washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Ohio Supreme Court stops collection of nuclear plant subsidy

CLEVELAND ( AP ) - The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday issued a temporary stay to stop collection of a fee from nearly every electric customer in the state starting Jan. 1 to subsidize two nuclear power plants , a provision included in a scandal-tainted bill approved by the state Legislature in July 2019 .
The order signed by Chief Justice Maureen O ’ Connor comes a week after a judge in Franklin County issued a preliminary injunction to stop collection of the fees .
Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown in his ruling from the bench last Monday said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be to allow certain parties to prevail .
It would give the OK that bribery is allowed in the state of Ohio and that any ill-gotten gains can be received .
The Ohio Manufacturers ’ Association appealed to the Supreme Court earlier this month after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in August cited the legislation known as HB6 in issuing an order approving collection of the fees and then refused to reconsider the group ’ s request for a new hearing .
The law calls for the plant ’ s new owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as $ 150 million a year and nearly $ 1 billion in total .
Another $ 20 million a year from the fees are earmarked for five large solar projects , none of which are operational .
The maelstrom surrounding the subsidies began in late July when U.S. Attorney David DeVillers announced the arrests of then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others for their roles in what he called the biggest bribery scandal in state history .
Householder is accused of controlling an effort secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to stop a referendum on the bill .
The two nuclear plants in northern Ohio were operated by a wholly owned FirstEnergy subsidiary when HB6 was approved .
Energy Harbor took ownership of the plants and other FirstEnergy assets in February as part of a deal struck in U.S. Bankruptcy Court .
Kimberly Bojko , an attorney for the Manufacturers ’ Association , called Monday ’ s ruling a “ big win.
” “ Customers should not be charged subsidies from a bill put in place under questionable circumstances , ” Bojko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Dec. 22 to file a response to the Manufacturers ’ Association appeal but did not do so .
PUCO spokesperson Matt Schilling said Monday that he did not know whether the commission would be filing anything in the case going forward .
The PUCO is meeting Wednesday to discuss HB6 subsidies after Brown ordered the commission to revoke its authorization allowing fees to be collected .

CLEVELAND (AP) - The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday issued a temporary stay to stop collection of a fee from nearly every electric customer in the state starting Jan. 1 to subsidize two nuclear power plants, a provision included in a scandal-tainted bill approved by the state Legislature in July 2019.
The order signed by Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor comes a week after a judge in Franklin County issued a preliminary injunction to stop collection of the fees.
Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown in his ruling from the bench last Monday said, “To not impose an injunction would be to allow certain parties to prevail. It would give the OK that bribery is allowed in the state of Ohio and that any ill-gotten gains can be received.
The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association appealed to the Supreme Court earlier this month after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in August cited the legislation known as HB6 in issuing an order approving collection of the fees and then refused to reconsider the group’s request for a new hearing.
The law calls for the plant’s new owner, Energy Harbor, to receive as much as $150 million a year and nearly $1 billion in total. Another $20 million a year from the fees are earmarked for five large solar projects, none of which are operational.
The maelstrom surrounding the subsidies began in late July when U.S. Attorney David DeVillers announced the arrests of then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others for their roles in what he called the biggest bribery scandal in state history. Householder is accused of controlling an effort secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy to win legislative approval for the nuclear plant subsidies and to stop a referendum on the bill.
The two nuclear plants in northern Ohio were operated by a wholly owned FirstEnergy subsidiary when HB6 was approved. Energy Harbor took ownership of the plants and other FirstEnergy assets in February as part of a deal struck in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
A message seeking comment was left Monday with Energy Harbor representatives.
Kimberly Bojko, an attorney for the Manufacturers’ Association, called Monday’s ruling a “big win.”
“Customers should not be charged subsidies from a bill put in place under questionable circumstances,” Bojko said.
The Public Utilities Commission had until Dec. 22 to file a response to the Manufacturers’ Association appeal but did not do so. PUCO spokesperson Matt Schilling said Monday that he did not know whether the commission would be filing anything in the case going forward.
The PUCO is meeting Wednesday to discuss HB6 subsidies after Brown ordered the commission to revoke its authorization allowing fees to be collected.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--COVID-19 hospitalizations rise rapidly in Georgia

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Georgia now has more than 4,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 , with hospital admissions increasing at a pace that raises questions about hospitals ’ ability to handle demand .
The numbers rose again Monday as Gov .
Brian Kemp highlighted the launch of vaccinations of nursing home employees , starting at a Gainesville nursing home .
“ We are eager to see the vaccine make its way quickly and safely to our most vulnerable , ” the Republican Kemp said , speaking at a nursing home owned by the Pruitt Health chain , Georgia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 636,000 Georgians have now tested positive for the coronavirus .
The state has moved into the top 20 for most new cases per capita in the last 14 days as infection rates have declined in the Midwest and risen in the South .
Nearly 15 % of those tested in Georgia have had the virus over the last week , the highest rate since early in the pandemic , although holiday-related changes in testing may be affecting that number .
More than 10,000 Georgians have died from the respiratory illness .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can be deadly for older patients and those with other health problems .
Some people show no symptoms .
Nursing homes and other long term care facilities have been among the hardest hit .
Of 42,000 residents , more than half have now tested positive for COVID-19 , and more than 3,000 have died .
Nearly 12,000 employees have also tested positive at 690 facilities tracked by the Georgia Department of Community Health .
Employees will be vaccinated first , followed by residents .
State officials said nursing homes would be prioritized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think about it , the providers here at the long term care facility are the firewall protecting the residents , ” Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey said Monday .
Department of Public Health spokeswoman Nancy Nydam said vaccinations at long term facilities could be complete by sometime in February .
Georgia is receiving additional allocations of vaccines , with Toomey saying Monday that the state had now been allocated 234,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 268,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine .
That ’ s up from 300,000 reported before Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for second doses that will be due to be administered beginning Jan. 4 .
Toomey said 39,000 doses would initially be allocated to the long term care facility vaccination effort , which is being run by pharmacy giants CVS Health and Walgreen Co. Kemp , who has declined to add to earlier measures meant to slow the spread of the virus , again asked for people to limit interactions on Monday .
He noted that Northeast Georgia Health System , a four-hospital system based in Gainesville , continues to see increasing numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beds in a gym to care for people with milder cases .
“ We are essentially at capacity for what our staff can handle at this point , ” Dr. John Delzell , who ’ s overseeing the response for Northeast Georgia Health System , wrote in an email .
He said surgeries are being delayed , the system is trying to fully use smaller hospitals in Winder and Dahlonega , and trying to shift patients toward beds with lower levels of care .
“ The only way to extend capacity at our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of staff which is not easy to do during this pandemic , ” Delzell wrote .
“ We do not want to expand nursing ratios – which would mean having each nurse care for more patients.
” The governor said the state would reopen its overflow hospital at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta by the end of the week , the third time Georgia has opened the facility .
On Monday , 25 hospitals statewide were reporting that their intensive care units were full or that they were entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Fulton County , the state ’ s most populous .
Georgia passed its previous peak for the number of confirmed patients hospitalized on Dec. 16 , and has seen the number of hospitalized patients increase by more than a third in the two weeks since .
The number of patients hospitalized for other reasons has fallen over Christmas .
But health leaders continue to voice concerns over whether they have enough nurses and other staff to handle the load .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and @ @ @ @

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia now has more than 4,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with hospital admissions increasing at a pace that raises questions about hospitals’ ability to handle demand.
The numbers rose again Monday as Gov. Brian Kemp highlighted the launch of vaccinations of nursing home employees, starting at a Gainesville nursing home.
“We are eager to see the vaccine make its way quickly and safely to our most vulnerable,” the Republican Kemp said, speaking at a nursing home owned by the Pruitt Health chain, Georgia’s largest nursing home operator.
More than 636,000 Georgians have now tested positive for the coronavirus. The state has moved into the top 20 for most new cases per capita in the last 14 days as infection rates have declined in the Midwest and risen in the South. Nearly 15% of those tested in Georgia have had the virus over the last week, the highest rate since early in the pandemic, although holiday-related changes in testing may be affecting that number.
More than 10,000 Georgians have died from the respiratory illness. While most people recover from the virus, it can be deadly for older patients and those with other health problems. Some people show no symptoms.
Nursing homes and other long term care facilities have been among the hardest hit. Of 42,000 residents, more than half have now tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 3,000 have died. Nearly 12,000 employees have also tested positive at 690 facilities tracked by the Georgia Department of Community Health.
Employees will be vaccinated first, followed by residents. State officials said nursing homes would be prioritized over assisted living facilities.
“If you think about it, the providers here at the long term care facility are the firewall protecting the residents,” Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey said Monday.
Department of Public Health spokeswoman Nancy Nydam said vaccinations at long term facilities could be complete by sometime in February.
Georgia is receiving additional allocations of vaccines, with Toomey saying Monday that the state had now been allocated 234,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 268,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. That’s up from 300,000 reported before Christmas. Nydam said much of that was for second doses that will be due to be administered beginning Jan. 4.
Toomey said 39,000 doses would initially be allocated to the long term care facility vaccination effort, which is being run by pharmacy giants CVS Health and Walgreen Co.
Kemp, who has declined to add to earlier measures meant to slow the spread of the virus, again asked for people to limit interactions on Monday. He noted that Northeast Georgia Health System, a four-hospital system based in Gainesville, continues to see increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients, even after it put beds in a gym to care for people with milder cases.
“We are essentially at capacity for what our staff can handle at this point,” Dr. John Delzell, who’s overseeing the response for Northeast Georgia Health System, wrote in an email. He said surgeries are being delayed, the system is trying to fully use smaller hospitals in Winder and Dahlonega, and trying to shift patients toward beds with lower levels of care.
“The only way to extend capacity at our Gainesville campus further is to increase the number of staff which is not easy to do during this pandemic,” Delzell wrote. “We do not want to expand nursing ratios – which would mean having each nurse care for more patients.”
The governor said the state would reopen its overflow hospital at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta by the end of the week, the third time Georgia has opened the facility. On Monday, 25 hospitals statewide were reporting that their intensive care units were full or that they were entirely full, including five of nine hospitals in Fulton County, the state’s most populous.
Georgia passed its previous peak for the number of confirmed patients hospitalized on Dec. 16, and has seen the number of hospitalized patients increase by more than a third in the two weeks since. The number of patients hospitalized for other reasons has fallen over Christmas. But health leaders continue to voice concerns over whether they have enough nurses and other staff to handle the load.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Bridgeport tallies highest homicide toll since 2006

BRIDGEPORT , Conn. ( AP ) - The fatal shooting of a man in his car over the weekend in Bridgeport has driven the number of homicides in the city to its highest since 2006 .
Dajuna “ Scooter ” Simmons was the 24th person person killed this year in Connecticut ’ s largest city , police said .
“ Scooter was a sweetheart , he would do anything for you , ” his aunt , Donna Geter-Shabazz , told the Connecticut Post .
“ He loved to laugh , he loved his family .
No one had the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hope they are brought to justice.
” The number of shootings in the city is up about 30 percent compared to last year , when there were 17 homicides in the city of 145,000 people .
The city tallied 30 homicides in 2006 .
Simmons , 28 , was shot several times in what was apparently a drive by shooting , police Capt .
Brian Fitzgerald said .
He said the motive is unclear .
Homicides and shootings have been surging in cities across the U.S .
Some experts point to upheaval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentiment toward police following George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis police custody and a shortage of jobs and resources in poorer communities as contributing factors .

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - The fatal shooting of a man in his car over the weekend in Bridgeport has driven the number of homicides in the city to its highest since 2006.
Dajuna “Scooter” Simmons was the 24th person person killed this year in Connecticut’s largest city, police said.
“Scooter was a sweetheart, he would do anything for you,” his aunt, Donna Geter-Shabazz, told the Connecticut Post. “He loved to laugh, he loved his family. No one had the right to take his life like that and I hope they are brought to justice.”
The number of shootings in the city is up about 30 percent compared to last year, when there were 17 homicides in the city of 145,000 people. The city tallied 30 homicides in 2006.
Simmons, 28, was shot several times in what was apparently a drive by shooting, police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said. He said the motive is unclear.
Homicides and shootings have been surging in cities across the U.S. Some experts point to upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic, public sentiment toward police following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody and a shortage of jobs and resources in poorer communities as contributing factors.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Scottish team, police probe racist letter targeting coach

KILMARNOCK , Scotland ( AP ) - Alex Dyer , the manager of the Kilmarnock soccer team in Scotland ’ s top league , was the target of a racially abusive letter delivered to the club on Monday .
Kilmarnock said it “ utterly condemns ” the letter containing abuse directed at Dyer , who became the league ’ s only Black manager when he was appointed this summer .
“ We are working with Police Scotland to identify any individuals involved in this disgusting act and we will pursue the strongest possible action we can against them , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Racism in any form is completely unacceptable and must be called out whenever and wherever it is found.
” Kilmarnock players and coaches have taken a knee before each game this season “ and we will continue to do so , ” the club said .
Humza Yousaf , the Scottish government ’ s Cabinet Secretary for Justice , called the letter “ disgraceful ” and pledged “ full solidarity ” with Dyer and Kilmarnock .
“ We are about to enter 2021 and we have Black football managers receiving letters with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter .
“ We have a long way to go to rid ourselves of this evil.
” Eighth in the 12-team Premiership , Kilmarnock has lost five consecutive games and is scheduled to play at Motherwell on Wednesday .
The 55-year-old Englishman signed a two-year contract this summer after serving as interim manager for much of last season .
Last month , Dyer was named to the “ Football Black List , ” which recognizes positive influences on the sport from the Black community .
Black athletes including Crystal Palace player Wilfried Zaha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial abuse .
Ryan Sessegnon , on loan at German club Hoffenheim from Tottenham , revealed last month that he ’ s been targeted , as well .

KILMARNOCK, Scotland (AP) - Alex Dyer, the manager of the Kilmarnock soccer team in Scotland’s top league, was the target of a racially abusive letter delivered to the club on Monday.
Kilmarnock said it “utterly condemns” the letter containing abuse directed at Dyer, who became the league’s only Black manager when he was appointed this summer.
“We are working with Police Scotland to identify any individuals involved in this disgusting act and we will pursue the strongest possible action we can against them,” the club said in a statement. “Racism in any form is completely unacceptable and must be called out whenever and wherever it is found.”
Kilmarnock players and coaches have taken a knee before each game this season “and we will continue to do so,” the club said.
Humza Yousaf, the Scottish government’s Cabinet Secretary for Justice, called the letter “disgraceful” and pledged “full solidarity” with Dyer and Kilmarnock.
“We are about to enter 2021 and we have Black football managers receiving letters with racist abuse,” he wrote on Twitter. “We have a long way to go to rid ourselves of this evil.”
Eighth in the 12-team Premiership, Kilmarnock has lost five consecutive games and is scheduled to play at Motherwell on Wednesday.
The 55-year-old Englishman signed a two-year contract this summer after serving as interim manager for much of last season.
Last month, Dyer was named to the “ Football Black List,” which recognizes positive influences on the sport from the Black community.
Black athletes including Crystal Palace player Wilfried Zaha say they are regularly subjected to online racial abuse. Ryan Sessegnon, on loan at German club Hoffenheim from Tottenham, revealed last month that he’s been targeted, as well.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Court upholds religious challenges of NY pandemic limits

NEW YORK ( AP ) - A federal appeals court on Monday upheld challenges to New York state ’ s attendance restrictions at houses of worship to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s order limiting attendance at places of worship with fixed capacity in hotspots “ discriminates against religion on its face.
” The U.S. Supreme Court had issued an injunction against those limits pending the appeal .
The Court of Appeals ordered the federal district court to issue a preliminary injunction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25-person attendance limits at houses of worship in red and orange zones , areas hardest hit by the virus .
The court ’ s action was a victory for the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Jewish synagogues that had sued to challenge the restrictions .
“ Agudath Israel continues to encourage everyone to mask and to maintain social distancing , and we are certain that this is possible without threatening the religious liberties that our country holds dear , ” Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel , executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America @ @ @ @ @ @

NEW YORK (AP) - A federal appeals court on Monday upheld challenges to New York state’s attendance restrictions at houses of worship to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s order limiting attendance at places of worship with fixed capacity in hotspots “discriminates against religion on its face.”
The U.S. Supreme Court had issued an injunction against those limits pending the appeal. The Court of Appeals ordered the federal district court to issue a preliminary injunction prohibiting the state from enforcing 10- and 25-person attendance limits at houses of worship in red and orange zones, areas hardest hit by the virus.
The court’s action was a victory for the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Jewish synagogues that had sued to challenge the restrictions.
“Agudath Israel continues to encourage everyone to mask and to maintain social distancing, and we are certain that this is possible without threatening the religious liberties that our country holds dear,” Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, said in a statement.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--White's Ferry shuts down after 200 years of crossings

White ’ s Ferry ceased operations Monday over a longstanding land dispute , bringing an end to more than 200 years of crossings between Maryland and Virginia on the Potomac River .
A circuit court judge in Loudoun County “ ruled that that no public landing exists on the Virginia shoreline at White ’ s Ferry Road and the ferry is prohibited from landing at that location in Virginia , ” the ferry company said in a press release .
The company said that Loudoun County “ has declined to establish a public landing at that location.
” However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement “ to clarify misinformation regarding the county ’ s role ” and the implications that the ferry “ ceased operations due to the lack of an established public landing in Virginia.
” “ It is important to note that this legal matter is between a private property owner and the ferry operator and that Loudoun County is not party to the lawsuit , ” the county stated , adding that it is “ concerned ” about the potential impact on regional transportation , residents and workers .
The historic cable ferry has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County to western Montgomery County for decades , servicing about 600 vehicles a day .
Loudoun County Circuit Judge Stephen E. Sincavage ’ s decision came last month in a lawsuit filed by Rockland Farm against White ’ s Ferry Inc. Rockland Farm defended itself in a Facebook post Monday afternoon stating that it has been trying to reach an agreement with the ferry owners to continue operating on the farm ’ s private property for more than 16 years .
The farm said that the two companies entered into a licensing agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferry to pay $ 5 per year to use the landing so long as it “ was never changed or enlarged under its current configuration.
” In 2004 , the ferry operators “ unlawfully ” expanded the landing and built structures on the property in violation of the agreement , the farm said .
After years of trying to work out a deal , Rockland said it “ had no choice ” but to bring the issue to court in 2009 .
More time passed , as attempts to settle the suit out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled in November that the ferry owners “ had been and are trespassing and are no longer able to make use of Rockland without Rockland ’ s permission.
” Since last month ’ s ruling , Rockland said it suggested several arrangements including an offer to purchase the ferry , rent the land or enter into an interim licensing agreement until a deal could be reached , all of which “ have gone unanswered.
” “ All the while White ’ s Ferry continued , unjustly and now in violation of a court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of Rockland , ” the farm stated .
“ Instead of engaging with Rockland Farm to negotiate a fair and equitable arrangement to keep the ferry running , the response by White ’ s Ferry was to close the ferry and walk away from the business.
” White ’ s Ferry began operating in 1786 , according to visitmontgomery.com .
In the early days , it served as a way for Virginia farmers to bring crops to sell in Washington and Maryland and as a crossing for soldiers in the Civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the last of 100 ferries to operate on the river , and it allowed pedestrians to bring cars , trucks , motorcycles and bicycles along for the ride , which took about five minutes between shores .
Delegate Danica Roem , Virginia Democrat , tweeted Monday that the dispute needs to be “ fixed immediately ” because the ferry is an “ important part of our transportation infrastructure ” that keeps cars off nearby interstate highways .
“ It ’ s 26.4 miles from Leesburg to Poolesville via U.S. 15 in Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Route 28 , not VA ’ s Route 28 ) .
That same trip is 12.4 miles via White ’ s Ferry , ” Ms. Roem said .
“ Do the math on wasted fuel and time per trip and multiply it by 600 vehicle trips per day .
”

White’s Ferry ceased operations Monday over a longstanding land dispute, bringing an end to more than 200 years of crossings between Maryland and Virginia on the Potomac River.
A circuit court judge in Loudoun County “ruled that that no public landing exists on the Virginia shoreline at White’s Ferry Road and the ferry is prohibited from landing at that location in Virginia,” the ferry company said in a press release.
The company said that Loudoun County “has declined to establish a public landing at that location.”
However, Loudoun County’s government issued a statement “to clarify misinformation regarding the county’s role” and the implications that the ferry “ceased operations due to the lack of an established public landing in Virginia.”
“It is important to note that this legal matter is between a private property owner and the ferry operator and that Loudoun County is not party to the lawsuit,” the county stated, adding that it is “concerned” about the potential impact on regional transportation, residents and workers.
The historic cable ferry has provided transportation across the Potomac from Loudoun County to western Montgomery County for decades, servicing about 600 vehicles a day.
Loudoun County Circuit Judge Stephen E. Sincavage’s decision came last month in a lawsuit filed by Rockland Farm against White’s Ferry Inc.
Rockland Farm defended itself in a Facebook post Monday afternoon stating that it has been trying to reach an agreement with the ferry owners to continue operating on the farm’s private property for more than 16 years.
The farm said that the two companies entered into a licensing agreement in 1952 that allowed White’s Ferry to pay $5 per year to use the landing so long as it “was never changed or enlarged under its current configuration.”
In 2004, the ferry operators “unlawfully” expanded the landing and built structures on the property in violation of the agreement, the farm said.
After years of trying to work out a deal, Rockland said it “had no choice” but to bring the issue to court in 2009. More time passed, as attempts to settle the suit out of court failed and the judge reportedly ruled in November that the ferry owners “had been and are trespassing and are no longer able to make use of Rockland without Rockland’s permission.”
Since last month’s ruling, Rockland said it suggested several arrangements including an offer to purchase the ferry, rent the land or enter into an interim licensing agreement until a deal could be reached, all of which “have gone unanswered.”
“All the while White’s Ferry continued, unjustly and now in violation of a court ruling, to make money off of the use of Rockland,” the farm stated. “Instead of engaging with Rockland Farm to negotiate a fair and equitable arrangement to keep the ferry running, the response by White’s Ferry was to close the ferry and walk away from the business.”
White’s Ferry began operating in 1786, according to visitmontgomery.com. In the early days, it served as a way for Virginia farmers to bring crops to sell in Washington and Maryland and as a crossing for soldiers in the Civil War.
The cable ferry most recently was the last of 100 ferries to operate on the river, and it allowed pedestrians to bring cars, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles along for the ride, which took about five minutes between shores.
Delegate Danica Roem, Virginia Democrat, tweeted Monday that the dispute needs to be “fixed immediately” because the ferry is an “important part of our transportation infrastructure” that keeps cars off nearby interstate highways.
“It’s 26.4 miles from Leesburg to Poolesville via U.S. 15 in Virginia and Route 28 in Maryland (the other Route 28, not VA’s Route 28). That same trip is 12.4 miles via White’s Ferry,” Ms. Roem said. “Do the math on wasted fuel and time per trip and multiply it by 600 vehicle trips per day.”
• Emily Zantow can be reached at ezantow@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Arkansas sheriff: 5 found slain died in murder-suicide

ATKINS , Ark .
( AP ) - Five female family members found dead Christmas Day in a northwest Arkansas home died in a murder-suicide , law enforcement said Monday .
Evidence collected at the scene in Atkins , about 65 miles ( 105 kilometers ) northwest of Little Rock , led to the determination that the two women and three girls died by murder-suicide , Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones said in a statement .
He did not provide further details , including who killed the other four people or a motive .
The Arkansas State Crime Lab and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation , Jones said .
Jones identified the dead as Danielle Collins , 7 ; Levenah Countryman , 10 ; Abigail Heflin , 12 ; Jaquita Chase , 31 ; and Patricia Patrick , 61 .
“ While all loss of life is heartbreaking , this situation has been particularly tragic ” Jones said .
“ Anytime children are senselessly taken from those who love them , the pain is beyond compare .
When you add to that the loss of the adults involved , the pain is unfathomable.
” Melissa Brown said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that she is a relative of theirs .
She said her family “ received the call no family wants to receive ” on Christmas night .
Brown said in a video share don social media that people who want to help the family cover funeral costs can donate through a GoFundMe account or give directly to Russellville Family Funeral .
Information about the deaths has come out slowly .
Deputies were called to the home about 5 p.m. Friday when they found the five bodies .

ATKINS, Ark. (AP) - Five female family members found dead Christmas Day in a northwest Arkansas home died in a murder-suicide, law enforcement said Monday.
Evidence collected at the scene in Atkins, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, led to the determination that the two women and three girls died by murder-suicide, Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones said in a statement. He did not provide further details, including who killed the other four people or a motive.
The Arkansas State Crime Lab and medical examiner confirmed the results of the investigation, Jones said.
Jones identified the dead as Danielle Collins, 7; Levenah Countryman, 10; Abigail Heflin, 12; Jaquita Chase, 31; and Patricia Patrick, 61.
“While all loss of life is heartbreaking, this situation has been particularly tragic” Jones said. “Anytime children are senselessly taken from those who love them, the pain is beyond compare. When you add to that the loss of the adults involved, the pain is unfathomable.”
Melissa Brown said all five of the dead were related and that she is a relative of theirs. She said her family “received the call no family wants to receive” on Christmas night.
Brown said in a video share don social media that people who want to help the family cover funeral costs can donate through a GoFundMe account or give directly to Russellville Family Funeral.
Information about the deaths has come out slowly. Deputies were called to the home about 5 p.m. Friday when they found the five bodies.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--California inmate slain on Christmas; cellmate is suspected

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - A 25-year-old inmate at a Northern California prison was found fatally stabbed on @ @ @ @ @ is the suspect , corrections officials said Monday .
Braydon Lesseos was found stabbed multiple @ @ @ @ @ high-security California State Prison , Sacramento , and was pronounced dead about 35 minutes later @ @ @ @ @ weapon and moved his cellmate , Jordan Greendahl , 26 , to an isolation cell @ @ @ @ @ was serving an 11-year sentence from Yolo County for assault with a firearm and possession @ @ @ @ @ armed .
Greendahl is serving an eight-year sentence from Sacramento County for arson and vehicle @ @ @ @ @ which houses about 2,230 inmates east of Sacramento .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A 25-year-old inmate at a Northern California prison was found fatally stabbed on Christmas Day and his cellmate is the suspect, corrections officials said Monday.
Braydon Lesseos was found stabbed multiple times in his cell at high-security California State Prison, Sacramento, and was pronounced dead about 35 minutes later.
Officials found an inmate-manufactured weapon and moved his cellmate, Jordan Greendahl, 26, to an isolation cell during the investigation.
Lesseos was serving an 11-year sentence from Yolo County for assault with a firearm and possession of a controlled substance while armed.
Greendahl is serving an eight-year sentence from Sacramento County for arson and vehicle theft at the prison, which houses about 2,230 inmates east of Sacramento.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--JBLM colonel accused of beating wife arrested after standoff

TACOMA , Wash. ( AP ) - The chief of staff assigned to I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is accused of assaulting his wife in front of their children .
Owen Ray was arrested early Sunday after a stand-off with police at the family ’ s DuPont home , authorities said .
On Monday , Pierce County prosecutors charged Ray , 47 , with kidnapping , two counts of assault with a firearm , two counts of felony harassment and reckless endangerment .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if he has an attorney .
Ray led 1st Special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corps chief of staff in July .
An I Corps spokesman told the News Tribune Monday Ray has been suspended .
Ray ‘ s wife hid from him in the bedroom of their youngest children after an argument , according to charging papers .
Ray found her and was furious when she called police , pointing a gun at her and kicking her repeatedly , prosecutors wrote in charging papers .
Police arrived after midnight and about 15 minutes later , charging papers say the woman and children came outside .
Charging papers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had killed people and had no problem killing law enforcement if they tried to arrest him .
Police also saw Ray with a gun during the stand-off , charging papers said .
After about two hours of negotiation , Ray surrendered and was arrested .

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - The chief of staff assigned to I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is accused of assaulting his wife in front of their children. Owen Ray was arrested early Sunday after a stand-off with police at the family’s DuPont home, authorities said.
On Monday, Pierce County prosecutors charged Ray, 47, with kidnapping, two counts of assault with a firearm, two counts of felony harassment and reckless endangerment. It wasn’t immediately known if he has an attorney.
Ray led 1st Special Forces Group at JBLM before becoming I Corps chief of staff in July. An I Corps spokesman told the News Tribune Monday Ray has been suspended.
Ray’s wife hid from him in the bedroom of their youngest children after an argument, according to charging papers. Ray found her and was furious when she called police, pointing a gun at her and kicking her repeatedly, prosecutors wrote in charging papers.
Police arrived after midnight and about 15 minutes later, charging papers say the woman and children came outside.
Charging papers say Ray told officers via phone that he had killed people and had no problem killing law enforcement if they tried to arrest him. Police also saw Ray with a gun during the stand-off, charging papers said.
After about two hours of negotiation, Ray surrendered and was arrested.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Police: NYC officer shot, wounded man who rushed at officers

NEW YORK ( AP ) - A New York City police officer shot and wounded a man on Monday evening who police said rushed at officers but did not ultimately have a gun .
Officers had received multiple 911 calls about a man with a gun in central Brooklyn , NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan told reporters .
Upon arrival , officers saw a man who did not match the callers ’ description holding a gun up the block from the reported address and took him into custody .
As they were taking the man into custody , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ He coming , he gon na blast me , ’ ” Monahan said .
Officers saw a second person who matched the callers ’ description rush toward them , Monahan said , adding that the interaction was caught on body cameras .
“ Officers gave commands to the individual to back up and to show his hands , ” Monahan told reporters .
“ We then see the man rush toward our officers while also reaching into his waistband and quickly removing his hands.
” At that point , Monahan said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second man once in his leg .
A gun was recovered from the first man arrested by police , but no gun was found on the second man , Monahan said .
The second man was taken to the hospital , where he was “ conscious , alert and in stable condition.
” The severity of his injuries was not disclosed .
The officers were taken to a hospital for evaluation , but Monahan did not indicate they suffered any injuries .
No names have been released .
Monahan said police are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived at the scene between Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Flatbush .
“ There seemed to have been some sort of dispute between these two individuals that we have in custody , ” Monahan said .

NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City police officer shot and wounded a man on Monday evening who police said rushed at officers but did not ultimately have a gun.
Officers had received multiple 911 calls about a man with a gun in central Brooklyn, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan told reporters. Upon arrival, officers saw a man who did not match the callers’ description holding a gun up the block from the reported address and took him into custody.
As they were taking the man into custody, “the suspect yelled out, quote, ‘He coming, he gonna blast me,’” Monahan said. Officers saw a second person who matched the callers’ description rush toward them, Monahan said, adding that the interaction was caught on body cameras.
“Officers gave commands to the individual to back up and to show his hands,” Monahan told reporters. “We then see the man rush toward our officers while also reaching into his waistband and quickly removing his hands.”
At that point, Monahan said, one officer shot twice, striking the second man once in his leg. A gun was recovered from the first man arrested by police, but no gun was found on the second man, Monahan said.
The second man was taken to the hospital, where he was “conscious, alert and in stable condition.” The severity of his injuries was not disclosed. The officers were taken to a hospital for evaluation, but Monahan did not indicate they suffered any injuries.
No names have been released. Monahan said police are trying to piece together what happened before officers arrived at the scene between Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Flatbush.
“There seemed to have been some sort of dispute between these two individuals that we have in custody,” Monahan said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Judge rules against pot grower applicants seeking licenses

CHICAGO ( AP ) - An effort by the Illinois Craft Cannabis Association to force Gov .
J.B. Pritzker to award grower licenses to its more than three dozen member has been rebuffed by a Cook County judge .
By law , 40 grower licenses were to be issued by July 1 , but Pritzker hasn ’ t issued them .
He initially cited the COVID-19 pandemic for delays in reviewing applications .
The Chicago Tribune reports that in a ruling issued on Christmas Eve , Judge Allen Walker said the governor ’ s initial reason for delaying the licenses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker has since clarified that the delay was necessary because the Illinois Department of Agriculture is now concentrating on oversight of meat and livestock facilities and the food supply chain due to the pandemic .
Craft grower association spokesman Paul Magelli says the group is considering an appeal .
In addition to the craft grower licenses , the Pritzker administration has delayed the issuance of infuser and transporter licenses , and licenses for 75 new recreational marijuana retail stores , which were to be awarded May 1 .
Successful and unsuccessful applicants say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars to keep their business groups intact .

CHICAGO (AP) - An effort by the Illinois Craft Cannabis Association to force Gov. J.B. Pritzker to award grower licenses to its more than three dozen member has been rebuffed by a Cook County judge.
By law, 40 grower licenses were to be issued by July 1, but Pritzker hasn’t issued them. He initially cited the COVID-19 pandemic for delays in reviewing applications.
The Chicago Tribune reports that in a ruling issued on Christmas Eve, Judge Allen Walker said the governor’s initial reason for delaying the licenses was insufficient. But Walker also wrote Pritzker has since clarified that the delay was necessary because the Illinois Department of Agriculture is now concentrating on oversight of meat and livestock facilities and the food supply chain due to the pandemic.
Craft grower association spokesman Paul Magelli says the group is considering an appeal.
In addition to the craft grower licenses, the Pritzker administration has delayed the issuance of infuser and transporter licenses, and licenses for 75 new recreational marijuana retail stores, which were to be awarded May 1.
Successful and unsuccessful applicants say the delay is costing them thousands of dollars to keep their business groups intact.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Breonna Taylor sculpture smashed in Oakland, California

OAKLAND , Calif. — Police are investigating after a sculpture of Breonna Taylor was smashed to pieces in downtown Oakland over the weekend , authorities said .
The bust was installed just two weeks ago to honor Taylor , the Black woman killed by police in Louisville , Kentucky during a drug raid last March .
The installation at Latham Square was found destroyed on Saturday , prompting police to launch an investigation , the Bay Area News Group reported .
Sculptor Leo Carson called the destruction of his work an act of “ racist aggression ” against Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protests in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation .
Carson told the Bay Area News Group that he made the sculpture to honor the legacy of the Black Lives Matter movement and its influences on contemporary political art .
“ I ’ ve put in hours and hours of my work and built it by hand , ” Carson said .
“ Before the pandemic I was a waiter so I paid for this out of my own pocket .
It wasn ’ t cheap and it was incredibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attack on Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement.
” The vandalism comes months after marchers took to the streets to protest the killings of Taylor and of George Floyd in Minneapolis .

OAKLAND, Calif. — Police are investigating after a sculpture of Breonna Taylor was smashed to pieces in downtown Oakland over the weekend, authorities said.
The bust was installed just two weeks ago to honor Taylor, the Black woman killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky during a drug raid last March.
The installation at Latham Square was found destroyed on Saturday, prompting police to launch an investigation, the Bay Area News Group reported.
Sculptor Leo Carson called the destruction of his work an act of “racist aggression” against Taylor, whose killing was among those that led to protests in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation.
Carson told the Bay Area News Group that he made the sculpture to honor the legacy of the Black Lives Matter movement and its influences on contemporary political art.
“I’ve put in hours and hours of my work and built it by hand,” Carson said. “Before the pandemic I was a waiter so I paid for this out of my own pocket. It wasn’t cheap and it was incredibly hurtful personally. But it was also an attack on Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement.”
The vandalism comes months after marchers took to the streets to protest the killings of Taylor and of George Floyd in Minneapolis.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--'Surge on top of a surge' to challenge California hospitals

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - As coronavirus hospitalizations stabilize in parts of California , patients continue to overwhelm hospitals in a large swath of the state and Gov .
Gavin Newsom warned Californians Monday to brace for the effect of a surge upon surge upon surge from recent holiday travel .
Intensive care units in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley have no capacity remaining , according to state figures , and Newsom said it was “ self-evident ” his latest stay home order would be extended Tuesday in places where hospital ICUs have less than 15 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admissions to hospitals plateauing in some places , the state was destined to move into a “ new phase ” that it ’ s been preparing for as it sets up hospital beds in arenas , schools and tents , though it is struggling to staff them .
“ As we move into this new phase , where we brace , where we prepare ourselves for what is inevitable now … based on the travel we have just seen in the last week and the expectation of more of the same through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge on top of a surge , arguably , on top of , again , another surge , ” Newsom said .
State officials also notified hospitals Monday that the situation is now so dire that hospitals should prepare for the possibility that they will have to resort to “ crisis care ” guidelines established earlier in the pandemic , which allow for rationing treatment .
The current surge of cases is due in large part to Thanksgiving travel and celebrations despite warnings from public health officials not to gather as the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exponential growth in cases .
That surge has created the greatest challenge for the state ’ s health system since the pandemic began and has been regularly breaking records for case counts , hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 .
While daily coronavirus cases were down to 31,000 Monday from a seven-day average above 37,000 , it was likely due to a lag in data from the weekend , Newsom said .
Models used for planning show hospitalizations more than doubling in the next month from about 20,000 to more than 50,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking patients but needs more health care workers to staff the facilities , Newsom said .
It has deployed more than 1,000 people to 116 hospitals and other facilities in the state through a volunteer corps or the National Guard .
On the upside , Newsom said California finally expects to receive more of the traveling health care workers it had requested in anticipation of the shortage .
The Department of Public Health is sending an emergency medical team to Los Angeles to help better distribute patients among hospitals .
Some hospitals are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity , Newsom said .
Over the weekend , most Los Angeles County hospitals reached a crisis point where they had to divert ambulances because they didn ’ t have beds available .
“ The sad reality is that all indicators tell us that our situation may only get worse as we begin 2021 , ” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
Los Angeles County , which accounts for a quarter of the state ’ s 10 million residents , has about 40 % of the state ’ s 24,000 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 deaths .
“ These are figures that can ’ t be normalized , ” County Supervisor Hilda Solis said .
“ Just like the sound of ambulance sirens , we can ’ t tune this out.
” Travel over Christmas is anticipated to create another spike in cases that may not show up for several weeks because of a lag from the time someone is exposed to the virus to when they get test results and ultimately fall sick enough to require hospitalization .
Although there are indications more people are heeding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state but northernmost rural counties , there was a bump in air travel in Los Angeles similar to Thanksgiving .
The number of passengers flying out of Los Angeles International Airport was down about 70 % from last year between Dec. 21-27 , but reached a high of 43,000 on Dec. 23 , which was only 60 % below last year ’ s figures , spokesman Heath Montgomery said .
That was about as busy as the airport has been since the pandemic began .
The number of passengers departing San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down 80 % from last year , spokesman Doug Yakel said .
State health secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly urged people not to gather for New Year ’ s celebrations , which would further compound problems in the month to come .
He said surveys about a month ago found only 30 % of Californians were going to alter plans to gather or travel but more recent surveys show 50-60 % changing their plans .
“ Things that were , a month ago or two months ago , a low-risk activity today are really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID that ’ s circulating in our communities , ” he said .
The surge comes amid an effort to vaccinate health workers and people at nursing homes and then expand to other groups , likely to include teachers .
The state expects to have received 1.7 million doses of vaccine by the end of the week , Newsom said .
He also announced that CVS and Walgreens pharmacies would begin vaccinating residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities .
Associated Press writers Janie Har in San Francisco , Don Thompson in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Los Angeles contributed .

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Coronavirus hospitalizations are stabilizing in parts of California, but patients are still overwhelming hospitals in a large swath of the state, leading Gov. Gavin Newsom to warn Californians to brace for the effect of a “surge on top of a surge” from recent holiday travel.
Intensive care units in Southern California and the agricultural San Joaquin Valley have no capacity remaining, according to state figures, and Newsom said it was “self-evident” his latest stay-at-home order would be extended Tuesday in places where hospital ICUs have less than 15% capacity.
Newsom said Monday that even with hospital admissions plateauing in some places, the state was destined to move into a “new phase” that it’s been preparing for as it sets up hospital beds in arenas, schools and tents, though it is struggling to staff them.
“As we move into this new phase, where we brace, where we prepare ourselves for what is inevitable now … based on the travel we have just seen in the last week and the expectation of more of the same through the rest of the holiday season of a surge on top of a surge, arguably, on top of, again, another surge,” Newsom said.
State officials also notified hospitals that the situation is so dire they should prepare for the possibility that they will have to resort to “crisis care” guidelines established earlier in the pandemic, which allow for rationing treatment.
The surge of infections is due in large part to Thanksgiving travel and celebrations, which happened despite warnings from health officials not to gather because the nation’s most populated state was already seeing explosive growth in cases.
It’s created the greatest challenge for California’s health system since the pandemic began, with case counts, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 regularly breaking records.
While daily coronavirus cases were down to 31,000 Monday from a seven-day average of above 37,000, it was likely due to a lag in data from the weekend, Newsom said.
Models used for planning show hospitalizations more than doubling in the next month from about 20,000 to more than 50,000.
The state has several makeshift hospitals that are taking patients, but more health care workers are needed to staff them, the Democratic governor said. It has deployed more than 1,000 people to 116 hospitals and other facilities through a volunteer corps or the National Guard. On the upside, Newsom said California finally expects to receive more of the traveling health care workers it had requested in anticipation of the shortage.
The Department of Public Health is sending an emergency medical team to Los Angeles to help better distribute patients among hospitals. Some hospitals are well above capacity and others are below, Newsom said.
Over the weekend, most Los Angeles County hospitals reached a crisis point where they had to divert ambulances because they didn’t have beds available.
“The sad reality is that all indicators tell us that our situation may only get worse as we begin 2021,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Los Angeles County, which accounts for a quarter of California’s nearly 40 million residents, has about 40% of the state’s 24,000 deaths. The county is approaching a milestone of 10,000 deaths.
“These are figures that can’t be normalized,” county Supervisor Hilda Solis said. “Just like the sound of ambulance sirens, we can’t tune this out.”
Travel over Christmas was expected to create another spike in cases. It may not show up for several weeks because of a lag from the time someone is exposed to the virus to when they get test results and ultimately get sick enough to require hospitalization.
Although there are indications more people are heeding stay-at-home orders that apply to all of the state but northernmost rural counties, there was a bump in air travel in Los Angeles similar to Thanksgiving.
The number of passengers flying out of Los Angeles International Airport was down about 70% from last year between Dec. 21 and 27, but the high of 43,000 on Dec. 23 was only 60% below last year’s figures, spokesman Heath Montgomery said. That was about as busy as the airport has been since the pandemic began.
The number of passengers departing San Francisco International Airport from Dec. 20 to 27 was down 80% from last year, spokesman Doug Yakel said.
The state’s health secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, urged people not to gather for New Year’s, which would further compound problems. Surveys about a month ago indicated only 30% of Californians were going to alter plans to gather or travel, but more recent surveys show 50% to 60% were changing their plans, he said.
“Things that were a month ago or two months ago a low-risk activity today are really high risks because of the level of COVID that’s circulating in our communities,” Ghaly said.
The surge comes amid an effort to vaccinate health workers and people at nursing homes and then expand to other groups, likely including teachers.
The state expects to have received 1.7 million doses of vaccine by the end of the week, Newsom said. He also announced that CVS and Walgreens pharmacies would begin vaccinating residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
___
Associated Press writers Janie Har in San Francisco, Don Thompson in Sacramento and Stefanie Dazio and John Antczak in Los Angeles contributed.
___
This story has been corrected to show that California has nearly 40 million people, not 10 million.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Sculpture honoring Breonna Taylor smashed in California

OAKLAND , Calif. ( AP ) - Police are investigating after a sculpture of Breonna Taylor was smashed to pieces in downtown Oakland over the weekend , authorities said .
The bust was installed just two weeks ago to honor Taylor , the Black woman killed by police in Louisville , Kentucky during a drug raid last March .
The installation at Latham Square was found destroyed on Saturday , prompting police to launch an investigation , the Bay Area News Group reported .
Sculptor Leo Carson called the destruction of his work an act of “ racist aggression ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those that led to protests in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation .
Carson told the Bay Area News Group that he made the sculpture to honor the legacy of the Black Lives Matter movement and its influences on contemporary political art .
“ I ’ ve put in hours and hours of my work and built it by hand , ” Carson said .
“ Before the pandemic I was a waiter so I paid for this out of my own pocket .
It wasn ’ t cheap and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was also an attack on Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement.
” The vandalism comes months after marchers took to the streets to protest the killings of Taylor and of George Floyd in Minneapolis .

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Police are investigating after a sculpture of Breonna Taylor was smashed to pieces in downtown Oakland over the weekend, authorities said.
The bust was installed just two weeks ago to honor Taylor, the Black woman killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky during a drug raid last March.
The installation at Latham Square was found destroyed on Saturday, prompting police to launch an investigation, the Bay Area News Group reported.
Sculptor Leo Carson called the destruction of his work an act of “racist aggression” against Taylor, whose killing was among those that led to protests in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the nation.
Carson told the Bay Area News Group that he made the sculpture to honor the legacy of the Black Lives Matter movement and its influences on contemporary political art.
“I’ve put in hours and hours of my work and built it by hand,” Carson said. “Before the pandemic I was a waiter so I paid for this out of my own pocket. It wasn’t cheap and it was incredibly hurtful personally. But it was also an attack on Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement.”
The vandalism comes months after marchers took to the streets to protest the killings of Taylor and of George Floyd in Minneapolis.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Calculating homeless aid has relied on a flawed formula

Eric Smith will finally have a place to call home after years of sleeping in his car and on his aunt ’ s sofa because of an obscure change in how the federal government calculates homeless aid .
For decades , Washington has determined how much taxpayer money to give states , counties and cities for their homeless residents , using a formula that actually has nothing to do with homelessness .
But the COVID-19 pandemic , and its billions in emergency aid , forced lawmakers to rework the old , politically popular homeless formula , which spread the wealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the change has meant nearly $ 120 million more in aid and a chance for Smith and thousands like him to fundamentally change their lives .
“ I ’ m not going to take that for granted , ” said the 44-year-old Smith , who until recently worked in a Los Angeles group home for people with autism and mental disabilities .
“ Once I get my own place , I could grow more and do more.
” When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Actin March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the government ’ s main homeless funding programs .
Given that the cash infusion was nearly 14 times greater than last year , lawmakers also mandated a change in how the payments were calculated , because anyone who knew anything about the funding formula knew it had nothing to do with homeless people .
But the fix was a one-time-only change and , barring any new action by Congress , the government will revert to using the misdirected formula for homeless aid next year .
“ If we ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should use a formula that prioritizes homelessness , ” said Alex Visotzky , legislative affairs manager for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority , one of the groups that advised the Department of Housing and Urban Development on ways to rework the formula .
HUD agreed , and in June released a new formula for calculating Emergency Solutions Grants that factored in an area ’ s homelessness and measures of poverty - a dramatic change from the old formula that was heavily influenced by the number of prewar homes in a given area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which parts of the country got homeless aid .
An analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism found that most of the CARES Act homeless funds went to a minority of places with the most severe problems .
And 62 % of the 362 cities , counties , states and territories eligible for these funds received relatively smaller amounts than they would have without the formula change .
California , which has over half of all unsheltered homeless people in America , benefited the most , with cities and counties up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in funding .
Rust Belt cities and counties saw the biggest relative decreases , the Howard Center analysis found .
Pittsburgh took the largest hit , dropping 82 % , followed by other cities in the Midwest .
Applying the revised formula over the last decade , the Howard Center analysis also found that states such as California , Florida , Oregon , Washington and Colorado could have gotten millions more in homeless funding .
Los Angeles city and county combined would have received $ 119 million more since 2011 ; New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 131 million .
The CARES Act homeless relief funding was available in two rounds of payouts during the spring and summer .
In the interest of speed , the first round of grants , totaling $ 1 billion , went out under the old formula , said Todd Richardson , an economist who leads HUD ’ s research division .
The department could have made double that amount available under the law , but chose not to in a tacit acknowledgment of the old formula ’ s shortcomings .
The formula ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on homeless policy , but the problem persisted because there was not enough political will to push through reform , Capitol Hill and HUD staffers said .
When Congress drafted the $ 2 trillion CARES Act in March , however , it mandated that HUD create a new way of estimating need in order to ensure better distribution of the unprecedented amount of Emergency Solutions Grants , or ESG .
“ We have known for some time that the ESG formula , while it ’ s effective at getting money to many poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to homelessness , ” Richardson said in an interview .
“ We believed that we needed to ensure that the vast majority of the funds were targeted as effectively as possible to the places that have the most severe homeless needs.
” To fix the formula , HUD adopted four basic metrics to assess need during the pandemic : total homeless count , as determined by HUD ’ s biennial Point-in-Time homeless census ; total count of unsheltered homeless people ; the rate of renter households whose family income is less than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and the rate of the very low-income renter households , who are living in overcrowded conditions or without a full kitchen or plumbing .
As a result , Youngstown , Ohio - a city in Mahoning County , which recorded just 148 homeless people in 2019 - saw one of the largest relative decreases from the CARES Act ’ s new homeless funding formula , according to the Howard Center analysis .
In the first round , it received just over $ 1 million .
In the second round , with three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to the first , it received $ 657,102 .
Colleen Kosta , who coordinates homeless services for Mahoning County , said she understands the magnitude of homelessness is far greater in other states , but she also worries that any change in funding would strip her community of precious resources .
“ As a small community and a small city , we ’ re already getting significantly less money , ” Kosta said .
“ While we don ’ t have a large unsheltered ( homeless ) population , we still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re trying to assist and make sure they ’ re safe and safely housed.
” Had the new formula been used years earlier , the Howard Center ’ s analysis showed , 81 smaller cities and counties nationwide that received direct homeless aid from HUD over the last decade would have fallen below the eligibility threshold .
But using the untargeted formula meant that states like California , Florida and New York that have the country ’ s highest homeless populations lost out on millions of relief dollars .
Retired economist Harold Bunce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formula for fighting urban decay was being used to calculate homeless aid when the Howard Center tracked him down in September .
“ They don ’ t use any direct estimates of homelessness when they distribute the funds ?
” asked Bunce , who retired as head of HUD ’ s economic affairs office over a decade ago .
One of his first projects for the department was analyzing the community development block grant formula .
The formula , now used to allocate homeless relief dollars , is actually two in one .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty rates and overcrowding .
The second considers poverty rates , the number of housing units built before 1940 and “ growth lag ” - slower population growth compared to the national average or a population decline .
A locality receives funds based on whichever formula awards it the most money , and just under half of the homeless grant recipients fall under the second , which considers prewar housing .
The Senate Appropriations committee acknowledged the flaw of using this formula for homeless aid in 2001 , publishing a report that said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real nexus to homeless needs.
” Igor Popov is the chief economist at Apartment List , a website where renters can find a place to live .
In his 2017 Stanford University doctoral dissertation , Popov detailed how a community ’ s stock of pre-1940s housing is a terrible indicator of economic outcomes .
In an interview with the Howard Center , he called its use one of HUD ’ s “ original sins.
” “ This was not some terrible misunderstanding of what , you know , drives homelessness , ” Popov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a variable “ that really stuck.
” Yet the program carried on relatively unchanged until the COVID-19 pandemic .
Most complaints about the homeless funding formula have been parochial , of the “ my city didn ’ t get their fair share ” ilk , rather than a desire to overhaul an ineffective system , said a senior congressional staffer .
But when it came time to write the CARES Act , legislators were in total agreement that the formula needed to be changed , he said , adding it was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use .
The staffer , who spoke on condition he not be named , said he was looking “ forward to finding out which flexibilities that we ’ ve applied should be taken forward as a general rule.
” Experts say changing to the new formula permanently will be an uphill battle .
As Bunce put it : “ Once something is locked in , it ’ s hard to change it in Washington.
” Lawmakers don ’ t typically vote to cut their constituents ’ funding , and the CARES Act formula @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 states and the District of Columbia over the last decade , while cutting funding everywhere else , according to the Howard Center analysis .
Homeless experts like Visotzky , the Los Angeles official , say the solution to the formula problem is more homeless funding overall to get people into housing and prevent others from falling into homelessness .
” The more we have a scarcity of resources , the more we have to fight over these formulas , ” Visotzky said .
“ We need to use this opportunity to really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of things.
” “ It would be a shame to have made all of this progress , ” he said , “ and not learn from it.
” This story was produced by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University ’ s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication , an initiative of the Scripps Howard Foundation in honor of the late news industry executive and pioneer Roy W. Howard .
For more see https : //azpbs.org/ .
Contact us at howardcenter @ asu.edu.

Eric Smith will finally have a place to call home after years of sleeping in his car and on his aunt’s sofa because of an obscure change in how the federal government calculates homeless aid.
For decades, Washington has determined how much taxpayer money to give states, counties and cities for their homeless residents, using a formula that actually has nothing to do with homelessness. But the COVID-19 pandemic, and its billions in emergency aid, forced lawmakers to rework the old, politically popular homeless formula, which spread the wealth regardless of need.
In Los Angeles, the change has meant nearly $120 million more in aid and a chance for Smith and thousands like him to fundamentally change their lives.
“I’m not going to take that for granted,” said the 44-year-old Smith, who until recently worked in a Los Angeles group home for people with autism and mental disabilities. “Once I get my own place, I could grow more and do more.”
When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Actin March, it included $4 billion for one of the government’s main homeless funding programs. Given that the cash infusion was nearly 14 times greater than last year, lawmakers also mandated a change in how the payments were calculated, because anyone who knew anything about the funding formula knew it had nothing to do with homeless people.
But the fix was a one-time-only change and, barring any new action by Congress, the government will revert to using the misdirected formula for homeless aid next year.
“If we’re going to try and address homelessness, we should use a formula that prioritizes homelessness,” said Alex Visotzky, legislative affairs manager for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, one of the groups that advised the Department of Housing and Urban Development on ways to rework the formula.
HUD agreed, and in June released a new formula for calculating Emergency Solutions Grants that factored in an area’s homelessness and measures of poverty - a dramatic change from the old formula that was heavily influenced by the number of prewar homes in a given area.
The change had a profound impact on which parts of the country got homeless aid.
An analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism found that most of the CARES Act homeless funds went to a minority of places with the most severe problems. And 62% of the 362 cities, counties, states and territories eligible for these funds received relatively smaller amounts than they would have without the formula change.
California, which has over half of all unsheltered homeless people in America, benefited the most, with cities and counties up and down the state getting millions more in funding.
Rust Belt cities and counties saw the biggest relative decreases, the Howard Center analysis found. Pittsburgh took the largest hit, dropping 82%, followed by other cities in the Midwest.
Applying the revised formula over the last decade, the Howard Center analysis also found that states such as California, Florida, Oregon, Washington and Colorado could have gotten millions more in homeless funding. Los Angeles city and county combined would have received $119 million more since 2011; New York City would have gotten an additional $131 million.
ONE-TIME WONDER
The CARES Act homeless relief funding was available in two rounds of payouts during the spring and summer.
In the interest of speed, the first round of grants, totaling $1 billion, went out under the old formula, said Todd Richardson, an economist who leads HUD’s research division. The department could have made double that amount available under the law, but chose not to in a tacit acknowledgment of the old formula’s shortcomings.
The formula’s flaws were well-known to anyone who worked on homeless policy, but the problem persisted because there was not enough political will to push through reform, Capitol Hill and HUD staffers said. When Congress drafted the $2 trillion CARES Act in March, however, it mandated that HUD create a new way of estimating need in order to ensure better distribution of the unprecedented amount of Emergency Solutions Grants, or ESG.
“We have known for some time that the ESG formula, while it’s effective at getting money to many poor communities, doesn’t target great to homelessness,” Richardson said in an interview. “We believed that we needed to ensure that the vast majority of the funds were targeted as effectively as possible to the places that have the most severe homeless needs.”
To fix the formula, HUD adopted four basic metrics to assess need during the pandemic: total homeless count, as determined by HUD’s biennial Point-in-Time homeless census; total count of unsheltered homeless people; the rate of renter households whose family income is less than half the area’s median family income; and the rate of the very low-income renter households, who are living in overcrowded conditions or without a full kitchen or plumbing.
As a result, Youngstown, Ohio - a city in Mahoning County, which recorded just 148 homeless people in 2019 - saw one of the largest relative decreases from the CARES Act’s new homeless funding formula, according to the Howard Center analysis. In the first round, it received just over $1 million. In the second round, with three times the amount of money going out compared to the first, it received $657,102.
Colleen Kosta, who coordinates homeless services for Mahoning County, said she understands the magnitude of homelessness is far greater in other states, but she also worries that any change in funding would strip her community of precious resources.
“As a small community and a small city, we’re already getting significantly less money,” Kosta said. “While we don’t have a large unsheltered (homeless) population, we still have a population of people that we’re trying to assist and make sure they’re safe and safely housed.”
Had the new formula been used years earlier, the Howard Center’s analysis showed, 81 smaller cities and counties nationwide that received direct homeless aid from HUD over the last decade would have fallen below the eligibility threshold. But using the untargeted formula meant that states like California, Florida and New York that have the country’s highest homeless populations lost out on millions of relief dollars.
BIRTH OF A BAD HABIT
Retired economist Harold Bunce was surprised to learn that the 45-year-old formula for fighting urban decay was being used to calculate homeless aid when the Howard Center tracked him down in September.
“They don’t use any direct estimates of homelessness when they distribute the funds?” asked Bunce, who retired as head of HUD’s economic affairs office over a decade ago. One of his first projects for the department was analyzing the community development block grant formula.
The formula, now used to allocate homeless relief dollars, is actually two in one. The first takes into consideration population, poverty rates and overcrowding. The second considers poverty rates, the number of housing units built before 1940 and “growth lag” - slower population growth compared to the national average or a population decline. A locality receives funds based on whichever formula awards it the most money, and just under half of the homeless grant recipients fall under the second, which considers prewar housing.
The Senate Appropriations committee acknowledged the flaw of using this formula for homeless aid in 2001, publishing a report that said, “The CDBG formula has no real nexus to homeless needs.”
Igor Popov is the chief economist at Apartment List, a website where renters can find a place to live. In his 2017 Stanford University doctoral dissertation, Popov detailed how a community’s stock of pre-1940s housing is a terrible indicator of economic outcomes. In an interview with the Howard Center, he called its use one of HUD’s “original sins.”
“This was not some terrible misunderstanding of what, you know, drives homelessness,” Popov said, adding that old housing was just a variable “that really stuck.”
Yet the program carried on relatively unchanged until the COVID-19 pandemic.
A MORE PERFECT FORMULA
Most complaints about the homeless funding formula have been parochial, of the “my city didn’t get their fair share” ilk, rather than a desire to overhaul an ineffective system, said a senior congressional staffer.
But when it came time to write the CARES Act, legislators were in total agreement that the formula needed to be changed, he said, adding it was just a matter of deciding which variables to use.
The staffer, who spoke on condition he not be named, said he was looking “forward to finding out which flexibilities that we’ve applied should be taken forward as a general rule.”
Experts say changing to the new formula permanently will be an uphill battle. As Bunce put it: “Once something is locked in, it’s hard to change it in Washington.”
Lawmakers don’t typically vote to cut their constituents’ funding, and the CARES Act formula would have increased homeless grants to just 11 states and the District of Columbia over the last decade, while cutting funding everywhere else, according to the Howard Center analysis.
Homeless experts like Visotzky, the Los Angeles official, say the solution to the formula problem is more homeless funding overall to get people into housing and prevent others from falling into homelessness.
”The more we have a scarcity of resources, the more we have to fight over these formulas,” Visotzky said. “We need to use this opportunity to really rethink the way we do a lot of things.”
“It would be a shame to have made all of this progress,” he said, “and not learn from it.”
____
This story was produced by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, an initiative of the Scripps Howard Foundation in honor of the late news industry executive and pioneer Roy W. Howard. For more see https://azpbs.org/. Contact us at howardcenter@asu.edu.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Inside the Beltway: Transhumanist Zoltan Istvan is vexed by the COVID-19 vaccine

A former independent presidential hopeful is vexed at the COVID-19 vaccine at the moment , and for multiple reasons .
That would be Zoltan Istvan , a self-described transhumanist candidate who was billed as the “ cyborg who is running against President Trump ” in press reports throughout 2020 .
The California hopeful — who ran in the Republican primary — based his campaign on a futuristic message of fusing radical technology with daily life under the motto “ Upgrade America.
” Mr. Istvan recently looked into how long it would be before he got a COVID-19 vaccine .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Find your Place ’ in the vaccine line report , and I was near the bottom 15 % of the timeline for getting the vaccine — meaning I ’ ll be nearly last , ” Mr. Istvan wrote in an email to Inside the Beltway .
He refers to an online tool that the aforementioned news organization offered in early December that has users enter personal particulars to receive a calculation suggesting when they will be eligible to get the vaccine .
“ Being almost last — that upsets me since , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay a lot of taxes , and frankly , the creation and distribution of the vaccine rests mostly on high taxpayers such as myself — not the homeless or prison population which is way , way ahead of me in line , ” Mr. Istvan continued .
“ I think this is atrocious of our government .
My solution : I think there should simultaneously be a private market for the vaccine along with giving it out freely to everyone else , and I posted this on social media and lots of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the vaccine was made to go on the open market , I ’ d be happy .
But none of it is , ” Mr. Istvan continued .
“ It ’ s not that I don ’ t want to freely give the vaccine to people .
That people who actually create the wealth in this country are being relegated to the back of line is unbelievable and upsetting .
I feel like shouting ‘ Who is John Galt ?
’ I ’ m really astonished by how stupid our government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like me , ” he concluded .
John Galt , incidentally , is a fictional character in Ayn Rand ’ s iconic 1957 novel “ Atlas Shrugged.
” The former White House intern who once dallied with President Clinton is getting cordial reviews for her work on “ Impeachment : American Crime Story , ” set to air on FX in the near future .
Monica Lewinsky served as producer for the series , named one of the ” 21 most-anticipated new scripted TV series coming in 2021 ” by the Hollywood Reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 presidential election , the third season of the Emmy-winning FX anthology from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk turns its lens on the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton scandal , ” the industry publication noted .
“ Lewinsky produces the season , which is based on Jeffrey Toobin ’ s best-seller ‘ A Vast Conspiracy : The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.
’ Sarah Paulson stars as Linda Tripp ; Beanie Feldstein plays Lewinsky ; and Annaleigh Ashford is set as Paula Jones , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have soared in the past year .
They have reached 35,758,249 through November .
That is more than the 28,369,750 for all of last year .
Growing civil unrest may have prompted people to buy guns for personal and family protection , ” says a new analysis of FBI data by 24/7Wallstreet.com , a news organization which noted that in 1999 , the number of guns sold stood at 9,138,123 .
“ Among all states , Illinois has posted the highest sales so far this year , by far , at 6,625,082 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun sales in 2020 , although the state has less than 4 % of the nation ’ s population , ” writes Douglas A. McIntyre , editor-in-chief of the news organization .
Kentucky is in second place with 2.9 million sales , followed by Texas ( 2.1 million ) , Florida ( 1.7 million ) , Indiana ( 1.6 million ) , California ( 1.5 million ) ; Pennsylvania ( 1.3 million ) , Utah ( 1.1 million ) , Alabama ( 984,548 ) and Michigan ( 974,072 ) .
These figures cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least number of gun sales , with 18,096 so far this year .
The end of the year looms in about 48 hours or so .
So now what ?
Many Americans are happy that 2020 is over — and they ’ re jittery about the near future .
They also could be surprised by their personal , potential role in it all .
“ Our hopes for 2021 won ’ t be fulfilled by a politician , but by us , ” writes by Salena Zito , a columnist and political reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need something to aspire to — a purpose or someone who will take us to a better place .
If 2020 taught us anything , it taught us that journey upward will not come from a politician , nor will it come from the loudest voices , which means it will likely come from within us as a people .
That might be the best news for 2021 , ” Ms. Zito advises .
“ Reporters , anchors , photographers , camera operators , producers and technicians who brought 2020 ’ s biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own physical safety and psychological well-being and found themselves the subjects of increased digital abuse , ” advises the Committee to Protect Journalists , an independent nonprofit that says it assisted 750 journalists this year through emergency grants and safety consultations .
Wildfires , social unrest and the coronavirus posed the biggest threats to journalists — along with one other activity .
“ The U.S. presidential election brought its own set of reporting risks < ” the organization said , citing its own “ U.S .
elections safety kit , ” which highlighted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and online and digital attacks against journalists who were covering the vote .
⦁ 43 % of U.S. adults plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when the vaccine becomes available ; 35 % of Republicans , 34 % of independents and 60 % of Democrats agree .
⦁ 30 % overall do not plan to be vaccinated ; 37 % of Republicans , 34 % of independents and 10 % of Democrats agree .
⦁ 26 % are not sure what they will do ; 28 % of Republicans , 29 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
⦁ 2 % have already been vaccinated ; 1 % of Republicans , 3 % of independents and 1 % of Democrats agree .
Source : An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted Dec. 19-22 .

NEWS AND OPINION:
A former independent presidential hopeful is vexed at the COVID-19 vaccine at the moment, and for multiple reasons. That would be Zoltan Istvan, a self-described transhumanist candidate who was billed as the “cyborg who is running against President Trump” in press reports throughout 2020. The California hopeful — who ran in the Republican primary — based his campaign on a futuristic message of fusing radical technology with daily life under the motto “Upgrade America.”
Mr. Istvan recently looked into how long it would be before he got a COVID-19 vaccine.
“I took the New York Times’ ‘Find your Place’ in the vaccine line report, and I was near the bottom 15% of the timeline for getting the vaccine — meaning I’ll be nearly last,” Mr. Istvan wrote in an email to Inside the Beltway.
He refers to an online tool that the aforementioned news organization offered in early December that has users enter personal particulars to receive a calculation suggesting when they will be eligible to get the vaccine.
“Being almost last — that upsets me since, as a successful business person, I pay a lot of taxes, and frankly, the creation and distribution of the vaccine rests mostly on high taxpayers such as myself — not the homeless or prison population which is way, way ahead of me in line,” Mr. Istvan continued.
“I think this is atrocious of our government. My solution: I think there should simultaneously be a private market for the vaccine along with giving it out freely to everyone else, and I posted this on social media and lots of people were upset. Even if just 3% of the vaccine was made to go on the open market, I’d be happy. But none of it is,” Mr. Istvan continued.
“It’s not that I don’t want to freely give the vaccine to people. That people who actually create the wealth in this country are being relegated to the back of line is unbelievable and upsetting. I feel like shouting ‘Who is John Galt?’ I’m really astonished by how stupid our government is and how it is treating people like me,” he concluded.
John Galt, incidentally, is a fictional character in Ayn Rand’s iconic 1957 novel “Atlas Shrugged.”
MONICA LEWINSKY, PRODUCER
The former White House intern who once dallied with President Clinton is getting cordial reviews for her work on “Impeachment: American Crime Story,” set to air on FX in the near future. Monica Lewinsky served as producer for the series, named one of the ” 21 most-anticipated new scripted TV series coming in 2021” by the Hollywood Reporter.
“Originally intended to air before the 2020 presidential election, the third season of the Emmy-winning FX anthology from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk turns its lens on the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton scandal,” the industry publication noted.
“Lewinsky produces the season, which is based on Jeffrey Toobin’s best-seller ‘A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.’ Sarah Paulson stars as Linda Tripp; Beanie Feldstein plays Lewinsky; and Annaleigh Ashford is set as Paula Jones,” the publication noted.
ILLINOIS TOPS IN GUN SALES
“Gun sales have soared in the past year. They have reached 35,758,249 through November. That is more than the 28,369,750 for all of last year. Growing civil unrest may have prompted people to buy guns for personal and family protection,” says a new analysis of FBI data by 24/7Wallstreet.com, a news organization which noted that in 1999, the number of guns sold stood at 9,138,123.
“Among all states, Illinois has posted the highest sales so far this year, by far, at 6,625,082. That is almost 18% of U.S. gun sales in 2020, although the state has less than 4% of the nation’s population,” writes Douglas A. McIntyre, editor-in-chief of the news organization.
Kentucky is in second place with 2.9 million sales, followed by Texas (2.1 million), Florida (1.7 million), Indiana (1.6 million), California (1.5 million); Pennsylvania (1.3 million), Utah (1.1 million), Alabama (984,548) and Michigan (974,072). These figures cover January through November.
Hawaii had the least number of gun sales, with 18,096 so far this year.
GET READY
The end of the year looms in about 48 hours or so. So now what? Many Americans are happy that 2020 is over — and they’re jittery about the near future. They also could be surprised by their personal, potential role in it all.
“Our hopes for 2021 won’t be fulfilled by a politician, but by us,” writes by Salena Zito, a columnist and political reporters for the Washington Examiner.
“Americans need something to aspire to — a purpose or someone who will take us to a better place. If 2020 taught us anything, it taught us that journey upward will not come from a politician, nor will it come from the loudest voices, which means it will likely come from within us as a people. That might be the best news for 2021,” Ms. Zito advises.
AN UNEASY YEAR
“Reporters, anchors, photographers, camera operators, producers and technicians who brought 2020’s biggest stories to the public often risked their own physical safety and psychological well-being and found themselves the subjects of increased digital abuse,” advises the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent nonprofit that says it assisted 750 journalists this year through emergency grants and safety consultations.
Wildfires, social unrest and the coronavirus posed the biggest threats to journalists — along with one other activity.
“The U.S. presidential election brought its own set of reporting risks<” the organization said, citing its own “U.S. elections safety kit,” which highlighted the risks of protests, rallies, and online and digital attacks against journalists who were covering the vote.
POLL DU JOUR
⦁ 43% of U.S. adults plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when the vaccine becomes available; 35% of Republicans, 34% of independents and 60% of Democrats agree.
⦁ 30% overall do not plan to be vaccinated; 37% of Republicans, 34% of independents and 10% of Democrats agree.
⦁ 26% are not sure what they will do; 28% of Republicans, 29% of independents and 21% of Democrats agree.
⦁ 2% have already been vaccinated; 1% of Republicans, 3% of independents and 1% of Democrats agree.
Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted Dec. 19-22.
⦁ Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-28--Shootings in Portland more than double in 2020

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - As Portland struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic and nightly protests during 2020 , shootings in Oregon ’ s largest city also more than doubled this year .
KOIN reports that Portland logged about 900 shootings , compared to 393 shootings in all of 2019 .
In December , so far , there have been seven homicides .
Most recently , Portland police identified 33-year-old Jaron Weeks as the city ’ s 53rd homicide victim this year - the highest number of homicides in Portland since a wave of gang violence in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an apartment building in northeast Portland .
A second shooting victim at the scene was hospitalized and the shooter remained at large by Monday afternoon .
In addition two people were hospitalized following multiple shootings in Portland on Saturday .
The unprecedented spike in violence in the city has presented challenges for officers .
“ They know we are busy , so people are more emboldened to carry firearms and use them against each other and not only one or two shots , but multiple , ” said Derek Carman , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been thousands of shots fired in the city this year and it ’ s unfortunate for the community.
” Similarly in Detroit , Chicago , New York , Philadelphia and even in smaller cities , 2020 has been deadly not only because of the pandemic , but because gun violence is spiking .
Authorities and some experts say there is no one clear-cut reason for the spike .
They instead point to social and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 virus , public sentiment toward police following George Floyd ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortage of jobs and resources in poorer communities as contributing factors .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - As Portland struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic and nightly protests during 2020, shootings in Oregon’s largest city also more than doubled this year.
KOIN reports that Portland logged about 900 shootings, compared to 393 shootings in all of 2019. In December, so far, there have been seven homicides.
Most recently, Portland police identified 33-year-old Jaron Weeks as the city’s 53rd homicide victim this year - the highest number of homicides in Portland since a wave of gang violence in the early 1990s.
Weeks was killed Christmas morning in an apartment building in northeast Portland. A second shooting victim at the scene was hospitalized and the shooter remained at large by Monday afternoon.
In addition two people were hospitalized following multiple shootings in Portland on Saturday.
The unprecedented spike in violence in the city has presented challenges for officers.
“They know we are busy, so people are more emboldened to carry firearms and use them against each other and not only one or two shots, but multiple,” said Derek Carman, with the Portland Police Bureau. “There have been thousands of shots fired in the city this year and it’s unfortunate for the community.”
Similarly in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and even in smaller cities, 2020 has been deadly not only because of the pandemic, but because gun violence is spiking.
Authorities and some experts say there is no one clear-cut reason for the spike. They instead point to social and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 virus, public sentiment toward police following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody and a historic shortage of jobs and resources in poorer communities as contributing factors.