washingtontimes--2020-11-10--No charges against Indianapolis officer in fatal shooting

INDIANAPOLIS ( AP ) - A grand jury has declined to indict an Indianapolis police officer who fatally shot a man in May during a foot chase after police said the 21-year-old exchanged gunfire with the officer .
The grand jury ’ s decision not to indict Dejoure Mercer , the Black officer who shot and killed Dreasjon Reed on May 6 , was announced Tuesday by special prosecutor Rosemary Khoury .
Reed also was Black .
Reed ’ s shooting was not recorded by any police camera because the department only began implementing a body camera program in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chase and part of the foot chase on Facebook .
Khoury , who was appointed to oversee the investigation into Reed ’ s fatal shooting , had announced on Aug. 21 that she had requested that a grand jury be impaneled to handle the final stage of that investigation and consider whether an indictment should be brought against Mercer .
“ Fairness .
From day one that ’ s been my goal , ” Khoury told reporters Tuesday .
“ No one wins here .
I hope that anyone who was a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this and feel comfortable that the investigation was done in an impartial manner .
That ’ s exactly what my team and I did over the past five months.
” Indy10 Black Lives Matter gathered several dozen peaceful protestors just north of Monument Circle following the announcement Tuesday evening .
The group organized numerous protests in Indianapolis following Reed ’ s death .
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has said Reed was fatally shot by Mercer in an exchange of gunfire with that officer during a foot chase that followed a vehicle pursuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have insisted that he didn ’ t exchange gunfire with Mercer before the officer shot him .
Reed ’ s mother , Demetree Wynn , filed a wrongful death federal lawsuit in June against the city , its police department and four officers , including Mercer .
It alleges the department failed to adequately train , screen and supervise officers , including Mercer , to prevent them from engaging in excessive or deadly force .
Her complaint also names Steven Scott , another Black officer , who was disciplined after he was captured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying : “ I think it ’ s going to be a closed casket , homie , ” an apparent reference to a closed-casket funeral .
A federal judge later removed the city of Indianapolis as a defendant in that lawsuit , citing past court rulings that say city agencies are protected from certain lawsuits .
“ I don ’ t know how Mr. Reed ’ s mother feels , but I ’ m a mother of two Black boys , ” Khoury said to a reporter ’ s question .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mercer .
I know that had to be a difficult position to be in.
” Khoury , who ’ s a deputy prosecutor in central Indiana ’ s Madison County , was appointed in June to investigate Reed ’ s fatal shooting after Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears sought a special prosecutor .
Mears said that Chief Randal Taylor ’ s role as a material witness in the case constituted “ a conflict of interest ” for the prosecutor ’ s office .
Days of protests followed Reed ’ s killing , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot another Black man , 19-year-old McHale Rose , and an officer fatally struck a pregnant white woman with his car .
Police have said Reed and Rose both shot at officers before they were killed in separate incidents just hours apart .
In Reed ’ s shooting , Indianapolis police said officers , including Taylor , began pursuing Reed after they saw someone driving recklessly on Interstate 65 .
Supervisors ordered an end to that pursuit because the vehicle was going nearly 90 mph ( 145 kph ) , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the car on a city street and chased Reed on foot before police say Reed and the officer exchanged gunfire .
According to police , Mercer first tried to use a stun gun , then shot Reed as they exchanged gunfire .
Assistant Chief Chris Bailey has said a gun found near Reed appeared to have been fired at least twice .
The state police investigation included video from Reed ’ s cellphone and surveillance video from exterior cameras of a nearby lock and key business .
The video shows Reed running from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
State police Detective David Herron told reporters Tuesday evening that it appears Mercer first used a stun gun , but Reed was not incapacitated by the two electric probes that struck him .
Reed was able to fire two shots from his handgun and Mercer fired 13 shots , but investigators were not able to determine who shot first .
Herron said Reed suffered gunshot wounds to his left arm and left shoulder area , a leg , his head and back of the neck .
Reed had stolen the gun from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used it in two previous shooting incidents in Indiana , Herron said .
Reed ’ s mother , other relatives and the family ’ s attorneys have said that they don ’ t trust the police department and believe it is trying to conceal information .
“ The things that you may have heard in the news coming from anyone , just know the fabrication is real .
Everything that someone has told you … is a complete lie , ” Wynn said on Aug. 5 after the Marion County coroner ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his family .

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A grand jury has declined to indict an Indianapolis police officer who fatally shot a man in May during a foot chase after police said the 21-year-old exchanged gunfire with the officer.
The grand jury’s decision not to indict Dejoure Mercer, the Black officer who shot and killed Dreasjon Reed on May 6, was announced Tuesday by special prosecutor Rosemary Khoury. Reed also was Black.
Reed’s shooting was not recorded by any police camera because the department only began implementing a body camera program in August. But Reed livestreamed an earlier car chase and part of the foot chase on Facebook.
Khoury, who was appointed to oversee the investigation into Reed’s fatal shooting, had announced on Aug. 21 that she had requested that a grand jury be impaneled to handle the final stage of that investigation and consider whether an indictment should be brought against Mercer.
“Fairness. From day one that’s been my goal,” Khoury told reporters Tuesday. “No one wins here. I hope that anyone who was a part of this entire process can look at this and feel comfortable that the investigation was done in an impartial manner. That’s exactly what my team and I did over the past five months.”
Indy10 Black Lives Matter gathered several dozen peaceful protestors just north of Monument Circle following the announcement Tuesday evening. The group organized numerous protests in Indianapolis following Reed’s death.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has said Reed was fatally shot by Mercer in an exchange of gunfire with that officer during a foot chase that followed a vehicle pursuit.
Attorneys for Reed’s family have insisted that he didn’t exchange gunfire with Mercer before the officer shot him.
Reed’s mother, Demetree Wynn, filed a wrongful death federal lawsuit in June against the city, its police department and four officers, including Mercer. It alleges the department failed to adequately train, screen and supervise officers, including Mercer, to prevent them from engaging in excessive or deadly force.
Her complaint also names Steven Scott, another Black officer, who was disciplined after he was captured on video after Reed’s shooting saying: “I think it’s going to be a closed casket, homie,” an apparent reference to a closed-casket funeral.
A federal judge later removed the city of Indianapolis as a defendant in that lawsuit, citing past court rulings that say city agencies are protected from certain lawsuits.
“I don’t know how Mr. Reed’s mother feels, but I’m a mother of two Black boys,” Khoury said to a reporter’s question. “I’m also very empathetic toward officer Mercer. I know that had to be a difficult position to be in.”
Khoury, who’s a deputy prosecutor in central Indiana’s Madison County, was appointed in June to investigate Reed’s fatal shooting after Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears sought a special prosecutor.
Mears said that Chief Randal Taylor’s role as a material witness in the case constituted “a conflict of interest” for the prosecutor’s office. Days of protests followed Reed’s killing, which came hours before Indianapolis police officers fatally shot another Black man, 19-year-old McHale Rose, and an officer fatally struck a pregnant white woman with his car.
Police have said Reed and Rose both shot at officers before they were killed in separate incidents just hours apart.
In Reed’s shooting, Indianapolis police said officers, including Taylor, began pursuing Reed after they saw someone driving recklessly on Interstate 65. Supervisors ordered an end to that pursuit because the vehicle was going nearly 90 mph (145 kph), police said. An officer, Mercer, later spotted the car on a city street and chased Reed on foot before police say Reed and the officer exchanged gunfire.
According to police, Mercer first tried to use a stun gun, then shot Reed as they exchanged gunfire. Assistant Chief Chris Bailey has said a gun found near Reed appeared to have been fired at least twice.
The state police investigation included video from Reed’s cellphone and surveillance video from exterior cameras of a nearby lock and key business. The video shows Reed running from Mercer before falling face-first to the ground.
State police Detective David Herron told reporters Tuesday evening that it appears Mercer first used a stun gun, but Reed was not incapacitated by the two electric probes that struck him.
Reed was able to fire two shots from his handgun and Mercer fired 13 shots, but investigators were not able to determine who shot first.
Herron said Reed suffered gunshot wounds to his left arm and left shoulder area, a leg, his head and back of the neck.
Reed had stolen the gun from a pawn shop in Texas and apparently used it in two previous shooting incidents in Indiana, Herron said.
Reed’s mother, other relatives and the family’s attorneys have said that they don’t trust the police department and believe it is trying to conceal information.
“The things that you may have heard in the news coming from anyone, just know the fabrication is real. Everything that someone has told you … is a complete lie,” Wynn said on Aug. 5 after the Marion County coroner’s officer released Reed’s autopsy report to his family.
___
Corey Williams reported from Detroit.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--3 charged in gang attacks, including 2017 slaying

ALEXANDRIA , Va. ( AP ) - Three alleged members of the MS-13 street gang have been indicted for the killing of a rival gang member in Charlottesville and the attempted killings of two others in northern Virginia .
Federal prosecutors in Alexandria announced the charges Tuesday against the three men - Andy Tovar , 31 , of White Post ; Roberto Cruz Moreno , 20 , of Woodbridge ; and Kevin Perez Sandoval , 22 , of Warrenton .
All three face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder .
According to the indictment , Tovar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim in 2017 in Charlottesville because he was a member of the rival 18th Street Gang .
The victim died after being stabbed more than 100 times by multiple assailants .
The other two victims survived attacks in 2019 in Prince William County in which they were shot , stabbed or both .
They were also attacked because they were believed to be rival gang members .
The charges are among several high-profile gang slaying cases brought by federal prosecutors in recent years .
Tovar and Cruz Moreno had been previously charged , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges against Perez Sandoval .

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Three alleged members of the MS-13 street gang have been indicted for the killing of a rival gang member in Charlottesville and the attempted killings of two others in northern Virginia.
Federal prosecutors in Alexandria announced the charges Tuesday against the three men - Andy Tovar, 31, of White Post; Roberto Cruz Moreno, 20, of Woodbridge; and Kevin Perez Sandoval, 22, of Warrenton.
All three face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
According to the indictment, Tovar directed gang members to kill the first victim in 2017 in Charlottesville because he was a member of the rival 18th Street Gang. The victim died after being stabbed more than 100 times by multiple assailants.
The other two victims survived attacks in 2019 in Prince William County in which they were shot, stabbed or both. They were also attacked because they were believed to be rival gang members.
The charges are among several high-profile gang slaying cases brought by federal prosecutors in recent years.
Tovar and Cruz Moreno had been previously charged, A superseding indictment filed this week added charges against Perez Sandoval.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Despite Trump's claims, mail voting ensured smooth election

ATLANTA ( AP ) - The 2020 election unfolded smoothly across the country and without any widespread irregularities , according to state officials and election experts , a stark contrast to the baseless claims of fraud being leveled by President Donald Trump following his defeat .
Election experts said the large increase in advance voting - 107 million people voting early in person and by mail - helped take pressure off Election Day operations .
There were also no incidents of violence at the polls or voter intimidation .
“ The 2020 general election was one of the smoothest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen , and that is remarkable considering all the challenges , ” said Ben Hovland , a Democrat appointed by Trump to serve on the Election Assistance Commission , which works closely with officials on election administration .
Following Democrat Joe Biden ’ s victory , Trump has sought to discredit the integrity of the election and argued without evidence that the results will be overturned .
Republican lawmakers have said the president should be allowed to launch legal challenges , though many of those lawsuits have already been turned away by judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of problems that would change the outcome of the race .
In Wisconsin , a battleground state where Biden narrowly edged Biden , top election official Meagan Wolfe said there were no problems with the election reported to her office and no complaints filed alleging any irregularities .
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel , a Democrat , said the same was true in her state , which Biden also won .
“ Let me be clear - the November elections in Michigan ran as smoothly as ever , ” Nessel said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of irregularities in the process of counting the votes , only evidence-free allegations , wild speculation , and conspiracy theories.
” Ahead of Election Day , the pandemic upended longstanding voting plans and forced election officials to make systemic changes largely on the fly .
They did so with limited federal money to cover increased costs for mail ballots , which take more staff and money to send , process and count .
After problems erupted during spring primaries , the nation worried whether election officials could pull off a problem-free presidential election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of foreign interference from sophisticated adversaries led by Russia .
“ In the spring , there were just so many challenges we were facing , and we were just wondering how we were going to manage to do it , ” said Larry Norden , an elections expert with the Brennan Center for Justice .
“ It ’ s an incredible story.
” Long before a single ballot was cast , Trump raised questions about the integrity of the election and railed against mail voting despite a long history of mail ballots being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one point , he claimed the only way he could lose was if the election were rigged .
Some states that expanded mail-in voting to make it safer to cast a ballot during the virus outbreak lean Republican and voted for Trump - Nebraska , North Dakota and Montana .
He has raised no concerns about the results there .
On Monday , Attorney General William Barr authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to probe “ substantial allegations ” of voting irregularities .
The groundless claims pushed by Trump and his allies about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since The Associated Press and other news organizations called the race Saturday for Biden , who leads in both the popular vote and in the Electoral College .
Among the many lawsuits filed since Election Day is one in Nevada by the Trump campaign alleging voter fraud .
Without explanation , Trump tweeted that the state is “ turning out to be a cesspool of Fake Votes.
” Such claims have put pressure on Republican election officials fielding scores of reports of fraud that so far have turned out to be human error @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of State Barbara Cegavske , a Republican , said her office wouldn ’ t quantify how many complaints it had received , adding , “ Many voter fraud complaints lack any evidence and are more complaints about process or policy.
” In Iowa , Secretary of State Paul Pate , a Republican , ordered all counties in the state to double-check results after a data entry error was discovered in one precinct .
“ These human errors are unfortunate and frustrating , but the system is working , ” he said .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senators , both Trump supporters facing close runoff elections that could determine which party controls the Senate next year , called on the state ’ s top election official , a fellow Republican , to resign over unspecified claims of election mismanagement .
The official , Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , said he would not step down and assured the public there had been no widespread problems .
“ Was there illegal voting ?
I ’ m sure there was , and my office is investigating all of it , ” Raffensperger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers or margin necessary to change the outcome to where President Trump is given Georgia ’ s electoral votes ?
That is unlikely.
” Studies have repeatedly shown that voter fraud is exceptionally rare .
Much of Trump ’ s ire has centered on Pennsylvania , where the campaign has launched multiple lawsuits despite no indications of fraud or large-scale problems .
“ On Election Day , we didn ’ t have any reports of anything significant , ” said Lisa Schaefer , who leads the bipartisan County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have confidence in the result of this election , as we do every other election.
” Some incidents did get attention : In some Ohio and Texas counties , electronic poll books used to check in voters were sidelined when polls opened because they were still downloading a database update .
That forced officials turn to paper backups or extend voting hours on Election Day .
Some Georgia counties also grappled with poll book issues and with ballot-processing difficulties in a new statewide voting system .
That said , the errors seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most elections , University of Iowa computer scientist Doug Jones said .
“ The practical consequence of Trump ’ s call to vigilance to prevent fraud was increased scrutiny from both sides , and this increased scrutiny seems to have worked , ” Jones said .
“ Election officials have been more careful , and election procedures have been followed more scrupulously than usual.
” The federal agency charged with leading efforts to secure U.S. elections has said there were no significant problems aside from small , ordinary glitches .
This year ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the use of paper voting records , with more ballots being cast either on paper or with an electronic voting machine that generates a paper backup than in any previous election .
The election was also the most transparent .
Several election offices offered live webcams to show the ballot-review process and added the ability for voters to track their ballots through the process .
“ The system held up given the extraordinary circumstances that election officials faced , ” said Amber McReynolds , who leads the National Vote at Home Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their jobs even though , in most cases , they had one hand tied behind their back.
” Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst , New York , and Carr Smyth from Columbus , Ohio .
Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Boston , Ken Ritter in Las Vegas , Kate Brumback in Atlanta , Ben Fox in Washington and David Eggert in Lansing , Michigan , contributed to this report .
Associated Press coverage of voting rights receives support in part from Carnegie Corporation of New York .
The AP is solely responsible for @ @ @

CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY, ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE and JULIE CARR SMYTH

ATLANTA (AP) - The 2020 election unfolded smoothly across the country and without any widespread irregularities, according to state officials and election experts, a stark contrast to the baseless claims of fraud being leveled by President Donald Trump following his defeat.
Election experts said the large increase in advance voting - 107 million people voting early in person and by mail - helped take pressure off Election Day operations. There were also no incidents of violence at the polls or voter intimidation.
“The 2020 general election was one of the smoothest and most well-run elections that we have ever seen, and that is remarkable considering all the challenges,” said Ben Hovland, a Democrat appointed by Trump to serve on the Election Assistance Commission, which works closely with officials on election administration.
Following Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, Trump has sought to discredit the integrity of the election and argued without evidence that the results will be overturned. Republican lawmakers have said the president should be allowed to launch legal challenges, though many of those lawsuits have already been turned away by judges and those that remain do not include evidence of problems that would change the outcome of the race.
In Wisconsin, a battleground state where Biden narrowly edged Trump, top election official Meagan Wolfe said there were no problems with the election reported to her office and no complaints filed alleging any irregularities.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, said the same was true in her state, which Biden also won.
“Let me be clear - the November elections in Michigan ran as smoothly as ever,” Nessel said, adding that there were no “instances of irregularities in the process of counting the votes, only evidence-free allegations, wild speculation, and conspiracy theories.”
Ahead of Election Day, the pandemic upended longstanding voting plans and forced election officials to make systemic changes largely on the fly. They did so with limited federal money to cover increased costs for mail ballots, which take more staff and money to send, process and count.
After problems erupted during spring primaries, the nation worried whether election officials could pull off a problem-free presidential election during a pandemic while confronting the threat of foreign interference from sophisticated adversaries led by Russia.
“In the spring, there were just so many challenges we were facing, and we were just wondering how we were going to manage to do it,” said Larry Norden, an elections expert with the Brennan Center for Justice. “It’s an incredible story.”
Long before a single ballot was cast, Trump raised questions about the integrity of the election and railed against mail voting despite a long history of mail ballots being used successfully in this country. At one point, he claimed the only way he could lose was if the election were rigged.
Some states that expanded mail-in voting to make it safer to cast a ballot during the virus outbreak lean Republican and voted for Trump - Nebraska, North Dakota and Montana. He has raised no concerns about the results there.
On Monday, Attorney General William Barr authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to probe “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities.
The groundless claims pushed by Trump and his allies about voting and ballot counting have only intensified since The Associated Press and other news organizations called the race Saturday for Biden, who leads in both the popular vote and in the Electoral College.
Among the many lawsuits filed since Election Day is one in Nevada by the Trump campaign alleging voter fraud. Without explanation, Trump tweeted that the state is “turning out to be a cesspool of Fake Votes.”
Such claims have put pressure on Republican election officials fielding scores of reports of fraud that so far have turned out to be human error or limited in scope.
Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, said her office wouldn’t quantify how many complaints it had received, adding, “Many voter fraud complaints lack any evidence and are more complaints about process or policy.”
In Iowa, Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, ordered all counties in the state to double-check results after a data entry error was discovered in one precinct.
“These human errors are unfortunate and frustrating, but the system is working,” he said.
On Monday, Georgia’s two U.S. senators, both Trump supporters facing close runoff elections that could determine which party controls the Senate next year, called on the state’s top election official, a fellow Republican, to resign over unspecified claims of election mismanagement.
The official, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, said he would not step down and assured the public there had been no widespread problems.
“Was there illegal voting? I’m sure there was, and my office is investigating all of it,” Raffensperger said. “Does it rise to the numbers or margin necessary to change the outcome to where President Trump is given Georgia’s electoral votes? That is unlikely.”
Studies have repeatedly shown that voter fraud is exceptionally rare.
Much of Trump’s ire has centered on Pennsylvania, where the campaign has launched multiple lawsuits despite no indications of fraud or large-scale problems.
“On Election Day, we didn’t have any reports of anything significant,” said Lisa Schaefer, who leads the bipartisan County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. “We have every reason to have confidence in the result of this election, as we do every other election.”
Some incidents did get attention: In some Ohio and Texas counties, electronic poll books used to check in voters were sidelined when polls opened because they were still downloading a database update. That forced officials to turn to paper backups or extend voting hours on Election Day. Some Georgia counties also grappled with poll book issues and with ballot-processing difficulties in a new statewide voting system.
That said, the errors seemed to have occurred at lower rates than in most elections, University of Iowa computer scientist Doug Jones said.
“The practical consequence of Trump’s call to vigilance to prevent fraud was increased scrutiny from both sides, and this increased scrutiny seems to have worked,” Jones said. “Election officials have been more careful, and election procedures have been followed more scrupulously than usual.”
The federal agency charged with leading efforts to secure U.S. elections has said there were no significant problems aside from small, ordinary glitches.
This year’s presidential election marked a significant step in the use of paper voting records, with more ballots being cast either on paper or with an electronic voting machine that generates a paper backup than in any previous election. The election was also the most transparent. Several election offices offered live webcams to show the ballot-review process and added the ability for voters to track their ballots through the process.
“The system held up given the extraordinary circumstances that election officials faced,” said Amber McReynolds, who leads the National Vote at Home Institute. “Election officials managed to do their jobs even though, in most cases, they had one hand tied behind their back.”
___
Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst, New York, and Carr Smyth from Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Boston, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Ben Fox in Washington and David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press coverage of voting rights receives support in part from Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Lawmakers delve into budget challenges for 2021 session

FRANKFORT , Ky. ( AP ) - Kentucky lawmakers on Tuesday delved into the challenges of crafting a new state budget expected to be strained by spending demands caused by the coronavirus outbreak .
State Budget Director John Hicks , in a presentation to a legislative panel , pointed to rising Medicaid enrollment and lower revenues for state parks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Besides those and other looming demands , the state ’ s virus-battered economy lost tens of thousands of jobs that haven ’ t returned , Hicks said .
The service sector has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hospitality businesses such as hotels and restaurants .
But the state ’ s revenue collections remain resilient .
General fund receipts in October rose 3 % compared with last year ’ s total , Hicks said .
Sales and use tax receipts grew 6.3 % last month .
General fund receipts were up 5.1 % for the first four months of the fiscal year .
The general fund pays for most state services , including education , health care and public safety .
“ While we have better news on the revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling with recovering from the initial stages of the pandemic , ” Hicks told the lawmakers .
Last week , Gov .
Andy Beshear said he anticipates being able to balance the state ’ s current fiscal-year budget without cuts to state agencies or the road fund .
He pointed to better-than-expected revenue collections and the influx of virus-related federal aid as key factors to avoid midyear cuts .
Hicks warned Tuesday that the state ’ s tax collections are expected to weaken without another round of federal aid to assist individuals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his budget recommendations to the GOP-dominated legislature in early January for the next fiscal year , which begins next July 1 .
Responding to virus-related spending needs will be a big focus in his spending proposal , Beshear told The Associated Press in a phone interview Monday .
But his top priorities remain the same as before the pandemic hit , the Democratic governor said .
“ They are a world-class public-school education for our children , access to high-quality health care , jobs that pay a wage that you can raise a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honoring the retirements of our public servants , ” he said .
“ Those are always going to be my priorities.
” Once Beshear submits his spending plan , the work will shift to lawmakers during the 30-day session .
Republicans added to their supermajorities in the House and Senate in last week ’ s election .
Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel , chairman of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue , said Tuesday that lawmakers will face a “ challenging time ” in the session - “ lots of big things on the agenda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unknowns.
” Kentucky lawmakers passed a slimmed-down , one-year state budget earlier this year because of uncertainties caused by the coronavirus .
The state usually operates on a two-year budget cycle .
Although the state faces increased demands on several fronts because of the virus outbreak , it could get some relief in corrections funding , Hicks said .
Lower overall inmate populations in prisons and jails compared with prior estimates are expected to continue into the next fiscal year , he said .
The reduction stems in part from Beshear ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jail .
Meanwhile , Hicks told lawmakers that Kentucky has borrowed about $ 475 million from the federal government to keep up with demands on the unemployment insurance trust fund .
A record number of Kentuckians turned to the unemployment insurance system for help during the pandemic .
Beshear has reserved at least $ 200 million in federal virus aid to help repay the borrowing .

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky lawmakers on Tuesday delved into the challenges of crafting a new state budget expected to be strained by spending demands caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
State Budget Director John Hicks, in a presentation to a legislative panel, pointed to rising Medicaid enrollment and lower revenues for state parks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides those and other looming demands, the state’s virus-battered economy lost tens of thousands of jobs that haven’t returned, Hicks said. The service sector has been especially hard hit, especially among leisure and hospitality businesses such as hotels and restaurants.
But the state’s revenue collections remain resilient. General fund receipts in October rose 3% compared with last year’s total, Hicks said. Sales and use tax receipts grew 6.3% last month. General fund receipts were up 5.1% for the first four months of the fiscal year. The general fund pays for most state services, including education, health care and public safety.
“While we have better news on the revenue side, the Kentucky economy is still struggling with recovering from the initial stages of the pandemic,” Hicks told the lawmakers.
Last week, Gov. Andy Beshear said he anticipates being able to balance the state’s current fiscal-year budget without cuts to state agencies or the road fund. He pointed to better-than-expected revenue collections and the influx of virus-related federal aid as key factors to avoid midyear cuts.
Hicks warned Tuesday that the state’s tax collections are expected to weaken without another round of federal aid to assist individuals and businesses.
Beshear is expected to present his budget recommendations to the GOP-dominated legislature in early January for the next fiscal year, which begins next July 1.
Responding to virus-related spending needs will be a big focus in his spending proposal, Beshear told The Associated Press in a phone interview Monday.
But his top priorities remain the same as before the pandemic hit, the Democratic governor said.
“They are a world-class public-school education for our children, access to high-quality health care, jobs that pay a wage that you can raise a family on them, and securing and honoring the retirements of our public servants,” he said. “Those are always going to be my priorities.”
Once Beshear submits his spending plan, the work will shift to lawmakers during the 30-day session. Republicans added to their supermajorities in the House and Senate in last week’s election.
Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel, chairman of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue, said Tuesday that lawmakers will face a “challenging time” in the session - “lots of big things on the agenda, compressed timelines, still a lot of unknowns.”
Kentucky lawmakers passed a slimmed-down, one-year state budget earlier this year because of uncertainties caused by the coronavirus. The state usually operates on a two-year budget cycle.
Although the state faces increased demands on several fronts because of the virus outbreak, it could get some relief in corrections funding, Hicks said. Lower overall inmate populations in prisons and jails compared with prior estimates are expected to continue into the next fiscal year, he said. The reduction stems in part from Beshear’s commutation orders in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jail.
Meanwhile, Hicks told lawmakers that Kentucky has borrowed about $475 million from the federal government to keep up with demands on the unemployment insurance trust fund. A record number of Kentuckians turned to the unemployment insurance system for help during the pandemic. Beshear has reserved at least $200 million in federal virus aid to help repay the borrowing.
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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Man who died in 400-foot fall at Utah lake was from Arizona

ESCALANTE , Utah ( AP ) - A man who died in an estimated 400-foot fall from Willow Gulch in the Escalante Arm of Lake Powell in Utah last month has been identified , authorities said Tuesday .
Kane County Sheriff ’ s officials said the victim was 49-year-old Cory James Christensen and his last known address was Flagstaff , Arizona .
They said information and keys found inside the backpack Christensen he was wearing when he fell on Oct. 8 led to a search for a vehicle .
It was located in a Garfield County parking lot about eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles from the location of the fall .
Based on conversations investigators had with eyewitnesses elsewhere in his travels , it ’ s believed Christensen was traveling alone .
Sheriff ’ s officials said bicycle parts were found in Christensen ’ s backpack and investigators are considering the possibility that he rode an off-road bike from his vehicle to an area near Willow Gulch .
The fatal fall remains under investigation by the county Sheriff ’ s Office , the National Park Service and the Utah State Medical Examiner ’ s Office .

ESCALANTE, Utah (AP) - A man who died in an estimated 400-foot fall from Willow Gulch in the Escalante Arm of Lake Powell in Utah last month has been identified, authorities said Tuesday.
Kane County Sheriff’s officials said the victim was 49-year-old Cory James Christensen and his last known address was Flagstaff, Arizona.
They said information and keys found inside the backpack Christensen he was wearing when he fell on Oct. 8 led to a search for a vehicle.
It was located in a Garfield County parking lot about eight miles south of Escalante and about 35 miles from the location of the fall.
Based on conversations investigators had with eyewitnesses elsewhere in his travels, it’s believed Christensen was traveling alone.
Sheriff’s officials said bicycle parts were found in Christensen’s backpack and investigators are considering the possibility that he rode an off-road bike from his vehicle to an area near Willow Gulch.
The fatal fall remains under investigation by the county Sheriff’s Office, the National Park Service and the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--California driver gets 16 years for killing bicyclist

POMONA , Calif. ( AP ) - A Southern California woman who intentionally ran over and killed a bicyclist and @ @ @ @ @ others was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in state prison , authorities said .
Sandra @ @ @ @ @ of Claremont , was sentenced immediately after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter and assault @ @ @ @ @ two counts of attempted murder , the Los Angeles County district attorney ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ Wicksted ’ s 1996 Mercury Tracer struck and killed Leslie Pray , 54 , of @ @ @ @ @ of Los Angeles on Nov. 3 , 2018 .
Prosecutors said the driver intentionally struck @ @ @ @ @ a bike lane .
Authorities haven ’ t provided a motive for the attack .
@ @ @ @ @ competent to stand trial .

POMONA, Calif. (AP) - A Southern California woman who intentionally ran over and killed a bicyclist and tried to run down two others was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in state prison, authorities said.
Sandra Marie Wicksted, 63, of Claremont, was sentenced immediately after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of attempted murder, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said in a statement.
Wicksted’s 1996 Mercury Tracer struck and killed Leslie Pray, 54, of Claremont in the town east of Los Angeles on Nov. 3, 2018.
Prosecutors said the driver intentionally struck Pray, who was in a bike lane.
Authorities haven’t provided a motive for the attack. Wicksted had been found mentally competent to stand trial.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--California voters reject revamp to property tax system

California voters have rejected a proposal to partially dismantle the state ’ s 42-year-old cap on property taxes .
Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ vote count showed opponents to Proposition 15 with nearly 52 % of the votes .
@ @ @ @ @ limited tax increases to 2 % a year until a property is sold .
Proposition @ @ @ @ @ governments to assess commercial and industrial property every three years , a move supporters said @ @ @ @ @ 12.5 billion .
Residential property , including home-based businesses , would have remained under the @ @ @ @ @

SAN DIEGO (AP) - California voters rejected a proposal to partially dismantle the state’s 42-year-old cap on property taxes, a move that would have have raised taxes for many businesses in a pandemic-hobbled economy.
Following Tuesday’s update to the vote count, Proposition 15 had only about 48% support and was trailing by more than a half-million votes.
The loss is another blow to organized labor, which also came out on the losing side of the most expensive ballot question in state history. It would have required Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other app-based delivery services to treat their drivers as employees rather than independent contractors.
Since 1978, California has limited tax increases to 2% a year until a property is sold. With prices climbing at a much higher rate, taxpayers who have held homes and businesses for many years pay far less than what the market value would determine.
Proposition 15 would have allowed local governments to reassess commercial and industrial property every three years, while residential property, including home-based businesses, would remain under 1978 rules. The change would have generated up to $12.5 billion in revenue.
Supporters argued a “split-roll” system would help fix inequities that shield wealthy corporations from paying a fair share and deprive tax revenue for public schools and local governments. Several polls released before or during early voting showed the measure ahead, though not by much.
The No on 15 campaign had a simple message: “Stop Tax Hikes,” its red-and-white yard signs read.
Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable and co-chair of the No on Prop 15 campaign, said the outcome signals efforts to dismantle the 1978 tax system will fail.
“From day one, we knew that if voters understood the harm this deeply flawed tax hike would impose on California’s economy and its families, farmers and small businesses, voters would reject this ill-advised effort,” he said.
The Yes on 15 campaign said Tuesday that it took on “the third rail of California politics” and achieved a level of support that many thought could never be achieved.
“It represented a big step forward for a more equitable and prosperous state, and it provides a framework and base of power for future work and reform to truly take on the biggest challenges of our times on behalf of all Californians,” the campaign said.
As expected, the measure performed far better in Democratic strongholds, including Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. But it still fell short in many areas that went solidly for President-elect Joe Biden, who endorsed it along with his running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California.
In San Diego County, the state’s second most populous, voters rejected Proposition 15 by 13 percentage points, while backing Biden over President Donald Trump by 23 points. In Sacramento County, No votes outnumbered Yes votes by 7 percentage points, while Biden won by 29 points.
The voter-backed 1978 Proposition 13 sparked a nationwide tax revolt and held enduring popularity. Jerry Brown, California’s governor from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019, said several years ago that Proposition 13, enshrined in the state constitution, is “a sacred doctrine that should never be questioned.”
But backers of Proposition 15 mounted a formidable challenge by targeting only commercial and industrial properties, with exemptions aimed at small businesses.
The measure would have raised $8 billion to $12.5 billion a year. After costs to counties to reassess property and some tax cuts for business equipment, local governments and schools would net $6.5 billion to $11.5 billion a year in a 60-40 split.
Businesses would have been exempt if the property owner had $3 million or less worth of commercial property in California. For businesses with fewer than 50 employees that occupy half a building’s space, the changes wouldn’t take effect until 2025. For others, they would begin in 2022.
Supporters raised $56.3 million by Oct. 16, fueled by the California Teachers Association, Service Employees International Union and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative started by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan.
Opponents raised $60.9 million, led by business groups including the California Business Roundtable and the California Farm Bureau.
Another ballot measure that would allow homeowners who are 55 and older, disabled or wildfire victims to transfer a primary residence’s tax base to a replacement home was narrowly ahead.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Joe Biden faces delicate dilemma in Afghanistan War handoff

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden is facing pressure from all sides in the war in Afghanistan , with Taliban leaders urging him to continue a rapid drawdown of American troops while the U.S.-backed government in Kabul is pleading for a cautious approach and a rock-solid commitment to counterterrorism .
Perhaps no other foreign policy challenge will prove trickier for Mr. Biden to finesse in his first days in office than Afghanistan , as violence escalates on the ground , power-sharing talks midwifed by the Trump administration have barely started , and a U.S. troop withdrawal is gaining momentum .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big-picture , long-term approach to the country — home to the longest war in American history and still a hotbed of Islamic extremism — will in many ways mirror that of President Trump , with the former vice president repeatedly pledging to wind down the “ forever wars ” that have consumed the U.S. military in the post-9/11 era .
Analysts say it ’ s clear that Mr. Biden ‘ s position has been heavily influenced by Mr. Trump ‘ s largely successful effort to reframe the debate around U.S. involvement in Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a clear desire among the American public to see the troops finally come home .
But those same analysts say it ’ s unlikely that Mr. Biden will simply follow Mr. Trump ‘ s playbook to the letter .
Mr. Biden has indicated that he is willing to station as many as 2,000 troops in the Middle East and retain a small number in Afghanistan , a move that would require changes to the landmark U.S.-Taliban peace pact struck in February .
That agreement calls for all American forces to leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security and political guarantees from the Taliban .
The insurgent group this week publicly pressed Mr. Biden to stick to the agreement and quickly move out the remaining 4,500 American troops , while the Kabul government is urging Washington to revisit aspects of the deal and avoid premature withdrawals .
Many predict Mr. Biden ‘ s foreign policy team will continue diplomatic engagement with the Taliban but abandon Mr. Trump ‘ s expedited withdrawal timeline , instead adopting a strict conditions-based approach favored by many Pentagon leaders .
A Biden administration is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani , which was largely sidelined in the early stages of negotiation between Washington and the Taliban .
“ Biden will likely continue the ‘ counterterrorism-plus ’ strategy which would see 1,500 to 2,000 troops remain in the country , ” said former Defense Department official Michael Rubin , now a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute .
“ The biggest difference between Biden and Trump would be that Biden ‘ s negotiators … would be far less likely than [ those of the Trump administration ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key negotiations.
” In addition to the U.S. troop drawdowns , the deal also called for direct talks between the Taliban and Afghan government , which are ongoing in Qatar .
It also required the Taliban to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups .
But even with the talks underway , new Pentagon assessments have warned that al Qaeda and Islamic State fighters remain active in remote areas of the country near the Pakistan border .
As Mr. Biden seeks to bring troops home , he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern .
“ These ‘ forever wars ’ have to end .
I support drawing down the troops , ” Mr. Biden told Stars and Stripes in September .
“ But here ’ s the problem : We still have to worry about terrorism.
” Meanwhile , both sides of the Afghanistan conflict are angling for influence as the Biden transition team prepares for power .
In a statement this week , Mr. Ghani congratulated Mr. Biden on his apparent election victory but made clear what he expects of his new partner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deepening our multilayered strategic partnership with the U.S. — our foundational partner — including in counterterrorism and bringing peace to Afghanistan , ” he said .
Other Afghan officials were much more aggressive in their comments , calling on Mr. Biden to ditch Mr. Trump ‘ s approach .
“ We hope that Biden does not follow in the footsteps of Trump , who has discredited the U.S. and committed a betrayal both to the U.S. and Afghanistan through the deal with the Taliban , ” Hamidullah Tokhi , a lawmaker from Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News this week .
“ Biden needs to think about U.S. and Afghanistani honor .
He can pull the troops out , but not in a hasty manner .
First , he needs to reconcile the two sides.
” Meanwhile , military clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces continue .
The bloody battles have led the U.S. in recent weeks to step up its own bombing campaign against Taliban targets to keep them from capturing key strategic territory in Helmand province and elsewhere .
U.S. officials also have warned recently that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine the very foundation of the peace deal .
Taliban leaders are brushing off those warnings .
In its own statement this week , the insurgent group pressed Mr. Biden to continue along the path set out by Mr. Trump .
“ The Islamic Emirate would like to stress to the new American president-elect and future administration that implementation of the agreement is the most reasonable and effective tool for ending the conflict between both our countries , ” the Taliban said .
“ Withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan , noninterference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of Afghanistan to threaten America are in the interest of both our peoples and our nations.
” About 12,000 U.S. troops were in Afghanistan when the peace deal was signed in February .
That number has steadily dropped and now stands at about 4,500 .
Administration officials have said it will be down to 2,500 by early next year .
Those figures offer a reminder of how dramatically America ’ s footprint in Afghanistan has changed over the past 10 years .
A decade ago , Mr. Biden and then-President Obama — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. forces to Afghanistan , with the number ultimately topping 100,000 in 2010 .
It was down to about 8,400 when the two men left office in January 2017 .
Now , Mr. Biden ‘ s official campaign platform stresses that Washington can no longer stay “ entrenched in unwinnable conflicts ” in chaotic corners of the world , and promises that the former vice president will bring home “ the vast majority ” of U.S. troops from the Middle East .
Some analysts say such comments — and Mr. Biden ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ forever wars ” — are evidence of just how significantly Mr. Trump ‘ s “ America First ” policy has reshaped foreign affairs conversations and dictated the options for those who come after him .
“ One of the many ironies in President Trump ‘ s legacy is that while he was further to the left on key aspects of foreign policy and international trade than President Obama , the political left gave him no credit for it , ” said J.D .
Gordon , a former Trump campaign national security adviser @ @ @ @

Presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden is facing pressure from all sides in the war in Afghanistan, with Taliban leaders urging him to continue a rapid drawdown of American troops while the U.S.-backed government in Kabul is pleading for a cautious approach and a rock-solid commitment to counterterrorism.
Perhaps no other foreign policy challenge will prove trickier for Mr. Biden to finesse in his first days in office than Afghanistan, as violence escalates on the ground, power-sharing talks midwifed by the Trump administration have barely started, and a U.S. troop withdrawal is gaining momentum.
It seems certain that Mr. Biden’s big-picture, long-term approach to the country — home to the longest war in American history and still a hotbed of Islamic extremism — will in many ways mirror that of President Trump, with the former vice president repeatedly pledging to wind down the “forever wars” that have consumed the U.S. military in the post-9/11 era. Analysts say it’s clear that Mr. Biden’s position has been heavily influenced by Mr. Trump’s largely successful effort to reframe the debate around U.S. involvement in Afghanistan — now nearing its 20th year — and a clear desire among the American public to see the troops finally come home.
But those same analysts say it’s unlikely that Mr. Biden will simply follow Mr. Trump’s playbook to the letter. Mr. Biden has indicated that he is willing to station as many as 2,000 troops in the Middle East and retain a small number in Afghanistan, a move that would require changes to the landmark U.S.-Taliban peace pact struck in February.
That agreement calls for all American forces to leave the country by next summer in exchange for security and political guarantees from the Taliban. The insurgent group this week publicly pressed Mr. Biden to stick to the agreement and quickly move out the remaining 4,500 American troops, while the Kabul government is urging Washington to revisit aspects of the deal and avoid premature withdrawals.
Many predict Mr. Biden’s foreign policy team will continue diplomatic engagement with the Taliban but abandon Mr. Trump’s expedited withdrawal timeline, instead adopting a strict conditions-based approach favored by many Pentagon leaders. A Biden administration is also likely to work more closely with the Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani, which was largely sidelined in the early stages of negotiation between Washington and the Taliban.
“Biden will likely continue the ‘counterterrorism-plus’ strategy which would see 1,500 to 2,000 troops remain in the country,” said former Defense Department official Michael Rubin, now a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. “The biggest difference between Biden and Trump would be that Biden’s negotiators … would be far less likely than [those of the Trump administration] to cut out the Afghanistan government from key negotiations.”
In addition to the U.S. troop drawdowns, the deal also called for direct talks between the Taliban and Afghan government, which are ongoing in Qatar. It also required the Taliban to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups.
But even with the talks underway, new Pentagon assessments have warned that al Qaeda and Islamic State fighters remain active in remote areas of the country near the Pakistan border. As Mr. Biden seeks to bring troops home, he has made clear that terrorism remains a major concern.
“These ‘forever wars’ have to end. I support drawing down the troops,” Mr. Biden told Stars and Stripes in September. “But here’s the problem: We still have to worry about terrorism.”
Growing pressure
Meanwhile, both sides of the Afghanistan conflict are angling for influence as the Biden transition team prepares for power. In a statement this week, Mr. Ghani congratulated Mr. Biden on his apparent election victory but made clear what he expects of his new partner.
“Afghanistan looks forward to continuing and deepening our multilayered strategic partnership with the U.S. — our foundational partner — including in counterterrorism and bringing peace to Afghanistan,” he said.
Other Afghan officials were much more aggressive in their comments, calling on Mr. Biden to ditch Mr. Trump’s approach.
“We hope that Biden does not follow in the footsteps of Trump, who has discredited the U.S. and committed a betrayal both to the U.S. and Afghanistan through the deal with the Taliban,” Hamidullah Tokhi, a lawmaker from Afghanistan’s Zabul province, told Arab News this week. “Biden needs to think about U.S. and Afghanistani honor. He can pull the troops out, but not in a hasty manner. First, he needs to reconcile the two sides.”
Meanwhile, military clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces continue. The bloody battles have led the U.S. in recent weeks to step up its own bombing campaign against Taliban targets to keep them from capturing key strategic territory in Helmand province and elsewhere.
U.S. officials also have warned recently that the Taliban’s continued violence could undermine the very foundation of the peace deal.
Taliban leaders are brushing off those warnings. In its own statement this week, the insurgent group pressed Mr. Biden to continue along the path set out by Mr. Trump.
“The Islamic Emirate would like to stress to the new American president-elect and future administration that implementation of the agreement is the most reasonable and effective tool for ending the conflict between both our countries,” the Taliban said. “Withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, noninterference in our country and not allowing the use of Afghanistan to threaten America are in the interest of both our peoples and our nations.”
About 12,000 U.S. troops were in Afghanistan when the peace deal was signed in February. That number has steadily dropped and now stands at about 4,500.
Administration officials have said it will be down to 2,500 by early next year. Those figures offer a reminder of how dramatically America’s footprint in Afghanistan has changed over the past 10 years.
A decade ago, Mr. Biden and then-President Obama — reluctantly — presided over a massive surge of U.S. forces to Afghanistan, with the number ultimately topping 100,000 in 2010. It was down to about 8,400 when the two men left office in January 2017.
Now, Mr. Biden’s official campaign platform stresses that Washington can no longer stay “entrenched in unwinnable conflicts” in chaotic corners of the world, and promises that the former vice president will bring home “the vast majority” of U.S. troops from the Middle East.
Some analysts say such comments — and Mr. Biden’s use of Trump-esque terms such as “forever wars” — are evidence of just how significantly Mr. Trump’s “America First” policy has reshaped foreign affairs conversations and dictated the options for those who come after him.
“One of the many ironies in President Trump’s legacy is that while he was further to the left on key aspects of foreign policy and international trade than President Obama, the political left gave him no credit for it,” said J.D. Gordon, a former Trump campaign national security adviser and Pentagon spokesman.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--California governor eases penalties for 35 former felons

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) - California Gov .
Gavin Newsom eased the sentences or criminal histories of nearly three dozen current or former felons on Tuesday , including 10 pardons intended to aid immigrants who face the possibility of deportation .
“ Their deportations would be an unjust collateral consequence that would harm their families and communities , ” his office said in announcing the actions .
One of the 10 is currently in a federal immigration detention facility .
The 10 were among 22 pardons , 13 commutations and four medical reprieves , the last a category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state corrections secretary and a federal court-appointed official who controls the prison medical system recommended the medical risk clemency review .
They are in addition to thousands of other earlier releases intended to free space within the state ’ s prison system to slow the virus ’ spread or allow for better treatment .
A reprieve allows inmates to temporarily serve their sentences in alternative locations in the community .
Recipients included 71-year-old Larry Johnson , serving a life term for a third-strike crime of stealing a VCR and gaming system from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office .
The others are ages 87 , 71 and 68 and similarly are serving life terms for third-strike offenses of robbery or burglary .
Pardons don ’ t erase convictions , but they can help immigrants mitigate the criminal histories that can be used as the basis for their deportations .
Among them , for example , is Somdeng “ Danny ” Thongsy , 41 , who entered the U.S. legally when he was 2 years old .
He seeking to avoid deportation back to Laos for killing one rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1997 , when he was age 17 .
He was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison .
Newsom ’ s office also highlighted his pardoning of Violet Henderson , 66 , who once was one of the few women to help build the Bay Bridge .
She was convicted of conspiring to commit grand theft when she was 18 and served 18 months in prison before going on to lead the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency ’ s waste reduction and recycling programs .
She expects to graduate from the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double major in 2022 .
The 13 commutations modify criminal sentences for those currently in prison , mostly granting immediate parole or allowing inmates to seek parole .
The include , for instance , David Diaz , who has served 21 years for attempting to murder a victim who says Diaz didn ’ t do it , according to Newsom ’ s office .
He was 19 when he was convicted of shooting and injuring a rival gang member .
Other commutations include those convicted of murder , second-degree murder , attempted murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office nearly two years ago , Newsom , a Democrat , has granted 63 pardons , 78 commutations and the four reprieves .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom eased the sentences or criminal histories of nearly three dozen current or former felons on Tuesday, including 10 pardons intended to aid immigrants who face the possibility of deportation.
“Their deportations would be an unjust collateral consequence that would harm their families and communities,” his office said in announcing the actions. One of the 10 is currently in a federal immigration detention facility.
The 10 were among 22 pardons, 13 commutations and four medical reprieves, the last a category prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The state corrections secretary and a federal court-appointed official who controls the prison medical system recommended the medical risk clemency review. They are in addition to thousands of other earlier releases intended to free space within the state’s prison system to slow the virus’ spread or allow for better treatment.
A reprieve allows inmates to temporarily serve their sentences in alternative locations in the community.
Recipients included 71-year-old Larry Johnson, serving a life term for a third-strike crime of stealing a VCR and gaming system from a home in 1995, according to Newsom’s office. The others are ages 87, 71 and 68 and similarly are serving life terms for third-strike offenses of robbery or burglary.
Pardons don’t erase convictions, but they can help immigrants mitigate the criminal histories that can be used as the basis for their deportations.
Among them, for example, is Somdeng “Danny” Thongsy, 41, who entered the U.S. legally when he was 2 years old. He seeking to avoid deportation back to Laos for killing one rival gang member and injuring two others in 1997, when he was age 17. He was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison.
Newsom’s office also highlighted his pardoning of Violet Henderson, 66, who once was one of the few women to help build the Bay Bridge. She was convicted of conspiring to commit grand theft when she was 18 and served 18 months in prison before going on to lead the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s waste reduction and recycling programs. She expects to graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, with a double major in 2022.
The 13 commutations modify criminal sentences for those currently in prison, mostly granting immediate parole or allowing inmates to seek parole.
The include, for instance, David Diaz, who has served 21 years for attempting to murder a victim who says Diaz didn’t do it, according to Newsom’s office. He was 19 when he was convicted of shooting and injuring a rival gang member.
Other commutations include those convicted of murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and carjacking,
Since taking office nearly two years ago, Newsom, a Democrat, has granted 63 pardons, 78 commutations and the four reprieves.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Investigators find no evidence that Black man shot at police

VANCOUVER , Wash. ( AP ) - Police investigating a shooting in which deputies killed a 21-year-old Black man near Vancouver , Washington during a drug investigation said Tuesday they found no evidence that the man fired at deputies .
The Southwest Washington Independent Investigative Response Team said in a news release that although an affidavit filed in Clark County District Court indicated that Kevin Peterson Jr. fired twice at deputies on Oct. 29 , investigators do not have evidence of that .
Deputies were chasing Peterson after detectives tried to arrest him on suspicion of selling Xanax pills in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Investigators also identified the members of law enforcement involved in the shooting as Detective Jeremy Brown , Detective Robert Anderson and Deputy Jonathan Feller , all with the Clark County Sheriff ’ s Office .
On Oct. 29 , detectives with the Clark County Regional Drug Task Force were trying to purchase Xanax in Hazel Dell from a man detectives had identified by his Snapchat profile , investigators said .
Detectives identified the man , Kevin Peterson Jr. , when his vehicle pulled into the parking lot , and when they tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to investigators .
Detectives ordered Peterson to stop but he continued to run , dropped a handgun and picked it back up , investigators said .
Detectives stopped their pursuit and told other units by radio that Peterson was armed .
When deputies saw him walking through a U.S. Bank parking lot with a cellphone in hand , they ordered him to stop , investigators said .
Peterson kept walking and pulled a gun from his pocket , according to the investigative team .
Anderson told investigators he believed Peterson was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming in from the north and that he fired at Peterson as he walked in that direction .
Feller said Peterson pointed the handgun at him while running north and that ’ s when Feller fired his pistol at Peterson , according to the investigation team .
Video from U.S. Bank shows Peterson fall , then sit up and point a handgun at Brown , investigators said .
Brown and Anderson then fired at Peterson , according to investigators .
Deputies gave Peterson commands to drop the gun and he eventually did , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid .
Investigators said they conducted a round count from Peterson ’ s Glock handgun and noted one round was chambered and one round was missing from the magazine .
Investigators said as of Tuesday they do not have evidence that Peterson fired the handgun while in the U.S. Bank parking lot .
Additionally , no casings from his gun were recovered at the scene .
Authorities are working to finish the investigation .
Peterson ’ s death led to tense demonstrations in Vancouver decrying the police killing .

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - Police investigating a shooting in which deputies killed a 21-year-old Black man near Vancouver, Washington during a drug investigation said Tuesday they found no evidence that the man fired at deputies.
The Southwest Washington Independent Investigative Response Team said in a news release that although an affidavit filed in Clark County District Court indicated that Kevin Peterson Jr. fired twice at deputies on Oct. 29, investigators do not have evidence of that. The day after the shooting, Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins had also said Peterson had fired a gun at the deputies.
Deputies were chasing Peterson after detectives tried to arrest him on suspicion of selling Xanax pills in a sting set up by an informant.
Investigators also identified the members of law enforcement involved in the shooting as Detective Jeremy Brown, Detective Robert Anderson and Deputy Jonathan Feller, all with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
On Oct. 29, detectives with the Clark County Regional Drug Task Force were trying to purchase Xanax in Hazel Dell from a man detectives had identified by his Snapchat profile, investigators said. Detectives identified the man, Kevin Peterson Jr., when his vehicle pulled into the parking lot, and when they tried to contact him, Peterson ran, according to investigators.
Detectives ordered Peterson to stop but he continued to run, dropped a handgun and picked it back up, investigators said. Detectives stopped their pursuit and told other units by radio that Peterson was armed.
When deputies saw him walking through a U.S. Bank parking lot with a cellphone in hand, they ordered him to stop, investigators said. Peterson kept walking and pulled a gun from his pocket, according to the investigative team.
Anderson told investigators he believed Peterson was a threat to the public and to police coming in from the north and that he fired at Peterson as he walked in that direction. Feller said Peterson pointed the handgun at him while running north and that’s when Feller fired his pistol at Peterson, according to the investigation team.
Video from U.S. Bank shows Peterson fall, then sit up and point a handgun at Brown, investigators said. Brown and Anderson then fired at Peterson, according to investigators.
Deputies gave Peterson commands to drop the gun and he eventually did, investigators said, and deputies began first aid.
Investigators said they conducted a round count from Peterson’s Glock handgun and noted one round was chambered and one round was missing from the magazine. Investigators said as of Tuesday they do not have evidence that Peterson fired the handgun while in the U.S. Bank parking lot. Additionally, no casings from his gun were recovered at the scene. Authorities are working to finish the investigation.
Peterson’s death led to tense demonstrations in Vancouver decrying the police killing.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Mike Pompeo foresees 'a second Trump administration'

In his first public comments on the tight 2020 presidential race , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that he believes President Trump will emerge as the winner of last week ’ s election when the votes are all counted , despite the multiple media calls that Democrat Joseph R. Biden has won the race .
Mr. Pompeo became the latest top administration official to back Mr. Trump ’ s claims he will ultimately prevail in the race , even as his lawyers scramble to find evidence to back the president ’ s claims of fraud and vote-rigging .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a second Trump administration , ” Mr. Pompeo told a press briefing Tuesday when asked whether his department is preparing to engage with the Biden transition team .
The comments came amid heated arguments over the question of whether formal transition processes — such as sensitive U.S. intelligence briefings — should begin for Mr. Biden .
Asked specifically about Mr. Pompeo ‘ s comments later in the day , Mr. Biden answered more generally that Mr. Trump ’ s refusal to concede the race was not hampering his ability to conduct an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some influential Republicans claim the delay of such processes while Mr. Trump pursues legal challenges to the vote could undermine national security .
“ Our adversaries aren ’ t waiting for the transition to take place , ” said former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers , Texas Republican , who tweeted that Mr. Biden should begin receiving intelligence briefings immediately .
Mr. Pompeo , however , rejected a reporter ’ s suggestion that national security could be harmed as the election disputes are litigated , adding that Mr. Trump was within his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legally .
“ I am very confident that we will do all the things that are necessary to make sure that the United States government will continue to perform its national security function as we go forward , ” the secretary of state said .
He also bristled a question over whether the president ’ s stance was at odds with the State Department ’ s mission of encouraging other countries to follow democratic norms and accept the results of democratic elections .
“ That ’ s ridiculous , and you know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it because it ’ s ridiculous , ” Mr. Pompeo said .
“ We often encounter situations where it ’ s not clear about a particular election , ” he added .
“ … We want every one of those votes to be counted in the same way that we have every expectation that every vote here in the United States will be counted , too .
It is totally appropriate.
” Mr. Pompeo said people around the world are “ watching our election .
They understand that we have a legal process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Right ?
” he said , comparing the current situation to the 2000 election dispute between George W. Bush and Al Gore .
“ It took us 37-plus days in an election back in 2000 , ” Mr. Pompeo said .
“ We conducted a successful transition then .
I ’ m very confident that we will count every legal vote.
” But outgoing House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel , New York Democrat , criticized Mr. Pompeo ‘ s remarks , saying the nation ’ s top diplomat “ shouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous attacks on the legitimacy of last week ’ s election.
” The secretary of state appeared to be anxious to set out a legacy of achievement for his tenure Tuesday .
Appearing in the morning for the virtual launch of the Ronald Reagan Institute ’ s Center for Freedom and Democracy in Washington , Mr. Pompeo highlighted the administration ‘ s efforts to rally NATO and others to “ wake up ” to the threats posed by China .
Describing the Chinese Communist Party as a “ Marxist-Leninist monster ” and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat to freedom today , ” he said the Trump administration has success over the past four years at strengthening international efforts to confront Beijing .
In his press conference later , Mr. Pompeo ticked off a list of recent successes by the administration , including the placement of an American representative on the U.N. ’ s key budget advisory board overseeing nearly $ 10 billion in spending on operations and peacekeeping missions .
“ Doesn ’ t sound like much , but it ’ s a big deal , ” said Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case to our allies and partners on why having an American voice on this committee for the first time in an awfully long time is crucial to ensuring the money is spent responsibly .
”

In his first public comments on the tight 2020 presidential race, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that he believes President Trump will emerge as the winner of last week’s election when the votes are all counted, despite the multiple media calls that Democrat Joseph R. Biden has won the race.
Mr. Pompeo became the latest top administration official to back Mr. Trump’s claims he will ultimately prevail in the race, even as his lawyers scramble to find evidence to back the president’s claims of fraud and vote-rigging.
“There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” Mr. Pompeo told a press briefing Tuesday when asked whether his department is preparing to engage with the Biden transition team.
The comments came amid heated arguments over the question of whether formal transition processes — such as sensitive U.S. intelligence briefings — should begin for Mr. Biden.
Asked specifically about Mr. Pompeo’s comments later in the day, Mr. Biden answered more generally that Mr. Trump’s refusal to concede the race was not hampering his ability to conduct an orderly transition to power. Democrats and some influential Republicans claim the delay of such processes while Mr. Trump pursues legal challenges to the vote could undermine national security.
“Our adversaries aren’t waiting for the transition to take place,” said former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, Texas Republican, who tweeted that Mr. Biden should begin receiving intelligence briefings immediately.
Mr. Pompeo, however, rejected a reporter’s suggestion that national security could be harmed as the election disputes are litigated, adding that Mr. Trump was within his rights to ensure all votes cast were legally.
“I am very confident that we will do all the things that are necessary to make sure that the United States government will continue to perform its national security function as we go forward,” the secretary of state said.
He also bristled a question over whether the president’s stance was at odds with the State Department’s mission of encouraging other countries to follow democratic norms and accept the results of democratic elections.
“That’s ridiculous, and you know it’s ridiculous, and you asked it because it’s ridiculous,” Mr. Pompeo said.
“We often encounter situations where it’s not clear about a particular election,” he added. “… We want every one of those votes to be counted in the same way that we have every expectation that every vote here in the United States will be counted, too. It is totally appropriate.”
Mr. Pompeo said people around the world are “watching our election. They understand that we have a legal process. They understand that this takes time. Right?” he said, comparing the current situation to the 2000 election dispute between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
“It took us 37-plus days in an election back in 2000,” Mr. Pompeo said. “We conducted a successful transition then. I’m very confident that we will count every legal vote.”
But outgoing House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, New York Democrat, criticized Mr. Pompeo’s remarks, saying the nation’s top diplomat “shouldn’t play along with baseless and dangerous attacks on the legitimacy of last week’s election.”
The secretary of state appeared to be anxious to set out a legacy of achievement for his tenure Tuesday. Appearing in the morning for the virtual launch of the Ronald Reagan Institute’s Center for Freedom and Democracy in Washington, Mr. Pompeo highlighted the administration’s efforts to rally NATO and others to “wake up” to the threats posed by China.
Describing the Chinese Communist Party as a “Marxist-Leninist monster” and the “world’s No. 1 threat to freedom today,” he said the Trump administration has success over the past four years at strengthening international efforts to confront Beijing.
In his press conference later, Mr. Pompeo ticked off a list of recent successes by the administration, including the placement of an American representative on the U.N.’s key budget advisory board overseeing nearly $10 billion in spending on operations and peacekeeping missions.
“Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a big deal,” said Mr. Pompeo.
“Our diplomats made the case to our allies and partners on why having an American voice on this committee for the first time in an awfully long time is crucial to ensuring the money is spent responsibly.”
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Puerto Rico finds 126 briefcases of uncounted ballots a week after election

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico ’ s elections commission said Tuesday that it has discovered more than 100 briefcases containing uncounted ballots a week after the U.S. territory held its general election , drawing criticism and scorn from voters who now question the validity of the outcomes of certain races .
Francisco Rosado , the commission ’ s new president , said the briefcases were found in a secured vault and blamed the situation on what he said was an underfunded and understaffed administrative board responsible for counting a record number of absentee and early votes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our regret , a disorganization in the handling of material in the vaults , ” he said at a press conference .
“ Misplaced .
Poorly organized .
We have to admit that.
” Rosado said he didn ’ t know yet how many total votes are in the 126 briefcases , noting some contained three ballots and others 500 ballots .
Officials initially said there were 182 briefcases but later revised the number .
“ Every vote will be counted , ” he said .
“ I have to tell the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency of the process.
” The discovery is the latest misstep for a commission that botched the island ’ s primaries in August so badly that a second round of voting was held , an unprecedented situation that led to the commission ’ s previous president to resign a month later .
Then the commission was criticized for taking a record four days after the Nov. 3 general election to finalize counting nearly all votes , only to announce on Tuesday that it had discovered more briefcases .
Traditionally , the commission releases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Roberto Iván Aponte , electoral commissioner for Puerto Rico ’ s Independence Party , said in a phone interview that he expects all votes inside the newly discovered suitcases to be counted by Thursday at the latest .
He said those votes could affect races like the one for mayor of Culebra , a popular tourist island just east of Puerto Rico .
The mayor elect won only by two votes , according to preliminary results .
Aponte and other officials blame the ongoing problems on a new law that Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months before the primary that led to several changes including the softening of restrictions for absentee and early voting and eliminating departments and high-ranking positions within the elections commission , which led to the departure of longtime officials .
This year , Puerto Rico received more than 220,000 absentee and early votes , a record for officials who have been overwhelmed by the paperwork .
Aponte warned that the commission ’ s ongoing problems is sowing doubt among voters .
“ After these elections , there has to be a serious evaluation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said , referring to absentee and early votes .

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico’s elections commission said Tuesday that it has discovered more than 100 briefcases containing uncounted ballots a week after the U.S. territory held its general election, drawing criticism and scorn from voters who now question the validity of the outcomes of certain races.
Francisco Rosado, the commission’s new president, said the briefcases were found in a secured vault and blamed the situation on what he said was an underfunded and understaffed administrative board responsible for counting a record number of absentee and early votes.
“We’ve identified, much to our regret, a disorganization in the handling of material in the vaults,” he said at a press conference. “Misplaced. Poorly organized. We have to admit that.”
Rosado said he didn’t know yet how many total votes are in the 126 briefcases, noting some contained three ballots and others 500 ballots. Officials initially said there were 182 briefcases but later revised the number.
“Every vote will be counted,” he said. “I have to tell the people of Puerto Rico to trust the transparency of the process.”
The discovery is the latest misstep for a commission that botched the island’s primaries in August so badly that a second round of voting was held, an unprecedented situation that led to the commission’s previous president to resign a month later. Then the commission was criticized for taking a record four days after the Nov. 3 general election to finalize counting nearly all votes, only to announce on Tuesday that it had discovered more briefcases. Traditionally, the commission releases final vote counts the night of the election.
Roberto Iván Aponte, electoral commissioner for Puerto Rico’s Independence Party, said in a phone interview that he expects all votes inside the newly discovered suitcases to be counted by Thursday at the latest. He said those votes could affect races like the one for mayor of Culebra, a popular tourist island just east of Puerto Rico. The mayor elect won only by two votes, according to preliminary results.
Aponte and other officials blame the ongoing problems on a new law that Gov. Wanda Vázquez approved in June just two months before the primary that led to several changes including the softening of restrictions for absentee and early voting and eliminating departments and high-ranking positions within the elections commission, which led to the departure of longtime officials. This year, Puerto Rico received more than 220,000 absentee and early votes, a record for officials who have been overwhelmed by the paperwork.
Aponte warned that the commission’s ongoing problems is sowing doubt among voters.
“After these elections, there has to be a serious evaluation of how those votes will be handled,” he said, referring to absentee and early votes.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Kraken expect training center to open in summer of '21

SEATTLE ( AP ) - The expansion Seattle Kraken expect to have the main portion of their training facility open in plenty of time for the team ’ s first NHL season .
The primary NHL rink , locker rooms , training areas and front office space are on target to be finished by mid-July , Kraken senior vice president for digital and fan experience Todd Humphrey said Tuesday .
The training center is be constructed in two phases with the initial focus on finishing the needed facilities for the team to play its first season in 2021-22 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rinks that will be used for community activities , should be finished in the late summer or early fall of next year .
“ It ’ s important because if the NHL gets back to a regular schedule we need to have an expansion draft , an amateur draft , rookie camps , etc.
, ” Humphrey said .
“ So it ’ s coming at us quick.
” The training facility is the anchor of a large redevelopment in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle .
The training center is 167,000 square feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding the practice rink .
There will also be retail and dining options inside the building .

SEATTLE (AP) - The expansion Seattle Kraken expect to have the main portion of their training facility open in plenty of time for the team’s first NHL season.
The primary NHL rink, locker rooms, training areas and front office space are on target to be finished by mid-July, Kraken senior vice president for digital and fan experience Todd Humphrey said Tuesday.
The training center is be constructed in two phases with the initial focus on finishing the needed facilities for the team to play its first season in 2021-22. The second phase, which includes two additional rinks that will be used for community activities, should be finished in the late summer or early fall of next year.
“It’s important because if the NHL gets back to a regular schedule we need to have an expansion draft, an amateur draft, rookie camps, etc.,” Humphrey said. “So it’s coming at us quick.”
The training facility is the anchor of a large redevelopment in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle. The training center is 167,000 square feet and will have seating for 1,000 fans surrounding the practice rink. There will also be retail and dining options inside the building.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--Texas records 10,865 virus cases, sets new daily record

AUSTIN , Texas ( AP ) - Texas recorded 10,865 coronavirus cases Tuesday , setting a new daily record that surpassed by 74 cases an old mark set July 15 , state officials said .
The new peak surge brings the state ’ s case total ever closer to the 1 million-case mark with 974,230 cases reported since the pandemic began in early March , according to state figures .
Of those , an estimated 132,146 cases are active , the most since Aug. 17 , and 6,170 COVID-19 cases are hospitalized , the most since Aug. 18 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because many people haven ’ t been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick .
Ninety-four new deaths Tuesday brought the pandemic death toll in Texas to 18,863 , according to the Texas Department of State Health Services .
Meanwhile , cases of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 are surging in the Laredo area as the borderlands remained a COVID-19 hotbed Tuesday , health officials said .
Laredo health officials reported 331 new cases Tuesday of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 , the most since the Aug. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought the area ’ s case count for the pandemic since the beginning of March to 16,558 .
Of those , 934 cases are active , the most in two months , and 73 require hospitalization .
One new death was reported Tuesday , bringing the city ’ s COVID-19 death toll to 367 .
The surge comes as El Paso , another border city , grapples with a recent tsunami of cases .
Another 1,292 cases were reported in El Paso County on Tuesday , bringing its pandemic count to 65,651 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalization .
Nine new deaths brought the county ’ s COVID-19 death toll to 682 .
The higher counts come amid intensive testing in both places and statewide .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and a cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas recorded 10,865 coronavirus cases Tuesday, setting a new daily record that surpassed by 74 cases an old mark set July 15, state officials said.
The new peak surge brings the state’s case total ever closer to the 1 million-case mark with 974,230 cases reported since the pandemic began in early March, according to state figures. Of those, an estimated 132,146 cases are active, the most since Aug. 17, and 6,170 COVID-19 cases are hospitalized, the most since Aug. 18.
The true number of infections is likely higher because many people haven’t been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
Ninety-four new deaths Tuesday brought the pandemic death toll in Texas to 18,863, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Meanwhile, cases of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 are surging in the Laredo area as the borderlands remained a COVID-19 hotbed Tuesday, health officials said.
Laredo health officials reported 331 new cases Tuesday of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the most since the Aug. 10 peak of 374 cases. That brought the area’s case count for the pandemic since the beginning of March to 16,558. Of those, 934 cases are active, the most in two months, and 73 require hospitalization. One new death was reported Tuesday, bringing the city’s COVID-19 death toll to 367.
The surge comes as El Paso, another border city, grapples with a recent tsunami of cases. Another 1,292 cases were reported in El Paso County on Tuesday, bringing its pandemic count to 65,651 with 27,895 cases now active and 1,076 requiring hospitalization. Nine new deaths brought the county’s COVID-19 death toll to 682.
The higher counts come amid intensive testing in both places and statewide.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.


washingtontimes--2020-11-10--2021 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon postponed to October

OKLAHOMA CITY ( AP ) - Next year ’ s annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon , run in honor of victims of the 1995 bombing that killed 168 and wounded many more , will again be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic , race organizers announced Tuesday .
The 2021 event is set for the weekend of Oct. 2 , in another reminder that the effects of COVID-19 - which the state says has killed more than 1,400 people in Oklahoma - won ’ t leave soon .
The 2020 event initially was pushed to October from April , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s race - marking the 25th anniversary of the attack - was virtual to allow for social distancing .
“ This is not just another marathon , this is one of Oklahoma City ’ s signature events that brings our whole community together , ” said race director Kari Watkins .
“ If a few more months allows people to run together , it ’ s worth the delay.
” Experts still refer to the bombing on April 19 , 1995 , as the deadliest act of domestic terrorism on U.S. soil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , where many began to see that terrorism was not just a problem in other countries .

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Next year’s annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, run in honor of victims of the 1995 bombing that killed 168 and wounded many more, will again be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, race organizers announced Tuesday.
The 2021 event is set for the weekend of Oct. 2, in another reminder that the effects of COVID-19 - which the state says has killed more than 1,400 people in Oklahoma - won’t leave soon.
The 2020 event initially was pushed to October from April, when it is typically run. This year’s race - marking the 25th anniversary of the attack - was virtual to allow for social distancing.
“This is not just another marathon, this is one of Oklahoma City’s signature events that brings our whole community together,” said race director Kari Watkins. “If a few more months allows people to run together, it’s worth the delay.”
Experts still refer to the bombing on April 19, 1995, as the deadliest act of domestic terrorism on U.S. soil. It shocked the consciousness of the United States, where many began to see that terrorism was not just a problem in other countries.