washingtontimes--2020-12-05--ER visits, long waits climb for kids in mental health crisis

When children and teens are overwhelmed with anxiety , depression or thoughts of self-harm , they often wait days in emergency rooms because there aren ’ t enough psychiatric beds .
The problem has only grown worse during the pandemic , reports from parents and professionals suggest .
With schools closed , routines disrupted and parents anxious over lost income or uncertain futures , children are shouldering new burdens many are unequipped to bear .
And with surging numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients , bed space is even scarcer .
By early fall , many Massachusetts ERs were seeing about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychiatric crisis weekly than usual , said Ralph Buonopane , a mental health program director at Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston .
” I ’ ve been director of this program for 21 years and worked in child psychiatric services since the 1980s and it is very much unprecedented , ” Buonopane said .
His hospital receives ER transfers from around the state .
While ER visits for many health reasons other than COVID-19 declined early in the pandemic as people avoided hospitals , the share that were for kids ’ mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October , according to a recent federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report .
Of the kids who showed up , more were for mental health than in the same period last year , although that might reflect that others stayed away , the authors cautioned .
Claire Brennan Tillberg ’ s 11-year-old daughter was one of those kids who sought care .
The Massachusetts girl has autism , depression and anxiety , and has been hospitalized twice in recent months after revealing that she ’ d had suicidal thoughts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waited a week in an ER before being transferred to a different hospital .
The first time , in July , the wait was four days .
She ’ d been hospitalized before , but Tillberg said things worsened when the pandemic hit and her new school and therapy sessions went online .
Suddenly the structure and rituals that many children with autism thrive on were gone .
“ She ’ d never met the teacher , never met the kids , ” said Tillberg , a psychotherapist .
“ She felt more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t getting better .
Without the distraction of getting up and going to school or to camp … sitting at home with her own thoughts all day with a computer has allowed that to worsen.
’ ’ Studies and surveys in Asia , Australia , the U.S. , Canada , China and Europe have shown overall worsening mental health in children and teens since the pandemic began .
In a World Health Organization survey of 130 countries published in October , more than 60 % reported disruptions to mental health services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Emergency rooms are often the first place kids facing a mental health breakdown go for help .
Some are stabilized there and sent home .
Some need inpatient care but many hospitals don ’ t offer psychiatric treatment for kids and transfer these children elsewhere .
Some treatment centers won ’ t take kids without proof they don ’ t have COVID-19 , ’ ’ which is hard because you can ’ t always find a rapid test , ” said Ellie Rounds Bloom .
Her 12-year-old son has “ significant mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has experienced several crises since the pandemic began .
The Boston-area boy has been hospitalized since October , after spending 17 days in ER .
Many mental health advocates consider these waits unacceptable .
For parents and their kids , they are that , and more .
“ There have been moments of frustration and moments of sheer pulling your hair out , ” Rounds Bloom said .
State health insurance covers her son ’ s treatment but not all providers accept it .
Deficiencies in the U.S. health care system can leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You can ’ t give up , because it ’ s your kid , ” Rounds Bloom said .
There are no national studies on kids ’ ER waits for mental health treatment , a practice called “ boarding , ” according to a recent review published in the journal Pediatrics .
The review included small studies showing that between 23 % and almost 60 % of U.S. kids who need inpatient care have to wait in ERs to receive it .
They are kept stable but often receive little or no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yale-New Haven Children ’ s Hospital has started offering teletherapy to kids waiting in its emergency room for mental health care , said Dr. Marc Auerbach , a pediatric ER physician .
One in 6 U.S. children have a diagnosed mental , behavioral or developmental disorder , according to the CDC .
Data show problems like depression become more prevalent in teen years ; 1 in 13 high school students have attempted suicide and at least half of kids with mental illness don ’ t get treatment .
Shortages of psychiatrists in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem and contributed to rising ER mental health visits , the Pediatrics review said .
The number of U.S. children ’ s mental health hospitals dropped to 38 from 50 between 2008 and 2018 .
The number of U.S. hospitals reporting that they offer any inpatient psychiatric services to adults or children dropped by almost 200 from 2008 to 2018 , when the tally was 1,487 , American Hospital Association data show .
Children who need to be admitted for complex mental issues and behavior outbursts often have the longest ER waits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is chronically suicidal , has mild autism , anxiety , severe depression and attention deficit disorder .
“ Hospitals often refuse to take him , ” said Dilts , a human resources recruiter who lives near Worcester , Massachusetts .
Early this year , before the pandemic hit , he waited for a hospital bed twice , once for a week , the second time for over two weeks .
He had been living at an intensive residential treatment center and has been back there since April .
Dilts worries about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
“ There weren ’ t enough beds before COVID and there really aren ’ t enough beds now , ” she said .
At the 66-bed Clarity Child Guidance Center in San Antonio , demand has been surging , says CEO Jessica Knudsen .
About half their patients are Hispanic and 60 % receive some form of public health insurance .
Some nights , there have been five or six kids sleeping in an observation area waiting for beds , she said .
’ ’ I feel OK once they get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the observation room , she said .
“ They ’ re getting eyes on them by a mental health professional.
” Kids left waiting idly in ERs , or who don ’ t seek emergency care , ‘ ‘ that ’ s my real worry , ’ ’ Knudsen said .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

When children and teens are overwhelmed with anxiety, depression or thoughts of self-harm, they often wait days in emergency rooms because there aren’t enough psychiatric beds.
The problem has only grown worse during the pandemic, reports from parents and professionals suggest.
With schools closed, routines disrupted and parents anxious over lost income or uncertain futures, children are shouldering new burdens many are unequipped to bear.
And with surging numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, bed space is even scarcer.
By early fall, many Massachusetts ERs were seeing about four times more children and teens in psychiatric crisis weekly than usual, said Ralph Buonopane, a mental health program director at Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston.
”I’ve been director of this program for 21 years and worked in child psychiatric services since the 1980s and it is very much unprecedented,” Buonopane said. His hospital receives ER transfers from around the state.
While ER visits for many health reasons other than COVID-19 declined early in the pandemic as people avoided hospitals, the share that were for kids’ mental health-related visits climbed steadily from mid-April through October, according to a recent federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Of the kids who showed up, more were for mental health than in the same period last year, although that might reflect that others stayed away, the authors cautioned.
Claire Brennan Tillberg’s 11-year-old daughter was one of those kids who sought care. The Massachusetts girl has autism, depression and anxiety, and has been hospitalized twice in recent months after revealing that she’d had suicidal thoughts. The second time, in September, she waited a week in an ER before being transferred to a different hospital. The first time, in July, the wait was four days.
She’d been hospitalized before, but Tillberg said things worsened when the pandemic hit and her new school and therapy sessions went online. Suddenly the structure and rituals that many children with autism thrive on were gone.
“She’d never met the teacher, never met the kids,” said Tillberg, a psychotherapist. “She felt more isolated, more and more like things aren’t getting better. Without the distraction of getting up and going to school or to camp … sitting at home with her own thoughts all day with a computer has allowed that to worsen.’’
Studies and surveys in Asia, Australia, the U.S., Canada, China and Europe have shown overall worsening mental health in children and teens since the pandemic began. In a World Health Organization survey of 130 countries published in October, more than 60% reported disruptions to mental health services for vulnerable people including children and teens.
Emergency rooms are often the first place kids facing a mental health breakdown go for help. Some are stabilized there and sent home. Some need inpatient care but many hospitals don’t offer psychiatric treatment for kids and transfer these children elsewhere.
Some treatment centers won’t take kids without proof they don’t have COVID-19, ’’which is hard because you can’t always find a rapid test,” said Ellie Rounds Bloom. Her 12-year-old son has “significant mental health issues” including trauma, and has experienced several crises since the pandemic began. The Boston-area boy has been hospitalized since October, after spending 17 days in ER.
Many mental health advocates consider these waits unacceptable. For parents and their kids, they are that, and more.
“There have been moments of frustration and moments of sheer pulling your hair out,” Rounds Bloom said.
State health insurance covers her son’s treatment but not all providers accept it. Deficiencies in the U.S. health care system can leave families feeling helpless, she said.
“You can’t give up, because it’s your kid,” Rounds Bloom said.
There are no national studies on kids’ ER waits for mental health treatment, a practice called “boarding,” according to a recent review published in the journal Pediatrics. The review included small studies showing that between 23% and almost 60% of U.S. kids who need inpatient care have to wait in ERs to receive it. They are kept stable but often receive little or no mental health care during those waits.
Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital has started offering teletherapy to kids waiting in its emergency room for mental health care, said Dr. Marc Auerbach, a pediatric ER physician.
One in 6 U.S. children have a diagnosed mental, behavioral or developmental disorder, according to the CDC. Data show problems like depression become more prevalent in teen years; 1 in 13 high school students have attempted suicide and at least half of kids with mental illness don’t get treatment.
Shortages of psychiatrists in some areas and hospital closures have worsened the problem and contributed to rising ER mental health visits, the Pediatrics review said.
The number of U.S. children’s mental health hospitals dropped to 38 from 50 between 2008 and 2018. The number of U.S. hospitals reporting that they offer any inpatient psychiatric services to adults or children dropped by almost 200 from 2008 to 2018, when the tally was 1,487, American Hospital Association data show.
Children who need to be admitted for complex mental issues and behavior outbursts often have the longest ER waits. Kids like Laura Dilts’ 16-year-old son, who is chronically suicidal, has mild autism, anxiety, severe depression and attention deficit disorder.
“Hospitals often refuse to take him,” said Dilts, a human resources recruiter who lives near Worcester, Massachusetts.
Early this year, before the pandemic hit, he waited for a hospital bed twice, once for a week, the second time for over two weeks. He had been living at an intensive residential treatment center and has been back there since April.
Dilts worries about what will happen if he has another crisis.
“There weren’t enough beds before COVID and there really aren’t enough beds now,” she said.
At the 66-bed Clarity Child Guidance Center in San Antonio, demand has been surging, says CEO Jessica Knudsen. About half their patients are Hispanic and 60% receive some form of public health insurance.
Some nights, there have been five or six kids sleeping in an observation area waiting for beds, she said.
’’I feel OK once they get to us,” even if in the observation room, she said. “They’re getting eyes on them by a mental health professional.”
Kids left waiting idly in ERs, or who don’t seek emergency care, ‘‘that’s my real worry,’’ Knudsen said.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Religious right eyes Biden warily after Trump's good favor

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Conservative evangelical Christians have proven some of Donald Trump ’ s staunchest allies during his presidency .
As his administration draws to a close , some of those backers are approaching President-elect Joe Biden with skepticism , but not antagonism .
Christian conservatives who stood by Trump through moments of crisis and success are hardly comfortable with his loss , and several have yet to fully acknowledge Biden as the winner of the election amid ongoing , unfounded fraud claims by the president .
But they ’ re largely not echoing the harsh tone Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , when he claimed baselessly that Biden is “ against God.
” Texas-based megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress , a stalwart evangelical booster of Trump , said Christians are obliged “ to pray for what appears to be President-elect Biden .
If he succeeds , all of America succeeds.
” Jeffress described himself as “ deeply disappointed ” by the apparent loss of a president he considers “ a friend , ” but added that he would respond to any outreach attempt by Biden , just as he did with Trump .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from extremist positions ” held by other Democrats , Jeffress said , is “ a plus not just for conservative Christians , but for all of America.
” It ’ s highly unlikely that Christian conservatives could develop a close relationship with Biden , whose support for abortion rights and stances on other issues stand in stark disagreement with the religious right .
However , the lack of a combative tone from pro-Trump religious conservatives could create space for some common ground between the Catholic president-elect and other evangelicals who have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If Joe Biden is the president , if that ’ s what it turns out to be , then we need to do everything we can to support him , where we can , ” the Rev .
Franklin Graham said in a recent interview .
Graham , who leads the Christian nonprofit founded by his late father , the Rev .
Billy Graham , is a Trump supporter who offered prayers at his inauguration and this year ’ s Republican National Convention .
But while he underscored that his opposition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there could be no compromise , Graham said “ we certainly can work with ” Biden on other issues .
During the Obama administration , Graham attended a conversation Biden convened among faith-based advocates about gun legislation .
The pastor also visited the White House in 2014 to discuss the Ebola crisis after a doctor at his global relief charity , Samaritan ’ s Purse , successfully fought the deadly disease .
Still , conservative Christians like Graham exerted scant influence over the Obama administration ’ s agenda - and pro-Trump evangelicals are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins , a longtime Trump partner , said that during Obama ’ s presidency , “ I didn ’ t go to that end of Pennsylvania Avenue , because I was never invited.
” “ If I were invited , certainly I would go , to have a conversation and represent the views our constituents have , ” Perkins added in an interview .
“ But I don ’ t hold out hope that they ’ re going to invite those who hold to traditional , biblical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human sexuality.
” Perkins said his socially conservative group would focus on working with the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , whose party is poised to keep control of that chamber unless Democrats can win next month ’ s two runoffs in Georgia .
Conservative Christians have no shortage of potential looming disputes with the incoming administration .
Biden is likely to reverse Trump ’ s ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups that support abortion , among other moves to shore up abortion rights , and he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure that has drawn criticism from leading religious conservatives .
Marjorie Dannenfelser , president the Susan B. Anthony List and a Catholic outreach adviser to the Trump reelection campaign , said she saw “ almost zero hope ” of moving Biden on abortion , her group ’ s priority issue , and forecast “ hand-to-hand combat until we take the presidency back.
” However , some groups such as Perkins ’ may find occasional opportunities to work with the Biden administration even while remaining critical of it in their messaging to members and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyst Napp Nazworth .
“ They ’ re going to be able to say , ‘ Please support us because your religious freedom is in danger , ’ ” said Nazworth , who left the Christian Post last year after it published a pro-Trump editorial .
Meanwhile , evangelicals outside those most closely associated with Trump already are identifying commonalities where they could partner with Biden .
One is his plan to raise the annual refugee admissions ceiling to 125,000 , a vow he reiterated recently at an event hosted by Jesuit Refugee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the refugee target to historic lows .
Nathan Bult , a senior vice president at Bethany Christian Services , said he has engaged with Biden ’ s transition team on child welfare policy .
Bult said his group worked with the Trump administration but “ we were never shy about criticizing ” moves it disagreed with , and “ we ’ ll treat the Biden administration the same way.
” Galen Carey , vice president for government relations at the National Association of Evangelicals , pointed to several areas for collaboration with Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid family leave and criminal justice reform .
“ We have principles that we think should be appealing to all Americans , ” Carey said , “ and we ’ d like to be a constructive force for the common good.
” Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Conservative evangelical Christians have proven some of Donald Trump’s staunchest allies during his presidency. As his administration draws to a close, some of those backers are approaching President-elect Joe Biden with skepticism, but not antagonism.
Christian conservatives who stood by Trump through moments of crisis and success are hardly comfortable with his loss, and several have yet to fully acknowledge Biden as the winner of the election amid ongoing, unfounded fraud claims by the president. But they’re largely not echoing the harsh tone Trump directed toward his Democratic rival during the campaign, when he claimed baselessly that Biden is “against God.”
Texas-based megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress, a stalwart evangelical booster of Trump, said Christians are obliged “to pray for what appears to be President-elect Biden. If he succeeds, all of America succeeds.”
Jeffress described himself as “deeply disappointed” by the apparent loss of a president he considers “a friend,” but added that he would respond to any outreach attempt by Biden, just as he did with Trump. The possibility that Biden could “be pulled away from extremist positions” held by other Democrats, Jeffress said, is “a plus not just for conservative Christians, but for all of America.”
It’s highly unlikely that Christian conservatives could develop a close relationship with Biden, whose support for abortion rights and stances on other issues stand in stark disagreement with the religious right. However, the lack of a combative tone from pro-Trump religious conservatives could create space for some common ground between the Catholic president-elect and other evangelicals who have not tied themselves as directly to Trump.
“If Joe Biden is the president, if that’s what it turns out to be, then we need to do everything we can to support him, where we can,” the Rev. Franklin Graham said in a recent interview.
Graham, who leads the Christian nonprofit founded by his late father, the Rev. Billy Graham, is a Trump supporter who offered prayers at his inauguration and this year’s Republican National Convention. But while he underscored that his opposition to abortion is one of several fronts where there could be no compromise, Graham said “we certainly can work with” Biden on other issues.
During the Obama administration, Graham attended a conversation Biden convened among faith-based advocates about gun legislation. The pastor also visited the White House in 2014 to discuss the Ebola crisis after a doctor at his global relief charity, Samaritan’s Purse, successfully fought the deadly disease.
Still, conservative Christians like Graham exerted scant influence over the Obama administration’s agenda - and pro-Trump evangelicals are expecting a similar sideline role under Biden.
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, a longtime Trump partner, said that during Obama’s presidency, “I didn’t go to that end of Pennsylvania Avenue, because I was never invited.”
“If I were invited, certainly I would go, to have a conversation and represent the views our constituents have,” Perkins added in an interview. “But I don’t hold out hope that they’re going to invite those who hold to traditional, biblical views on life, religious freedom and human sexuality.”
Perkins said his socially conservative group would focus on working with the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., whose party is poised to keep control of that chamber unless Democrats can win next month’s two runoffs in Georgia.
Conservative Christians have no shortage of potential looming disputes with the incoming administration. Biden is likely to reverse Trump’s ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups that support abortion, among other moves to shore up abortion rights, and he has pledged quick action on an LGBTQ rights measure that has drawn criticism from leading religious conservatives.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List and a Catholic outreach adviser to the Trump reelection campaign, said she saw “almost zero hope” of moving Biden on abortion, her group’s priority issue, and forecast “hand-to-hand combat until we take the presidency back.”
However, some groups such as Perkins’ may find occasional opportunities to work with the Biden administration even while remaining critical of it in their messaging to members and fundraising, according to evangelical writer and analyst Napp Nazworth.
“They’re going to be able to say, ‘Please support us because your religious freedom is in danger,’” said Nazworth, who left the Christian Post last year after it published a pro-Trump editorial.
Meanwhile, evangelicals outside those most closely associated with Trump already are identifying commonalities where they could partner with Biden.
One is his plan to raise the annual refugee admissions ceiling to 125,000, a vow he reiterated recently at an event hosted by Jesuit Refugee Services. The Trump administration had slashed the refugee target to historic lows.
Nathan Bult, a senior vice president at Bethany Christian Services, said he has engaged with Biden’s transition team on child welfare policy.
Bult said his group worked with the Trump administration but “we were never shy about criticizing” moves it disagreed with, and “we’ll treat the Biden administration the same way.”
Galen Carey, vice president for government relations at the National Association of Evangelicals, pointed to several areas for collaboration with Biden’s administration, including immigration, paid family leave and criminal justice reform.
“We have principles that we think should be appealing to all Americans,” Carey said, “and we’d like to be a constructive force for the common good.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Grants awarded to groups for suicide prevention programs

DETROIT ( AP ) - Nine groups will split $ 650,000 to put on suicide prevention programs in Michigan communities .
The funding will establish the Suicide Prevention Support for Health Care Clinics Working with Michigan ’ s Health-Disparate Populations initiative , according to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan .
The program offers grants to develop evidence-based and sustainable programming that will decrease the rate of suicide attempts and deaths by identifying children or adults who may be at risk .
It also will address their needs for appropriate medical , social and behavioral services .
Blue Cross Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation , Michigan Health Endowment Fund , Children ’ s Foundation and Ethel and James Flinn Foundation are partnering on the initiative .
Organizations receiving grant funding include the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn , Black Family Development , Inc. in Detroit , Child and Family Charities in Lansing , Mid-Michigan Health Foundation in Gladwin , Clare , Ogemaw and Gratiot counties , and the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center in Calumet .
“ Suicide is a complex problem that requires innovative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan executive vice president of Government , Strategy and Public Affairs .
“ The organizations receiving funding are well-positioned to take on this important work in their respective communities , ” Rossi added .
“ We ’ re confident these efforts will help save lives throughout the state of Michigan and will create sustainable changes to support improved behavioral health care for some of our most vulnerable populations .
”

DETROIT (AP) - Nine groups will split $650,000 to put on suicide prevention programs in Michigan communities.
The funding will establish the Suicide Prevention Support for Health Care Clinics Working with Michigan’s Health-Disparate Populations initiative, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
The program offers grants to develop evidence-based and sustainable programming that will decrease the rate of suicide attempts and deaths by identifying children or adults who may be at risk. It also will address their needs for appropriate medical, social and behavioral services.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Children’s Foundation and Ethel and James Flinn Foundation are partnering on the initiative.
Organizations receiving grant funding include the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn, Black Family Development, Inc. in Detroit, Child and Family Charities in Lansing, Mid-Michigan Health Foundation in Gladwin, Clare, Ogemaw and Gratiot counties, and the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center in Calumet.
“Suicide is a complex problem that requires innovative, evidence-based solutions,” said Lynda Rossi, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan executive vice president of Government, Strategy and Public Affairs.
“The organizations receiving funding are well-positioned to take on this important work in their respective communities,” Rossi added. “We’re confident these efforts will help save lives throughout the state of Michigan and will create sustainable changes to support improved behavioral health care for some of our most vulnerable populations.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Thai king leads thousands to remember late father's birthday

BANGKOK ( AP ) - Thousands of yellow-clad supporters greeted Thailand ’ s king on Saturday as he led a birthday commemoration for his revered late father , the latest in a series of public appearances at a time of unprecedented challenge to the monarchy from student-led protesters .
King Maha Vajiralongkorn , accompanied by Queen Suthida , waved as he arrived at Bangkok ’ s Sanam Luang ceremonial ground .
Supporters of the monarchy held Thai and yellow royal flags to welcome them , with some cheering “ Long live the king.
” The crowd wore yellow shirts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The king led the crowd in a candlelit tribute to his late father , whose giant image was at the center of the stage set up outside the ornate Grand Palace .
Although King Bhumibhol Adulyadej died four years ago , his birthday remains on the national calendar as Fathers ’ Day .
He reigned for 70 years , acquiring a reputation for selfless work in the service of his country , an image endlessly propagated by newspapers and state media .
He was widely respected , a status reinforced by strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of up to 15 years for any comment or action deemed defamatory toward the monarchy .
But since his death in 2016 , and the accession of Vajiralongkorn , the monarchy ’ s standing has been under threat , with dissent on the rise .
In August this year , pro-democracy students smashed the taboo on public criticism by unveiling a 10-point demand for sweeping reform to make the powerful and wealthy institution more transparent and accountable .
Support for the move has swelled , with thousands embracing the call at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a new constitution and the resignation of the prime minister .
In apparent response , Vajiralongkorn has undertaken a wave of public appearances that have served as rallying points for thousands of conservative Thais outraged at the challenge to traditional norms and determined to defend them .
In contrast to his usual stern demeanor , the king has been more relaxed at the events , presenting a softer persona , while also thanking and encouraging those who have stood up for him .
At one royal walkabout in November , he appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with those demanding reform , but protest leaders have dismissed that as meaningless .
In recent days , at least 12 protest leaders have been charged with royal defamation under the lese majeste laws .
The laws had been suspended for the past three years after Vajiralongkorn told the government he did not want to see them used .

BANGKOK (AP) - Thousands of yellow-clad supporters greeted Thailand’s king on Saturday as he led a birthday commemoration for his revered late father, the latest in a series of public appearances at a time of unprecedented challenge to the monarchy from student-led protesters.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, accompanied by Queen Suthida, waved as he arrived at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang ceremonial ground. Supporters of the monarchy held Thai and yellow royal flags to welcome them, with some cheering “Long live the king.” The crowd wore yellow shirts, the color associated with the royal institution.
The king led the crowd in a candlelit tribute to his late father, whose giant image was at the center of the stage set up outside the ornate Grand Palace.
Although King Bhumibhol Adulyadej died four years ago, his birthday remains on the national calendar as Fathers’ Day.
He reigned for 70 years, acquiring a reputation for selfless work in the service of his country, an image endlessly propagated by newspapers and state media. He was widely respected, a status reinforced by strict lese majeste laws that can bring jail terms of up to 15 years for any comment or action deemed defamatory toward the monarchy.
But since his death in 2016, and the accession of Vajiralongkorn, the monarchy’s standing has been under threat, with dissent on the rise.
In August this year, pro-democracy students smashed the taboo on public criticism by unveiling a 10-point demand for sweeping reform to make the powerful and wealthy institution more transparent and accountable.
Support for the move has swelled, with thousands embracing the call at a series of mass rallies, alongside demands for a new constitution and the resignation of the prime minister.
In apparent response, Vajiralongkorn has undertaken a wave of public appearances that have served as rallying points for thousands of conservative Thais outraged at the challenge to traditional norms and determined to defend them.
In contrast to his usual stern demeanor, the king has been more relaxed at the events, presenting a softer persona, while also thanking and encouraging those who have stood up for him.
At one royal walkabout in November, he appeared to hint that there could be compromises with those demanding reform, but protest leaders have dismissed that as meaningless.
In recent days, at least 12 protest leaders have been charged with royal defamation under the lese majeste laws. The laws had been suspended for the past three years after Vajiralongkorn told the government he did not want to see them used.


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--NMU offers to knock off $1,000 to winter transfer students

MARQUETTE , Mich. ( AP ) - Northern Michigan University is offering at least $ 1,000 to students who transfer @ @ @ @ @ for the winter term .
The university believes some students might be looking for another @ @ @ @ @ dominated by the uncertainties of COVID-19 restrictions .
The Marquette area wasn ’ t hit @ @ @ @ @ other college towns .
“ We ’ re trying to offer support during this challenging @ @ @ @ @ who would like to enroll at Northern next semester , ” admissions director Gerri Daniels @ @ @ @ @ 19 .
Michigan residents who enroll for the first time at NMU will get $ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
Community college students who are Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society members can get @ @ @ @ @ classes a week earlier than usual in August in order to end the term before @ @ @ @ @ in-person and online classes until going online-only near the end , following the state health @ @ @ @ @ .

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) - Northern Michigan University is offering at least $1,000 to students who transfer to the Upper Peninsula school for the winter term.
The university believes some students might be looking for another campus after the fall was dominated by the uncertainties of COVID-19 restrictions. The Marquette area wasn’t hit as hard with coronavirus as other college towns.
“We’re trying to offer support during this challenging time and assist those students who would like to enroll at Northern next semester,” admissions director Gerri Daniels said.
Classes begin Jan. 19. Michigan residents who enroll for the first time at NMU will get $1,000 knocked off their tuition bill. Community college students who are Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society members can get $1,500.
NMU started classes a week earlier than usual in August in order to end the term before Thanksgiving. The university had in-person and online classes until going online-only near the end, following the state health department’s statewide order.


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--City's top prosecutor aims to inspire kids with book

PORTSMOUTH , Va. ( AP ) - When Stephanie Morales speaks to young students , she has them guess what she really likes to do , and what used to be written on her report card .
She loves to solve problems , she tells them .
As for her report card ?
Teachers always noted she was talkative .
When Morales was a student at Highland-Biltmore Elementary , she didn ’ t connect to a profession when adults came to speak at career day .
But her mom had the idea to take her to the Portsmouth courthouse to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the hive of activity .
Inside the courtroom , lawyers talked and solved problems , just like she enjoyed doing .
Now the city ’ s elected commonwealth ’ s attorney , Morales said that moment changed her trajectory .
“ It sparked an interest in me that never died , ” she said .
Now , Morales has turned her story into a children ’ s book - “ The Day I Became a Lawyer !
” - aimed at fostering early childhood literacy and encouraging kids to think about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wants to embolden young people to think about their interests and how they can build upon them , finding careers that allow them to help the community and also feel fulfilled .
“ I want to create those moments as much as possible , ” she said .
Morales ’ husband , Luis , has watched her share her story with young students and encouraged her to create the book , which became a family project .
Luis helped write and format .
Their sons copy edited and their daughters read and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illustrator , Luis Morales reached out to Tidewater Community College and eventually teamed up with Norfolk-based artist Yvonne Frederick .
Stephanie Morales loved Frederick ’ s bright watercolor and gouache paintings and fantasy illustrations , a genre she likes .
Frederick looked at old photographs Morales shared with her to design the characters .
She made small thumbnail sketches of the pages , then rough drafts , then the finished paintings .
“ It really spoke to me , the story she was trying to tell , ” Frederick said .
The project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frederick ’ s first published children ’ s book .
Frederick and Morales said representation in children ’ s literature is important .
Frederick said she makes a point to paint brown characters and incorporate a variety of demographics into her work : “ We ’ re not just a one-color world.
” Morales , who is Black , said she was fortunate as a child : She saw people who looked like her , and those who didn ’ t , in her community , her school and in the courthouse she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She couldn ’ t fully understand it then , but having that experience allowed her to see herself doing the work of an attorney , she said .
Morales said there was a clear lack of representation in books and TV shows , but her parents sought out children ’ s books that showed a diversity of characters , so she could see herself reflected .
She hopes her book , and her story , will help kids see that opportunities abound .
“ Your imagination as a young person is limitless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve seen , ” Morales said .
“ We have to make sure that representation is there … and that young people recognize their own abilities .
”

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) - When Stephanie Morales speaks to young students, she has them guess what she really likes to do, and what used to be written on her report card.
She loves to solve problems, she tells them. As for her report card? Teachers always noted she was talkative.
When Morales was a student at Highland-Biltmore Elementary, she didn’t connect to a profession when adults came to speak at career day. But her mom had the idea to take her to the Portsmouth courthouse to observe.
Morales found herself drawn in by the hive of activity. Inside the courtroom, lawyers talked and solved problems, just like she enjoyed doing.
Now the city’s elected commonwealth’s attorney, Morales said that moment changed her trajectory.
“It sparked an interest in me that never died,” she said.
Now, Morales has turned her story into a children’s book - “The Day I Became a Lawyer!” - aimed at fostering early childhood literacy and encouraging kids to think about what they want to become.
Morales said she wants to embolden young people to think about their interests and how they can build upon them, finding careers that allow them to help the community and also feel fulfilled.
“I want to create those moments as much as possible,” she said.
Morales’ husband, Luis, has watched her share her story with young students and encouraged her to create the book, which became a family project. Luis helped write and format. Their sons copy edited and their daughters read and provided early feedback.
To find an illustrator, Luis Morales reached out to Tidewater Community College and eventually teamed up with Norfolk-based artist Yvonne Frederick.
Stephanie Morales loved Frederick’s bright watercolor and gouache paintings and fantasy illustrations, a genre she likes.
Frederick looked at old photographs Morales shared with her to design the characters. She made small thumbnail sketches of the pages, then rough drafts, then the finished paintings.
“It really spoke to me, the story she was trying to tell,” Frederick said.
The project, now available on Amazon, is Frederick’s first published children’s book.
Frederick and Morales said representation in children’s literature is important. Frederick said she makes a point to paint brown characters and incorporate a variety of demographics into her work: “We’re not just a one-color world.”
Morales, who is Black, said she was fortunate as a child: She saw people who looked like her, and those who didn’t, in her community, her school and in the courthouse she visited that day with her mom.
She couldn’t fully understand it then, but having that experience allowed her to see herself doing the work of an attorney, she said.
Morales said there was a clear lack of representation in books and TV shows, but her parents sought out children’s books that showed a diversity of characters, so she could see herself reflected.
She hopes her book, and her story, will help kids see that opportunities abound.
“Your imagination as a young person is limitless, but sometimes we can only imagine what we’ve seen,” Morales said. “We have to make sure that representation is there … and that young people recognize their own abilities.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--WVa town's Christmas celebration carries on COVID style

BARRACKVILLE , W.Va. ( AP ) - Sharon Gump has lived in Barrackville for the past 57 years , yet she said the town is more prepared for the holiday season than it ’ s ever been .
“ I ’ ve lived here since 1963 and I ’ ve never seen it so decorated .
It ’ s beautiful .
The people have just gone all out , ” she said .
“ It ’ s so nice to see how everyone has decorated their homes .
It ’ s like a little Hallmark town.
” Along with other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ Christmas in Our Town ” event , which will take place on Saturday , Dec. 5 from 6-8 p.m. , Gump also conceived the theme of this year ’ s event , which is “ Light the way to hope , peace and love.
” In a year plagued by the COVID-19 virus and the continuing societal restrictions the pandemic has placed upon public gatherings , the Barrackville Lions Club , the sponsor of the annual event , and a group of dedicated residents are planning a celebration unlike those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ‘ Christmas in Our Town ’ celebration , there ’ s a big parade , food vendors , hot chocolate , a chili cook-off and all kinds of events .
But because of the virus , we really can ’ t do a lot of those things this year , ” said Sara Carpenter .
Carpenter , a resident and mother of two young children , is serving on the celebration ’ s organizational committee for the first time this year .
She said her planning colleagues felt if a parade down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of social-distancing concerns , Barrackville residents could instead parade through town themselves from the safety of their vehicles .
“ This year , we ’ re doing a kind of reverse parade in the sense that we ’ d like people to drive through the town and look at all the decorated houses , which look really nice .
Along the route , we ’ ll have the police and fire departments out to direct traffic one-way and keep it flowing , ” Carpenter said .
Gump said the idea has proved popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop and think about how to continue the event , so we decided to do a reversal , ” she said .
“ We ’ ve had very nice parades and activities over the years and the Christmas celebration has really grown .
But this year because of COVID , we couldn ’ t use the school .
We couldn ’ t use the churches .
We couldn ’ t have the chilifest .
We couldn ’ t have the steel drum band or the college band here.
” Instead of the usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there will be twists on old traditions and new ones altogether .
For the first time in its 167-year history , for instance , the historic Barrackville coverage bridge is decorated in holiday lights .
“ We ’ ve decorated Barrackville ’ s famous covered bridge .
It ’ s never been done before .
It ’ s a very nice attraction to see when you ’ re driving through town , the lit-up covered bridge , ” said Carpenter .
Also new this year are both a street signs and house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be judged in five different categories , including most old fashioned , most whimsical , best use of lights , most original and most festive .
And because the Christmas celebration wouldn ’ t be complete with a cameo appearance from St. Nick , this year Santa will distribute toy- and candy-filled stockings to all children from the parking lot of the town ’ s Dollar General store .
“ Santa will be drive-by only .
People may drive through the lot and , depending upon how many children are in a car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many stockings through the car window , ” said Carpenter .
“ There will also be a decorated mailbox there , where kids can drop off their letters to Santa.
” A live nativity scene was originally planned as part of the celebration , but it has been canceled , according to Pastor Stephanie Bennett of Barrackville United Methodist Church .
“ Folks can still tune to 95.1 FM between 6-8 p.m. to hear the Christmas story from the Bible , ” Bennett said .
“ Christmas in Our Town ” will conclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fireworks presentation .
But this year , in the spirit of social distancing , organizers are asking residents to watch the display from their homes or lawns .
“ It ’ s working out .
It ’ s going to be a nice Christmas celebration , ” said Gump .
“ Barrackville is a town that ’ s very close .
We all work together here , the young and the old.
” Carpenter said that while the pandemic has altered Barrackville ’ s traditional festivities , residents were not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grinch.
’ “ Just because there ’ s a pandemic , it doesn ’ t mean Christmas will be taken away from us .
We can still show our holiday spirit in a safe way while doing something for the kids , ” she said .
“ We ’ re going to get through this virus .
We ’ re going to keep celebrating .
We ’ re not going to let the virus steal Christmas.
” “ Christmas in Our Town ” kicks off at 5 p.m. with the lighting of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There will be no public gathering or event .
Street sign and house decorating contest winners will be notified at this time .
From 5-9 p.m. , there will be photo opportunities available at the covered bridge .
From 6-8 p.m. , Santa appears at Dollar General .
And , at 8:15 p.m. , the fireworks begin .

BARRACKVILLE, W.Va. (AP) - Sharon Gump has lived in Barrackville for the past 57 years, yet she said the town is more prepared for the holiday season than it’s ever been.
“I’ve lived here since 1963 and I’ve never seen it so decorated. It’s beautiful. The people have just gone all out,” she said. “It’s so nice to see how everyone has decorated their homes. It’s like a little Hallmark town.”
Along with other residents who have helped organize this year’s “Christmas in Our Town” event, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 6-8 p.m., Gump also conceived the theme of this year’s event, which is “Light the way to hope, peace and love.”
In a year plagued by the COVID-19 virus and the continuing societal restrictions the pandemic has placed upon public gatherings, the Barrackville Lions Club, the sponsor of the annual event, and a group of dedicated residents are planning a celebration unlike those of Christmases past.
“Normally during the ‘Christmas in Our Town’ celebration, there’s a big parade, food vendors, hot chocolate, a chili cook-off and all kinds of events. But because of the virus, we really can’t do a lot of those things this year,” said Sara Carpenter.
Carpenter, a resident and mother of two young children, is serving on the celebration’s organizational committee for the first time this year.
She said her planning colleagues felt if a parade down crowded Pike Street was not feasible because of social-distancing concerns, Barrackville residents could instead parade through town themselves from the safety of their vehicles.
“This year, we’re doing a kind of reverse parade in the sense that we’d like people to drive through the town and look at all the decorated houses, which look really nice. Along the route, we’ll have the police and fire departments out to direct traffic one-way and keep it flowing,” Carpenter said.
Gump said the idea has proved popular.
“This year we had to stop and think about how to continue the event, so we decided to do a reversal,” she said. “We’ve had very nice parades and activities over the years and the Christmas celebration has really grown. But this year because of COVID, we couldn’t use the school. We couldn’t use the churches. We couldn’t have the chilifest. We couldn’t have the steel drum band or the college band here.”
Instead of the usual “Christmas in Our Town” attractions, there will be twists on old traditions and new ones altogether.
For the first time in its 167-year history, for instance, the historic Barrackville coverage bridge is decorated in holiday lights.
“We’ve decorated Barrackville’s famous covered bridge. It’s never been done before. It’s a very nice attraction to see when you’re driving through town, the lit-up covered bridge,” said Carpenter.
Also new this year are both a street signs and house decorating contest. Homes across Barrackville will be judged in five different categories, including most old fashioned, most whimsical, best use of lights, most original and most festive.
And because the Christmas celebration wouldn’t be complete with a cameo appearance from St. Nick, this year Santa will distribute toy- and candy-filled stockings to all children from the parking lot of the town’s Dollar General store.
“Santa will be drive-by only. People may drive through the lot and, depending upon how many children are in a car, the kids will be given that many stockings through the car window,” said Carpenter. “There will also be a decorated mailbox there, where kids can drop off their letters to Santa.”
A live nativity scene was originally planned as part of the celebration, but it has been canceled, according to Pastor Stephanie Bennett of Barrackville United Methodist Church.
“Folks can still tune to 95.1 FM between 6-8 p.m. to hear the Christmas story from the Bible,” Bennett said.
“Christmas in Our Town” will conclude, as it always does, with a fireworks presentation. But this year, in the spirit of social distancing, organizers are asking residents to watch the display from their homes or lawns.
“It’s working out. It’s going to be a nice Christmas celebration,” said Gump. “Barrackville is a town that’s very close. We all work together here, the young and the old.”
Carpenter said that while the pandemic has altered Barrackville’s traditional festivities, residents were not going to allow the virus to play’ The Grinch.’
“Just because there’s a pandemic, it doesn’t mean Christmas will be taken away from us. We can still show our holiday spirit in a safe way while doing something for the kids,” she said. “We’re going to get through this virus. We’re going to keep celebrating. We’re not going to let the virus steal Christmas.”
“Christmas in Our Town” kicks off at 5 p.m. with the lighting of the Town of Barrackville’s Christmas tree. There will be no public gathering or event. Street sign and house decorating contest winners will be notified at this time. From 5-9 p.m., there will be photo opportunities available at the covered bridge. From 6-8 p.m., Santa appears at Dollar General. And, at 8:15 p.m., the fireworks begin.


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Virginia schools get crafty to maintain musicals in pandemic

HARRISONBURG , Va. ( AP ) - Senior Spencer Gallon can clearly remember when curtains closed on Turner Ashby High School ’ s musical production of “ Hello , Dolly !
” mere weeks before COVID-19 was a household name .
As he looks to his last high school musical experience with the same virus limiting the performance to a virtual show , he said it feels surreal , but he ’ s grateful there ’ s a show regardless .
“ To end with such a big thing and to be going back into it with the pandemic happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s nice at the same time , ” Gallon said .
“ It ’ s comforting to have that still.
” It ’ s not every year students are instructed to dance in the hallways and sing in the snow , but as the Valley theater community demonstrates once again - where there ’ s a will , there ’ s a way .
In a tumultuous academic year of virtual classes and canceled activities , theater teachers across Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are sharing resources and methods , imagining inventive means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depend on one beloved tradition : the school musical .
Traditionally , musical season starts in early spring , but Eastern Mennonite School students were the first cast to stage an early musical in late October .
Bringing “ Les Misérables ” onto a looming wooden stage set on the soccer field under fluorescent lights , an audience capped at 250 people watched from 20 feet away in 8-foot square blocks spaced 10-feet apart .
Every night sold out .
Musical director Joy Anderson said the show was originally scheduled for January , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seasonal spike in COVID-19 cases in the winter and wanted to “ strike while the iron was hot.
” “ No one knew how long the pandemic would go on , so we held out hope we ’ d find a way to do it , ” she said .
During a global pandemic characterized by a virus transmissible through air and surface contact , performing arts are teetering on a thread , limited by the range of aerosols released in projected dialogue and song .
“ Setting up a show with all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it almost made me decide not to .
That seemed so daunting , ” Anderson said , but she found a solution in optical illusions .
“ If you set up a world on a stage , people ’ s brains sort of buy into that world .
So , if we set up a world where close was 10 feet and far was 30 feet , that ’ s what the audience would believe.
” Bringing the timeless drama outdoors was not as simple as adding sneakers and coats to the costume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had two daughters in the production and offered his skills to design a nearly 80-foot stage for the school .
Hendricks faced challenges designing his first stage accounting for outdoor weather , choreography spaced apart on several levels and the time crunch to design and build the stage before opening night .
Weeks later , he joined the socially distanced crowd and watched the school ’ s adjusted rendition of “ Les Miserable ” outdoors .
Hendricks said the result was phenomenal .
“ It was just amazing to see them come together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hendricks said .
“ It ’ s something we all need now even more , the arts.
” After EMS wrapped up the show , the temporary wooden structure was transported to Harrisonburg High School , with a few adjustments to extend its lifespan and tweak the design , before students could begin bringing “ Elf : The Musical ” to life on video before Dec. 16 .
On the minimalist stage set up on pavement with students designing their own costumes - with the exception of eccentrically costumed characters like Buddy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the musical maintains the elements of theater in its simplicity despite being filmed scene by scene on an iPad for streaming .
“ Doubt has been a big part of the journey , ” he said .
“ We were itching to do something and … we ’ ll probably never have the opportunity to do a holiday show.
” After virtual auditions and Google Meet rehearsals , the cast moved outside in mid-November , wearing face masks during rehearsals until the camera starts rolling .
Some practices have hit temperatures below freezing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show .
While musical directors are thinking outside the box to bring mellifluous shows to the community , students are jumping through several hoops to be ready for showtime .
Several schools are requiring students to sign contracts committing themselves to the show and refraining from COVID-19-risky behavior .
With auditions and early rehearsals online , some actors are also on shorter timelines to nail the script before filming , where they must manufacture their own energy rather than feed off a live audience .
Turner Ashby High School students are rehearsing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” over Zoom , a show chosen for its modernity so students can wear their own clothes .
Each musical number from the cast and orchestra is being pre-recorded and edited together , and actors will lip sync through clear masks for the streamed show in February .
Musical director Cecille Deason said the outcome is not as important as the process for the theater troupe this year because it ’ s all a grand experiment , and she wants to keep the experience fun .
Gallon , the Turner Ashby senior , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and said he ’ s overjoyed that he is able to finish out his senior year with a musical despite the restrictions because he considers the theater ensemble his family .
“ We ’ re all going to work really hard to get this done because it ’ s something we all really want to have under our belt by the end of the year , ” he said .
“ I ’ m really looking forward to seeing the show myself .
I ’ ve never gotten to see myself perform.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional spring schedule for musicals .
Spotswood High School is preparing to perform “ Chicago ” in late April .
According to musical director Justine Mackey , outdoor venues and streaming to private rooms in the building are among the options under consideration if stage performances remain out of the question .
Kate McDonald , musical co-director at East Rockingham High School , said many of the details for the school ’ s spring musical are still unknown , such as show choice , but most costs will cover filming and editing instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School is embracing the limitations of 2020 and producing four “ Jack Tales ” folk stories , with about 10 characters each , in April .
Costume and music director Kaitlyn Townsend said the department has created several contingency plans depending on what spring restrictions look like .
Spring productions annually persist under the threat of being snowed out or a lead contracting the flu , but musical departments this year are facing the challenges of contagion and translating shows to video in stride .
In the end , Anderson said it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sings , but that there was a song to be sung .
“ I just can not overstate how important it was that we did this and how important it is the other schools are doing what they ’ re doing .
I ’ ve lost count of how many kids and parents have told me this is what ’ s gotten them through , ” Anderson said .
“ It was worth all the risk and the work and the headache and the anxiety and cold weather .
It was worth it @ @

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) - Senior Spencer Gallon can clearly remember when curtains closed on Turner Ashby High School’s musical production of “Hello, Dolly!” mere weeks before COVID-19 was a household name.
As he looks to his last high school musical experience with the same virus limiting the performance to a virtual show, he said it feels surreal, but he’s grateful there’s a show regardless.
“To end with such a big thing and to be going back into it with the pandemic happening is a little jarring, but it’s nice at the same time,” Gallon said. “It’s comforting to have that still.”
It’s not every year students are instructed to dance in the hallways and sing in the snow, but as the Valley theater community demonstrates once again - where there’s a will, there’s a way.
In a tumultuous academic year of virtual classes and canceled activities, theater teachers across Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are sharing resources and methods, imagining inventive means of ensuring young, aspiring actors can depend on one beloved tradition: the school musical.
Traditionally, musical season starts in early spring, but Eastern Mennonite School students were the first cast to stage an early musical in late October. Bringing “Les Misérables” onto a looming wooden stage set on the soccer field under fluorescent lights, an audience capped at 250 people watched from 20 feet away in 8-foot square blocks spaced 10-feet apart. Every night sold out.
Musical director Joy Anderson said the show was originally scheduled for January, but she predicted there would be a seasonal spike in COVID-19 cases in the winter and wanted to “strike while the iron was hot.”
“No one knew how long the pandemic would go on, so we held out hope we’d find a way to do it,” she said.
During a global pandemic characterized by a virus transmissible through air and surface contact, performing arts are teetering on a thread, limited by the range of aerosols released in projected dialogue and song.
“Setting up a show with all the actors staying 10 feet apart, it almost made me decide not to. That seemed so daunting,” Anderson said, but she found a solution in optical illusions. “If you set up a world on a stage, people’s brains sort of buy into that world. So, if we set up a world where close was 10 feet and far was 30 feet, that’s what the audience would believe.”
Bringing the timeless drama outdoors was not as simple as adding sneakers and coats to the costume design list. Local architect Charles Hendricks had two daughters in the production and offered his skills to design a nearly 80-foot stage for the school. Hendricks faced challenges designing his first stage accounting for outdoor weather, choreography spaced apart on several levels and the time crunch to design and build the stage before opening night.
Weeks later, he joined the socially distanced crowd and watched the school’s adjusted rendition of “Les Miserable” outdoors. Hendricks said the result was phenomenal.
“It was just amazing to see them come together in this weird, difficult time,” Hendricks said. “It’s something we all need now even more, the arts.”
BROTHERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING STAGE
After EMS wrapped up the show, the temporary wooden structure was transported to Harrisonburg High School, with a few adjustments to extend its lifespan and tweak the design, before students could begin bringing “Elf: The Musical” to life on video before Dec. 16.
On the minimalist stage set up on pavement with students designing their own costumes - with the exception of eccentrically costumed characters like Buddy the Elf - director Ken Gibson said the musical maintains the elements of theater in its simplicity despite being filmed scene by scene on an iPad for streaming.
“Doubt has been a big part of the journey,” he said. “We were itching to do something and … we’ll probably never have the opportunity to do a holiday show.”
After virtual auditions and Google Meet rehearsals, the cast moved outside in mid-November, wearing face masks during rehearsals until the camera starts rolling. Some practices have hit temperatures below freezing, sending snowfall to join the wintry show.
While musical directors are thinking outside the box to bring mellifluous shows to the community, students are jumping through several hoops to be ready for showtime. Several schools are requiring students to sign contracts committing themselves to the show and refraining from COVID-19-risky behavior. With auditions and early rehearsals online, some actors are also on shorter timelines to nail the script before filming, where they must manufacture their own energy rather than feed off a live audience.
Turner Ashby High School students are rehearsing for a virtual production of “Freaky Friday” over Zoom, a show chosen for its modernity so students can wear their own clothes. Each musical number from the cast and orchestra is being pre-recorded and edited together, and actors will lip sync through clear masks for the streamed show in February.
Musical director Cecille Deason said the outcome is not as important as the process for the theater troupe this year because it’s all a grand experiment, and she wants to keep the experience fun.
Gallon, the Turner Ashby senior, has five roles in “Freaky Friday” and said he’s overjoyed that he is able to finish out his senior year with a musical despite the restrictions because he considers the theater ensemble his family.
“We’re all going to work really hard to get this done because it’s something we all really want to have under our belt by the end of the year,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the show myself. I’ve never gotten to see myself perform.”
Some schools are sticking to the traditional spring schedule for musicals.
Spotswood High School is preparing to perform “Chicago” in late April. According to musical director Justine Mackey, outdoor venues and streaming to private rooms in the building are among the options under consideration if stage performances remain out of the question.
Kate McDonald, musical co-director at East Rockingham High School, said many of the details for the school’s spring musical are still unknown, such as show choice, but most costs will cover filming and editing instead of costumes and set.
Broadway High School is embracing the limitations of 2020 and producing four “Jack Tales” folk stories, with about 10 characters each, in April. Costume and music director Kaitlyn Townsend said the department has created several contingency plans depending on what spring restrictions look like.
Spring productions annually persist under the threat of being snowed out or a lead contracting the flu, but musical departments this year are facing the challenges of contagion and translating shows to video in stride. In the end, Anderson said it’s not about when the fat lady sings, but that there was a song to be sung.
“I just cannot overstate how important it was that we did this and how important it is the other schools are doing what they’re doing. I’ve lost count of how many kids and parents have told me this is what’s gotten them through,” Anderson said. “It was worth all the risk and the work and the headache and the anxiety and cold weather. It was worth it.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Adoption process goes virtual in Delaware during pandemic

That ’ s how Mike Zimmerman sees it , after he and his wife , Becka , finalized their adoption of Aidann and Camron last week .
“ What ’ s been missing is found , and our family is complete , ” Mr. Zimmerman said .
“ It ’ s definitely a relief.
” During National Adoption Day last month , the Zimmerman family was among two others that had their adoptions broadcast on Facebook - a departure from the usual Adoption Day ceremony that takes place in Dover , but such is reality under COVID-19 .
“ One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I grew up in southern Oregon , my wife grew up in Southern California , and so we have family all over , literally all over the United States , ” he said .
“ And they were all able to join us for that.
” For the Zimmerman family , the adoption process started in earnest at the end of last year , though the couple had been interested in adopting a child for several years .
He and Mrs. Zimmerman received a call that two boys may go up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came for visits .
On Jan. 10 - Mr. Zimmerman ’ s birthday , coincidently - Aidann , 8 , and Camron , 6 , came to stay permanently .
With two biological children - Eva , 4 , and William , 6 - it wasn ’ t a huge adjustment for Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman , but “ it took a little bit of time getting used to getting to know them and for them to let their guard down and let us send in and let us help them , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get into the flow of things , March came around and , with it , the shutdown to stifle the spread of coronavirus .
“ All of a sudden , the only consistency that they had in their life was gone .
And so we were , at that point , the most consistent thing in their life , ” he said .
“ And it was very difficult for them .
It was difficult for everybody because , for a little over a month , everything was in limbo .
Nobody knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Camron ) , their lives have been in constant change and uncertainty , so it made it very difficult for them.
” As families have gone through the process like the Zimmermans , adoption has looked different .
“ We ’ ve certainly had to make some adjustments , but we still are committed to permanency .
We ’ re still committed to finalizing adoptions , ” said Moira Dillon , adoption program manager of the Delaware Department of Services for Children , Youth and Their Families .
Prior to COVID-19 , families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend in-person classes and there would be home visits with a social worker .
Most of that has moved to a virtual format , Ms. Dillon said , and , as played out on Adoption Day , courts can finalize adoption agreements virtually .
Seeing the adoptions come to fruition is “ very emotional and beautiful , ” Ms. Dillon added .
“ I think one of the judges said it really well , saying , ‘ A lot of times when you come to Family Court , people are not happy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But when you are in adoption , everybody is so happy , and it was really fun to see that things don ’ t change .
Even when it ’ s virtual , the kids are still not paying attention or everybody ’ s trying to get the kids together , and then , you ’ ve got all this family with gathering , and I love that we have figured out how to still get everybody , in a sense , in the same room.
” She described the families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ They ’ ve gone through the same things that every other family is experiencing right now , ” she said .
“ They show up every day for these children , and they continue to show their commitment and that they ’ re all in for our kids.
” Like everyone else , they ’ ve adapted to changes to employment , whether that ’ s working from home , being in person or even facing unemployment , as well as virtual learning for children of all ages , closing day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been really remarkable to see , ” she said .

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The Zimmerman family is complete.
That’s how Mike Zimmerman sees it, after he and his wife, Becka, finalized their adoption of Aidann and Camron last week.
“What’s been missing is found, and our family is complete,” Mr. Zimmerman said. “It’s definitely a relief.”
During National Adoption Day last month, the Zimmerman family was among two others that had their adoptions broadcast on Facebook - a departure from the usual Adoption Day ceremony that takes place in Dover, but such is reality under COVID-19.
“One of the nice things about it is that I grew up in southern Oregon, my wife grew up in Southern California, and so we have family all over, literally all over the United States,” he said. “And they were all able to join us for that.”
For the Zimmerman family, the adoption process started in earnest at the end of last year, though the couple had been interested in adopting a child for several years. He and Mrs. Zimmerman received a call that two boys may go up for adoption. In December, the boys came for visits. On Jan. 10 - Mr. Zimmerman’s birthday, coincidently - Aidann, 8, and Camron, 6, came to stay permanently.
With two biological children - Eva, 4, and William, 6 - it wasn’t a huge adjustment for Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman, but “it took a little bit of time getting used to getting to know them and for them to let their guard down and let us send in and let us help them,” he said.
As they started to get into the flow of things, March came around and, with it, the shutdown to stifle the spread of coronavirus.
“All of a sudden, the only consistency that they had in their life was gone. And so we were, at that point, the most consistent thing in their life,” he said. “And it was very difficult for them. It was difficult for everybody because, for a little over a month, everything was in limbo. Nobody knew anything. And for (Aidann and Camron), their lives have been in constant change and uncertainty, so it made it very difficult for them.”
As families have gone through the process like the Zimmermans, adoption has looked different.
“We’ve certainly had to make some adjustments, but we still are committed to permanency. We’re still committed to finalizing adoptions,” said Moira Dillon, adoption program manager of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.
Prior to COVID-19, families interested in adoption or foster care would attend in-person classes and there would be home visits with a social worker. Most of that has moved to a virtual format, Ms. Dillon said, and, as played out on Adoption Day, courts can finalize adoption agreements virtually.
Seeing the adoptions come to fruition is “very emotional and beautiful,” Ms. Dillon added.
“I think one of the judges said it really well, saying, ‘A lot of times when you come to Family Court, people are not happy to be there,’” she said. “But when you are in adoption, everybody is so happy, and it was really fun to see that things don’t change. Even when it’s virtual, the kids are still not paying attention or everybody’s trying to get the kids together, and then, you’ve got all this family with gathering, and I love that we have figured out how to still get everybody, in a sense, in the same room.”
She described the families who are navigating adoption as “superheroes.”
“They’ve gone through the same things that every other family is experiencing right now,” she said. “They show up every day for these children, and they continue to show their commitment and that they’re all in for our kids.”
Like everyone else, they’ve adapted to changes to employment, whether that’s working from home, being in person or even facing unemployment, as well as virtual learning for children of all ages, closing day cares and more.
“It has been really remarkable to see,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Student aims to improve transit for disabled Virginians

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - With $ 137 million in new transit funding up for grabs across the Richmond region over the next year , a VCU graduate student is hoping to channel resources into improving the lives of people with disabilities .
Rebekah Cazares , a Wilder Fellow with PlanRVA , the region ’ s district planning commission , is conducting a study of how the built environment - roads , sidewalks , utility poles and bus stops - in Richmond and its surrounding counties can be improved to make travel less difficult for people with physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blind or use a wheelchair .
Cazares , an urban planning graduate student at the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs , started thinking about transit accessibility after regularly seeing a man in an electric wheelchair traveling on the road during her commute to a previous internship at the Virginia Department of Corrections in Richmond .
The Virginia Commonwealth University student didn ’ t know the man but often worried about his safety because there were no sidewalks on the four-lane side road just off Midlothian Turnpike right before the Chesterfield County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act for a research paper last year .
What she learned working on the project solidified her notion that more can be done to help people with physical disabilities .
“ There are minimum requirements , but a lot of time people need more than that , ” she said .
“ A lot of the time it ’ s not meeting the needs of community members in the area.
” Paratransit services , such as GRTC CARE and the Hanover DASH , provide on-demand transit service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their homes , but only if they meet certain criteria .
Jeanette Gholson , a blind medical professional and chairwoman of the GRTC CARE Advisory Committee , uses paratransit , but she has friends with disabilities who use regular fixed-route buses .
She said one of those friends , who is visually impaired , raised concerns several years ago after having trouble navigating around a bus stop on Laburnum Avenue without a sidewalk .
“ He didn ’ t feel safe , ” she said , explaining that he brought it up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They said they understood his concerns - but of course it was about money .
It wasn ’ t a priority ( for Henrico County ) then.
” Cazares , a Richmond native who grew up in Kansas but returned to Virginia for college , said her project is rooted in the research paper she wrote last year .
The project , according to her proposal , will assess what transit planners refer to as “ first mile , last mile ” conditions in the region , essentially an assessment of whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good condition from someone ’ s doorstep to the nearest transit stop .
Studies of those conditions are important in determining how efficient and accessible public transit is for passengers beyond boarding or getting off a bus or train .
While there are plenty of sidewalks downtown and in older city neighborhoods , there are other areas where they are damaged by overgrown trees or obstructed by old utility poles .
There are also some areas with less consistent sidewalk coverage and high concentrations of people with disabilities , Cazares said .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Highway corridor that have predominantly Black or Hispanic residents , the rate of households that include a disabled person ranges from 18 % to 24 % , according to U.S. Census data cited in one of Cazares ’ proposal papers .
The advent of the suburbs that started 70 years ago preceded the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act , which means old infrastructure and buildings do not have to comply with all of the federal law ’ s regulations in some cases .
So redevelopment and new construction compel developers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all while public demand for better bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure becomes more common in suburban areas that are becoming more urbanized .
Chet Parsons , director of transportation at PlanRVA , said pedestrian travel for disabled people can be difficult outside of the city as well , as there are generally fewer sidewalks in older suburban neighborhoods and shopping centers .
“ Henrico and Chesterfield don ’ t have as good coverage cause it ’ s been a car-dominated culture going back to the 1950s when the interstates were built , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a good thing for the region that we ’ re starting to see a shift.
” That ’ s where new funding from the Central Virginia Transit Authority could come into play .
As part of legislation that created the new regional authority , the state recently raised sales and fuels tax rates for localities in the region in order to pay for road and transit projects across the area .
The tax revenue is expected to generate $ 137 million this year .
Annual revenue is expected to exceed $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates by the Virginia Department of Transportation .
Parsons said some of those funds could be used to build or improve sidewalks so that they can include ramps for wheelchairs or truncated domes - the dotted panels on some curbs that help guide blind people safely when crossing streets .
He said the work Cazares is doing with PlanRVA could help inform how local officials allocate that funding .
The study will examine different census tracts in each of the planning district ’ s localities : Richmond , the town of Ashland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chesterfield , Goochland , New Kent , Powhatan and Charles City .
The survey will examine how many people with disabilities are in census tracts across the region .
It will also look at other demographic data , such as age and race , as well as how many use public transit and don ’ t have a car .
“ I think this is exactly what we love about working with VCU and having Wilder fellows , ” Parsons said .
“ We can get great minds like Rebekah , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resources and connections across the region to do great work.
” “ Organizations like ours can then use this as a test case to … see what works and what doesn ’ t , then adapt and apply it to a larger scale that we can address in our work with local elected officials , ” he said .
Cazares said she hopes her work will help define what local officials determine is important when deciding how those funds are used .
“ We need to keep planning for these people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone , ” she said .
“ No one is immune to disability .
It ’ s something we all can experience and should be treating as a group .
”

CHRIS SUAREZ, The Richmond Times-Dispatch

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - With $137 million in new transit funding up for grabs across the Richmond region over the next year, a VCU graduate student is hoping to channel resources into improving the lives of people with disabilities.
Rebekah Cazares, a Wilder Fellow with PlanRVA, the region’s district planning commission, is conducting a study of how the built environment - roads, sidewalks, utility poles and bus stops - in Richmond and its surrounding counties can be improved to make travel less difficult for people with physical disabilities, such as those who are blind or use a wheelchair.
Cazares, an urban planning graduate student at the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, started thinking about transit accessibility after regularly seeing a man in an electric wheelchair traveling on the road during her commute to a previous internship at the Virginia Department of Corrections in Richmond.
The Virginia Commonwealth University student didn’t know the man but often worried about his safety because there were no sidewalks on the four-lane side road just off Midlothian Turnpike right before the Chesterfield County line.
He influenced her decision to focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act for a research paper last year. What she learned working on the project solidified her notion that more can be done to help people with physical disabilities.
“There are minimum requirements, but a lot of time people need more than that,” she said. “A lot of the time it’s not meeting the needs of community members in the area.”
Paratransit services, such as GRTC CARE and the Hanover DASH, provide on-demand transit service that can pick up people with disabilities from their homes, but only if they meet certain criteria.
Jeanette Gholson, a blind medical professional and chairwoman of the GRTC CARE Advisory Committee, uses paratransit, but she has friends with disabilities who use regular fixed-route buses.
She said one of those friends, who is visually impaired, raised concerns several years ago after having trouble navigating around a bus stop on Laburnum Avenue without a sidewalk.
“He didn’t feel safe,” she said, explaining that he brought it up with transit officials at the time. “They said they understood his concerns - but of course it was about money. It wasn’t a priority (for Henrico County) then.”
Cazares, a Richmond native who grew up in Kansas but returned to Virginia for college, said her project is rooted in the research paper she wrote last year.
The project, according to her proposal, will assess what transit planners refer to as “first mile, last mile” conditions in the region, essentially an assessment of whether there are enough sidewalks or paths in good condition from someone’s doorstep to the nearest transit stop.
Studies of those conditions are important in determining how efficient and accessible public transit is for passengers beyond boarding or getting off a bus or train.
While there are plenty of sidewalks downtown and in older city neighborhoods, there are other areas where they are damaged by overgrown trees or obstructed by old utility poles. There are also some areas with less consistent sidewalk coverage and high concentrations of people with disabilities, Cazares said.
In four census tracts along the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor that have predominantly Black or Hispanic residents, the rate of households that include a disabled person ranges from 18% to 24%, according to U.S. Census data cited in one of Cazares’ proposal papers.
The advent of the suburbs that started 70 years ago preceded the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which means old infrastructure and buildings do not have to comply with all of the federal law’s regulations in some cases. So redevelopment and new construction compel developers to improve accessibility and comply with ADA standards, all while public demand for better bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure becomes more common in suburban areas that are becoming more urbanized.
Chet Parsons, director of transportation at PlanRVA, said pedestrian travel for disabled people can be difficult outside of the city as well, as there are generally fewer sidewalks in older suburban neighborhoods and shopping centers.
“Henrico and Chesterfield don’t have as good coverage cause it’s been a car-dominated culture going back to the 1950s when the interstates were built,” Parsons said. “I think it’s a good thing for the region that we’re starting to see a shift.”
That’s where new funding from the Central Virginia Transit Authority could come into play.
As part of legislation that created the new regional authority, the state recently raised sales and fuels tax rates for localities in the region in order to pay for road and transit projects across the area.
The tax revenue is expected to generate $137 million this year. Annual revenue is expected to exceed $200 million by 2023, according to estimates by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Parsons said some of those funds could be used to build or improve sidewalks so that they can include ramps for wheelchairs or truncated domes - the dotted panels on some curbs that help guide blind people safely when crossing streets.
He said the work Cazares is doing with PlanRVA could help inform how local officials allocate that funding.
The study will examine different census tracts in each of the planning district’s localities: Richmond, the town of Ashland and the counties of Henrico, Hanover, Chesterfield, Goochland, New Kent, Powhatan and Charles City.
The survey will examine how many people with disabilities are in census tracts across the region. It will also look at other demographic data, such as age and race, as well as how many use public transit and don’t have a car.
“I think this is exactly what we love about working with VCU and having Wilder fellows,” Parsons said. “We can get great minds like Rebekah, and they are able to tap into our databases, resources and connections across the region to do great work.”
“Organizations like ours can then use this as a test case to … see what works and what doesn’t, then adapt and apply it to a larger scale that we can address in our work with local elected officials,” he said.
Cazares said she hopes her work will help define what local officials determine is important when deciding how those funds are used.
“We need to keep planning for these people, because then we’re planning for everyone,” she said. “No one is immune to disability. It’s something we all can experience and should be treating as a group.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-05--Family of army reservist shot in Maryland recall his life

BALTIMORE ( AP ) - Since he was a child , Pedro Chesley had imagined himself as a soldier .
At an early age , his family instilled in him the importance of education and striving for better , relatives said .
He graduated from Lake Clifton High School , enrolled at Morgan State University and joined the U.S. Army .
It was at Lake Clifton that he met Diamond Davis , who was a year ahead of him .
The sweethearts attended junior and senior proms together .
They loved to take selfies and laugh , family members recalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school .
Chesley , 20 , and Davis , 21 , were fatally gunned down the evening of Nov. 21 in Edmondson Village .
An unidentified woman was injured in the shooting as well .
Chesley ’ s family and Army Reserve colleagues are struggling to piece together why he died the way he did .
The Baltimore Sun was unable to reach Davis ’ family .
Baltimore Police have not identified a motive or suspect in the shooting .
As a little boy , Chesley would sport camouflage shirts and other military-style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her mother , Barbara Carter , and father , Lenny Carter .
“ His primary interest was the military .
He loved serving his country , and he put nothing before that , ” Barbara Carter said .
“ All of his effort and passion went into being successful in the military .
He just wanted to make it a career , a military career.
” Chesley grew up as an only child in the Northwest Community Action neighborhood of West Baltimore , his family said .
Oftentimes , he would visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stay with her during weekends .
His energy revolved around joining the Army and spending time with Davis , relatives recalled .
At Lake Clifton , Chesley joined the Junior Reserve Officers ’ Training Corps and met Davis .
The two planned to be together for the long haul , according to Chesley ’ s family .
Atkins said she had most recently spoken with Davis ’ mother Nov. 22 .
“ They were always picture-taking .
They were high school sweethearts .
That was his heart , ” Atkins said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he attended Morgan State on a scholarship .
He joined its Army ROTC program , where he focused on transportation , his father , Gregory Chesley , told The Sun .
But he had joined the Army Reserve in 2018 as a movement specialist , according to Capt .
Brandon Wilson , commanding officer of the 430th Inland Cargo Transfer Co. Chesley would track the movement of cargo in and out of deployment sites .
Based between Baltimore and Glen Burnie , Chesley would go to training once a month ; every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field assignment , Gregory Chesley said .
Chesley was awarded the army service ribbon and National Defense Service Medal the year he joined .
He was promoted to the rank of specialist in March 2019 , Wilson said .
“ He did exactly what his aspirations were until he was killed , ” Atkins said of her cousin .
Wilson remembers Chesley as bringing “ positivity ” and “ honesty ” to the unit .
Fellow members were shocked and dismayed by Chesley ’ s slaying .
“ He was always just smiling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room with light , ” Wilson recalled .
The unit posted about Chesley ’ s death on its Facebook page , decrying that he was “ unnecessarily shot and killed.
” A military memorial service will be held Saturday , according to the post .
“ We are definitely shocked and surprised .
There are a lot of mixed emotions right now among the entire team and unit , ” Wilson said .
During the evening of the incident , Southwest District officers had been dispatched to the 700 block of Linnard St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood to investigate a reported shooting .
There , officers found Chesley , Davis , and an unidentified female suffering from gunshot wounds , police said .
Davis was pronounced dead on the scene while Chesley and the other victim were taken to local hospitals .
Chesley was later pronounced dead by medical personnel , according to police .
The Baltimore Police Department has not identified a motive or suspect , and has not released the incident report in the shooting despite repeated requests from The Sun .
Police urge anyone with information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LOCKUP .
A total of 91 people the ages of 18 to 25 have been killed in Baltimore City this year , the highest among any age demographic in the city .

BALTIMORE (AP) - Since he was a child, Pedro Chesley had imagined himself as a soldier.
At an early age, his family instilled in him the importance of education and striving for better, relatives said. He graduated from Lake Clifton High School, enrolled at Morgan State University and joined the U.S. Army.
It was at Lake Clifton that he met Diamond Davis, who was a year ahead of him. The sweethearts attended junior and senior proms together. They loved to take selfies and laugh, family members recalled, and they remained a couple after school.
Chesley, 20, and Davis, 21, were fatally gunned down the evening of Nov. 21 in Edmondson Village. An unidentified woman was injured in the shooting as well.
Chesley’s family and Army Reserve colleagues are struggling to piece together why he died the way he did. The Baltimore Sun was unable to reach Davis’ family.
Baltimore Police have not identified a motive or suspect in the shooting.
As a little boy, Chesley would sport camouflage shirts and other military-style clothing, recalled his cousin Nikki Atkins, her mother, Barbara Carter, and father, Lenny Carter.
“His primary interest was the military. He loved serving his country, and he put nothing before that,” Barbara Carter said. “All of his effort and passion went into being successful in the military. He just wanted to make it a career, a military career.”
Chesley grew up as an only child in the Northwest Community Action neighborhood of West Baltimore, his family said. Oftentimes, he would visit his aunt’s home in Virginia and stay with her during weekends.
His energy revolved around joining the Army and spending time with Davis, relatives recalled.
At Lake Clifton, Chesley joined the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and met Davis. The two planned to be together for the long haul, according to Chesley’s family. Atkins said she had most recently spoken with Davis’ mother Nov. 22.
“They were always picture-taking. They were high school sweethearts. That was his heart,” Atkins said.
After he graduated with honors in 2017, he attended Morgan State on a scholarship. He joined its Army ROTC program, where he focused on transportation, his father, Gregory Chesley, told The Sun.
Chesley left college in 2019.
But he had joined the Army Reserve in 2018 as a movement specialist, according to Capt. Brandon Wilson, commanding officer of the 430th Inland Cargo Transfer Co. Chesley would track the movement of cargo in and out of deployment sites.
Based between Baltimore and Glen Burnie, Chesley would go to training once a month; every three months, he would go on field assignment, Gregory Chesley said.
Chesley was awarded the army service ribbon and National Defense Service Medal the year he joined. He was promoted to the rank of specialist in March 2019, Wilson said.
“He did exactly what his aspirations were until he was killed,” Atkins said of her cousin.
Wilson remembers Chesley as bringing “positivity” and “honesty” to the unit. Fellow members were shocked and dismayed by Chesley’s slaying.
“He was always just smiling. He was somebody who filled the room with light,” Wilson recalled.
The unit posted about Chesley’s death on its Facebook page, decrying that he was “unnecessarily shot and killed.”
A military memorial service will be held Saturday, according to the post.
“We are definitely shocked and surprised. There are a lot of mixed emotions right now among the entire team and unit,” Wilson said.
During the evening of the incident, Southwest District officers had been dispatched to the 700 block of Linnard St. in West Baltimore’s Edmondson Village neighborhood to investigate a reported shooting. There, officers found Chesley, Davis, and an unidentified female suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.
Davis was pronounced dead on the scene while Chesley and the other victim were taken to local hospitals. Chesley was later pronounced dead by medical personnel, according to police.
The Baltimore Police Department has not identified a motive or suspect, and has not released the incident report in the shooting despite repeated requests from The Sun.
Police urge anyone with information to contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7 LOCKUP.
A total of 91 people the ages of 18 to 25 have been killed in Baltimore City this year, the highest among any age demographic in the city.