of Bismarck Public Schools , Zappone enlisted the help and advocacy of the nonprofit Family Voices of North Dakota and also Special Health Services , a division of the North Dakota Department of Health .
Special Health Services assists her with Medicaid and the acquiring of necessary medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bed , a standing chair with braces , and specific medications and feeding formulas .
Family Voices of North Dakota has advocated for Kenadi ’ s and Kohner ’ s needed accommodations in school .
Kenadi this year is attending the Bismarck Early Childhood Education Program four days a week on an Individual Education Program , with a one-on-one aide in the classroom in addition to physical therapy , occupational therapy and speech therapy services .
Kohner , diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder , speech delay and possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special education services in the school .
Zappone and the school will implement an Individual Learning Plan .
He is continuing his education at home through the distance learning program the school district implemented last spring after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ You need somebody other than a parent , ” Zappone said .
“ It seems like it ’ s more powerful if you have that advocate behind you saying , ‘ Hey , this parent has the right to do this , and you need to listen.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Family Voices of North Dakota , has been in the family ’ s corner since Zappone began living in Minot after the assault in 2016 .
Peterson said she admires Zappone for growing her knowledge about the demands of children with special needs and learning how to manage her family .
“ She was a broken woman when I met her , ” Peterson said .
“ She ’ s not broken anymore.
” Zappone now uses her experience and knowledge to help others .
She has joined Brain Relief Warriors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering advice on various topics .
“ By helping those parents get through the process that I had to figure out by myself , it makes me feel like I ’ m doing something right , ” she said .
Matthew Zappone , 32 , was sentenced on Nov. 12 , 2018 , to serve two years in prison for felony assault .
He was released from the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown on Sept. 2 .
He will be on supervised probation for three years , can ’ t contact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an offender against children for the next 15 years .
He also must pay more than $ 45,000 in restitution .
The Tribune made multiple attempts to contact him and his attorney for comment over a six-week period .
They did not respond to numerous messages .
“ But he shouldn ’ t be in prison for the rest of his life , either , ” she said .
“ The only thing I hope for going forward is the kids get the best care possible .
They are doing extremely well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his release from prison , Matthew Zappone signed the paperwork severing his parental rights to Kohner and Kenadi .
A day later on a hot , humid afternoon , a small group of family and friends gathered in the backyard of Brittany Zappone ’ s Bismarck home to celebrate Kenadi ’ s fourth birthday .
Kohner , wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and showing a smile just as bright , raced from inside the house and across the yard to his little sister sitting in a wheelchair under a large shade tree .
Trailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and butterflies .
Excited , he tried to hand them to her uncooperative hands before Zappone took the anchored balloon cluster and placed them beside the wheelchair .
The bright colors attracted Kenadi ’ s gaze .
Noticing , Zappone placed the strings in the clutch of Kenadi ’ s left hand .
The rapid , involuntary movement of her arm caused the balloons to surround her head and brush against her cheeks .
Later , Kenadi giggled and smiled as she kicked and splashed in a pool with the help of others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she had been dressed for her special day in a blue dress with large blooming roses , tied with a red satin sash and draped with a delicate layer of white tulle to fancy it up .
“ It says Kenadi , ” Zappone said about the new dress .
“ It ’ s so bright .
So bright.
” Trying to be as realistic as possible , Zappone sees her daughter being in public school until the age of 21 , and living with her throughout her lifetime .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she more than certainly can , ” Zappone said .
“ I ’ m not going to put a whole bunch of boundaries on her.
” Zappone can envision Kenadi with multiple care-givers , and with that could come freedom for both daughter and mother .
But that scenario is a long way off , and there are many obstacles on the path to independence .
“ I don ’ t know what she will do , I really don ’ t , ” Zappone said .
“ I think she ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day like she does now .
”

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Kenadi Zappone will never know what it’s like to dash across a playground after racing down a curvy slide to the rocking horses, or kick a ball on the schoolyard grass like the other preschool children attending the Bismarck Early Childhood Education Program.
The 4-year-old won’t be able to watch the path of a butterfly as it floats in front of her face, or explore the sea of trees at Sertoma Park. She won’t be able to learn how to play games with older brother Kohner, 5, or to say “I love you” as her mother, Brittany, tucks her into bed each night.
All of those childhood wonders and milestones — and the promise of a normal existence — were taken away from her on an early winter day in 2016 at the family home in Westhope, a small town northwest of Bottineau. Authorities say her father, Matthew Zappone, shook her and struck her, breaking her ribs, fracturing her skull and damaging her brain.
“I thought she would be a piano player,” Brittany Zappone said, referencing her daughter’s long fingers. “But I just wanted her to have a happy, healthy life.”
At not quite 3 months old, Kenadi’s body was disfigured, her life distorted and her family destroyed.
Kenadi Zappone has shaken baby syndrome.
Shaken baby syndrome is abusive head trauma resulting from the violent shaking of an infant or child, potentially resulting in death or in a permanent disability. About 1,300 cases are reported each year in the U.S., mostly in babies 6 months old or younger, The Bismarck Tribune reported.
About one-fourth of child abuse-related deaths in the country are attributed to shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma, according to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome.
In North Dakota in 2018, there were 15 confirmed victims age 3 and younger of assaults involving head injury, brain damage, skull fracture or shaken baby syndrome, according to North Dakota Child Protective Services. There were 10 victims last year, and 11 so far this year.
For Kenadi, being a victim has meant more than 1,000 hours of therapy and countless visits to doctors, specialists and therapists each year since the assault.
She has undergone 18 surgeries, including 10 on her brain. She is dealing with 18 medical diagnoses including epilepsy, retinal and brain hemorrhages, stroke, blood clots, fluid buildup in the brain and vision impairment.
“Kenadi has made a lot of progress,” said Zappone, who is now a 27-year-old divorced mother of two living in Bismarck. “She’s not talking a lot, but she is showing us … in her own way.”
As Kenadi undergoes vision therapy for extreme nearsightedness, it’s becoming clearer that she might have to use assistive technology as a means to communicate. She’s learning fundamental sign language gestures or verbal noises to show she is hungry, but therapists are still determining which small communication devices with switches, blinking lights or sounds might be the most productive forms of conversing.
Along the way, Kenadi has made achievements that doctors and specialists didn’t think possible.
“They said she couldn’t talk, she wouldn’t crawl, she couldn’t eat, and she’s come a long way with her walking,” Zappone said.
Kenadi is walking with the aid of a mobility harness strapped in tandem with a physical therapist.
“If she can pull herself up, I think she will walk in the future,” Zappone said. “She’s accomplished a lot. She’s proving them all wrong.”
But Zappone estimates that her daughter still is about 1 ½ years behind where she should be developmentally.
“I have to remind myself she has her own time frame,” Zappone said. “So we might be ready, but she’s not.”
Along the way, Zappone has had to navigate the confusing, difficult and at times frustrating paths of medical procedures and needed pediatric therapy sessions, government social service programs, and educational needs for both Kenadi and Kohner.
“I didn’t really know much back then,” she said. “I learned to ask questions. I’m just a mom who learned the ropes.”
She also learned to build strong relationships with the nurses, doctors and specialists, and direct-support professionals caring for Kenadi in the home. During Kenadi’s initial seven-week hospital stay after the assault, nurses in Fargo showed Zappone how to use the gastrostomy tube inserted in Kenadi’s abdomen for feeding and administering medications. The neurosurgeon took the time to explain about Kenadi’s brain and the complications as a result of the trauma.
There also is a long list of family, friends, advocacy groups and direct-support staff.
“I wouldn’t be able to do anything without their support,” Zappone said. “I would be just running crazy.”
Zappone’s mom, Holly Gerou, a registered nurse, is there to help with medical advice. Her younger brother, Michael Gerou, helps by hanging out with Kohner.
“My little brother is a really good role model to Kohner,” Zappone said. “He looks up to his uncle.”
Gerou said her daughter has “done what she needs. She’s put a good structure in place for her children. She’s very attentive to them and she very much looks out for the kids. I’m very proud of her.”
To navigate Burleigh County Social Services and the educational system of Bismarck Public Schools, Zappone enlisted the help and advocacy of the nonprofit Family Voices of North Dakota and also Special Health Services, a division of the North Dakota Department of Health.
Special Health Services assists her with Medicaid and the acquiring of necessary medical devices such as wheelchairs, a specialized bed, a standing chair with braces, and specific medications and feeding formulas.
Family Voices of North Dakota has advocated for Kenadi’s and Kohner’s needed accommodations in school. Kenadi this year is attending the Bismarck Early Childhood Education Program four days a week on an Individual Education Program, with a one-on-one aide in the classroom in addition to physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy services.
Kohner, diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, speech delay and possible post-traumatic stress disorder, recently qualified for special education services in the school. Zappone and the school will implement an Individual Learning Plan. He is continuing his education at home through the distance learning program the school district implemented last spring after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
“You need somebody other than a parent,” Zappone said. “It seems like it’s more powerful if you have that advocate behind you saying, ‘Hey, this parent has the right to do this, and you need to listen.’”
Vicki Peterson, a region coordinator with Family Voices of North Dakota, has been in the family’s corner since Zappone began living in Minot after the assault in 2016. Peterson said she admires Zappone for growing her knowledge about the demands of children with special needs and learning how to manage her family.
“She was a broken woman when I met her,” Peterson said. “She’s not broken anymore.”
Zappone now uses her experience and knowledge to help others. She has joined Brain Relief Warriors and shaken babies support groups on Facebook, offering advice on various topics.
“By helping those parents get through the process that I had to figure out by myself, it makes me feel like I’m doing something right,” she said.
Matthew Zappone, 32, was sentenced on Nov. 12, 2018, to serve two years in prison for felony assault. He was released from the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown on Sept. 2. He will be on supervised probation for three years, can’t contact the family until 2023, and must register as an offender against children for the next 15 years. He also must pay more than $45,000 in restitution.
The Tribune made multiple attempts to contact him and his attorney for comment over a six-week period. They did not respond to numerous messages.
Gerou, Zappone’s mother, wonders if justice was served.
“But he shouldn’t be in prison for the rest of his life, either,” she said. “The only thing I hope for going forward is the kids get the best care possible. They are doing extremely well now.”
In August, just before his release from prison, Matthew Zappone signed the paperwork severing his parental rights to Kohner and Kenadi.
A day later on a hot, humid afternoon, a small group of family and friends gathered in the backyard of Brittany Zappone’s Bismarck home to celebrate Kenadi’s fourth birthday.
Kohner, wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and showing a smile just as bright, raced from inside the house and across the yard to his little sister sitting in a wheelchair under a large shade tree. Trailing him were four helium balloons with flowers and butterflies. Excited, he tried to hand them to her uncooperative hands before Zappone took the anchored balloon cluster and placed them beside the wheelchair.
The bright colors attracted Kenadi’s gaze. Noticing, Zappone placed the strings in the clutch of Kenadi’s left hand. The rapid, involuntary movement of her arm caused the balloons to surround her head and brush against her cheeks.
Later, Kenadi giggled and smiled as she kicked and splashed in a pool with the help of others. Before the change to a swimsuit, she had been dressed for her special day in a blue dress with large blooming roses, tied with a red satin sash and draped with a delicate layer of white tulle to fancy it up.
“It says Kenadi,” Zappone said about the new dress. “It’s so bright. So bright.”
Kenadi’s future outlook is anyone’s guess.
Trying to be as realistic as possible, Zappone sees her daughter being in public school until the age of 21, and living with her throughout her lifetime.
“If she wants to live by herself, she more than certainly can,” Zappone said. “I’m not going to put a whole bunch of boundaries on her.”
Zappone can envision Kenadi with multiple care-givers, and with that could come freedom for both daughter and mother. But that scenario is a long way off, and there are many obstacles on the path to independence.
“I don’t know what she will do, I really don’t,” Zappone said. “I think she’s just going to surprise me every single day like she does now.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Omaha priest gets haircut now that vaccines are available

OMAHA , Neb .
( AP ) - The Rev .
Dave Korth can not lie .
He ’ s going to miss that flip .
His luxurious silver locks were shorn off Monday , now that lifesaving vaccines for COVID-19 are being distributed across the world .
Korth , the pastor at Sacred Heart Parish and president of the CUES School System , vowed 10 months ago not to get it cut until that happened .
“ It ’ s very , very light and cool , ” he told the Omaha World-Herald .
Jermaine Bell , the father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacred Heart Grade School , had the honor of cutting Korth ’ s hair at Tu-Cheveux Salon in Benson .
Korth admits it was kind of a sad moment .
He ’ d gotten used to his longer hair over the months and the warmth that it provided .
He even had some fun recently getting it styled .
Sarah Snake , his sister by his adoption into the Winnebago Tribe , cornrowed it for him when he surprised her at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minnesota , where she is undergoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just kind of grown into it , if you will , ” he said .
“ So now I just have to grow into being used to it being short again.
” He ’ s also sad he never received $ 1 million for the CUES School System to trim it early , although he ’ s grateful that a vaccine has been developed that can save lives .
“ I would have appreciated the million-dollar gift , ” he said .
“ Obviously the vaccine is going to be a blessing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken both.
” It ’ s never too late to help out needy area Catholic grade schools , he said , even if the long locks are gone .
His hair , which developed a definite flip as it grew out , was a popular topic among his congregants at Sacred Heart and for the thousands who watch services online .
Sixty-four percent said in a poll that they wanted him to get it cut before Christmas , so he obliged .
People got a lot of joy from reading about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s hoping that everyone gets the message that comes with his hair being cut .
“ I ’ m guessing it ’ s going to be several months before I receive the vaccine myself , but there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel with this virus crisis , ” he said .
“ Now we just have to come together and do the right thing for each other .
”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Rev. Dave Korth cannot lie. He’s going to miss that flip.
His luxurious silver locks were shorn off Monday, now that lifesaving vaccines for COVID-19 are being distributed across the world. Korth, the pastor at Sacred Heart Parish and president of the CUES School System, vowed 10 months ago not to get it cut until that happened.
“It’s very, very light and cool,” he told the Omaha World-Herald.
Jermaine Bell, the father of one of his former students at Sacred Heart Grade School, had the honor of cutting Korth’s hair at Tu-Cheveux Salon in Benson.
Korth admits it was kind of a sad moment. He’d gotten used to his longer hair over the months and the warmth that it provided. He even had some fun recently getting it styled.
Sarah Snake, his sister by his adoption into the Winnebago Tribe, cornrowed it for him when he surprised her at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where she is undergoing cancer treatment.
“I’d just kind of grown into it, if you will,” he said. “So now I just have to grow into being used to it being short again.”
He’s also sad he never received $1 million for the CUES School System to trim it early, although he’s grateful that a vaccine has been developed that can save lives.
“I would have appreciated the million-dollar gift,” he said. “Obviously the vaccine is going to be a blessing for so many more people. I would have taken both.”
It’s never too late to help out needy area Catholic grade schools, he said, even if the long locks are gone.
His hair, which developed a definite flip as it grew out, was a popular topic among his congregants at Sacred Heart and for the thousands who watch services online. Sixty-four percent said in a poll that they wanted him to get it cut before Christmas, so he obliged.
People got a lot of joy from reading about his latest antics, he said, and he’s hoping that everyone gets the message that comes with his hair being cut.
“I’m guessing it’s going to be several months before I receive the vaccine myself, but there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel with this virus crisis,” he said. “Now we just have to come together and do the right thing for each other.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Project will double the size of island in US wildlife refuge

NEW ORLEANS ( AP ) - Work has begun off Louisiana on a project to more than double the size of an island in the nation ’ s second-oldest wildlife refuge .
The project will add 400 acres ( 162 hectares ) of new habitat for birds and animals on North Breton Island , which U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Taylor Pool said currently covers about 290 acres ( 117 hectares ) .
North Breton Island is at the southern end of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge , created in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt on a 60-mile-long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s the only refuge he ever visited , according to its website .
Without restoration , the island would dwindle to a sand bar by the early 2030s , the U.S. Geologic Survey has said .
North Breton now houses one of Louisiana ’ s largest colonies of water birds , including one of the largest pelican nesting areas , the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a news release about the work .
The barrier islands also protect New Orleans and other parts of southeast Louisiana from hurricane storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 54.9 million contract to pump up to 5.9 million cubic yards ( 4.5 million meters ) of sand - enough to fill the Empire State Building more than four times - from the Gulf of Mexico floor onto the beaches , dunes and marshes of North Breton Island .
It ’ s starting at the north end , where pelicans nest on shrubby mangroves .
Working from north to south , the company is expected to finish in the spring , before the next nesting season , the news release said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that deadline , work would stop during nesting season and resume afterwards , The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported .
A century of erosion , hurricanes , the BP oil spill in 2010 and a smaller spill in 2005 have eaten away at the islands .
Hurricanes included Katrina and Rita , which ate away 80 % of the chain ’ s land area in 2005 , according to the refuge ’ s website .
The entire refuge currently has about 6,000 acres ( 2,400 hectares ) that are generally above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground .
In 1975 , the islands - except for North Breton , which once housed an oil facility - were made part of the National Wilderness System .
“ Breton is a special and unique place that is tremendously important to water birds and nesting birds , ” said Leo Miranda-Castro , head of the Fish and Wildlife Service ’ s South-Atlantic Gulf and Mississippi Basin Regional Office .
“ If the island disappears , it will dramatically impact coastal bird habitat.
” Two smaller water bird rookeries — Queen Bess and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Queen Bess , reopened as a wildlife refuge early this year after being enlarged from about 5 acres ( 2 hectares ) to 37 acres ( 15 hectares ) , held more than 10,000 nests this year , the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said in November .
That month , volunteers planted 2,000 matrimony vines and more than 4,200 mangrove seedlings to provide more nesting habitat on Queen Bess .
Work also has begun to restore Rabbit Island , a west Louisiana island where hundreds of birds were released in 2010 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BP spill .
The North Breton Island project was among the first approved in 2014 as part of early restoration projects using money provided by BP PLC after the 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico .
“ We won ’ t continue to be the Louisiana we know and love if we don ’ t incorporate the needs of all our residents , including birds and wildlife , because they contribute to making our ecosystem so unique , ” said Bren Haase , executive director of Louisiana ’ s Coastal Protection and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the next step in preserving habitat for our state bird and other species .
”

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Work has begun off Louisiana on a project to more than double the size of an island in the nation’s second-oldest wildlife refuge.
The project will add 400 acres (162 hectares) of new habitat for birds and animals on North Breton Island, which U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Taylor Pool said currently covers about 290 acres (117 hectares).
North Breton Island is at the southern end of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, created in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt on a 60-mile-long (96-kilometer-long) sweep of barrier islands. It’s the only refuge he ever visited, according to its website.
Without restoration, the island would dwindle to a sand bar by the early 2030s, the U.S. Geologic Survey has said.
North Breton now houses one of Louisiana’s largest colonies of water birds, including one of the largest pelican nesting areas, the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a news release about the work. The barrier islands also protect New Orleans and other parts of southeast Louisiana from hurricane storm surges.
Callan Marine LTD has a $54.9 million contract to pump up to 5.9 million cubic yards (4.5 million meters) of sand - enough to fill the Empire State Building more than four times - from the Gulf of Mexico floor onto the beaches, dunes and marshes of North Breton Island.
It’s starting at the north end, where pelicans nest on shrubby mangroves. Working from north to south, the company is expected to finish in the spring, before the next nesting season, the news release said.
If bad weather makes the company miss that deadline, work would stop during nesting season and resume afterwards, The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported.
A century of erosion, hurricanes, the BP oil spill in 2010 and a smaller spill in 2005 have eaten away at the islands. Hurricanes included Katrina and Rita, which ate away 80% of the chain’s land area in 2005, according to the refuge’s website.
The entire refuge currently has about 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares) that are generally above high tide, protecting nests on the ground.
In 1975, the islands - except for North Breton, which once housed an oil facility - were made part of the National Wilderness System.
“Breton is a special and unique place that is tremendously important to water birds and nesting birds,” said Leo Miranda-Castro, head of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s South-Atlantic Gulf and Mississippi Basin Regional Office. “If the island disappears, it will dramatically impact coastal bird habitat.”
Two smaller water bird rookeries — Queen Bess and Racoon islands — already have been restored. Queen Bess, reopened as a wildlife refuge early this year after being enlarged from about 5 acres (2 hectares) to 37 acres (15 hectares), held more than 10,000 nests this year, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said in November. That month, volunteers planted 2,000 matrimony vines and more than 4,200 mangrove seedlings to provide more nesting habitat on Queen Bess.
Work also has begun to restore Rabbit Island, a west Louisiana island where hundreds of birds were released in 2010 after being cleaned of oil from the BP spill.
The North Breton Island project was among the first approved in 2014 as part of early restoration projects using money provided by BP PLC after the 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We won’t continue to be the Louisiana we know and love if we don’t incorporate the needs of all our residents, including birds and wildlife, because they contribute to making our ecosystem so unique,” said Bren Haase, executive director of Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. “North Breton Island is the next step in preserving habitat for our state bird and other species.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Virus, other problems threaten to throw off homeless census

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) - The swanky , billion-dollar casinos of Las Vegas are bedecked with shining towers , neon signs and eye-popping extravagance .
But directly beneath the glitter , hundreds of homeless people live out of sight , in the dark , in a network of stormwater tunnels running below the city .
When census takers tried in September to count the nation ’ s homeless for the 2020 census , safety concerns prevented them from venturing into the Las Vegas tunnels .
The tunnels offer just one example of the difficulty in counting the portion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in shelters .
A half dozen census takers around the U.S. told The Associated Press that they experienced problems that could cause the homeless to be undercounted - a situation that may cost some communities political representation and federal money .
America DePasquale , who lived in the tunnels from May 2018 until she moved into a detox facility last month , said she never saw census takers visit the area underneath the Las Vegas Strip .
DePasquale said she does not blame census takers for not attempting to enter the tunnels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they had tried to go with community advocates who make frequent visits below .
“ It takes somebody of a certain strength to go down there just regularly , “ she said .
” But I also find it kind of appalling that they wouldn ’ t go deeper and at least even try.
” The count of the unsheltered homeless was originally scheduled for last spring , but the Census Bureau delayed it until late September because of concerns about the coronavirus .
The bureau identified 33,000 homeless camps for census @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office warned earlier this month that the delay in the homeless count could affect the quality of the census data given the economic downturn caused by the pandemic .
People who may have answered the census questionnaire last spring but later became homeless may not be recorded as homeless and may be living in a different place , the watchdog agency said in a report .
“ Because people who experience homelessness are more likely than people who are housed to be members of minority groups , especially African Americans and Native Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the serious undercount of minorities and poor people , ” said Beth Shinn , a professor at Vanderbilt University who researches homelessness .
In San Francisco , a census taker said supervisors were confused about what to do and where to go .
In Oklahoma City , many census takers did only a headcount without interviewing homeless people , so they missed gathering demographic information .
A census taker in Bakersfield , California , said a list of homeless sites they were given was outdated , and they were not allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if their locations were not on the list .
Census takers were prevented from doing any counts in downtown St. Paul , Minnesota , because of racial injustice protests that were happening on the same night .
Deanna Helm , a census taker who participated in the homeless count in Northern California , characterized it as “ a farce.
” “ We were just chasing our tails that night , ” she said .
Rainy weather in Spokane , Washington , kept enumerators like Joanne McCoy from doing their jobs .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all .
It should have been much better , ” said McCoy , a census supervisor .
The Census Bureau said in a statement that the unsheltered homeless count is designed with the safety of census takers and those being counted in mind .
“ As in previous censuses , the primary goal , and noted in census taker instructions , is to first get a headcount of people experiencing homelessness , ” the statement said .
“ We do not want to create an unsafe environment for those living at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we may not conduct a full interview if it is unsafe to do so.
” The agency ’ s once-a-decade count helps determine $ 1.5 trillion in federal spending annually and how many congressional seats each state gets .
In Las Vegas , concerns about the homeless count were raised last October at a city council meeting .
Las Vegas , along with surrounding Clark County , has an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people living on the streets .
The homeless population could be larger , since shelters are operating at reduced capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manager Scott Adams .
“ The bottom line is … we could be undercounted by several thousand people in the city population , ” Adams said .
“ Why is that important ?
It deals with apportionment for legislative seats , formula shares for federal funding , a whole range of issues.
” Census takers would face a lot of challenges if they tried to enter the tunnels on their own to interview residents , said Paul Vautrinot , who leads Shine a Light , a nonprofit that provides housing , counseling and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the tunnels .
Drug use is common and conspicuous , according to community advocates who make regular trips into the dank passages to donate food and supplies .
Hypodermic needles , rats and human waste are common sights , as is the low , steady flow of water through the tunnels .
Some tunnels have mini-communities where a dozen or two dozen people set up tents or beds and share communal meals .
Those who prefer solitude find their own section in the labyrinth .
Some people have few belongings .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or generators .
When Clark County runs an annual count of the homeless population required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , staff and volunteer counters have a police escort .
That effort is less intensive than the once-a-decade census and requires only a headcount , not a questionnaire .
Most people living in the subterranean channels would not be interested in speaking to strangers asking questions about their backgrounds , even though it might help bring resources to people living there , Vautrinot said .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down there , even after having done this for as long as I have and having lived there , ” said Vautrinot , who lived in the tunnels from 2011 to 2014 .
“ There are moments that you go down there and the hair on your arm raises up .
”

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The swanky, billion-dollar casinos of Las Vegas are bedecked with shining towers, neon signs and eye-popping extravagance. But directly beneath the glitter, hundreds of homeless people live out of sight, in the dark, in a network of stormwater tunnels running below the city.
When census takers tried in September to count the nation’s homeless for the 2020 census, safety concerns prevented them from venturing into the Las Vegas tunnels.
The tunnels offer just one example of the difficulty in counting the portion of the homeless population that does not stay in shelters. A half dozen census takers around the U.S. told The Associated Press that they experienced problems that could cause the homeless to be undercounted - a situation that may cost some communities political representation and federal money.
America DePasquale, who lived in the tunnels from May 2018 until she moved into a detox facility last month, said she never saw census takers visit the area underneath the Las Vegas Strip.
DePasquale said she does not blame census takers for not attempting to enter the tunnels, but she said it might have helped if they had tried to go with community advocates who make frequent visits below.
“It takes somebody of a certain strength to go down there just regularly, “ she said. ”But I also find it kind of appalling that they wouldn’t go deeper and at least even try.”
The count of the unsheltered homeless was originally scheduled for last spring, but the Census Bureau delayed it until late September because of concerns about the coronavirus. The bureau identified 33,000 homeless camps for census takers to visit.
The Government Accountability Office warned earlier this month that the delay in the homeless count could affect the quality of the census data given the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. People who may have answered the census questionnaire last spring but later became homeless may not be recorded as homeless and may be living in a different place, the watchdog agency said in a report.
“Because people who experience homelessness are more likely than people who are housed to be members of minority groups, especially African Americans and Native Americans, the undercount contributes, modestly, to the serious undercount of minorities and poor people,” said Beth Shinn, a professor at Vanderbilt University who researches homelessness.
In San Francisco, a census taker said supervisors were confused about what to do and where to go. In Oklahoma City, many census takers did only a headcount without interviewing homeless people, so they missed gathering demographic information.
A census taker in Bakersfield, California, said a list of homeless sites they were given was outdated, and they were not allowed to interview people who appeared to be homeless if their locations were not on the list. Census takers were prevented from doing any counts in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, because of racial injustice protests that were happening on the same night.
Deanna Helm, a census taker who participated in the homeless count in Northern California, characterized it as “a farce.”
“We were just chasing our tails that night,” she said.
Rainy weather in Spokane, Washington, kept enumerators like Joanne McCoy from doing their jobs.
“We didn’t get a good count at all. It should have been much better,” said McCoy, a census supervisor.
The Census Bureau said in a statement that the unsheltered homeless count is designed with the safety of census takers and those being counted in mind.
“As in previous censuses, the primary goal, and noted in census taker instructions, is to first get a headcount of people experiencing homelessness,” the statement said. “We do not want to create an unsafe environment for those living at the location or our census takers, so we may not conduct a full interview if it is unsafe to do so.”
The agency’s once-a-decade count helps determine $1.5 trillion in federal spending annually and how many congressional seats each state gets.
In Las Vegas, concerns about the homeless count were raised last October at a city council meeting. Las Vegas, along with surrounding Clark County, has an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people living on the streets. The homeless population could be larger, since shelters are operating at reduced capacity because of pandemic restrictions, said then-City Manager Scott Adams.
“The bottom line is … we could be undercounted by several thousand people in the city population,” Adams said. “Why is that important? It deals with apportionment for legislative seats, formula shares for federal funding, a whole range of issues.”
Census takers would face a lot of challenges if they tried to enter the tunnels on their own to interview residents, said Paul Vautrinot, who leads Shine a Light, a nonprofit that provides housing, counseling and other services to several hundred people living in the tunnels.
Drug use is common and conspicuous, according to community advocates who make regular trips into the dank passages to donate food and supplies. Hypodermic needles, rats and human waste are common sights, as is the low, steady flow of water through the tunnels. Some tunnels have mini-communities where a dozen or two dozen people set up tents or beds and share communal meals. Those who prefer solitude find their own section in the labyrinth.
Some people have few belongings. Others have relatively elaborate setups, with furniture or generators.
When Clark County runs an annual count of the homeless population required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, staff and volunteer counters have a police escort. That effort is less intensive than the once-a-decade census and requires only a headcount, not a questionnaire.
Most people living in the subterranean channels would not be interested in speaking to strangers asking questions about their backgrounds, even though it might help bring resources to people living there, Vautrinot said.
“It’s a very daunting task to go walking down there, even after having done this for as long as I have and having lived there,” said Vautrinot, who lived in the tunnels from 2011 to 2014. “There are moments that you go down there and the hair on your arm raises up.”
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Despite smooth election, GOP leaders seek vote restrictions

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Changes to the way millions of Americans voted this year contributed to record turnout , but that ’ s no guarantee the measures making it easier to cast ballots will stick around for future elections .
Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions , especially to absentee voting .
It ’ s an option many states expanded amid the coronavirus outbreak that proved hugely popular and helped ensure one of the smoothest election days in recent years .
President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost .
Despite a lack of evidence and dozens of losses in the courts , his claims of widespread voter fraud have gained traction with some Republican elected officials .
They are vowing to crack down on mail ballots and threatening to roll back other steps that have made it easier for people to vote .
“ This myth could not justify throwing out the results of the election , nor can it justify imposing additional burdens on voters that will disenfranchise many Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law .
An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day , either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots .
That represented nearly 70 % of all votes cast , after states took steps to make it easier to avoid crowded polling places during the pandemic .
A few states sent ballots to every registered voter while others dropped requirements that voters needed a specific excuse to cast an absentee ballot .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting options .
The changes were popular with voters and did not lead to widespread fraud .
A group of election officials including representatives of the federal cybersecurity agency called the 2020 presidential election the “ most secure ” election in U.S. history , and U.S. Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press there had been no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election .
Nevertheless , Republicans in Georgia have proposed adding a photo ID requirement when voting absentee , a ban on drop boxes and possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail voting , such as illness or traveling for work on Election Day .
Early supporters of the ID requirement include Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , Republicans who were criticized relentlessly by Trump for failing to back his fraud claims after losing in Georgia .
A top deputy for Raffensperger has said the ID requirement would boost public confidence and refute any future claims of fraud .
The state ’ s two U.S. Senate runoffs next month will take place under current law , which requires local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
In Pennsylvania , Republican lawmakers have been writing legislation to address what they claim are problems with the 2020 election and mail voting in particular , even though courts and elections officials have found no evidence of widespread problems .
“ We ’ d like to tighten it up as soon as we can , ” said Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward .
Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers , and their support was instrumental in a year-old state law that expanded mail voting to all registered voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as to repeal that law and force voters to state an excuse to receive a ballot in the mail .
Previous elections have shown that voters appreciate mail voting , no matter their party affiliation .
Republican candidates down the ballot did very well this year , even as a record 81.2 million voters cast their ballot for the Democrat in the presidential race .
In Michigan , Republicans held every congressional seat and kept control of the legislature despite Trump losing the state .
Yet Republicans still held a legislative hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were widespread irregularities without explaining how these somehow affected only the presidential race but not other contests .
“ Just like we have seen a lot of legislators making ill-advised decisions to hold hearings that ended up being more political theater than policy debates , we can similarly expect legislators to further this hyper-partisan agenda to restrict the vote , ” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat .
Benson said lawmakers should instead look to the high turnout for the presidential election as a guide to improving what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections officials , such as providing more time for clerks to process mail ballots .
Michigan does not allow that work to begin until the day before Election Day .
Lisa Schaefer , executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania , said her organization also would like to see lawmakers focus on reducing the strain facing local election officials .
“ The more time that we spend in debating other issues , the less time that we have to do something good with changes to the election code , ” Schaefer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already begun pushing back , saying Republicans should be focused on protecting voter access to the polls and not feeding into conspiracy theories launched by Trump and his allies to undermine the Nov. 3 election .
They say ID requirements accomplish little , but have a high cost .
“ It ’ s a solution in search of a problem , ” said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla , a Democrat who was recently tapped to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
“ It will undoubtedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people without necessarily improving election security.
” Voter fraud does happen , but studies have shown it ’ s exceedingly rare .
Numerous safeguards are built into voting systems to ensure that only eligible voters cast a ballot .
Election officials say when fraud does happen , people are caught and prosecuted .
Not all Republicans are seeking to add restrictions .
In Ohio , Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his legislative priorities are to expand early voting locations , increase oversight of election vendors , add an online option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over drop boxes .
“ Ohio ’ s got a good thing going , but we don ’ t want to rest on our laurels , ” said LaRose , who would have to get his changes through a Republican-dominated legislature .
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said the pandemic forced the state to implement early voting , which proved popular among voters of both major parties .
The Republican said he thinks it ’ s likely state lawmakers will create an early voting policy for subsequent elections and has heard of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislature .
“ It just makes voting easier , ” he said .
Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst , New York .
Associated Press writers Marc Levy in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania ; Ben Nadler in Atlanta ; and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus , Ohio , contributed to this report .
Associated Press coverage of voting rights receives support in part from Carnegie Corporation of New York .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY

ATLANTA (AP) - Changes to the way millions of Americans voted this year contributed to record turnout, but that’s no guarantee the measures making it easier to cast ballots will stick around for future elections.
Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions, especially to absentee voting. It’s an option many states expanded amid the coronavirus outbreak that proved hugely popular and helped ensure one of the smoothest election days in recent years.
President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his attacks on mail voting as he continues to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost. Despite a lack of evidence and dozens of losses in the courts, his claims of widespread voter fraud have gained traction with some Republican elected officials.
They are vowing to crack down on mail ballots and threatening to roll back other steps that have made it easier for people to vote.
“This myth could not justify throwing out the results of the election, nor can it justify imposing additional burdens on voters that will disenfranchise many Americans,” said Wendy Weiser, head of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law.
An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day, either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots. That represented nearly 70% of all votes cast, after states took steps to make it easier to avoid crowded polling places during the pandemic.
A few states sent ballots to every registered voter while others dropped requirements that voters needed a specific excuse to cast an absentee ballot. Many states added drop boxes and expanded early voting options.
The changes were popular with voters and did not lead to widespread fraud. A group of election officials including representatives of the federal cybersecurity agency called the 2020 presidential election the “most secure” election in U.S. history, and U.S. Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press there had been no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election.
Nevertheless, Republicans in Georgia have proposed adding a photo ID requirement when voting absentee, a ban on drop boxes and possibly a return to requiring an excuse for mail voting, such as illness or traveling for work on Election Day.
Early supporters of the ID requirement include Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Republicans who were criticized relentlessly by Trump for failing to back his fraud claims after losing in Georgia. A top deputy for Raffensperger has said the ID requirement would boost public confidence and refute any future claims of fraud.
The state’s two U.S. Senate runoffs next month will take place under current law, which requires local election officials to verify signatures on absentee ballots.
In Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers have been writing legislation to address what they claim are problems with the 2020 election and mail voting in particular, even though courts and elections officials have found no evidence of widespread problems.
“We’d like to tighten it up as soon as we can,” said Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward.
Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers, and their support was instrumental in a year-old state law that expanded mail voting to all registered voters. One bill being discussed would go so far as to repeal that law and force voters to state an excuse to receive a ballot in the mail.
Previous elections have shown that voters appreciate mail voting, no matter their party affiliation. Republican candidates down the ballot did very well this year, even as a record 81.2 million voters cast their ballot for the Democrat in the presidential race.
In Michigan, Republicans held every congressional seat and kept control of the legislature despite Trump losing the state. Yet Republicans still held a legislative hearing in which Trump’s lawyers argued there were widespread irregularities without explaining how these somehow affected only the presidential race but not other contests.
“Just like we have seen a lot of legislators making ill-advised decisions to hold hearings that ended up being more political theater than policy debates, we can similarly expect legislators to further this hyper-partisan agenda to restrict the vote,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat.
Benson said lawmakers should instead look to the high turnout for the presidential election as a guide to improving what worked and then make changes sought by elections officials, such as providing more time for clerks to process mail ballots. Michigan does not allow that work to begin until the day before Election Day.
Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said her organization also would like to see lawmakers focus on reducing the strain facing local election officials.
“The more time that we spend in debating other issues, the less time that we have to do something good with changes to the election code,” Schaefer said.
Democrats and voting rights groups have already begun pushing back, saying Republicans should be focused on protecting voter access to the polls and not feeding into conspiracy theories launched by Trump and his allies to undermine the Nov. 3 election.
They say ID requirements accomplish little, but have a high cost.
“It’s a solution in search of a problem,” said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat who was recently tapped to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. “It will undoubtedly have the net effect of disenfranchising a lot of people without necessarily improving election security.”
Padilla supports sending registered voters a ballot in the mail.
Voter fraud does happen, but studies have shown it’s exceedingly rare. Numerous safeguards are built into voting systems to ensure that only eligible voters cast a ballot. Election officials say when fraud does happen, people are caught and prosecuted.
Not all Republicans are seeking to add restrictions.
In Ohio, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his legislative priorities are to expand early voting locations, increase oversight of election vendors, add an online option for requesting absentee ballots and address confusion over drop boxes.
“Ohio’s got a good thing going, but we don’t want to rest on our laurels,” said LaRose, who wants his priorities approved by the Republican-dominated legislature.
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said the pandemic forced the state to implement early voting, which proved popular among voters of both major parties. The Republican said he thinks it’s likely state lawmakers will create an early voting policy for subsequent elections and has heard of no opposition to that in the GOP-controlled legislature.
“It just makes voting easier,” he said.
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Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst, New York. Associated Press writers Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Ben Nadler in Atlanta; and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
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Associated Press coverage of voting rights receives support in part from Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-12-26--Newport-area young adults have new mental health resource

MIDDLETOWN , R.I. ( AP ) - Young adults in the Newport area who need mental health help have a @ @ @ @ @ Health ’ s new Young Adult Center in Middletown opened earlier this month , The @ @ @ @ @ It will specialize in mental health services - such as services for major depression or @ @ @ @ @ adults between the ages of 16 and 25 .
The center also offers the Emergency @ @ @ @ @ provides specific interventions for suicide , along with housing and employment supports .
The average @ @ @ @ @ symptoms occurs between the ages of 18 and 26 , Jamie Lehane , president and @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
“ We ’ re seeing that the sooner someone receives @ @ @ @ @ will recover , ” Lehane said .
“ Sadly , people often wait 10 years @ @ @ @ @ they begin experiencing symptoms of serious adult mental illness to receiving treatment .
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MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (AP) - Young adults in the Newport area who need mental health help have a new resource.
Newport Mental Health’s new Young Adult Center in Middletown opened earlier this month, The Newport Daily News reports.
It will specialize in mental health services - such as services for major depression or anxiety disorders - for young adults between the ages of 16 and 25. The center also offers the Emergency Suicide Prevention program, which provides specific interventions for suicide, along with housing and employment supports.
The average onset of serious mental illness symptoms occurs between the ages of 18 and 26, Jamie Lehane, president and CEO of Newport Mental Health said in a statement.
“We’re seeing that the sooner someone receives treatment, the sooner they will recover,” Lehane said. “Sadly, people often wait 10 years or more from the time they begin experiencing symptoms of serious adult mental illness to receiving treatment.”