washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Trump, stricken by COVID-19, flown to military hospital

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - A feverish and fatigued President Donald Trump was spending the weekend at a military hospital for treatment of COVID-19 , as new cases emerged among some of his top advisers and allies .
Attention focused in particular on last Saturday ’ s White House event introducing Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee , with several attendees announcing they had tested positive for the virus .
Among them : former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway , the president of the University of Notre Dame , and at least two Republican lawmakers - Utah Sen. Mike Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though the ceremony announcing Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination was held outdoors , attendees sat closely together and few wore masks .
Some also mingled at a smaller event inside the White House .
The White House said Trump ’ s expected stay of “ a few days ” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was precautionary and he would continue to work from the hospital ’ s presidential suite , which is equipped to allow him to keep up his official duties .
The White House physician said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antiviral medication , after taking another experimental drug at the White House .
The decision for the president to leave the White House for the hospital capped a day of whipsaw events in Washington Friday .
The president , who has spent months playing down the threat of the virus , was forced to cancel all campaign events a month before the election as he fought a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans and is hitting others in his orbit as well .
Trump walked out of the White House on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thumbs-up to reporters but did not speak before boarding Marine One .
Members of the aircrew , Secret Service agents and White House staff wore face coverings to protect themselves from the president onboard the helicopter .
In a video taped before leaving for Walter Reed , Trump said , “ I think I ’ m doing very well , but we ’ re going to make sure that things work out.
” He remained fully president , all authority intact .
“ Going welI , I think !
Thank you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wrote in his first tweet from the hospital Friday night .
Trump first revealed that he had tested positive in a tweet about 1 a.m. Friday - hours after he returned from a Thursday afternoon political fundraiser .
He had gone ahead to the event , saying nothing to the crowd though knowing he had been exposed to an aide with the disease that has infected millions in America and killed more than 1 million people worldwide .
First lady Melania Trump also tested positive and has said she has mild symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the White House .
Also testing positive : Trump ’ s campaign manager , Bill Stepien .
Campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said Stepien received a diagnosis Friday and is experiencing “ mild flu-like symptoms.
” Stepien , who joined Trump at Tuesday ’ s first presidential debate , plans to quarantine until he recovers .
On Saturday , Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin became the third Senate Republican to publicly confirm testing positive in the current spate of infections , although Johnson was not at last week ’ s Rose Garden event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an already turbulent period in Washington and around the world , with the U.S. gripped in a heated presidential election and the pandemic taking a heavy human and economic toll .
Trump ’ s immediate campaign events were all canceled , and his next debate with Democrat Joe Biden , scheduled for Oct. 15 , is now in question .
Trump has been trying all year - and as recently as Wednesday - to convince the American public that the worst of the pandemic is past , and he has consistently played down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has mostly refused to abide by basic public health guidelines - including those issued by his own administration - such as wearing face coverings in public and practicing social distancing .
Until he tested positive , he continued to hold campaign rallies that drew thousands of often maskless supporters .
“ I felt no vulnerability whatsoever , ” he told reporters back in May .
With the election coming up in a month , he is urging states and cities to “ reopen ” and reduce or eliminate shutdown rules despite continuing virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain an atmosphere of business-as-usual on Friday .
“ President Trump remains in good spirts , has mild symptoms , and has been working throughout the day , ” said press secretary Kayleigh McEnany .
“ Out of an abundance of caution , and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts , the president will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed for the next few days.
” The president ’ s physician said in a memo that Trump received a dose of an experimental antibody combination by Regeneron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commander Dr. Sean Conley said Trump “ remains fatigued but in good spirits ” and that a team of experts was evaluating both the president and first lady in regard to next steps .
Late Friday , Conley issued an update that said Trump is “ doing very well ” and is “ not requiring any supplemental oxygen.
” But he said that , “ in consultation with specialists we have elected to initiate remdesivir therapy , ” an antiviral medication .
“ He has completed his first dose and is resting comfortably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first lady , who is 50 , has a “ mild cough and headache , ” Conley reported , and the remainder of the first family , including the Trumps ’ son Barron , who lives at the White House , tested negative .
Trump is 74 years old and clinically obese , putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has infected more than 7 million people nationwide .
Both Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have tested negative , their campaign said .
Vice President Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning and “ remains in good health , ” his spokesman said .
Pence was to resume his campaign schedule after his test .
Barrett , who was with Trump and many others on Saturday and has been on a Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers , also tested negative , the White House said .
It was confirmed that she had a mild case of COVID earlier this year and has now recovered .
Many White House and senior administration officials were undergoing tests , , but the full scale of the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some time as it can take days for an infection to be detectable by a test .
Officials with the White House Medical Unit were tracing the president ’ s contacts .
Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic has already been a flashpoint in his race against Biden , who spent much of the summer off the campaign trail and at his home in Delaware , citing concern about the virus .
Biden has since resumed a more active campaign schedule , but with small , socially distanced crowds .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , something Trump mocked him for at Tuesday night ’ s debate .
“ I don ’ t wear masks like him , ” Trump said .
“ Every time you see him , he ’ s got a mask .
He could be speaking 200 feet away from me , and he shows up with the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen .
”

ZEKE MILLER, JILL COLVIN and JONATHAN LEMIRE

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - President Donald Trump went through a “very concerning” period Friday and faces a “critical” next two days in his fight against COVID-19 at a military hospital, his chief of staff said Saturday - in contrast to a rosier assessment moments earlier by Trump doctors, who took pains not to reveal the president had received supplemental oxygen at the White House before his hospital admission.
Trump offered his own assessment Saturday evening in a video from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, saying he was beginning to feel better and hoped to “be back soon.”
Hours earlier, chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters outside the hospital, “We’re still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery.” In an update on the president Saturday night, his chief doctor expressed cautious optimism but added that the president was “not yet out of the woods.”
The changing, and at times contradictory, accounts created a credibility crisis for the White House at a crucial moment, with the president’s health and the nation’s leadership on the line. With Trump expected to remain hospitalized several more days and the presidential election looming, his condition is being anxiously watched by Americans.
Moreover, the president’s health represents a national security issue of paramount importance not only to the functions of the U.S. government but to countries around the world, friendly and otherwise.
Saturday’s briefing by Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley and other doctors raised more questions than it answered. Conley repeatedly refused to say whether the president ever needed supplemental oxygen, despite repeated questioning, and declined to share key details including how high a fever Trump had been running before it came back down to a normal range. Conley also revealed that Trump had begun exhibiting “clinical indications” of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon, earlier than previously known.
Conley spent much of the briefing dodging reporters’ questions, as he was pressed for details.
“Thursday no oxygen. None at this moment. And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,” Conley said.
But according to a person familiar with Trump’s condition, Trump was administered oxygen at the White House on Friday morning, well before he was transported to the military hospital by helicopter that evening. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press only on condition of anonymity,
Conley said that Trump’s symptoms, including a mild cough, nasal congestion and fatigue “are now resolving and improving,” and said the president had been fever-free for 24 hours. But Trump also is taking aspirin, which lowers body temperature and could mask or mitigate that symptom.
“He’s in exceptionally good spirits,” said another doctor, Sean Dooley, who said Trump’s heart, kidney, and liver functions were normal and that he was not having trouble breathing or walking around.
In an evening health update, Conley said Trump had been up and moving around his medical suite without difficulty and conducting business. “While not yet out of the woods, the team remains cautiously optimistic,” he said.
In the hospital video, Trump defended his decision to continue campaigning and holding large events in the midst of a pandemic.
“I had no choice,” said Trump, who refused to abide by basic public health recommendations, including mask-wearing. “I had to be out front … I can’t be locked up in a room upstairs and totally safe. … As a leader, you have to confront problems.”
Trump also thanked his medical team and hailed the state-of-the-art treatments he was receiving, comparing them to “miracles coming down from God.” Trump’s medical care is far superior to the average American’s, with around-the-clock attention and experimental treatments.
The president was angry at Meadows’ public assessment of his health and, in an effort to prove his vitality, Trump ordered up the video and authorized longtime confidant Rudy Giuliani to release a statement on his behalf that he was feeling well, according to a Republican close to the White House not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations.
Trump is 74 years old and clinically obese, putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has infected more than 7 million people nationwide and killed more than 200,000 people in the U.S.
First lady Melania Trump remained at the White House to recover from her own bout with the virus. She was “really handling it very nicely,” Trump said in the video, noting with a touch of humor that she was “just a little tiny bit younger” - in fact, 24 years younger.
Meadows himself had insisted Friday morning that Trump had only “mild symptoms” as the White House tried to project an image of normalcy. It was unclear whether Trump already had received oxygen when Meadows spoke.
“President Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms and has been working throughout the day,” press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said late in the day on Friday. She said Trump had only been sent to Walter Reed as a precaution.
Trump’s administration has been less than transparent with the public throughout the pandemic, both about the president’s health and the virus’ spread inside the White House. The first word that a close aide to Trump had been infected came from the media, not the White House. And aides have repeatedly declined to share basic health information, including a full accounting of the president’s symptoms, what tests he’s undertaken and the results.
In a memo released late Friday, Conley did report that Trump had been treated at the hospital with remdesivir, an antiviral medication, after sharing that he’d taking another experimental drug at the White House.
Conley declined to say when Trump had last been tested before he was confirmed to have COVID-19 late Thursday. He initially suggested that Trump was 72 hours into the diagnosis - which would mean that he was confirmed infected Wednesday. Conley later clarified that Trump was administered an accurate test for the virus on Thursday afternoon, after White House aide Hope Hicks was confirmed to be positive and Trump exhibited “clinical indications” of the virus.
The White House has said Trump was expected to stay at the hospital for “a few days” and would continue to work from its presidential suite, which is equipped to allow him to keep up his official duties. In addition to accessibility to tests and equipment, the decision to move to the hospital on Friday was made, at least in part, with the understanding that hurrying there later could send a worrying signal if he took a turn for the worse.
On Saturday, Conley said Trump’s blood oxygen level was 96%, which is in the normal range. The two experimental drugs he has received, given through an IV, have shown some promise against COVID-19. On Friday, he was given a single dose of a drug Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. is testing to supply antibodies to help his immune system fight the virus.
Friday night, he began a five-day course of remdesivir, a Gilead Sciences drug currently used for moderately and severely ill patients. The drugs work in different ways - the antibodies help the immune system rid the body of virus and remdesivir curbs the virus’ ability to multiply.
“We’re maximizing all aspects of his care,” attacking the virus in multiple ways, Conley said. “I didn’t want to hold anything back if there was any possibility it would add value to his care.”
He noted that in many cases, COVID-19 can become more dangerous as the body responds. “The first week of COVID, and in particular day seven to 10, are the most critical in determining the likely course of this illness,” he said.
At the same time, the White House has been working to trace a flurry of new infections of close Trump aides and allies. Attention is focused in particular on the Sept. 26 White House event introducing Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. That day, Trump gathered more than 150 people in the Rose Garden, where they mingled, hugged and shook hands - overwhelmingly without masks. There were also several indoor receptions, where Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, her family, senators and others spent time in the close quarters of the White House, photographs show.
Among those who attended and have now tested positive: former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, the president of the University of Notre Dame, and at least two Republican lawmakers - Utah Sen. Mike Lee and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. The president’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, and the head of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel, have also tested positive, though they were not at the event. Another prominent Republican who has tested positive: Sen. Ron Johnson. R-Wis.,
One of the president’s personal assistants, Nick Luna, tested positive after having traveled with Trump several times recently, a White House official said Saturday night. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the matter by name and requested anonymity.
Despite its failure to protect the president and senior staff from infection, the White House has given no indication that it intends to make any major protocol changes, such as mandating that everyone wears a mask.
Meadows, the chief of staff, accompanied the president to the hospital aboard Marine One, the kind of small, enclosed space where experts say the virus easily spreads. Those aboard did wear masks.
While Vice President Mike Pence is currently off the campaign trail preparing for the coming week’s vice presidential debate, he and his staff are operating under a “business as usual” approach. He’s still planning to travel to Arizona on Thursday, Indiana on Friday and Florida on Saturday for events instead of isolating himself after potential exposure and to protect himself from contracting the virus anywhere else.
___
Colvin and Miller reported from Washington. Associated Press chief medical writer Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Cal Cunningham admits to sending sexual texts to strategist

RALEIGH , N.C. ( AP ) - The Democratic challenger in North Carolina ’ s closely contested U.S. Senate contest has admitted to exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a woman who ’ s not his wife , but he said he will not drop out of the race .
Cal Cunningham apologized late Friday for the text message exchanges in which he tells the woman he wants to kiss her and she says she wants to spend the night with him .
The messages were first reported by the website NationalFile.com .
“ I have hurt my family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorry .
The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility , which I do , ” Cunningham said in a statement .
Cunningham ’ s admission regarding the text messages , along with his opponent U.S. Senate Thom Tillis testing positive for COVID-19 , could reshape a closely contested campaign that ’ s considered key to determining the power balance in the Senate .
But Cunningham , who is married with two children , added that he ’ s not dropping out of the Senate race : “ I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight for the people of our state.
” Screengrabs of the messages show Cunningham told public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd , “ Would make my day to roll over and kiss you about now , ” to which she replies , “ You ’ re so sweet .
I would enjoy that.
” Another shows Guzman Todd tell Cunningham , “ the only thing I want on my to do list is you , ” to which Cunningham replies , “ Sounds so hot and so fun !
” A spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Petri , confirmed the authenticity of the text messages .
It ’ s unclear when the messages were sent , but at one point Cunningham says he ’ s “ Nervous about the next 100 days , ” which could be a reference to the Senate election .
One hundred days before the election would be July 26 .
An email trying to reach Guzman Todd at the communications firm that lists her as an employee wasn ’ t immediately returned Saturday morning .
Earlier Friday , Cunningham ’ s opponent , Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for COVID-19 but said he has no symptoms .
Cunningham tweeted that he wished Tillis a “ quick recovery ” and said he would get tested himself after the two men shared a debate stage Thursday night .
___ This story has been updated to correct a typo in the name of the outlet that first reported on the messages .

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina’s intensely competitive and expensive U.S. Senate race has been upended by personal and health disruptions that sent sharp tremors and uncertainty through the campaigns and an electorate already casting ballots.
Democratic nominee Cal Cunningham acknowledged and apologized for exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a woman who’s not his wife, but he said he won’t drop out of the race. And just a few hours earlier Friday evening, his opponent, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, announced he has tested positive for COVID-19. The first-term senator has “mild symptoms,” and the positive test forced Tillis to cancel in-person events as several members of his campaign staff headed into quarantine, less than five weeks until Election Day.
“It’s chaos - it’s really what I see it is,” David McLennan, a political science professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, said in a Saturday interview.
In the text message exchanges, Cunningham tells the woman he wants to kiss her and she says she wants to spend the night with him. The messages were first reported by the website NationalFile.com.
“I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry. The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility, which I do,” Cunningham said in his statement late Friday.
Cunningham, who is married with two teenage children, added he’s staying in the Senate race: “I will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state.”
The race is the nation’s most expensive Senate campaign and considered key to determining the power balance in the chamber. Democrats need to gain four seats in November to take control. The developments come as voting already has gone on for four weeks in North Carolina, as 341,000 completed mail-in absentee ballots already have been accepted and will be counted. Early in-person voting begins Oct. 15.
McLennan and Gary Pearce, a longtime state Democratic consultant, said it’s unclear how much of an effect the text messages will have on the election.
“Most Democrats are really scared by it, but then you wonder has everything changed in the age of (President Donald) Trump,” Pearce said, adding the electorate’s increased polarization since 2016 could lead many Democrats to stick with Cunningham simply because the party’s victory is paramount.
Screengrabs of the messages show Cunningham told public relations strategist Arlene Guzman Todd, “Would make my day to roll over and kiss you about now,” to which she replies, “You’re so sweet. I would enjoy that.”
Another shows Guzman Todd tell Cunningham, “the only thing I want on my to do list is you,” to which Cunningham replies, “Sounds so hot and so fun!”
A spokeswoman for Cunningham’s campaign, Rachel Petri, confirmed on Saturday the authenticity of the text messages. It’s unclear when the messages were sent, but at one point Cunningham says he’s “Nervous about the next 100 days,” which could be a reference to the Senate election. One hundred days before the election would be July 26.
An email trying to reach Guzman Todd at the California-based communications firm that lists her as an employee, as well as voice messages left with what public records indicate are her phone numbers, weren’t returned Saturday. Public records show she had a Raleigh residence briefly until 2015. Guzman Todd is married to someone who has served in the U.S. Army, according to the NationalFile.com report.
Cunningham, 47, is an attorney and Iraq War veteran who still serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. He served one term in the state Senate in the early 2000s and lost a Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate in 2010.
As for Tillis, a spokesman for the Republican said Tillis has “mild symptoms” and will be staying at home for 10 days. Cunningham tweeted that he wished Tillis a “quick recovery.” The two candidates shared a debate stage on Thursday night. Petri said Cunningham tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday and will be tested again Monday. No other debates are scheduled.
The Tillis campaign, citing its own health concerns, deferred on Saturday questions about the text messages to Cunningham. National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Jesse Hunt said Cunningham must disclose more so voters can decide his fitness for office: “These are very troubling allegations and Cal needs to be fully transparent with the voters of North Carolina.”
National Democrats who helped recruit Cunningham for the race stood with him. “We are confident that he will bring the same courage and determination to the Senate as he has while serving our country in uniform,” Lauren Passalacqua with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said.
Tillis, 60, was diagnosed with the virus days after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the White House Rose Garden for Amy Coney Barrett on Sept. 26. The judiciary committee member didn’t say in his statement where he believes he caught the virus but did say he had tested negative for the virus on the same day as the White House event. Tillis was wearing a mask at the ceremony and has been among the most consistent Republicans to preach the use of face coverings. In late August, Tillis apologized for listening maskless in person to Trump’s Republican nomination acceptance speech outdoors at the White House. McLennan said the positive test could place more questions upon Tillis.
The race is second only to the presidential campaign in terms of overall outside spending, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. More than $97 million already has been spent by independent expenditure groups in the general election, center data says.
Cunningham, who outraised Tillis during the first half of the year, announced Thursday that his campaign would report collecting $28.3 million in the third quarter - a record haul for any North Carolina candidate. Tillis’ campaign hasn’t announced his third quarter fundraising totals.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Better weather won't keep California from grim fire landmark

SAN FRANCISCO ( AP ) - Firefighters may get a reprieve from the weather Saturday as red flag warnings of extreme fire danger expire .
But the state is still poised to reach a grim milestone : 4 million acres burned this year by wildfires .
The state is only about 20,000 acres from reaching the unprecedented figure , fire officials said .
Meanwhile , two major fires that have killed four people and incinerated hundreds of homes in the wine country and the far north continued to burn .
Powerful winds that had been expected to drive flames since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red flag warnings of extreme fire danger for hot , dry and gusty weather were due to expire at 6 a.m .
The weekend was expected to usher in some cooling - or less intense heat - and long-range forecast models hinted at the possibility of rain early next week .
But with California a tinderbox of dead trees and dried brush after weeks of scorching weather and years of drought , fires could explode in rural areas , grasslands and dense forest even without the push of winds .
“ It just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not out of the woods yet when it comes to what might happen in California , ” said Jonathan Cox , a deputy chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , known as Cal Fire .
The easing winds proved a mixed blessing at the Glass Fire in Sonoma and Napa counties .
Although the fire raged on , crews got a break as they struggled to keep flames from jumping containment lines and renewing their march toward scenic communities .
“ The good news is that with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have continued control issues , ” said Ben Nicholls , a Cal Fire division chief .
“ However , ” he added , “ due to that lack of wind , the smoke has stayed in place ” and hindered aircraft from attacking the blaze .
Evacuation orders for many of the 5,000 residents of Calistoga were reduced Friday to warnings , although trees and some homes on the town borders were burning .
Juan Perez , 27 , of Calistoga , had defied the original evacuation order .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter told him they were afraid .
“ It ’ s been pretty bad , the ash and the smoke , ” Perez told the San Francisco Chronicle .
“ Plus I ’ m running out of water and food.
” The fire , which had destroyed about 600 homes and other buildings , still threatened around 29,000 homes .
It was growing by making “ short , intense runs up slopes and drainages , ” and throwing out embers that create spot fires , Cal Fire said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 95.5 square miles ( 247 square kilometers ) and was only 8 % contained .
In Shasta County in the north end of the state , the Zogg Fire that began Sunday has killed four people and destroyed 170 homes and other buildings .
It was 56 % contained .
Altogether , wildfires have killed 31 people in California this year .
Many of the largest fires were started by lightning strikes in mid-August and most of the destroyed acreage has come since then .
Some 17,000 firefighters are still battling nearly two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked bigger wildfires in America to climate change from the burning of coal , oil and gas .
Scientists say climate change has made California much drier , meaning trees and other plants are more flammable .

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Red flag warnings of extreme fire danger subsided, but warm and dry weather continued to challenge firefighters battling more than two dozen blazes across California on Saturday as the state approaches an astonishing milestone: 4 million acres burned by wildfires this year.
The state is about 20,000 acres from reaching the unprecedented figure, fire officials said. Meanwhile, two major fires that have killed four people and incinerated hundreds of homes in the wine country and the far north continued to burn.
Powerful winds that had been expected to drive flames since Wednesday hadn’t materialized, and warnings of extreme fire danger for hot, dry and gusty weather expired Saturday morning as a layer of fog rolled in. Clearer skies in some areas allowed large air tankers to drop retardant after being sidelined by smoky conditions several days earlier.
But with California a tinderbox of dead trees and dried brush after weeks of scorching weather and years of drought, fires could explode in rural areas, grasslands and dense forest even without the push of winds.
Above-normal temperatures and low humidity persisted Saturday, heightening the fire danger.
“It just leaves us kind of nervous that we’re not out of the woods yet when it comes to what might happen in California,” said Jonathan Cox, a deputy chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.
A cooling trend is expected to slowly begin on Sunday. Long-range forecast models hinted at the possibility of rain early next week.
The easing winds proved a mixed blessing at the Glass Fire in Sonoma and Napa counties. Although the fire raged on, crews got a break as they struggled to keep flames from jumping containment lines and renewing their march toward scenic communities.
“The good news is that with the lack of wind, we didn’t have continued control issues,” said Ben Nicholls, a Cal Fire division chief.
“However,” he added, “due to that lack of wind, the smoke has stayed in place” and hindered aircraft from attacking the blaze.
Evacuation orders for many of the 5,000 residents of Calistoga were reduced Friday to warnings, although trees and some homes on the town borders were burning.
The fire, which had destroyed about 600 homes and other buildings, still threatened around 29,000 homes.
The fire had burned 97.4 square miles (252 square kilometers) and was only 10% contained.
In Shasta County in the north end of the state, the Zogg Fire that began Sunday has killed four people and destroyed nearly 180 structures. Containment slightly grew to 57% contained.
Two inmate firefighters were injured Friday afternoon and were airlifted from a steep area in the northern zone of the fire to a local hospital, incident commander Sean Kavanaugh said.
One was released while the other remained hospitalized Saturday, Kavanaugh said.
Altogether, wildfires have killed 31 people and destroyed 8,200 structures in California this year. Many of the largest fires were started by lightning strikes in mid-August and most of the destroyed acreage has come since then.
About 17,000 firefighters are still battling nearly two dozen major blazes.
Numerous studies have linked bigger wildfires in the U.S. to climate change from the burning of coal, oil and gas. Scientists say climate change has made California much drier, meaning trees and other plants are more flammable.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Davenport cheerleaders kneel to protest racism, inequality

DAVENPORT , Iowa ( AP ) - They are kneeling because they see a hurt in American society they want healed .
In recent weeks , cheerleaders from Davenport ’ s North High School have taken a knee during the national anthem at several games or events to protest racism and inequality .
Friday , several of the teens talked about what they are trying to say .
“ I kneel because this country has allowed my people to face centuries of oppression , and I will not stand for that , ” Amine Golden , 17 , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of color have been wrongfully taken by police brutality for no other reason than that they were different , Golden said .
They have received little or no justice .
Dania Green , 17 , said her choice to kneel was inspired by actions taken this summer across the country after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .
“ I was deeply moved by my people ’ s response to injustice by protesting , and I personally couldn ’ t be a part of it how I wanted to , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Green said .
The teens said they have had positive support for their actions — family , teachers and others — but they have also been criticized for the act , they said .
Mackenzie Hudson said one of their protests was on Sept. 11 and they were criticized by people who argued they were being disrespectful to the people who were killed in the 2001 terrorist attacks .
“ They called us terrorists ; they were like using a lot of hurtful words , ” Hudson said .
They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the military , Hudson said .
She said their protests are not meant that way .
What they are meant to do is highlight that the ideals America ’ s symbols represent are not always available to all of its citizens , they said .
Green said she did not feel the need to take any pride in a country that takes a huge hand in the detriment of black people and people of color every single day .
“ Black life matters , ” Green said .
“ Today , tomorrow and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hatred and too much injustice has been going on for so long , Kenniah Cotton said .
“ We shouldn ’ t be killed or treated differently just because ( of ) the color of our skin , ” Torrence Hicks , 15 , said .
Green and Hudson said they do not expect change to come quickly .
Their protests , however , have started debate , Green said .
“ That ’ s how change starts , through communication , ” Green said .
Inequality is not just current events , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stop without real change being made , Golden said.That change will only be made by speaking out , by voting , by boycotting , protesting and educating .
Some will demand change peacefully and some will not , but the way they have called for change should not be the focus of attention— that change needs to be made is what is important , Golden said .
“ The change we are asking for should never be up for debate because they are human rights , ” Golden said .

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) - They are kneeling because they see a hurt in American society they want healed.
In recent weeks, cheerleaders from Davenport’s North High School have taken a knee during the national anthem at several games or events to protest racism and inequality.
Friday, several of the teens talked about what they are trying to say.
“I kneel because this country has allowed my people to face centuries of oppression, and I will not stand for that,” Amine Golden, 17, told the Quad-City Times.
The lives of countless people of color have been wrongfully taken by police brutality for no other reason than that they were different, Golden said. They have received little or no justice.
Dania Green, 17, said her choice to kneel was inspired by actions taken this summer across the country after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
“I was deeply moved by my people’s response to injustice by protesting, and I personally couldn’t be a part of it how I wanted to, so this is my way of protesting,” Green said.
The teens said they have had positive support for their actions — family, teachers and others — but they have also been criticized for the act, they said.
Mackenzie Hudson said one of their protests was on Sept. 11 and they were criticized by people who argued they were being disrespectful to the people who were killed in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
“They called us terrorists; they were like using a lot of hurtful words,” Hudson said.
They’ve also been accused of not respecting the military, Hudson said.
She said their protests are not meant that way.
What they are meant to do is highlight that the ideals America’s symbols represent are not always available to all of its citizens, they said.
Green said she did not feel the need to take any pride in a country that takes a huge hand in the detriment of black people and people of color every single day.
“Black life matters,” Green said. “Today, tomorrow and every day after that.”
Too much hatred and too much injustice has been going on for so long, Kenniah Cotton said.
“We shouldn’t be killed or treated differently just because (of ) the color of our skin,” Torrence Hicks, 15, said.
Green and Hudson said they do not expect change to come quickly.
Their protests, however, have started debate, Green said.
“That’s how change starts, through communication,” Green said.
Inequality is not just current events, it is a long-standing issue that will not stop without real change being made, Golden said.That change will only be made by speaking out, by voting, by boycotting, protesting and educating.
Some will demand change peacefully and some will not, but the way they have called for change should not be the focus of attention— that change needs to be made is what is important, Golden said.
“The change we are asking for should never be up for debate because they are human rights,” Golden said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Loras College students starting to raise, train service dogs

DUBUQUE , Iowa ( AP ) - A yellow English Labrador is among the newest members of the Loras College campus community this fall .
Toksi , a service dog in training , goes to class with sophomore Ciera Hansen to help her classmates adjust to seeing service animals at the school .
That will come in handy as students start to take on an active role in training service dogs on campus .
“ A lot of people think that it ’ s just a pet , ( that ) you can go up to her and talk to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald .
“ Seeing the vest , I think it starts to click with them ( that ) this isn ’ t a regular dog.
” Hansen is the president and founder of DuDawgs , a Loras club through which students raise and train service dogs and spread awareness of the roles the animals play .
Eventually , students will start training dogs on behalf of Cedar Rapids , Iowa , nonprofit Deafinitely Dogs !
Their efforts will help the nonprofit serve more people , while helping community members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have , said Sherry Steine Ross , a co-founder of the organization .
“ It ’ s just an amazing service that ( students ) can offer to the community , ” she said .
Hansen started raising and training service dogs with her mother when Hansen was in high school .
During Hansen ’ s freshman year at Loras , she established DuDawgs to continue her efforts .
This year , students in the group are raising funds to support their efforts to bring dogs to campus .
They also are talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act appropriately around service dogs .
Hansen worked with Deafinitely Dogs !
to host Toksi at Loras so people can get used to having a service animal on campus .
Toksi ’ s presence also serves to help the wider Dubuque community learn more about service animals , Hansen said .
“ A lot of people just love seeing her , ” she said .
“ I ’ ll walk in a class , and I ’ ll just see everyone brighten up.
” DuDawgs members plan to bring three or four dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have a student as a head trainer , and other members of the group will help with the process .
Deafinitely Dogs !
will provide the students with puppies to live with on campus and will visit with students to give training classes and provide instruction so students have the skills to work with the dogs , Ross said .
The animals eventually will be placed as post-traumatic stress disorder dogs , hearing dogs or professional facility dogs .
“ It takes two years , but beginning to end , ( students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from the potty training to the placement , ” Ross said .
College campuses can serve as valuable training grounds for service dogs because the animals are exposed to diverse environments with people from different cultures and with different abilities .
“ They have to be exposed to as many things as possible because it ’ s all new to them if they haven ’ t seen it , ” Ross said .
The students ’ efforts allow Deafinitely Dogs !
to train more service animals and , in turn , place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While they are raising dogs , DuDawgs members also will assist with efforts such as marketing , fundraising and outreach , said Jake Kurczek , an assistant professor of neuroscience and psychology who serves as DuDawgs ’ adviser .
Those efforts , in turn , allow students to significantly impact the life of whoever eventually receives the dogs , Kurczek said .
“ I think it ’ s a good highlight for showing students who are dedicated to taking their learning in the classroom and applying it in the community , ” @ @ @

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - A yellow English Labrador is among the newest members of the Loras College campus community this fall.
Toksi, a service dog in training, goes to class with sophomore Ciera Hansen to help her classmates adjust to seeing service animals at the school. That will come in handy as students start to take on an active role in training service dogs on campus.
“A lot of people think that it’s just a pet, (that) you can go up to her and talk to her, pet her,” Hansen told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. “Seeing the vest, I think it starts to click with them (that) this isn’t a regular dog.”
Hansen is the president and founder of DuDawgs, a Loras club through which students raise and train service dogs and spread awareness of the roles the animals play.
Eventually, students will start training dogs on behalf of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, nonprofit Deafinitely Dogs! Their efforts will help the nonprofit serve more people, while helping community members understand the impact that service dogs can have, said Sherry Steine Ross, a co-founder of the organization.
“It’s just an amazing service that (students) can offer to the community,” she said.
Hansen started raising and training service dogs with her mother when Hansen was in high school. During Hansen’s freshman year at Loras, she established DuDawgs to continue her efforts.
This year, students in the group are raising funds to support their efforts to bring dogs to campus. They also are talking to the Loras community about how to act appropriately around service dogs.
Hansen worked with Deafinitely Dogs! to host Toksi at Loras so people can get used to having a service animal on campus. Toksi’s presence also serves to help the wider Dubuque community learn more about service animals, Hansen said.
“A lot of people just love seeing her,” she said. “I’ll walk in a class, and I’ll just see everyone brighten up.”
DuDawgs members plan to bring three or four dogs to campus next year. Each dog will have a student as a head trainer, and other members of the group will help with the process.
Deafinitely Dogs! will provide the students with puppies to live with on campus and will visit with students to give training classes and provide instruction so students have the skills to work with the dogs, Ross said. The animals eventually will be placed as post-traumatic stress disorder dogs, hearing dogs or professional facility dogs.
“It takes two years, but beginning to end, (students) will be part of the process, from the potty training to the placement,” Ross said.
College campuses can serve as valuable training grounds for service dogs because the animals are exposed to diverse environments with people from different cultures and with different abilities.
“They have to be exposed to as many things as possible because it’s all new to them if they haven’t seen it,” Ross said.
The students’ efforts allow Deafinitely Dogs! to train more service animals and, in turn, place them with more people, she said.
While they are raising dogs, DuDawgs members also will assist with efforts such as marketing, fundraising and outreach, said Jake Kurczek, an assistant professor of neuroscience and psychology who serves as DuDawgs’ adviser.
Those efforts, in turn, allow students to significantly impact the life of whoever eventually receives the dogs, Kurczek said.
“I think it’s a good highlight for showing students who are dedicated to taking their learning in the classroom and applying it in the community,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Campaigns court growing number of Wisconsin Hispanic voters

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) - Both presidential campaigns see Wisconsin ’ s growing Hispanic population as an important voting bloc in the upcoming election , but they are not a monolithic group , and young voters are divided and disheartened by their choices .
President Donald Trump has long antagonized the Mexican immigrant community , labeling those crossing the border illegally as drug dealers , rapists and “ some … good people ” when he launched his 2016 campaign .
During his presidency his administration separated families and imprisoned children as part of a crackdown on illegal border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden hasn ’ t necessarily capitalized on Trump ’ s rhetoric and actions .
Nadxely Sanchez , a Milwaukee resident who turned 19 in September , said Biden ’ s lack of support during the Democratic primary for a clear path to citizenship for immigrants , particularly those who were brought here as children , initially discouraged her from supporting him .
“ He didn ’ t give clear answers and he didn ’ t give answers that many of my friends , and people who I know are voting , were hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But because he is the only other ( major party ) candidate going against Trump , you kind of feel obliged to vote for him , even though he ’ s not our top choice.
” The Hispanic electorate is the fastest-growing demographic in Wisconsin , particularly in the southeastern region of the state .
According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the percentage of Wisconsinites who identify as Hispanic has almost doubled since 2000 , from 3.6 % to 7.1 % last year , the State Journal reported .
But historically the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns , according to Christine Neumann-Ortiz , executive director of Voces de la Frontera , a statewide advocate for immigrant and low-wage worker rights based in Milwaukee .
As Hispanic voters could play a big role in winning a key swing state in November , both presidential campaigns have stepped up culturally specific outreach efforts in an attempt to overcome the lack of enthusiasm felt by voters .
Neumann-Ortiz attributed the lack of resources devoted to win over Hispanic voters in Wisconsin in past elections to low turnout among Hispanic voters , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic voters made up 4 % of Wisconsin voters in 2016 election exit polls .
Of those surveyed , 63 % voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 34 % cast their ballot for Trump .
A composite of Marquette Law School Poll results from August 2019 through September 2020 shows Biden leading Trump 55 % to 30 % among Hispanic voters , according to poll director Charles Franklin .
The margin of error is +/-6 percentage points , signifying little shift from the 2016 results .
Despite his poor performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made inroads in recent months .
“ A lot of people in the Latino community who , before the last six months , would not even utter the word ‘ Trump ’ , some of them are coming out of the closet saying ‘ Well I didn ’ t support him last time but I support him now , ’ ” said Damaris Pérez Maldonado , a 49-year-old conservative voter from Racine .
“ I ’ ve been shocked at my own family and friends who have said , ‘ Yeah we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of them who say , ‘ We ’ re just staying home because we just don ’ t like either one of them.
’ ” Pérez Maldonado said friends and family pointed to recent unrest after police shootings of Black Americans across the country , as well as COVID-19-related stimulus payments , when asked why they plan to support Trump in the upcoming election .
But delays in the next round of stimulus payments could also sway voters .
“ A lot of people really translate that as ‘ Trump sent me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Most people are waiting for the next one and if that doesn ’ t come through I think they ’ ll either vote against Trump or stay home.
” In Milwaukee , a number of low-income districts and those predominantly populated by people of color saw a significant decrease in voter turnout between the 2012 and 2016 elections .
But , districts with significant Hispanic populations didn ’ t see as sharp a decrease , in part because of culturally specific voter outreach efforts in down-ballot races .
Both parties have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened a field office in the Historic Mitchell Street Neighborhood of Milwaukee , an area with a majority Hispanic population , to supplement past party efforts to engage voters .
They ’ ve conducted more virtual events , amid COVID-19 , as well as some in-person events to push Trump ’ s reelection platform and they ’ re focusing on economic issues which they believe will motivate the electorate .
“ A lot of these folks came from countries that experienced government socialism and its effect on their communities and they contrast with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mark Jefferson , executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin .
“ I think those contrasts play well with center right and swing voters so where there are opportunities , we need to be aggressive and take advantage of them.
” Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa , D-Milwaukee , a Biden surrogate and member of the campaign ’ s National Latino Leadership Committee , outlined a number of national and Wisconsin-specific voter initiatives that launched online during this campaign , including a social media strategy to target young Hispanic voters ; weekly Spanish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rollout of a Hispanic-specific agenda ; the launch of Todos con Biden , a statewide coalition of Hispanic voters ; and a racial and equity roundtable .
“ These conversations , this roll out are imperative so that our people can have that discussion , that conversation of what we expect moving forward , ” Zamarripa said .
She said the stark contrast between the two candidates regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , or DACA , a wedge issue among Hispanic voters , has become a flashpoint that has motivated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attempt to end DACA was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in June , but it remains in the forefront of the minds of young Hispanic voters as they plan to cast their ballots in November .
A number of Sanchez ’ s friends are DACA recipients , a fact that will inform how she votes for the first time in a presidential race .
“ It makes me hyper-aware of the candidate ’ s policy , their outlook toward DACA and how they ’ ll handle it once they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The embattled program was enacted by the Obama administration in 2012 to protect undocumented immigrants , who arrived in the U.S. as children , from deportation .
Trump attempted to follow through on a 2016 campaign promise to dismantle DACA by ordering the program to end in September 2017 but was challenged in court by a number of plaintiffs .
By the time the battle reached the U.S. Supreme Court , nearly 700,000 young immigrants sought protection from deportation through the program , thousands of whom reside in Wisconsin .
In June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration had not followed the proper protocol to end DACA in a 5-4 vote , allowing the program to remain in place for the time being .
Trump said in June that he plans to attempt to end the program again and denounced the Supreme Court decision in what has become a rallying cry for many young Hispanic voters as they plan to vote against the incumbent this fall .
But Trump ’ s approach has worked for some .
Alex Ledezma , a 25-year-old Madison resident and college student , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming election , regardless of his attempt to end DACA .
Ledezma , who is a first-generation American , said Republicans and Democrats have punted on immigration for decades .
He believes the incumbent was the first president to attempt to fix what Ledezma called a broken system .
“ No one has actually gone to the root cause of this issue , everyone is just trying to fix the surface , ” he said .
“ The law is , if you come here illegally unfortunately you face deportation.
” According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 59 % of registered voters who identify as Hispanic said that immigration was very important to their vote in the 2020 presidential election .
The Trump campaign ’ s rhetoric against members of Hispanic communities during the 2016 election and his administration ’ s subsequent separation of families at the border , as well as his attempt to end DACA , could work against him come fall .
Republican Party leaders in Wisconsin noted the incumbent must be more careful with his words this election cycle .
Republicans have to be cognizant of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of Trump ’ s effort to win over Hispanic voters .
“ We have to be careful to differentiate between folks who played by the rules and those who came in the country illegally , ” he said .
Biden ’ s record as vice president could discourage young Hispanic voters as well , because of the significant number of deportations that took place during the Obama administration .
“ I know that there ’ s that pain , ” Zamarripa said .
“ There is some hurt there and we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden campaign and Hispanic communities .
Voces de la Frontera Acción created Voceros por el Voto ( Spokespersons for the Vote ) in 2018 to focus on voter outreach within Wisconsin ’ s Hispanic communities .
That year , 400 spokespersons were organized over a six-week period to help educate voters ahead of the midterm elections in Wisconsin .
The Voceros then branched out to build a network of voters within their communities and encouraged those voters to branch out as Voceros as well .
In August 2020 , the Vocero program boasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outreach members , with the goal of getting to 23,000 voters by November , Neumann-Ortiz said .
The Democratic Party hopes to tap into those 23,000 voters to help Biden in Wisconsin in November .
Vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , gained the organization ’ s endorsement after a closed-door meeting with members in early September .
“ When the margins are so small ( like they were in 2016 ) , the Latino vote is absolutely essential to determining elections , ” Neumann-Ortiz said .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Both presidential campaigns see Wisconsin’s growing Hispanic population as an important voting bloc in the upcoming election, but they are not a monolithic group, and young voters are divided and disheartened by their choices.
President Donald Trump has long antagonized the Mexican immigrant community, labeling those crossing the border illegally as drug dealers, rapists and “some … good people” when he launched his 2016 campaign. During his presidency his administration separated families and imprisoned children as part of a crackdown on illegal border crossings.
But former Vice President Joe Biden hasn’t necessarily capitalized on Trump’s rhetoric and actions. Nadxely Sanchez, a Milwaukee resident who turned 19 in September, said Biden’s lack of support during the Democratic primary for a clear path to citizenship for immigrants, particularly those who were brought here as children, initially discouraged her from supporting him.
“He didn’t give clear answers and he didn’t give answers that many of my friends, and people who I know are voting, were hoping for,” she said. “But because he is the only other (major party) candidate going against Trump, you kind of feel obliged to vote for him, even though he’s not our top choice.”
The Hispanic electorate is the fastest-growing demographic in Wisconsin, particularly in the southeastern region of the state. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of Wisconsinites who identify as Hispanic has almost doubled since 2000, from 3.6% to 7.1% last year, the State Journal reported.
But historically the group has not been courted by presidential campaigns, according to Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, a statewide advocate for immigrant and low-wage worker rights based in Milwaukee.
As Hispanic voters could play a big role in winning a key swing state in November, both presidential campaigns have stepped up culturally specific outreach efforts in an attempt to overcome the lack of enthusiasm felt by voters.
Neumann-Ortiz attributed the lack of resources devoted to win over Hispanic voters in Wisconsin in past elections to low turnout among Hispanic voters, as well as the still small population.
Hispanic voters made up 4% of Wisconsin voters in 2016 election exit polls. Of those surveyed, 63% voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 34% cast their ballot for Trump.
A composite of Marquette Law School Poll results from August 2019 through September 2020 shows Biden leading Trump 55% to 30% among Hispanic voters, according to poll director Charles Franklin. The margin of error is +/-6 percentage points, signifying little shift from the 2016 results.
Despite his poor performance among Hispanics, some believe Trump has made inroads in recent months.
“A lot of people in the Latino community who, before the last six months, would not even utter the word ‘Trump’, some of them are coming out of the closet saying ‘Well I didn’t support him last time but I support him now,’” said Damaris Pérez Maldonado, a 49-year-old conservative voter from Racine. “I’ve been shocked at my own family and friends who have said, ‘Yeah we’re totally voting for Trump’ or many of them who say, ‘We’re just staying home because we just don’t like either one of them.’”
Pérez Maldonado said friends and family pointed to recent unrest after police shootings of Black Americans across the country, as well as COVID-19-related stimulus payments, when asked why they plan to support Trump in the upcoming election. But delays in the next round of stimulus payments could also sway voters.
“A lot of people really translate that as ‘Trump sent me a check,’” she said. “Most people are waiting for the next one and if that doesn’t come through I think they’ll either vote against Trump or stay home.”
In Milwaukee, a number of low-income districts and those predominantly populated by people of color saw a significant decrease in voter turnout between the 2012 and 2016 elections. But, districts with significant Hispanic populations didn’t see as sharp a decrease, in part because of culturally specific voter outreach efforts in down-ballot races.
Both parties have taken notice.
The Wisconsin GOP recently opened a field office in the Historic Mitchell Street Neighborhood of Milwaukee, an area with a majority Hispanic population, to supplement past party efforts to engage voters. They’ve conducted more virtual events, amid COVID-19, as well as some in-person events to push Trump’s reelection platform and they’re focusing on economic issues which they believe will motivate the electorate.
“A lot of these folks came from countries that experienced government socialism and its effect on their communities and they contrast with President Trump’s agenda,” said Mark Jefferson, executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “I think those contrasts play well with center right and swing voters so where there are opportunities, we need to be aggressive and take advantage of them.”
Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, D-Milwaukee, a Biden surrogate and member of the campaign’s National Latino Leadership Committee, outlined a number of national and Wisconsin-specific voter initiatives that launched online during this campaign, including a social media strategy to target young Hispanic voters; weekly Spanish language phone banks in Wisconsin; the rollout of a Hispanic-specific agenda; the launch of Todos con Biden, a statewide coalition of Hispanic voters; and a racial and equity roundtable.
“These conversations, this roll out are imperative so that our people can have that discussion, that conversation of what we expect moving forward,” Zamarripa said.
She said the stark contrast between the two candidates regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, a wedge issue among Hispanic voters, has become a flashpoint that has motivated younger members of the demographic.
Trump’s attempt to end DACA was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in June, but it remains in the forefront of the minds of young Hispanic voters as they plan to cast their ballots in November.
A number of Sanchez’s friends are DACA recipients, a fact that will inform how she votes for the first time in a presidential race.
“It makes me hyper-aware of the candidate’s policy, their outlook toward DACA and how they’ll handle it once they take the presidency,” she said.
The embattled program was enacted by the Obama administration in 2012 to protect undocumented immigrants, who arrived in the U.S. as children, from deportation. Trump attempted to follow through on a 2016 campaign promise to dismantle DACA by ordering the program to end in September 2017 but was challenged in court by a number of plaintiffs.
By the time the battle reached the U.S. Supreme Court, nearly 700,000 young immigrants sought protection from deportation through the program, thousands of whom reside in Wisconsin. In June, the high court determined the Trump administration had not followed the proper protocol to end DACA in a 5-4 vote, allowing the program to remain in place for the time being.
Trump said in June that he plans to attempt to end the program again and denounced the Supreme Court decision in what has become a rallying cry for many young Hispanic voters as they plan to vote against the incumbent this fall. But Trump’s approach has worked for some.
Alex Ledezma, a 25-year-old Madison resident and college student, said he plans to vote for Trump in the upcoming election, regardless of his attempt to end DACA. Ledezma, who is a first-generation American, said Republicans and Democrats have punted on immigration for decades. He believes the incumbent was the first president to attempt to fix what Ledezma called a broken system.
“No one has actually gone to the root cause of this issue, everyone is just trying to fix the surface,” he said. “The law is, if you come here illegally unfortunately you face deportation.”
According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, 59% of registered voters who identify as Hispanic said that immigration was very important to their vote in the 2020 presidential election.
The Trump campaign’s rhetoric against members of Hispanic communities during the 2016 election and his administration’s subsequent separation of families at the border, as well as his attempt to end DACA, could work against him come fall. Republican Party leaders in Wisconsin noted the incumbent must be more careful with his words this election cycle.
Republicans have to be cognizant of how we say things, Jefferson said, of Trump’s effort to win over Hispanic voters. “We have to be careful to differentiate between folks who played by the rules and those who came in the country illegally,” he said.
Biden’s record as vice president could discourage young Hispanic voters as well, because of the significant number of deportations that took place during the Obama administration.
“I know that there’s that pain,” Zamarripa said. “There is some hurt there and we need to have that dialogue” between the Biden campaign and Hispanic communities.
Voces de la Frontera Acción created Voceros por el Voto (Spokespersons for the Vote) in 2018 to focus on voter outreach within Wisconsin’s Hispanic communities. That year, 400 spokespersons were organized over a six-week period to help educate voters ahead of the midterm elections in Wisconsin. The Voceros then branched out to build a network of voters within their communities and encouraged those voters to branch out as Voceros as well.
In August 2020, the Vocero program boasted a combined network of roughly 13,500 voters and outreach members, with the goal of getting to 23,000 voters by November, Neumann-Ortiz said.
The Democratic Party hopes to tap into those 23,000 voters to help Biden in Wisconsin in November. Vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., gained the organization’s endorsement after a closed-door meeting with members in early September.
“When the margins are so small (like they were in 2016), the Latino vote is absolutely essential to determining elections,” Neumann-Ortiz said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Homeless houses in St. Paul have essentials _ and challenges

ST. PAUL , Minn. ( AP ) - The tiny house tucked behind the Mosaic Christian Community on St. Paul ’ s East Side has all of the essentials .
There ’ s a twin bed , a hot plate , a mini fridge , a gravity-fed water basin , a bathroom with a dry toilet that can be emptied daily , a butcher-block counter , a table and chair , pegs for coats and a leather chair - all within about 140 square feet .
There ’ s even a junk drawer “ because every home has a junk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clowdus , who designed the tiny house .
Clowdus , the CEO and co-founder of Settled , is working with metro-area churches to build tiny-house communities - called Sacred Settlements - for people experiencing homelessness .
Settled is currently working with Mosaic and with Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake .
Both churches ’ plans call for people experiencing homelessness to move into tiny houses on church property .
Residents would share facilities and amenities such as a kitchen , dining area , restrooms , showers , laundry , gardens , workshops and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Each tiny house is expected to cost between $ 20,000 and $ 30,000 to build .
Each resident would pay rent , about $ 200 a month , and be expected to contribute to the community , Clowdus said .
“ We ’ re not just building housing ; we ’ re trying , really , to build community , ” Clowdus said .
“ We ’ re trying to stitch ourselves back together , knit our hearts together , to recognize that we belong to one another.
” Community advocates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missionals ” - also would live on site to ensure a “ thriving community , ” Clowdus said .
“ They ’ re the secret sauce .
They ’ re people who have never experienced homelessness , but have a calling and desire to live among the poor , be a good neighbor , demonstrate a healthy lifestyle and invite their neighbors in for family meals , games , walks.
” Rose Larson , 30 , of North Minneapolis , has already signed up to be a missional at the Mosaic site .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Open Door in Maple Grove , said she was moved to live in a Sacred Settlement because “ that ’ s what Jesus did : He walked alongside people and lived with them.
” “ I think of John 7:37-39 - Jesus yelling out : ‘ Anyone who is thirsty , come to me and streams of living water will flow from within them , ’ ” Larson said .
“ All of us are filled with his spirit when we trust and believe and walk with him .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christ in our daily lives .
It ’ s just inviting people along for the journey.
” Mosaic ’ s plan calls for six tiny houses - four for formerly homeless people and two for missionals - to be placed in a wooded area next to the church on Wheelock Parkway .
Mosaic and Settled officials have already hosted three open houses to introduce the concept to the neighborhood .
“ Two went very well .
One did not , ” said Jeff O ’ Rourke , Mosaic ’ s lead pastor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of concerns and some neighborhood fears and worries .
We really want this to happen , but we know we ’ re not going to get 100 percent neighbor support.
” Concerns have ranged from security to a decrease in property values , O ’ Rourke said .
“ We get that , ” he said .
“ I live in the neighborhood .
My kids ride bikes in the neighborhood .
But the missionals living on site should help alleviate those concerns.
” Mosaic ’ s mission is to work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , O ’ Rourke said .
Last year , for example , the church hosted 34 guests through a program called “ Safe Parking , ” which allows women with dependents who are living in their cars to park in their church ’ s lighted parking lot and use a portable toilet on site .
“ Our process is to engage strangers , invite them to be guests and equip them to be hosts , ” O ’ Rourke said .
“ Settled just blends right in with our vision and mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to convince our people why this is important for us .
Everybody already understood why this was important .
It was more of just the how .
It ’ s almost like an extension of who we are already.
” Eventually , the hope is that the formerly homeless “ would get to a place where they can buy a home in the neighborhood , ” he said .
“ That would just be truly remarkable.
” First , Settled must get the OK from St. Paul and Forest Lake officials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues , said Travis Bistodeau , a deputy director of safety and inspections for St. Paul .
A federal law , the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act , protects faith organizations from zoning laws that substantially burden religious exercise .
More problematic , according to Bistodeau , is what is allowed under the state building code .
A variety of building-code provisions that the tiny houses don ’ t meet had “ safety of the occupants at the forefront in mind when they were crafted , ” Bistodeau said .
Clowdus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research fellow at the University of Minnesota Center for Design , argues that the Settled plan meets the requirements for “ temporary use.
” By building the tiny houses on trailers with wheels , the houses qualify under state law as recreational vehicles that provide temporary shelter , she said .
“ Because they are off the ground on wheels , we ’ re no longer beholden to restrictive building codes that don ’ t allow for us to build simple , small , quality dwellings , ” she said .
State law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not live year-round in an RV .
Clowdus said she is working with state officials on a process to approve the tiny houses “ as permanent dwellings within a Sacred Settlement .
It ’ s no different than the camper cabins that we all enjoy in our state parks with centralized bathroom facilities.
” But Bistodeau said the Sacred Settlement would require a third-party accreditation to determine that the structures meet those specific standards .
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry also would need to approve that accreditation and standard as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , St. Paul officials recognize that the city has an “ unsheltered housing crisis , ” Bistodeau said .
“ We are looking for alternatives in any way , shape or form that increase the safety of individuals who are currently unsheltered .
Living in a tent is not safe , and it ’ s certainly not dignified .
“ We ’ re trying to be as flexible and dynamic and creative as we can to solve the challenge , ” he said .
“ But , from our perspective , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ code , and that ’ s where our hands get tied.
” Forest Lake Mayor Mara Bain said the Faith Lutheran project faces the same issue .
The church would like to build 12 tiny homes for homeless veterans in Washington County on its 7.8-acre property , but Bain said no plans have been submitted to the city .
“ We really can ’ t evaluate anything until we receive an application , ” she said .
Clowdus is trusting that the issues will get resolved .
Settled is moving forward with construction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built this summer by the congregation of Colonial Church in Edina , she said .
Four others will be built by different church communities in October at Woodland Hills Church in Maplewood .
The demonstration settlement will be open for tours “ so people can see the difference between tent encampments and a well-managed , well-built community , supported by well-trained people , ” Clowdus said .
“ We ’ re just kind of taking it one step at a time , and we ’ re building the homes in anticipation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re taking that step of faith that this will happen.
” On St. Paul ’ s East Side , Clowdus proudly shows off the contents of the tiny house parked in the parking lot behind Mosaic .
She points out a ceramic mixing bowl she said “ you could imagine was on the hip of your grandmother.
” “ They ’ re all genuine , authentic materials : real wood floors , butcher-block countertop , a cast-iron pan , ceramic bowl and a really great , comfortable leather chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to tell people who have been living a life feeling like they are the outcast of society that they are of great worth .
We can do that by giving them things that are valuable and will last a long time.
” The bedroom - dubbed “ The Womb ” - does not have any windows .
“ People on the streets do not have great sleep , ” she said , “ so we just made it like this little cocoon where you get in , and you feel protected and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chair at the table so “ you can invite someone in and make them a cup of tea .
You can be the host.
” In cubbies on the wall are objects for “ healthy hobbies … to encourage people to reimagine what they used to be interested in and what they can be interested in again , ” Clowdus said .
There ’ s yarn , musical instruments , paints , a notebook , a hand-carved walking stick , a fishing rod and binoculars .
Many of the items came from antique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have new towels , sheets and mattress .
Each resident is expected to contribute to the community by putting in a certain number of service hours per week .
They will meet regularly to discuss problems or concerns and to share a common meal that they take turns cooking .
“ People need to have a purpose , a meaning , a role in the community and a place where , most importantly , they are known and loved - that ’ s what we all need , ” Clowdus said .

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The tiny house tucked behind the Mosaic Christian Community on St. Paul’s East Side has all of the essentials.
There’s a twin bed, a hot plate, a mini fridge, a gravity-fed water basin, a bathroom with a dry toilet that can be emptied daily, a butcher-block counter, a table and chair, pegs for coats and a leather chair - all within about 140 square feet.
There’s even a junk drawer “because every home has a junk drawer, right?” said Gabrielle Clowdus, who designed the tiny house.
Clowdus, the CEO and co-founder of Settled, is working with metro-area churches to build tiny-house communities - called Sacred Settlements - for people experiencing homelessness. Settled is currently working with Mosaic and with Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake.
Both churches’ plans call for people experiencing homelessness to move into tiny houses on church property. Residents would share facilities and amenities such as a kitchen, dining area, restrooms, showers, laundry, gardens, workshops and gathering areas, the Pioneer Press reported.
Each tiny house is expected to cost between $20,000 and $30,000 to build. Each resident would pay rent, about $200 a month, and be expected to contribute to the community, Clowdus said.
“We’re not just building housing; we’re trying, really, to build community,” Clowdus said. “We’re trying to stitch ourselves back together, knit our hearts together, to recognize that we belong to one another.”
Community advocates and specially trained volunteer neighbors - called “missionals” - also would live on site to ensure a “thriving community,” Clowdus said. “They’re the secret sauce. They’re people who have never experienced homelessness, but have a calling and desire to live among the poor, be a good neighbor, demonstrate a healthy lifestyle and invite their neighbors in for family meals, games, walks.”
Rose Larson, 30, of North Minneapolis, has already signed up to be a missional at the Mosaic site. Larson, the associate pastor of Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, said she was moved to live in a Sacred Settlement because “that’s what Jesus did: He walked alongside people and lived with them.”
“I think of John 7:37-39 - Jesus yelling out: ‘Anyone who is thirsty, come to me and streams of living water will flow from within them,’ ” Larson said. “All of us are filled with his spirit when we trust and believe and walk with him. It’s living out the love of Jesus Christ in our daily lives. It’s just inviting people along for the journey.”
Mosaic’s plan calls for six tiny houses - four for formerly homeless people and two for missionals - to be placed in a wooded area next to the church on Wheelock Parkway.
Mosaic and Settled officials have already hosted three open houses to introduce the concept to the neighborhood. “Two went very well. One did not,” said Jeff O’Rourke, Mosaic’s lead pastor and co-founder. “They brought up a lot of concerns and some neighborhood fears and worries. We really want this to happen, but we know we’re not going to get 100 percent neighbor support.”
Concerns have ranged from security to a decrease in property values, O’Rourke said. “We get that,” he said. “I live in the neighborhood. My kids ride bikes in the neighborhood. But the missionals living on site should help alleviate those concerns.”
Mosaic’s mission is to work with the poor and marginalized and mobilize the community, O’Rourke said. Last year, for example, the church hosted 34 guests through a program called “Safe Parking,” which allows women with dependents who are living in their cars to park in their church’s lighted parking lot and use a portable toilet on site.
“Our process is to engage strangers, invite them to be guests and equip them to be hosts,” O’Rourke said. “Settled just blends right in with our vision and mission. We didn’t have to try to convince our people why this is important for us. Everybody already understood why this was important. It was more of just the how. It’s almost like an extension of who we are already.”
Eventually, the hope is that the formerly homeless “would get to a place where they can buy a home in the neighborhood,” he said. “That would just be truly remarkable.”
First, Settled must get the OK from St. Paul and Forest Lake officials. Tiny houses face numerous zoning and building-code issues, said Travis Bistodeau, a deputy director of safety and inspections for St. Paul.
A federal law, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, protects faith organizations from zoning laws that substantially burden religious exercise. More problematic, according to Bistodeau, is what is allowed under the state building code.
A variety of building-code provisions that the tiny houses don’t meet had “safety of the occupants at the forefront in mind when they were crafted,” Bistodeau said.
Clowdus, a Ph.D. candidate in housing and research fellow at the University of Minnesota Center for Design, argues that the Settled plan meets the requirements for “temporary use.” By building the tiny houses on trailers with wheels, the houses qualify under state law as recreational vehicles that provide temporary shelter, she said.
“Because they are off the ground on wheels, we’re no longer beholden to restrictive building codes that don’t allow for us to build simple, small, quality dwellings,” she said.
State law, though, mandates that people cannot live year-round in an RV.
Clowdus said she is working with state officials on a process to approve the tiny houses “as permanent dwellings within a Sacred Settlement. It’s no different than the camper cabins that we all enjoy in our state parks with centralized bathroom facilities.”
But Bistodeau said the Sacred Settlement would require a third-party accreditation to determine that the structures meet those specific standards. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry also would need to approve that accreditation and standard as a surrogate for the state building code.
Still, St. Paul officials recognize that the city has an “unsheltered housing crisis,” Bistodeau said. “We are looking for alternatives in any way, shape or form that increase the safety of individuals who are currently unsheltered. Living in a tent is not safe, and it’s certainly not dignified.
“We’re trying to be as flexible and dynamic and creative as we can to solve the challenge,” he said. “But, from our perspective, we’re beholden to the state building code, and that’s where our hands get tied.”
Forest Lake Mayor Mara Bain said the Faith Lutheran project faces the same issue. The church would like to build 12 tiny homes for homeless veterans in Washington County on its 7.8-acre property, but Bain said no plans have been submitted to the city. “We really can’t evaluate anything until we receive an application,” she said.
Clowdus is trusting that the issues will get resolved. Settled is moving forward with construction of several tiny houses. One was built this summer by the congregation of Colonial Church in Edina, she said. Four others will be built by different church communities in October at Woodland Hills Church in Maplewood.
The demonstration settlement will be open for tours “so people can see the difference between tent encampments and a well-managed, well-built community, supported by well-trained people,” Clowdus said.
“We’re just kind of taking it one step at a time, and we’re building the homes in anticipation of the first Sacred Settlement,” she said. “We’re taking that step of faith that this will happen.”
On St. Paul’s East Side, Clowdus proudly shows off the contents of the tiny house parked in the parking lot behind Mosaic. She points out a ceramic mixing bowl she said “you could imagine was on the hip of your grandmother.”
“They’re all genuine, authentic materials: real wood floors, butcher-block countertop, a cast-iron pan, ceramic bowl and a really great, comfortable leather chair,” Clowdus said. “We want to tell people who have been living a life feeling like they are the outcast of society that they are of great worth. We can do that by giving them things that are valuable and will last a long time.”
The bedroom - dubbed “The Womb” - does not have any windows. “People on the streets do not have great sleep,” she said, “so we just made it like this little cocoon where you get in, and you feel protected and safe.”
There’s an extra chair at the table so “you can invite someone in and make them a cup of tea. You can be the host.”
In cubbies on the wall are objects for “healthy hobbies … to encourage people to reimagine what they used to be interested in and what they can be interested in again,” Clowdus said. There’s yarn, musical instruments, paints, a notebook, a hand-carved walking stick, a fishing rod and binoculars.
Many of the items came from antique and thrift stores, but each house will have new towels, sheets and mattress.
Each resident is expected to contribute to the community by putting in a certain number of service hours per week. They will meet regularly to discuss problems or concerns and to share a common meal that they take turns cooking.
“People need to have a purpose, a meaning, a role in the community and a place where, most importantly, they are known and loved - that’s what we all need,” Clowdus said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Farmers expect neither feast nor famine in 2020 harvests

PEKIN , Ill. ( AP ) - After a dry August , the State Climatologist Office for Illinois classified central Illinois counties as being either abnormally dry or in state of moderate drought .
But Tazewell County farmers seem to anticipate a respectable harvest in spite of this summer ’ s unusual weather conditions .
“ I think we ’ ll have a decent yield on corn and soybeans , ” said Tazewell County Farm Bureau president Kent Kleinschmidt .
“ Both crops went through some less-than-ideal conditions early in the season , but we had good , favorable weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry spells , but we ’ ve had some timely rain and we ’ ve had some heat and we ’ ve had some cooler weather .
I think the crops overall look pretty good in our area .
I don ’ t think they ’ ll be bumper crops , but they ’ re sure not going to be a disaster , either.
” Ryan Voorhees , who grows wheat as well as the central Illinois staple crops of field corn and soybeans near Washington , said this summer has certainly been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he noted , was an especially wet month and was sandwiched between a particularly dry June and August .
While the general lack of precipitation in August may have had some effect on his yields , Voorhees expects at least an average harvest .
“ But all the yield information is a speculative guess until you actually get into the field and start harvesting , ” he added .
Last spring , flooding in central Illinois delayed planting , which in turn put area farmers behind schedule for their harvests .
Kleinschmidt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year ’ s crops until October and did not finish until early November .
That is about two weeks behind the usual timetable .
This year , both Kleinschmidt and Voorhees anticipate being on track to begin their harvests in mid-to-late September and to complete them by late October .
At this point , Kleinschmidt is actually hoping for a dry autumn .
“ We usually look forward to kind of a dry period during harvest so you don ’ t have muddy conditions that you ’ re trying to deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crop gets toward maturity , it ’ s OK if it stops raining for a while .
Additional rain ’ s not going to help the crop any and it complicates the harvest.
” Harvests for some specialty crops like seed corn and pumpkins are already underway .
While Ackerman Farms , LLC , in Morton grows corn and soybeans , the company is probably better known for its 160 varieties of pumpkins , gourds and squash .
Ackerman Farms co-owner John H. Ackerman said that the company has been hand-picking pumpkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may somewhat curtail this year ’ s corn and soybean yields appears to have been advantageous conditions for pumpkins , he added .
“ You wouldn ’ t think so , but pumpkins do better when it ’ s reasonably dry , ” said Ackerman .
“ The pumpkin crop is looking pretty good .
The corn and soybeans are struggling a little bit from the lack of rain in August , but now we ’ ve caught some rain at the end .
I think we ’ re going to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think we ’ re going to have a very good crop of pumpkins.
” The COVID-19 pandemic , which has had such a profound impact on the day-to-day lives in the United States , apparently will not unduly affect Tazewell County farmers ’ harvest operations .
Kleinschmidt and Voorhees both noted that harvest crews work in conditions where physical distancing is not difficult .
Voorhees predicted that the most significant change the coronavirus will bring to this year ’ s harvests is that there will be less social interaction at grain elevators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of a number of cases where farmers and delivery drivers have been asked to not converse with grain elevator staff as they would in past years .
“ It makes sense , because if the workers who run the elevators get sick , it closes an entire elevator down , ” Voorhees added .
“ That doesn ’ t affect just one farmer .
It affects multiple farmers and could layer in an added challenge .
”

PEKIN, Ill. (AP) - After a dry August, the State Climatologist Office for Illinois classified central Illinois counties as being either abnormally dry or in state of moderate drought. But Tazewell County farmers seem to anticipate a respectable harvest in spite of this summer’s unusual weather conditions.
“I think we’ll have a decent yield on corn and soybeans,” said Tazewell County Farm Bureau president Kent Kleinschmidt. “Both crops went through some less-than-ideal conditions early in the season, but we had good, favorable weather after that. We had some little dry spells, but we’ve had some timely rain and we’ve had some heat and we’ve had some cooler weather. I think the crops overall look pretty good in our area. I don’t think they’ll be bumper crops, but they’re sure not going to be a disaster, either.”
Ryan Voorhees, who grows wheat as well as the central Illinois staple crops of field corn and soybeans near Washington, said this summer has certainly been unusual in terms of weather. July, he noted, was an especially wet month and was sandwiched between a particularly dry June and August. While the general lack of precipitation in August may have had some effect on his yields, Voorhees expects at least an average harvest.
“But all the yield information is a speculative guess until you actually get into the field and start harvesting,” he added.
Last spring, flooding in central Illinois delayed planting, which in turn put area farmers behind schedule for their harvests. Kleinschmidt said that he did not begin harvesting last year’s crops until October and did not finish until early November. That is about two weeks behind the usual timetable. This year, both Kleinschmidt and Voorhees anticipate being on track to begin their harvests in mid-to-late September and to complete them by late October. At this point, Kleinschmidt is actually hoping for a dry autumn.
“We usually look forward to kind of a dry period during harvest so you don’t have muddy conditions that you’re trying to deal with,” he explained. “Once the crop gets toward maturity, it’s OK if it stops raining for a while. Additional rain’s not going to help the crop any and it complicates the harvest.”
Harvests for some specialty crops like seed corn and pumpkins are already underway. While Ackerman Farms, LLC, in Morton grows corn and soybeans, the company is probably better known for its 160 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash. Ackerman Farms co-owner John H. Ackerman said that the company has been hand-picking pumpkins for about three weeks. Weather that may somewhat curtail this year’s corn and soybean yields appears to have been advantageous conditions for pumpkins, he added.
“You wouldn’t think so, but pumpkins do better when it’s reasonably dry,” said Ackerman. “The pumpkin crop is looking pretty good. The corn and soybeans are struggling a little bit from the lack of rain in August, but now we’ve caught some rain at the end. I think we’re going to have a decent crop of corn and beans and I think we’re going to have a very good crop of pumpkins.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has had such a profound impact on the day-to-day lives in the United States, apparently will not unduly affect Tazewell County farmers’ harvest operations. Kleinschmidt and Voorhees both noted that harvest crews work in conditions where physical distancing is not difficult. Voorhees predicted that the most significant change the coronavirus will bring to this year’s harvests is that there will be less social interaction at grain elevators between farmers and operators. He is aware of a number of cases where farmers and delivery drivers have been asked to not converse with grain elevator staff as they would in past years.
“It makes sense, because if the workers who run the elevators get sick, it closes an entire elevator down,” Voorhees added. “That doesn’t affect just one farmer. It affects multiple farmers and could layer in an added challenge.”
___
Source: Pekin Daily Times, https://bit.ly/2RNeTHf