washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Grace is 14, autistic and ‘smarter than anyone knew’

TRINITY , Fla. ( AP ) - After Grace Falleur arrived for classes at Mitchell High School , she resisted getting out of the car .
Once out , the 14-year-old chanted “ bye bye ” and skipped away .
Rebecca Kohler , Grace ’ s aide since June , directed her to a room just inside the main office to help prepare her for classes .
She needed a minute - deep breaths and rest , plus a little time for making faces at her reflection in the window - before heading to first period .
As Grace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other children with autism , who were picking up a breakfast snack before heading to a self-contained classroom .
But Grace , one of more than 60,000 students with disabilities in Tampa Bay public schools , didn ’ t come to Mitchell for its special needs program .
She was there for Algebra II , art and physics .
Grace has what her therapist describes as unreliable speech , as well as motor skills that she can ’ t fully control .
What she says with her mouth isn ’ t always what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her body does often isn ’ t what she intends it to do .
That doesn ’ t do justice to what she knows , though , or what she hopes to achieve .
Melissa Musselwhite , director of Pasco County ’ s student services department , recalled when a team evaluated Grace for placement .
The room was filled with people and distractions .
Grace swayed and sang about Disney ’ s cartoon duo Chip and Dale as a math teacher presented a complex problem involving quadratics while others looked on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet less than a minute after hearing the question , Grace blurted out the correct answer .
She had not appeared to be paying attention .
“ I have never seen anybody like this before , ” Musselwhite said .
So the district enrolled Grace in face-to-face classes at Mitchell High to pursue her academic dreams , which include studying internal medicine at Harvard .
It was more than her family expected .
Without the pandemic , it might never have happened .
Across the nation , schools scrambled in the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
They abruptly stopped in-person instruction for what turned out to be months , leaving families and educators to figure out how kids could keep learning .
Worries quickly spiked that the new approaches , mostly online , could leave thousands of students behind academically - particularly those with special needs .
Those concerns didn ’ t consume the Falleur family .
They saw an open window , not a closed door .
For four years , Grace had attended Invictus Academy , a specialty school for nonverbal students with autism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ spelling board to communicate , in addition to regular courses .
She points to letters on a board held by a facilitator , who repeats each one and recites finished words but does not guide Grace ’ s hand .
It ’ s a laborious process , which often requires refocusing Grace as she works to control her arm or , sometimes , to get out of a “ loop ” that distracts her from completion .
Eventually , Grace hopes to get her motor skills sharpened enough to use a computerized tablet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help with predictive text .
Still , the spelling board , despite its drawbacks , was a huge step forward .
“ She was hungry for communication , ” said her mother , Angela Falleur .
“ I knew there was more in there that wasn ’ t getting out.
” When the pandemic hit , Invictus went remote .
While supporting Grace from home , her parents saw more than ever that she needed greater academic challenges .
They didn ’ t expect much from the public school system .
They had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much younger , with little success .
But Pasco schools announced live remote lessons in all subject areas for the fall semester .
It sounded like the right combination of more advanced courses with adequate oversight from home .
“ I never expected to send her there , ” Falleur said .
“ I feel like because of COVID , they were a lot more open-minded.
” School officials invited Grace in to determine which classes she should take and whether she might do well in person , too .
“ That for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that they were willing to have her in class and on campus , ” Falleur said .
Grace , with spelling board assistance from her mom , said , “ I think they were willing to take a risk because of my teachers in Invictus in the meetings telling them I was smart.
” The purpose of those meetings had been to demonstrate her abilities to educators , and prove that her words and knowledge were her own .
The spelling board method is controversial , with many researchers calling it an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been welcome at any time ; the pandemic wasn ’ t a factor .
Still , she said she was pleased the family saw a special opportunity and jumped at it .
“ We problem-solve a handful of unique kids every single year , ” Musselwhite said .
“ People don ’ t see that on a regular basis , but we do that.
” Initially , Musselwhite said , she envisioned Grace on campus all day .
But controlling her motor functions and spelling while also learning is intense and tiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a balance.
” They settled on three periods in person , and three online .
Mitchell principal Jessica Schultz made sure that every teacher who would have Grace in a class met her and understood the challenge in advance .
She also attended the early evaluations , which the family insisted upon to make sure everyone knew the spelling method wasn ’ t a trick or hoax .
“ Grace is fascinating , ” Schultz said one October morning .
“ She is very intelligent , very capable.
” Sitting in a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blankly as teacher Jessi Struble demonstrated uses of linear equations in graphing .
While other students took notes and worked on practice problems , Grace took a pencil from Kohler , her aide , and doodled on a piece of paper .
The aim , Kohler explained , was to keep Grace ’ s body occupied , so it didn ’ t distract her or others from the lesson .
“ Never have I been able to see a student do math in her head so quick , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and she can explain the procedures .
That tells me she understands it.
” The conversations occur outside class time , so they can focus without worrying about others .
It ’ s taken some time to work out a system , having never done this before , Struble acknowledged .
But everything seems to be falling into place .
“ She ’ s just like any other student , ” the teacher said .
“ She wants to do great .
She ’ s upset when she doesn ’ t. ” Art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artwork as “ beautiful ” and said she ’ s fully involved in his course .
He noted that Grace created and presented a video about herself and her dreams to her new classmates , so they can understand her motivations and struggles .
” Having autism doesn ’ t mean I don ’ t have the same goals as you , ” the video says , Grace ’ s words appearing in white letters against a black background .
“ It means that I am not able to talk and my body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to.
” She likes “ music , creating movies , art and meeting new people , ” the video said .
Sharing her story was an act of “ out and out bravery , ” Fenton said .
“ Having Grace in class is awesome , ” he said .
“ It has changed my outlook on working with students on the autism spectrum entirely.
” For so long , Grace said , people thought her physical barriers translated into intellectual ones .
“ I knew I was smarter than anyone knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board .
Now she ’ s getting the academic work she wanted , and more .
She loves being with other teens , even though they don ’ t interact much .
“ The students talk to each other , so I can learn to socialize , ” she said .
Dana Johnson , Grace ’ s occupational therapist and founder of Invictus Academy , called her a “ trailblazer.
” If Grace can succeed , she said , others like her can benefit from the experiences .
“ There is nothing wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson said .
“ She completely understands.
” Learning how to use the spelling board takes time and training , for students and support professionals , she said .
It requires intense focus for the student to point to the correct letters , which isn ’ t an easy process , and the patient encouragement of the facilitator .
The process leaves itself open to criticism and controversy , particularly that the person using the board isn ’ t actually the one speaking .
The American Speech Language Hearing Association has discouraged the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacks scientific validity .
“ While we want individuals to be able to communicate in any way that works for them , we also want to be very careful , ” said Marie Ireland , vice president for speech language pathology practice with the organization .
Facilitators might have the best intentions , Ireland said .
But in many cases , it has been documented that the communication is interfered with or leading .
If the results are not consistent among different helpers , she suggested , that should be a red flag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated she doesn ’ t want to engender that perception .
Her mom was equally adamant that everyone understand that Grace is doing her own work .
“ My child is smarter than me and knows things I do not know , ” Falleur said .
“ I couldn ’ t facilitate and give her words or answers for physics or algebra if I tried .
You can check my school transcripts on that one.
” District educators didn ’ t take the family ’ s word for it , though .
Musselwhite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioning by teachers , as well as reviewing materials that people holding the spelling board for Grace did not know about .
They ’ ve been convinced .
“ I definitely think she is the real deal , ” said Glennda McCallister , a student services supervisor who serves as the district liaison to the family .
So , too , do the many others who surround Grace , including the coaches at Orange Theory , where she exercises to help make brain-body connections .
The pastors at Idlewild Baptist Church also see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up there , where her grandmother is a ministry assistant .
Pastor Reno Zunz recalled one Christmas when Grace stepped forward to sing a solo .
“ I was just sitting there with my jaw hitting the floor , ” Zunz said .
Over the years knowing Grace , he said , he ’ s learned “ there ’ s more to people than meets the eye.
” If there ’ s any lesson that Grace wants to come from her experiences in school and society , it ’ s that one .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ where people can see beyond her physical limitations .
She wants the same for others like her .
Her T-shirt emphasized her message : “ Freedom of speech isn ’ t just for the speaking.
” Schultz , the principal , recalled another student with autism who long ago left Mitchell .
“ Who ’ s to say that kid didn ’ t have the same ability as Grace ?
” she mused .
“ It ’ s kind of sad when you think about the potential we might have missed.
” Musselwhite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autism for two decades , said Grace prompted her to reflect on her own teaching .
As one result , she said , the district is working on training for its therapists , so they look for more ways to help children with communication .
Grace ’ s mom worked on a master ’ s degree in special education to help Grace and her three siblings , one of whom also is a speller .
She said she ’ s mostly sorry it took so long to get to this point , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter toward independence , or at least autonomy .
“ Employability is important .
Literacy is important , ” Falleur said .
“ We ’ re not going to outlive them.
” Grace , whose first quarter report card was filled with mostly A ’ s , said she ’ s grateful to have the chance to use the spelling board and attend school for the education she wants .
“ Waiting for my parents to find this was hella hard , ” she said , with her mom holding the board .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we found this , my life changed for the better .
”

TRINITY, Fla. (AP) - After Grace Falleur arrived for classes at Mitchell High School, she resisted getting out of the car.
Once out, the 14-year-old chanted “bye bye” and skipped away. Rebecca Kohler, Grace’s aide since June, directed her to a room just inside the main office to help prepare her for classes.
She needed a minute - deep breaths and rest, plus a little time for making faces at her reflection in the window - before heading to first period.
As Grace and Kohler crossed the campus, they passed other children with autism, who were picking up a breakfast snack before heading to a self-contained classroom. But Grace, one of more than 60,000 students with disabilities in Tampa Bay public schools, didn’t come to Mitchell for its special needs program.
She was there for Algebra II, art and physics.
Grace has what her therapist describes as unreliable speech, as well as motor skills that she can’t fully control. What she says with her mouth isn’t always what she wants to say, and what her body does often isn’t what she intends it to do.
That doesn’t do justice to what she knows, though, or what she hopes to achieve.
Melissa Musselwhite, director of Pasco County’s student services department, recalled when a team evaluated Grace for placement. The room was filled with people and distractions. Grace swayed and sang about Disney’s cartoon duo Chip and Dale as a math teacher presented a complex problem involving quadratics while others looked on.
Musselwhite herself found it hard to focus. Yet less than a minute after hearing the question, Grace blurted out the correct answer. She had not appeared to be paying attention.
“I have never seen anybody like this before,” Musselwhite said.
So the district enrolled Grace in face-to-face classes at Mitchell High to pursue her academic dreams, which include studying internal medicine at Harvard. It was more than her family expected.
Without the pandemic, it might never have happened.
Across the nation, schools scrambled in the spring to cope with the contagious and deadly coronavirus. They abruptly stopped in-person instruction for what turned out to be months, leaving families and educators to figure out how kids could keep learning.
Worries quickly spiked that the new approaches, mostly online, could leave thousands of students behind academically - particularly those with special needs.
Those concerns didn’t consume the Falleur family. They saw an open window, not a closed door.
For four years, Grace had attended Invictus Academy, a specialty school for nonverbal students with autism. She had learned how to use a spelling board to communicate, in addition to regular courses.
She points to letters on a board held by a facilitator, who repeats each one and recites finished words but does not guide Grace’s hand. It’s a laborious process, which often requires refocusing Grace as she works to control her arm or, sometimes, to get out of a “loop” that distracts her from completion.
Eventually, Grace hopes to get her motor skills sharpened enough to use a computerized tablet, which could “speak” and help with predictive text.
Still, the spelling board, despite its drawbacks, was a huge step forward.
“She was hungry for communication,” said her mother, Angela Falleur. “I knew there was more in there that wasn’t getting out.”
When the pandemic hit, Invictus went remote. While supporting Grace from home, her parents saw more than ever that she needed greater academic challenges.
They didn’t expect much from the public school system. They had tried it before, when Grace was much younger, with little success.
But Pasco schools announced live remote lessons in all subject areas for the fall semester. It sounded like the right combination of more advanced courses with adequate oversight from home.
“I never expected to send her there,” Falleur said. “I feel like because of COVID, they were a lot more open-minded.”
School officials invited Grace in to determine which classes she should take and whether she might do well in person, too.
“That for us was just icing on the cake, that they were willing to have her in class and on campus,” Falleur said.
Grace, with spelling board assistance from her mom, said, “I think they were willing to take a risk because of my teachers in Invictus in the meetings telling them I was smart.”
The purpose of those meetings had been to demonstrate her abilities to educators, and prove that her words and knowledge were her own. The spelling board method is controversial, with many researchers calling it an unproven technique.
Musselwhite said Grace would have been welcome at any time; the pandemic wasn’t a factor.
Still, she said she was pleased the family saw a special opportunity and jumped at it.
“We problem-solve a handful of unique kids every single year,” Musselwhite said. “People don’t see that on a regular basis, but we do that.”
Initially, Musselwhite said, she envisioned Grace on campus all day. But controlling her motor functions and spelling while also learning is intense and tiring, and “we needed to find a balance.”
They settled on three periods in person, and three online.
Mitchell principal Jessica Schultz made sure that every teacher who would have Grace in a class met her and understood the challenge in advance. She also attended the early evaluations, which the family insisted upon to make sure everyone knew the spelling method wasn’t a trick or hoax.
“Grace is fascinating,” Schultz said one October morning. “She is very intelligent, very capable.”
That’s not always immediately evident.
Sitting in a recent algebra class, Grace appeared to stare blankly as teacher Jessi Struble demonstrated uses of linear equations in graphing. While other students took notes and worked on practice problems, Grace took a pencil from Kohler, her aide, and doodled on a piece of paper. The aim, Kohler explained, was to keep Grace’s body occupied, so it didn’t distract her or others from the lesson.
Struble had no concerns.
“Never have I been able to see a student do math in her head so quick,” she said. “I can ask her a process, and she can explain the procedures. That tells me she understands it.”
The conversations occur outside class time, so they can focus without worrying about others. It’s taken some time to work out a system, having never done this before, Struble acknowledged. But everything seems to be falling into place.
“She’s just like any other student,” the teacher said. “She wants to do great. She’s upset when she doesn’t.”
Art teacher Justin Fenton praised Grace’s artwork as “beautiful” and said she’s fully involved in his course.
He noted that Grace created and presented a video about herself and her dreams to her new classmates, so they can understand her motivations and struggles.
”Having autism doesn’t mean I don’t have the same goals as you,” the video says, Grace’s words appearing in white letters against a black background. “It means that I am not able to talk and my body doesn’t behave like I want it to.”
She likes “music, creating movies, art and meeting new people,” the video said.
Sharing her story was an act of “out and out bravery,” Fenton said.
“Having Grace in class is awesome,” he said. “It has changed my outlook on working with students on the autism spectrum entirely.”
For so long, Grace said, people thought her physical barriers translated into intellectual ones.
“I knew I was smarter than anyone knew,” she said using her spelling board.
Now she’s getting the academic work she wanted, and more. She loves being with other teens, even though they don’t interact much.
“The students talk to each other, so I can learn to socialize,” she said.
Dana Johnson, Grace’s occupational therapist and founder of Invictus Academy, called her a “trailblazer.” If Grace can succeed, she said, others like her can benefit from the experiences.
“There is nothing wrong with Grace’s brain,” Johnson said. “She completely understands.”
Learning how to use the spelling board takes time and training, for students and support professionals, she said. It requires intense focus for the student to point to the correct letters, which isn’t an easy process, and the patient encouragement of the facilitator.
The process leaves itself open to criticism and controversy, particularly that the person using the board isn’t actually the one speaking.
The American Speech Language Hearing Association has discouraged the use of facilitated communication, saying it lacks scientific validity.
“While we want individuals to be able to communicate in any way that works for them, we also want to be very careful,” said Marie Ireland, vice president for speech language pathology practice with the organization.
Facilitators might have the best intentions, Ireland said. But in many cases, it has been documented that the communication is interfered with or leading. If the results are not consistent among different helpers, she suggested, that should be a red flag.
Using her spelling board, Grace indicated she doesn’t want to engender that perception. Her mom was equally adamant that everyone understand that Grace is doing her own work.
“My child is smarter than me and knows things I do not know,” Falleur said. “I couldn’t facilitate and give her words or answers for physics or algebra if I tried. You can check my school transcripts on that one.”
District educators didn’t take the family’s word for it, though.
Musselwhite said they used in-person assessments and in-depth questioning by teachers, as well as reviewing materials that people holding the spelling board for Grace did not know about. They’ve been convinced.
“I definitely think she is the real deal,” said Glennda McCallister, a student services supervisor who serves as the district liaison to the family.
So, too, do the many others who surround Grace, including the coaches at Orange Theory, where she exercises to help make brain-body connections.
The pastors at Idlewild Baptist Church also see something special in Grace. She grew up there, where her grandmother is a ministry assistant.
Pastor Reno Zunz recalled one Christmas when Grace stepped forward to sing a solo.
“I was just sitting there with my jaw hitting the floor,” Zunz said. Over the years knowing Grace, he said, he’s learned “there’s more to people than meets the eye.”
If there’s any lesson that Grace wants to come from her experiences in school and society, it’s that one. She’s gotten to a point where people can see beyond her physical limitations. She wants the same for others like her.
Her T-shirt emphasized her message: “Freedom of speech isn’t just for the speaking.”
She’s already got people thinking differently.
Schultz, the principal, recalled another student with autism who long ago left Mitchell.
“Who’s to say that kid didn’t have the same ability as Grace?” she mused. “It’s kind of sad when you think about the potential we might have missed.”
Musselwhite, who has worked with students with autism for two decades, said Grace prompted her to reflect on her own teaching.
“Did I miss something?” she wondered.
As one result, she said, the district is working on training for its therapists, so they look for more ways to help children with communication.
Grace’s mom worked on a master’s degree in special education to help Grace and her three siblings, one of whom also is a speller. She said she’s mostly sorry it took so long to get to this point, but it’s critical to helping her daughter toward independence, or at least autonomy.
“Employability is important. Literacy is important,” Falleur said. “We’re not going to outlive them.”
Grace, whose first quarter report card was filled with mostly A’s, said she’s grateful to have the chance to use the spelling board and attend school for the education she wants.
“Waiting for my parents to find this was hella hard,” she said, with her mom holding the board. “They almost gave up, but when we found this, my life changed for the better.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Flooded Everglades: Boon for birds but high waters a threat

MIAMI ( AP ) - A record-breaking rainy season has left the River of Grass looking like a real river .
Shark Valley , a popular Everglades National Park tourist stop off Tamiami Trail , is temporarily closed and mostly underwater .
The looping road leading to its signature observation tower looks like a canal in an aerial image taken by a staffer .
Farther south , on the road to Flamingo on the southern mainland coast of Florida Bay , marshes normally draining down in South Florida ’ s dry season shimmer like lakes in the sun .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached its highest level since 1962 .
Water is the lifeblood of the sprawling Everglades ecosystem , but its wetlands , prairies , forests and hammocks thrive on a seasonal cycle of rainy springs and summers and dryer falls and winters .
Extremes either way can create major ripple effects , good for some species but damaging for others .
And 2020 has definitely been extreme , topped by late season Tropical Storm Eta dumping up to 16 inches of rain in some spots in South Florida .
State wildlife managers and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everglades , worry the most about tree islands - scattered areas of higher ground which dot the Everglades and provide habitat for many land species - shrinking and decaying if they stay submerged for too long .
State surveys have spotted deer and other mammals already crowding onto canal banks and flood control levees that provide little shelter or forage .
But wildlife managers say the high water also is benefiting wading birds , increasing the amount of fish they feed on , and also freshening up coastal areas in Florida Bay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and algae blooms worsened by high salinity levels .
“ There is concern that parts of the Everglades are too deep for some species to survive , and that flooding could hurt tree islands ; but there is also some good news : flooding is creating good conditions for wading bird nesting in areas where we want them to be , ” said Mark Cook , the lead scientist for the Everglades systems assessment section of The South Florida Water Management District .
“ The Everglades is a mosaic of different habitat types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” A wild storm season that started with record-breaking rainfall in May and ended with a double landfall by a very wet Tropical Storm Eta filled up canals and conservation areas to the brim .
Even before the storm hit , water managers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were trying to figure out how to make room for the expected deluge in canals and water retention areas already swollen from months of regular rains .
So far , the most significant impact may be on visitors .
State-managed conservation areas were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everglades National Park closed the Shark Valley visitor area last month .
Further south , along the main road of the park , a few of the tourist trails were also shut down late last month because of flooded access roads - including the Pay-Ha-Okee Overlook , a popular boardwalk with a scenic view of the marsh .
Still , the park , which for decades has been starved of its historic water flow by flood control systems , is one of the winners .
Water is now flowing south unrestricted through Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Florida Bay .
While water levels are higher than what would be ideal for the health of tree islands , the park will benefit from the overall hydration as long as it doesn ’ t take too long for flooding to recede , said spokeswoman Michelle Collier .
“ There is nothing holding our water .
And the animals are adapted to a seasonally flooded ecosystem , so they know what to do when the water is high , ” Collier said .
“ We have mapped 378 tree islands in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those have been fully flooded.
” Wading birds foraging in and around the park are happy and will likely have a good nesting season , Cook said .
Flooding in nesting areas before nesting begins means that the ecosystem will have water long enough to produce an abundance of fish , which will become concentrated as the dry season kicks in .
This year , that delicate balance of water and timing is looking good , he said .
“ There are tens of thousands of birds now feeding in Big Cypress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the marl prairies at Everglades National Park , there are many thousands of birds along the coastal mangrove regions , ” said Cook , who has posted stunning photos of his weekly surveys on social media .
Outside of the park , in state water conservation areas north of Tamiami Trail , things are not so pretty .
The man-made system of hundreds of miles of canals and levees that made development and agriculture possible in South Florida created an unnatural flow of freshwater that more often than not leaves the Glades parched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flood controls block water from draining , leaving areas like Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area and Water Conservation Area 3A too deep .
That creates serious survival challenges for many wildlife species .
During a recent nighttime spotlight survey along the L5 levee in WCA 3A , Thomas Reinert , regional director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , said he counted almost 270 deer and dozens of rabbits and possums “ Our metric is 10 deer or fewer , ” Reinert said .
“ If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then we know they are really crowding the tree islands , and that increases pressure on that vegetation because there are no swamp lilies left , so the animals start eating the leaves.
” Reinert said water levels at two key gauges at 3A rose to “ well over 13 feet ” last month , a record , and are still around those levels .
Back in August , those gauges had already risen above an 11.6 feet threshold , which FWC considers may put wildlife in jeopardy .
The U.S. Army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flood system along with the South Florida Water Management District , started an emergency deviation last month in the area to lower water levels to protect wildlife .
It is still full , said Col. Andrew Kelly , the Corps commander for Florida .
And it will take time for the area to recede , he said , perhaps a month or more .
“ Everything in the southern part of the system is just totally full .
We and our partners are doing everything we can to mitigate the effects of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that came in October and November , ” Kelly said in a Thursday media briefing .
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch , a water management district governing board member , posted videos of seemingly stressed deer on the L5 levee after accompanying FWC staff on a survey last month .
“ I was blown away .
On the banks of the levee I saw little rabbits running all over the place , possums , raccoons , ” she said .
“ It is immoral to have these animals drowning or starving or dying ” because South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about their own needs , she said .
The Miccosukee Tribe also voiced disappointment at current water management policies .
“ I understand that this was an unusually high amount of rainfall that we got , but people are responsible for a good share of this situation , ” said Miccosukee Indian Tribe member Betty Osceola .
“ The animals out here are suffering .
There is no place for them to go , all the tree islands are flooded , some under two feet of water .
”

MIAMI (AP) - A record-breaking rainy season has left the River of Grass looking like a real river.
Shark Valley, a popular Everglades National Park tourist stop off Tamiami Trail, is temporarily closed and mostly underwater. The looping road leading to its signature observation tower looks like a canal in an aerial image taken by a staffer. Farther south, on the road to Flamingo on the southern mainland coast of Florida Bay, marshes normally draining down in South Florida’s dry season shimmer like lakes in the sun. At least one water gauge in the park reached its highest level since 1962.
Water is the lifeblood of the sprawling Everglades ecosystem, but its wetlands, prairies, forests and hammocks thrive on a seasonal cycle of rainy springs and summers and dryer falls and winters. Extremes either way can create major ripple effects, good for some species but damaging for others. And 2020 has definitely been extreme, topped by late season Tropical Storm Eta dumping up to 16 inches of rain in some spots in South Florida.
State wildlife managers and the Miccosukee Tribe, who live in the Everglades, worry the most about tree islands - scattered areas of higher ground which dot the Everglades and provide habitat for many land species - shrinking and decaying if they stay submerged for too long. State surveys have spotted deer and other mammals already crowding onto canal banks and flood control levees that provide little shelter or forage.
But wildlife managers say the high water also is benefiting wading birds, increasing the amount of fish they feed on, and also freshening up coastal areas in Florida Bay, which has been hammered by seagrass die-offs and algae blooms worsened by high salinity levels.
“There is concern that parts of the Everglades are too deep for some species to survive, and that flooding could hurt tree islands; but there is also some good news: flooding is creating good conditions for wading bird nesting in areas where we want them to be,” said Mark Cook, the lead scientist for the Everglades systems assessment section of The South Florida Water Management District. “The Everglades is a mosaic of different habitat types where things never work perfectly for everybody.”
A wild storm season that started with record-breaking rainfall in May and ended with a double landfall by a very wet Tropical Storm Eta filled up canals and conservation areas to the brim. Even before the storm hit, water managers and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were trying to figure out how to make room for the expected deluge in canals and water retention areas already swollen from months of regular rains.
So far, the most significant impact may be on visitors. State-managed conservation areas were shut down as early as August and Everglades National Park closed the Shark Valley visitor area last month. Further south, along the main road of the park, a few of the tourist trails were also shut down late last month because of flooded access roads - including the Pay-Ha-Okee Overlook, a popular boardwalk with a scenic view of the marsh.
Still, the park, which for decades has been starved of its historic water flow by flood control systems, is one of the winners. Water is now flowing south unrestricted through Taylor and Shark River sloughs all the way to Florida Bay. While water levels are higher than what would be ideal for the health of tree islands, the park will benefit from the overall hydration as long as it doesn’t take too long for flooding to recede, said spokeswoman Michelle Collier.
“There is nothing holding our water. And the animals are adapted to a seasonally flooded ecosystem, so they know what to do when the water is high,” Collier said. “We have mapped 378 tree islands in the park, and not a single one of those have been fully flooded.”
Wading birds foraging in and around the park are happy and will likely have a good nesting season, Cook said. Flooding in nesting areas before nesting begins means that the ecosystem will have water long enough to produce an abundance of fish, which will become concentrated as the dry season kicks in. This year, that delicate balance of water and timing is looking good, he said.
“There are tens of thousands of birds now feeding in Big Cypress, there are large foraging flocks in the marl prairies at Everglades National Park, there are many thousands of birds along the coastal mangrove regions,” said Cook, who has posted stunning photos of his weekly surveys on social media.
Outside of the park, in state water conservation areas north of Tamiami Trail, things are not so pretty.
The man-made system of hundreds of miles of canals and levees that made development and agriculture possible in South Florida created an unnatural flow of freshwater that more often than not leaves the Glades parched.
But during the rainy season, the flood controls block water from draining, leaving areas like Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area and Water Conservation Area 3A too deep. That creates serious survival challenges for many wildlife species.
DEER CROWDING LEVEES
During a recent nighttime spotlight survey along the L5 levee in WCA 3A, Thomas Reinert, regional director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said he counted almost 270 deer and dozens of rabbits and possums
“Our metric is 10 deer or fewer,” Reinert said. “If we see that many deer on the levees, then we know they are really crowding the tree islands, and that increases pressure on that vegetation because there are no swamp lilies left, so the animals start eating the leaves.”
Reinert said water levels at two key gauges at 3A rose to “well over 13 feet” last month, a record, and are still around those levels. Back in August, those gauges had already risen above an 11.6 feet threshold, which FWC considers may put wildlife in jeopardy.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the flood system along with the South Florida Water Management District, started an emergency deviation last month in the area to lower water levels to protect wildlife. It is still full, said Col. Andrew Kelly, the Corps commander for Florida. And it will take time for the area to recede, he said, perhaps a month or more.
“Everything in the southern part of the system is just totally full. We and our partners are doing everything we can to mitigate the effects of a very, very large amount of water that came in October and November,” Kelly said in a Thursday media briefing.
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, a water management district governing board member, posted videos of seemingly stressed deer on the L5 levee after accompanying FWC staff on a survey last month.
“I was blown away. On the banks of the levee I saw little rabbits running all over the place, possums, raccoons,” she said. “It is immoral to have these animals drowning or starving or dying” because South Florida water managers and residents are worried about their own needs, she said.
The Miccosukee Tribe also voiced disappointment at current water management policies.
“I understand that this was an unusually high amount of rainfall that we got, but people are responsible for a good share of this situation,” said Miccosukee Indian Tribe member Betty Osceola. “The animals out here are suffering. There is no place for them to go, all the tree islands are flooded, some under two feet of water.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--AP PHOTOS: Italian doctors fighting pandemic in rural areas

CAORSO , Italy ( AP ) - Wearing full-body protective gear , Dr. Luigi Cavanna visits his patients in their homes in small towns and rural areas in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy .
The peaceful countryside setting may be different from the crowded city hospitals , but the disease is the same .
He checks his patients ’ oxygen levels , uses ultrasound to scan their lungs and tests them and their relatives for COVID-19 .
Many of them don ’ t need to or don ’ t want to be taken to a hospital and are grateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their homes .
“ It is priceless when the sick ask us what they owe us .
They want to give us a reward , but their gratefulness and their sense of feeling cared for is what rewards us immensely , ” Cavanna told Associated Press journalists following him on a round of house calls .
At 70 , he could have retired in March but decided to keep on working as doctors were in high demand in Italy , one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ why are you there taking risks ?
because while this virus can be problematic for the younger people , for the older it can be very dangerous , ’ ” the doctor said .
“ In the end I didn ’ t make any self-protection calculations .
I just tried to work like I always have.
” Like other Italian doctors making house calls , he says there ’ s a more intimate relationship with patients when you see them in their homes .
He also feels he ’ s helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients who can ’ t receive treatment at home .
Dr. Mauro Morganti , who works in neighboring Lombardy , the Italian region that has recorded the most positive cases , has made house calls since 1996 .
As the pandemic surged in Lombardy in the spring , he was “ terrified like everyone ” and at times hesitant about visiting patients in their homes .
But when two of his patients died , he felt a renewed sense of commitment .
“ I was quite traumatized by the fact I hadn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hadn ’ t seen them , ” he said .
“ I chose to take a few more risks , but attend to my patients personally , ” he said .
“ And I think it ’ s better this way .
”

CAORSO, Italy (AP) - Wearing full-body protective gear, Dr. Luigi Cavanna visits his patients in their homes in small towns and rural areas in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy.
The peaceful countryside setting may be different from the crowded city hospitals, but the disease is the same.
He checks his patients’ oxygen levels, uses ultrasound to scan their lungs and tests them and their relatives for COVID-19. Many of them don’t need to or don’t want to be taken to a hospital and are grateful to Cavanna for coming to see them in their homes.
“It is priceless when the sick ask us what they owe us. They want to give us a reward, but their gratefulness and their sense of feeling cared for is what rewards us immensely,” Cavanna told Associated Press journalists following him on a round of house calls.
At 70, he could have retired in March but decided to keep on working as doctors were in high demand in Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic with more than 60,000 dead.
“Some would say, ‘why are you there taking risks? because while this virus can be problematic for the younger people, for the older it can be very dangerous,’” the doctor said. “In the end I didn’t make any self-protection calculations. I just tried to work like I always have.”
Like other Italian doctors making house calls, he says there’s a more intimate relationship with patients when you see them in their homes. He also feels he’s helping the hospitals by freeing up space for patients who can’t receive treatment at home.
Dr. Mauro Morganti, who works in neighboring Lombardy, the Italian region that has recorded the most positive cases, has made house calls since 1996.
As the pandemic surged in Lombardy in the spring, he was “terrified like everyone” and at times hesitant about visiting patients in their homes.
But when two of his patients died, he felt a renewed sense of commitment.
“I was quite traumatized by the fact I hadn’t been there for them, I hadn’t seen them,” he said.
“I chose to take a few more risks, but attend to my patients personally,” he said. “And I think it’s better this way.”
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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--The Latest: Pakistan raises vaccine budget to $250 million

ROME - Italy ’ s special commissioner for the pandemic says the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 will begin in all 27 European Union countries on the same “ symbolic ” day , to be followed with individual countries ’ rollouts of larger inoculation programs .
“ The idea that one European country could begin before another is far ” from what will occur , the official , Domenico Arcuri , told reporters on Sunday .
“ The campaign will begin in all countries on a symbolic day ” before the start of the actual campaign of mass vaccinations .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was or how many people would be vaccinated that day .
Italy ’ s first phase of vaccinations , targeting 1.8 million health care personnel and residents and staff of nursing homes , should be underway in mid-January , Arcuri said .
Some 300 pavilions will be set up in town squares and other public places , where people can receive the shots .
- Trucks with the first COVID-19 vaccine containers in the US roll out to vaccination sites - Barcelona concert tests use of same-day COVID-19 screening to protect crowds - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s San Joaquin Valley and filling its hospitals .
It has the fewest available intensive care unit beds of any region in California - Italy is reclaiming a record that nobody wants : The most coronavirus deaths in Europe .
Italy is still trying to figure out how to protect its vulnerable elderly .
- The French government i s giving nursing home residents more holiday freedom , allowing them out to spend time with their families and receive visits even if they are positive for COVID-19 .
HERE ’ S WHAT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores shut , tight limits on social contacts , no singing in church and a ban on fireworks sales : Germany is ratcheting up its pandemic restrictions to cut the stubbornly high rate of coronavirus infections .
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany ’ s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country ’ s lockdown measures from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases .
“ We are forced to act and we ’ re acting , ” Merkel told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections .
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Germany has risen over the past two weeks from 21.23 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 28 to 26 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 12 .
Starting Wednesday , schools nationwide will be closed or switch to home schooling ; most non-food stores will be closed , as will businesses such as hairdressers ; restaurant takeout will remain permitted , but consumption on-site - including alcohol- will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people allowed to meet indoors will remain restricted to five , not including children under 14 .
PARIS : Authorities on the Mediterranean island of Corsica are making COVID-19 tests obligatory for any visitors traveling from the French mainland for the Christmas-New Year period .
The measure is extraordinary in that it sets Corsica apart from all of mainland France ’ s other regions , which do not require tests for travel between them .
Under the measures announced this weekend by the French government ’ s top administrator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelers aged 12 and over will need to undergo a virus test in the 72 hours before taking a plane or boat to the island .
The rules will apply from Dec. 19 to Jan. 8 , 2021 .
Travelers will need to fill out a form confirming that they tested negative .
A fine of 135 euros ( $ 164 ) can be levied from travelers who don ’ t get tested .
Lelarge also warned of possible legal action against people who infect others .
Police at airports and ports in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelers will need to be able to produce paperwork from labs or pharmacists proving that they got tested .
The measures are aimed at keeping down Corsica ’ s infection rates , which are far lower than the national average , and to shield the island ’ s hospitals .
LONDON - Elderly residents of Scottish nursing homes will start receiving the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday .
The residents , along with nursing home staff , will be the next to get the innoculations after 5,000 health service workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Scottish officials said Sunday .
It ’ s part of the first phase of Britain ’ s mass vaccination program , which launched earlier this month and involves giving out 800,000 doses .
Authorities in the U.K. , which has reported more than 64,000 COVID-19 related deaths , gave emergency authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier this month , making it the first country to approve its widespread use .
Officials said they were able to extend the rollout to nursing homes after solving some logistical challenges with the vaccine , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Celsius ( minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit ) .
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has increased its funds allocation for purchasing COVID-19 vaccines amid a surge in the coronavirus .
Dr. Nausheen Hamid , parliamentary secretary for National Health Services , says the budget for the vaccines has been enhanced to $ 250 million .
Earlier , the government had set aside $ 150 million .
Pakistan recorded 3,369 new cases of the virus and 72 new deaths on Saturday .
A surge in the virus comes amid massive disregard by people for precautionary measures despite constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - A global alliance of more than 1,000 organizations has announced $ 20.6 billion in pledges to help women , newborns , young children and adolescents deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as longstanding issues .
The Partnership for Maternal , Newborn and Child Health , which is hosted by the World Health Organization , says $ 16.1 billion are new commitments to address COVID-19 , $ 2.2 billion is new money not linked to the coronavirus , and $ 2.3 billion is new funding for existing programs .
Low and middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenya , Liberia and Nigeria pledged a total of $ 6.6 billion while $ 14 billion came from international aid and grants from Germany , Canada , Sweden , United Kingdom , United States and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , the partnership said .
The pledges were announced Thursday and Friday .
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark , who chairs the partnership , says : “ Our concern is that resources — insufficient to begin with — are being diverted away to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
” Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency from 2009 to 2017 , said the $ 20.6 billion will ensure women , children and adolescents can access health services and priority social protections throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery periods .
SAN DIEGO — California ’ s attorney general has told the owners of two strip clubs to follow orders because he said they are violating the state ’ s new stay-at-home policy , which bars social gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus .
In a letter sent Friday to Midway Ventures LLC and F-12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen ’ s Club , respectively , Xavier Becerra said the clubs must change their policies because they are in violation of the order , issued Dec. 6 , that covers Southern California .
Becerra said the state will pursue legal action if the companies don ’ t comply .
The clubs could not immediately be reached for comment .
TOKYO - Japan ’ s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time while the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , including 621 in Tokyo , took Japan ’ s national tally to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths , the Health Ministry said Sunday .
Experts say serious cases are on the rise around the country , putting burden on hospitals and affecting the daily medical treatment for other patients .
They urged authorities to take measures such as suspending out-of-town trips and requesting stores to close early .
Recent media surveys show support ratings for the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga have dropped about 20 points from around 70 % amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan issued a non-binding state of emergency in the spring and has survived earlier infection peaks without a lockdown .
SEOUL , South Korea - South Korea has set another record for its daily coronavirus tally with 1,030 , as authorities struggle to suppress the viral spread .
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday the additional cases including two deaths raised the national caseload to 42,766 with 580 fatalities .
About 80 % of the new cases were found in the densely populated Seoul area , where authorities have shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late-night dining and taken other steps to slow the spread .
But such measures have shown little effect .
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Saturday his government may have to enforce its highest-level social distancing rules if the virus doesn ’ t slow down .
Such restrictions would ban a gathering of more than 10 people , shut down schools , theaters and department stores and suspend professional sports leagues .
BALTIMORE - The U.S. has recorded more than 16 million cases of COVID-19 , by far the most of any country in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Johns Hopkins University .
Cases of the virus have been rising across much of the U.S. , causing record death totals in recent days .
India and Brazil are the only two other countries that have reported more than 3 million cases of COVID-19 .
Globally , more than 71 million cases have been confirmed .
The actual number of cases is believed to be far higher because many people haven ’ t been tested and some who get the disease don ’ t show symptoms .
The U.S. also leads the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at more than 297,600 , including a record 3,309 recorded on Friday .
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into U.S. hospitals on Monday .
The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals .
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths .
FRESNO , Calif. - California public health officials say the number of available intensive care unit beds in the vast San Joaquin Valley has dropped to zero for the first time Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in region comprised of 12 counties was at 4.5 % .
The news comes as ICU units fill up across California amid spiking COVID-19 cases .
Last week , San Joaquin Valley and the enormous Southern California region were ordered to follow the strictest anti-COVID-19 rules under a new stay-at-home order .
Overflowing ICUs was a major factor in Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s decision to implement the new order .
SPRINGFIELD , Ill. - The U.S. has reached a record 3,309 daily coronavirus deaths , according to data compiled by Johns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceeded by 6 % the previous high of 3,124 deaths reported Wednesday .
The U.S. also reached a record daily confirmed infections at 231,775 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
That ’ s nearly 4,000 more than the previous high on Dec. 4 .
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into hospitals on Monday .
The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals .
The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases at 15.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths .
WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration says pilots may receive the COVID-19 vaccine but may not fly for 48 hours .
The FAA says it is requiring the observation period “ to maintain the highest level of safety ” in the airspace it regulates .
The 48-hour observation also applies to air traffic controllers .
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved emergency use of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and shipments are expected in various states on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken three weeks apart .
The 48-hour period applies after both doses .
The FAA says it will monitor reaction to the vaccine .
It requires similar waiting periods after aviation employees receive other vaccines , such tuberculosis and typhoid .
ROME - Italy added another 649 coronavirus deaths Saturday , bringing its official total to 64,036 and just shy of Britain ’ s Europe-leading 64,123 dead .
Italy could overtake Britain despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K. ’ s 66 million , and trails only the much larger U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Italy has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries .
Italy has added nearly 29,000 dead since Sept. 1 .
More than 1.8 million Italians have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic .
Health experts say the numbers reflect an underfunded health care system with few ICU beds , government delays in imposing restrictions and an elderly population .
Global cases and death tolls are believed to greatly underestimated because of missed infections , limited testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 8,076 confirmed coronavirus cases , one of the state ’ s largest daily total .
The Department of Health Services reported 77 more deaths on Saturday , increasing the state ’ s confirmed totals to 402,589 cases and 7,322 deaths .
The cases eclipsed Friday ’ s 6,983 as the third-largest daily case report , behind 12,314 on Tuesday and 10,322 on Dec. 1 .
The coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday reached 3,534 , up 52 from Thursday and topping the summer surge high of 3,517 on July 13 .
There were 799 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - U.S. officials say the nation ’ s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning .
Army Gen. Gustave Perna says trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer ’ s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states .
An additional 450 sites will get the vaccine between Tuesday and Wednesday .
Perna is with Operation Warp Speed , the Trump administration ’ s vaccine development program .
He says the vaccine was timed to arrive Monday morning so health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and begin giving them .
BOISE , Idaho - Idaho Gov .
Brad Little has authorized another 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to help medical facilities battle the coronavirus .
The Republican governor added the soldiers to the 100 he activated last month to help the state deal with surging infections and deaths .
The 250 soldiers will help with mobile testing support , facility decontamination and coronavirus screenings .
They are also helping at food banks .
State officials say nearly 120,000 Idaho residents have been infected .
There have been 1,151 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % , well above the 5 % or less state officials recommend .

TORONTO - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials have arrived in Canada.
Trudeau tweeted a picture of them being taken off a plane. Canada’s health regulator approved the vaccine made by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech last Wednesday.
The Canadian government recently amended its contract with Pfizer so that it would deliver up to 249,000 doses this month. Trudeau says it is good news but he is urging Canadians to continue to wear masks, avoid gatherings and to download a government app that lets users know if they’ve come in contact with those who have tested positive.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
- Trucks with the first COVID-19 vaccine containers in the US are rolling out to vaccination sites, and all states are expected to have some by Monday. About 3 million doses were expected to be sent out in the first shipments, which are staggered through Wednesday. Germany is stepping up its lockdown measures through the Christmas holiday - from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10. Chancellor Angela Merkel says existing restrictions imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections. New cases are lower but still rising in parts of Asia, with both Japan and South Korea hitting record numbers in daily new infections.
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Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County has again broken a record for coronavirus hospitalizations, fulfilling the county public health director’s dire predictions in just days.
Figures released Sunday afternoon show that more than 4,000 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the nation’s most populous county.
That breaks the previous record set only the day before, with 3,850 patients in a hospital, and follows the trend of hospitalizations increasing nearly every day since Nov. 1.
The LA County health director warned on Monday, when hospitalizations were near 3,000, that the county could see the statistic to climb to 4,000 within two weeks.
Statewide coronavirus figures were not immediately available Sunday.
More than 325,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are on their way to California.
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ROME - Italy on Sunday registered 484 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, one of its lowest daily death tolls in about a month. But those latest deaths were enough to eclipse Britain’s toll as having Europe’s highest toll in the pandemic, according to tracking done by Johns Hopkins University.
Counting criteria differ in the two countries, and many deaths, especially early in the pandemic in Italy, are believed to have gone undetected.
According to the Italian Health Ministry on Sunday, Italy’s known death toll stood at 64,520. Britain’s toll, according to Johns Hopkins data, stood at 64,267 as of Sunday evening.
Italy added nearly 18,000 coronavirus infections from the previous day, raising the nation’s official tally over 1.84 million. By far, the region registering the highest number of new infections in the last 24 hours was the northern region of Veneto, which in the first surge last spring had fared better than its neighbor Lombardy.
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ALGIERS, Algeria - Still recovering from COVID-19, Algeria’s president has suddenly reappeared after nearly two months out of the public eye.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in a video message Sunday that it may still be several more weeks before he is fit enough to return to the North African country. He fell ill and then left for treatment in Germany in late October. Before his 4-minute, 54-second video message, his last public appearance had been in mid-October, in a meeting with France’s foreign minister.
The 75-year-old Tebboune spoke clearly in the video and did not seem short of breath. He has, however, clearly lost weight.
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SEATTLE — The American spirit of generosity this holiday season may be no match for nonprofits dealing with the coronavirus.
Despite record amounts of charitable donations this year, nonprofits across the country are being suffocated by the effects of the pandemic as organizations face soaring costs and demands for help, yet are largely without their own support systems, including volunteers and in-person fundraising events.
December is generally the most important month for nonprofit revenues, as Christmas and end-of-year tax deductions typically drive a flood of charitable giving. All that might not be enough.
There have been efforts to encourage more giving since the coronavirus took hold of modern life in March.
The IRS is urging the public to utilize a special $300 tax deduction that can be claimed next year for cash donations in 2020 to tax-exempted nonprofits. The initiative allows non-itemized filers to get the tax break only for 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act passed by Congress last spring.
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WASHINGTON - Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientist leading the White House’s Operation Warp Speed, said President Donald Trump’s public pressuring of the Food and Drug Administration commissioner last week to quickly approve the coronavirus vaccine was not helpful for building public confidence in the inoculation campaign.
Trump on Twitter and his chief of staff Mark Meadows privately lambasted FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn last week for moving too slowly before the FDA issued an emergency authorization on Friday for an authorization for the vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc.
Asked about the pressuring of Hahn, Slaoui said on Fox News Sunday that “if that phone call happened, I think it was useless and unfortunate, so are some of the tweets.”
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published last week found only about half of Americans are ready to take the vaccine.
Slaoui also urged Americans to keep an open mind about the vaccine and warned that the virus will continue to plague the nation beyond the spring if too few people take it.
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WASHINGTON - The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says he’s hopeful that the agency’s outside advisers will clear a second coronavirus vaccine for emergency use later this week.
But FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn says he won’t “prejudge” the outcome of Thursday’s meeting.
That’s when FDA advisers will review the agency’s independent assessment of data supplied by Moderna about its coronavirus vaccine.
Hahn tells CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that it is his “sincere hope” that his agency can move forward “expeditiously” on the Moderna vaccine.
The same FDA panel last Thursday endorsed the first coronavirus vaccine, made by Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech. The FDA approved that vaccine for emergency use on Friday.
Pfizer began shipping out its vaccine on Sunday.
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WASHINGTON - The director of the National Institutes of Health is that stressing the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine being distributed this week are safe and effective and is urging Americans to put aside any skepticism so that as many people can be vaccinated as possible.
Dr. Francis Collins tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he hopes people will get past the “noise” and “conspiracy theories” about the Pfizer vaccine’s safety because approval was based on “scientific decision-making of the most vigorous sort.”
He says face masks are still going to be “a part of our life” in the coming months because it remains unknown whether a vaccinated person could spread COVID-19 to others.
But he believes the virus could be significantly stunted by June if 70% to 80% of Americans are vaccinated, the level most experts believe is needed to reach “herd immunity.”
Collins says masks could be all but gone in the latter half of next year. If only half of Americans are willing to take the vaccine, he says, “this could go on and on and on.”
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ROME - Italy’s special commissioner for the pandemic says the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 will begin in all 27 European Union countries on the same “symbolic” day, to be followed with individual countries’ rollouts of larger inoculation programs.
“The idea that one European country could begin before another is far” from what will occur, the official, Domenico Arcuri, told reporters on Sunday. “The campaign will begin in all countries on a symbolic day” before the start of the actual campaign of mass vaccinations.
He did not say when the first day was or how many people would be vaccinated that day.
Italy’s first phase of vaccinations, targeting 1.8 million health care personnel and residents and staff of nursing homes, should be underway in mid-January, Arcuri said. Some 300 pavilions will be set up in town squares and other public places, where people can receive the shots.
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BERLIN - Most stores shut, tight limits on social contacts, no singing in church and a ban on fireworks sales: Germany is ratcheting up its pandemic restrictions to cut the stubbornly high rate of coronavirus infections.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and the governors of Germany’s 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country’s lockdown measures from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases.
“We are forced to act and we’re acting,” Merkel told reporters in Berlin, noting that existing restrictions imposed in November failed to significantly reduce the number of new infections.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Germany has risen over the past two weeks from 21.23 new cases per 100,000 people on Nov. 28 to 26 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 12.
Starting Wednesday, schools nationwide will be closed or switch to home schooling; most non-food stores will be closed, as will businesses such as hairdressers; restaurant takeout will remain permitted, but consumption on-site - including alcohol- will be banned.
With the exception of Christmas, the number of people allowed to meet indoors will remain restricted to five, not including children under 14.
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PARIS: Authorities on the Mediterranean island of Corsica are making COVID-19 tests obligatory for any visitors traveling from the French mainland for the Christmas-New Year period.
The measure is extraordinary in that it sets Corsica apart from all of mainland France’s other regions, which do not require tests for travel between them.
Under the measures announced this weekend by the French government’s top administrator for Corsica, Pascal Lelarge, all travelers aged 12 and over will need to undergo a virus test in the 72 hours before taking a plane or boat to the island. The rules will apply from Dec. 19 to Jan. 8, 2021.
Travelers will need to fill out a form confirming that they tested negative. A fine of 135 euros ($164) can be levied from travelers who don’t get tested. Lelarge also warned of possible legal action against people who infect others. Police at airports and ports in Corsica will carry out checks, and travelers will need to be able to produce paperwork from labs or pharmacists proving that they got tested.
The measures are aimed at keeping down Corsica’s infection rates, which are far lower than the national average, and to shield the island’s hospitals.
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LONDON - Elderly residents of Scottish nursing homes will start receiving the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday.
The residents, along with nursing home staff, will be the next to get the innoculations after 5,000 health service workers and vaccinators in Britain received the shots, Scottish officials said Sunday.
It’s part of the first phase of Britain’s mass vaccination program, which launched earlier this month and involves giving out 800,000 doses.
Authorities in the U.K., which has reported more than 64,000 COVID-19 related deaths, gave emergency authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier this month, making it the first country to approve its widespread use.
Officials said they were able to extend the rollout to nursing homes after solving some logistical challenges with the vaccine, which has to be stored at minus-70 degrees Celsius (minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit).
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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has increased its funds allocation for purchasing COVID-19 vaccines amid a surge in the coronavirus.
Dr. Nausheen Hamid, parliamentary secretary for National Health Services, says the budget for the vaccines has been enhanced to $250 million. Earlier, the government had set aside $150 million.
Pakistan recorded 3,369 new cases of the virus and 72 new deaths on Saturday.
A surge in the virus comes amid massive disregard by people for precautionary measures despite constant warnings by the authorities.
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UNITED NATIONS - A global alliance of more than 1,000 organizations has announced $20.6 billion in pledges to help women, newborns, young children and adolescents deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as longstanding issues.
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, which is hosted by the World Health Organization, says $16.1 billion are new commitments to address COVID-19, $2.2 billion is new money not linked to the coronavirus, and $2.3 billion is new funding for existing programs.
Low and middle income countries including Afghanistan, India, Kenya, Liberia and Nigeria pledged a total of $6.6 billion while $14 billion came from international aid and grants from Germany, Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the partnership said. The pledges were announced Thursday and Friday.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who chairs the partnership, says: “Our concern is that resources — insufficient to begin with — are being diverted away to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Clark, who also led the U.N. development agency from 2009 to 2017, said the $20.6 billion will ensure women, children and adolescents can access health services and priority social protections throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery periods.
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SAN DIEGO — California’s attorney general has told the owners of two strip clubs to follow orders because he said they are violating the state’s new stay-at-home policy, which bars social gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
In a letter sent Friday to Midway Ventures LLC and F-12 Entertainment Group, the owners of Pacers Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club, respectively, Xavier Becerra said the clubs must change their policies because they are in violation of the order, issued Dec. 6, that covers Southern California.
Becerra said the state will pursue legal action if the companies don’t comply.
The clubs could not immediately be reached for comment.
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TOKYO - Japan’s daily coronavirus cases have exceeded 3,000 for the first time while the government delays stricter measures for fear of hurting the economy ahead of the holiday season.
The 3,030 new cases, including 621 in Tokyo, took Japan’s national tally to 177,287 with 2,562 deaths, the Health Ministry said Sunday.
Experts say serious cases are on the rise around the country, putting burden on hospitals and affecting the daily medical treatment for other patients. They urged authorities to take measures such as suspending out-of-town trips and requesting stores to close early.
Recent media surveys show support ratings for the government of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga have dropped about 20 points from around 70% amid public discontent over his coronavirus handling.
Japan issued a non-binding state of emergency in the spring and has survived earlier infection peaks without a lockdown.
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SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea has set another record for its daily coronavirus tally with 1,030, as authorities struggle to suppress the viral spread.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday the additional cases including two deaths raised the national caseload to 42,766 with 580 fatalities.
About 80% of the new cases were found in the densely populated Seoul area, where authorities have shut nightclubs and other high-risk venues, banned late-night dining and taken other steps to slow the spread. But such measures have shown little effect.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Saturday his government may have to enforce its highest-level social distancing rules if the virus doesn’t slow down. Such restrictions would ban a gathering of more than 10 people, shut down schools, theaters and department stores and suspend professional sports leagues.
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BALTIMORE - The U.S. has recorded more than 16 million cases of COVID-19, by far the most of any country in the world, according to data kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Cases of the virus have been rising across much of the U.S., causing record death totals in recent days.
India and Brazil are the only two other countries that have reported more than 3 million cases of COVID-19. Globally, more than 71 million cases have been confirmed. The actual number of cases is believed to be far higher because many people haven’t been tested and some who get the disease don’t show symptoms.
The U.S. also leads the world in deaths related to the coronavirus at more than 297,600, including a record 3,309 recorded on Friday.
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into U.S. hospitals on Monday. The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals.
The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths.
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FRESNO, Calif. - California public health officials say the number of available intensive care unit beds in the vast San Joaquin Valley has dropped to zero for the first time Saturday. Just a day earlier, ICU capacity in region comprised of 12 counties was at 4.5%.
The news comes as ICU units fill up across California amid spiking COVID-19 cases. Last week, San Joaquin Valley and the enormous Southern California region were ordered to follow the strictest anti-COVID-19 rules under a new stay-at-home order.
Overflowing ICUs was a major factor in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to implement the new order.
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The U.S. has reached a record 3,309 daily coronavirus deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The deaths reported Friday exceeded by 6% the previous high of 3,124 deaths reported Wednesday.
The U.S. also reached a record daily confirmed infections at 231,775, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. That’s nearly 4,000 more than the previous high on Dec. 4.
The increases come as millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer start rolling into hospitals on Monday. The first vaccines will go to hospital staff and other health care professionals.
The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases at 15.9 million and deaths at more than 296,000. The coronavirus has caused more than 1.6 million global deaths.
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WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration says pilots may receive the COVID-19 vaccine but may not fly for 48 hours.
The FAA says it is requiring the observation period “to maintain the highest level of safety” in the airspace it regulates. The 48-hour observation also applies to air traffic controllers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved emergency use of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and shipments are expected in various states on Monday. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses taken three weeks apart. The 48-hour period applies after both doses.
The FAA says it will monitor reaction to the vaccine. It requires similar waiting periods after aviation employees receive other vaccines, such tuberculosis and typhoid.
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ROME - Italy added another 649 coronavirus deaths Saturday, bringing its official total to 64,036 and just shy of Britain’s Europe-leading 64,123 dead.
Italy could overtake Britain despite having 6 million people fewer than the U.K.’s 66 million, and trails only the much larger U.S., Brazil, India and Mexico, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Italy has the most deaths per 100,000 population among the most affected countries. Italy has added nearly 29,000 dead since Sept. 1.
More than 1.8 million Italians have contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic. Health experts say the numbers reflect an underfunded health care system with few ICU beds, government delays in imposing restrictions and an elderly population.
Global cases and death tolls are believed to greatly underestimated because of missed infections, limited testing and different counting criteria.
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PHOENIX - Arizona reported 8,076 confirmed coronavirus cases, one of the state’s largest daily total.
The Department of Health Services reported 77 more deaths on Saturday, increasing the state’s confirmed totals to 402,589 cases and 7,322 deaths.
The cases eclipsed Friday’s 6,983 as the third-largest daily case report, behind 12,314 on Tuesday and 10,322 on Dec. 1.
The coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday reached 3,534, up 52 from Thursday and topping the summer surge high of 3,517 on July 13. There were 799 patients in intensive care units.
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WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning.
Army Gen. Gustave Perna says trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states. An additional 450 sites will get the vaccine between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Perna is with Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. He says the vaccine was timed to arrive Monday morning so health workers would be available to receive the shots and begin giving them.
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BOISE, Idaho - Idaho Gov. Brad Little has authorized another 150 Idaho National Guard soldiers to help medical facilities battle the coronavirus.
The Republican governor added the soldiers to the 100 he activated last month to help the state deal with surging infections and deaths. The 250 soldiers will help with mobile testing support, facility decontamination and coronavirus screenings. They are also helping at food banks.
State officials say nearly 120,000 Idaho residents have been infected. There have been 1,151 confirmed deaths.
The positivity rate is 20%, well above the 5% or less state officials recommend.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Restauranteur wants food truck to inspire East St. Louis

EAST ST. LOUIS , Ill. ( AP ) - For Harry Parker , owning a restaurant isn ’ t just about making good quality food for customers .
He also wants to give back to the community , especially those that are underserved .
Parker , the owner of Gulf Shores Restaurant and Grill , remembers hearing gunshots while serving customers in Ferguson , Missouri .
He has given free meals to veterans and is planning to give some to teachers amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Parker wants everyone to experience that affable nature of Southern hospitality , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he calls home .
And he wants East St. Louis residents to have a taste of it .
In December , he plans to have a food truck in the city .
“ I ’ ve always wanted to have a restaurant in areas that may be ( of ) lesser income , that don ’ t have all the growth criteria and all the demographics and so forth , ” Parker , who lives in Edwardsville , said .
“ The food is mama and daddy ’ s recipes .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know a lot about cooking , but mama and daddy cooked….and when I go back home , this is the type of food that we eat and grew up on , and I just say you know it ’ s a shame that I don ’ t take this food to where people who look like me are and maybe don ’ t even know about it.
” After retiring from DuPont as a corporate executive , Parker used his family ’ s recipes to open the restaurant ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Missouri , in 2008 .
He opened an Edwardsville location seven years later .
The restaurant prides itself on being the premier destination for getting Cajun seafood in the St. Louis metropolitan area .
East St. Louis is the latest food truck location for the restaurant .
For nearly two years , Gulf Shores has operated food truck locations in St. Louis ’ North County .
Now Parker plans to operate on alternate days , near the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and the federal building .
Parker hasn ’ t set a date for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East St. Louis resident , is a regular customer of Gulf Shores .
For the past two years , she ’ s traveled to its Edwardsville location , a nearly 30 minute drive from East St. Louis , mainly for its fried pickles , which she loves .
She ’ s also a fan of Gulf Shores ’ shrimp .
She ’ s excited about the food truck coming to her city .
“ It ’ s rare that you have a restaurant that really cares about the people .
The food is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice to know that they want to make sure that you ’ re OK too , ” Blanchard said .
“ Even the people who weren ’ t serving me but were around would check on me to see if the food was OK. ” Caring for the people and community he ’ s serving is Parker ’ s mission .
It ’ s what led to his plans for East St. Louis , a community that ’ s severely under-resourced .
Along with being a food desert , the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than two times higher than the national rate .
“ We support the community , ” Parker said .
“ We give back to the community .
I want everybody to understand and see that a minority-owned restaurant can indeed be a part of the community and can indeed contribute to the community , which is why I wanted to do the food truck in East St. Louis.
” Parker also wants his mission to be reflected in the people he hires .
He said some of his servers are people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with drug abuse or having a criminal past .
“ People who have had hard times , but now want to get themselves out of it , are still people and they ’ re capable , ” Parker said .
“ So I want to have the best restaurant in St. Louis , and when people say how good the food is I want to say , ‘ And guess what ?
The people who cooked that food are felons , recovered drug addicts and so forth ’ .
Those people can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribute.
” Torian Hopkins , a cook and food truck manager for Gulf Shores , is thankful for Parker ’ s willingness to give him a second chance .
Hopkins joined the restaurant ’ s staff in Edwardsville in 2015 .
Last year , he was sent to prison for a firearm possession charge .
Upon his release this year , Hopkins was able to get his job back .
“ I was going through other things in my life , and I was on the verge of giving up , ” Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said about his life before he went to prison .
“ I was calling off work and I was just doing all types of stuff .
My brother had passed ( away ) and then after my brother had passed , my mom had passed , and I was giving up .
I believe getting incarcerated was probably the best thing that could ’ ve happened to me because I wouldn ’ t have made it .
I would ’ ve been gone.
” “ And I refuse to be institutionalized , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I did to go ( there ) the first time , and if it just so happens that I do the things I did , I understand the consequences.
” Hopkins said he ’ s glad to have a boss who cares about him , like Parker .
“ He ’ ll help people with anything , ” Hopkins said .
“ When I got out , he bought me a car , got my job back and just made sure I was alright.
” Hopkins , 36 , is happy about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started as a childhood hobby .
His favorite part about working for the restaurant is having a strong bond with his co-workers .
“ I love cooking and seeing people happy with what I do , ” he said .
During the COVID-19 pandemic , Parker ’ s grateful that he ’ s able to expand the restaurant ’ s food truck business at a time when most restaurants , including his , are struggling .
Parker said his business is operating somewhere between 15 % to 20 % of its regular sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that get him down .
“ There ’ s opportunities in difficult times , ” Parker said .
“ I try not to sit down and talk about how bad it is .
I try to be motivated to go and do those kinds of things , find those kinds of opportunities , find those parallels .
That ’ s why we have the food truck .
We ’ re looking forward to the food truck supplementing us .
“ He ’ s also looking forward to inspiring the people in East St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering how he ’ s a Black man who was raised in the Jim Crow South and made a successful business out of his parents ’ cooking .
Parker , 66 , was born and raised in New Orleans , Louisiana .
He remembers his mom teaching him and his siblings how to blend spices and make gumbo , a Cajun delicacy .
Parker ’ s Southern upbringing made it easy for him to enter the restaurant business after retirement .
“ I ’ ve always loved to cook , because mama could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parker said .
“ Whenever we were going some place , … .
everybody wanted to know what my mom and dad were gon na be making .
( For ) family reunions - my dad ’ s name is Rockwell , my mother ’ s name is Mary - ( people would ask ) , ‘ What ’ s Rockwell and Mary cooking , what are they gon na bring ?
’ ” “ We would have all those family recipes .
It would be a shame to have those recipes die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ na take those recipes and open a restaurant.
” Parker hopes his story , and , by extension , his restaurant , will encourage people in East St. Louis to follow their dreams , regardless of how difficult they may seem .
“ If I can motivate anyone to have a dream and pursue it and take it directly in our neighborhoods so our people can see it , so they can witness it and understand that this is a Black-owned restaurant , and that restaurant is doing everything it can for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done my job .
”

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) - For Harry Parker, owning a restaurant isn’t just about making good quality food for customers.
He also wants to give back to the community, especially those that are underserved. Parker, the owner of Gulf Shores Restaurant and Grill, remembers hearing gunshots while serving customers in Ferguson, Missouri. He has given free meals to veterans and is planning to give some to teachers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parker wants everyone to experience that affable nature of Southern hospitality, which is fitting, because the South is where he calls home. And he wants East St. Louis residents to have a taste of it. In December, he plans to have a food truck in the city.
“I’ve always wanted to have a restaurant in areas that may be (of) lesser income, that don’t have all the growth criteria and all the demographics and so forth,” Parker, who lives in Edwardsville, said. “The food is mama and daddy’s recipes. I have an engineering degree and an MBA. I don’t know a lot about cooking, but mama and daddy cooked….and when I go back home, this is the type of food that we eat and grew up on, and I just say you know it’s a shame that I don’t take this food to where people who look like me are and maybe don’t even know about it.”
After retiring from DuPont as a corporate executive, Parker used his family’s recipes to open the restaurant’s first location in Creve Coeur, Missouri, in 2008. He opened an Edwardsville location seven years later. The restaurant prides itself on being the premier destination for getting Cajun seafood in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
East St. Louis is the latest food truck location for the restaurant. For nearly two years, Gulf Shores has operated food truck locations in St. Louis’ North County. Now Parker plans to operate on alternate days, near the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and the federal building. Parker hasn’t set a date for the opening.
Keesha Blanchard, an East St. Louis resident, is a regular customer of Gulf Shores. For the past two years, she’s traveled to its Edwardsville location, a nearly 30 minute drive from East St. Louis, mainly for its fried pickles, which she loves. She’s also a fan of Gulf Shores’ shrimp. She’s excited about the food truck coming to her city.
“It’s rare that you have a restaurant that really cares about the people. The food is always great, and it’s nice to know that they want to make sure that you’re OK too,” Blanchard said. “Even the people who weren’t serving me but were around would check on me to see if the food was OK.”
Caring for the people and community he’s serving is Parker’s mission. It’s what led to his plans for East St. Louis, a community that’s severely under-resourced. Along with being a food desert, the city’s unemployment rate is about 16%, more than two times higher than the national rate.
“We support the community,” Parker said .“We give back to the community. I want everybody to understand and see that a minority-owned restaurant can indeed be a part of the community and can indeed contribute to the community, which is why I wanted to do the food truck in East St. Louis.”
Parker also wants his mission to be reflected in the people he hires. He said some of his servers are people who want a second chance at life after dealing with drug abuse or having a criminal past.
“People who have had hard times, but now want to get themselves out of it, are still people and they’re capable,” Parker said. “So I want to have the best restaurant in St. Louis, and when people say how good the food is I want to say, ‘And guess what? The people who cooked that food are felons, recovered drug addicts and so forth’. Those people can make up a workforce that can indeed contribute.”
Torian Hopkins, a cook and food truck manager for Gulf Shores, is thankful for Parker’s willingness to give him a second chance. Hopkins joined the restaurant’s staff in Edwardsville in 2015. Last year, he was sent to prison for a firearm possession charge. Upon his release this year, Hopkins was able to get his job back.
“I was going through other things in my life, and I was on the verge of giving up,” Hopkins, an East St. Louis native, said about his life before he went to prison. “I was calling off work and I was just doing all types of stuff. My brother had passed (away) and then after my brother had passed, my mom had passed, and I was giving up. I believe getting incarcerated was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me because I wouldn’t have made it. I would’ve been gone.”
“And I refuse to be institutionalized, and I won’t do the things that I did to go (there) the first time, and if it just so happens that I do the things I did, I understand the consequences.”
Hopkins said he’s glad to have a boss who cares about him, like Parker.
“He’ll help people with anything,” Hopkins said. “When I got out, he bought me a car, got my job back and just made sure I was alright.”
Hopkins, 36, is happy about continuing his affinity for cooking, which started as a childhood hobby. His favorite part about working for the restaurant is having a strong bond with his co-workers.
“I love cooking and seeing people happy with what I do,” he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Parker’s grateful that he’s able to expand the restaurant’s food truck business at a time when most restaurants, including his, are struggling. Parker said his business is operating somewhere between 15% to 20% of its regular sales, but he doesn’t let that get him down.
“There’s opportunities in difficult times,” Parker said. “I try not to sit down and talk about how bad it is. I try to be motivated to go and do those kinds of things, find those kinds of opportunities, find those parallels. That’s why we have the food truck. We’re looking forward to the food truck supplementing us. “
He’s also looking forward to inspiring the people in East St. Louis with his food truck, especially considering how he’s a Black man who was raised in the Jim Crow South and made a successful business out of his parents’ cooking.
Parker, 66, was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He remembers his mom teaching him and his siblings how to blend spices and make gumbo, a Cajun delicacy. Parker’s Southern upbringing made it easy for him to enter the restaurant business after retirement.
“I’ve always loved to cook, because mama could cook and daddy could cook,” Parker said. “Whenever we were going some place,…. everybody wanted to know what my mom and dad were gonna be making. (For) family reunions - my dad’s name is Rockwell, my mother’s name is Mary - (people would ask) , ‘What’s Rockwell and Mary cooking, what are they gonna bring?’”
“We would have all those family recipes. It would be a shame to have those recipes die, so I decided I was gonna take those recipes and open a restaurant.”
Parker hopes his story, and, by extension, his restaurant, will encourage people in East St. Louis to follow their dreams, regardless of how difficult they may seem.
“If I can motivate anyone to have a dream and pursue it and take it directly in our neighborhoods so our people can see it, so they can witness it and understand that this is a Black-owned restaurant, and that restaurant is doing everything it can for the entire community, then I’ve done my job.”
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Source: Belleville News-Democrat: https://bit.ly/3oylNhS