washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Native American man seeks further delay of federal execution

FLAGSTAFF , Ariz. ( AP ) - Attorneys for the only Native American on federal death row are asking a judge to delay his upcoming execution while they argue that the procedures should be consistent with Arizona law .
Lezmond Mitchell , who is Navajo , is set to be put to death on Aug. 26 at the federal prison in Indiana where he ’ s being held .
He ’ s among the first inmates whose executions were scheduled after the U.S. Justice Department said last year that it would resume carrying out capital punishment for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campbell in Arizona heard arguments on the request for a delay Wednesday and said he would make a decision quickly .
The 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals had spared Mitchell from execution temporarily while he sought to interview jurors about potential racial bias in his case .
The appeals court ruled against him , and the stay of execution is expected to expire next week .
Mitchell ’ s attorneys have said they ’ ll seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court .
They ’ ve also filed a petition for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s longstanding opposition to the death penalty .
Mitchell was sentenced to death after being convicted of carjacking resulting in death , a crime that carries the possibility of capital punishment no matter where it happens .
He fatally stabbed Alyce Slim , 63 , and forced her 9-year-old granddaughter to sit beside her grandmother ’ s lifeless body as he drove about 40 miles ( 64 kilometers ) before he slit the girl ’ s throat .
Their beheaded , mutilated bodies were found in a shallow grave on the Arizona portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jonathan Aminoff , one of Mitchell ’ s federal public defenders , argued Wednesday that the Federal Bureau of Prisons is required to carry out the execution in the same way Arizona would .
He said Mitchell would be better protected from potential mishap under Arizona provisions , citing differences in qualifications for administering lethal injections , disclosure of drugs , access to counsel and the number of witnesses .
“ If anyone in Arizona would be entitled to these protections , Mr. Mitchell has to be as well , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense request was untimely , unpersuasive and unjustified .
Justice attorney William Voit said Mitchell ’ s attorneys knew since last July that the federal protocol would be used and didn ’ t raise the issue until after a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia recently ruled in a similar case .
He accused Aminoff of manufacturing conflicts between Arizona and federal provisions .
“ In the 230-year history of the federal death penalty , the federal government has never been obligated to comply with the minute details of state execution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , no federal execution has ever been carried out under a court order to follow such granular state procedures , ” Voit wrote in court documents .
In a separate case , the D.C .
Circuit Court of Appeals cleared the way for the executions of other federal death row inmates this year by overturning a lower court decision that said the federal government ’ s protocol for carrying out the death sentences was inconsistent with a 1994 federal law .
Robert Dunham , executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s decision not to review that case left the matter open to interpretation .
“ What ’ s left is a decision that doesn ’ t provide any guidance and a virtual guarantee of continuing litigation in each of these cases , ” he said .
“ That ’ s what ’ s come to pass here .
”

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - Attorneys for the only Native American on federal death row are asking a judge to delay his upcoming execution while they argue that the procedures should be consistent with Arizona law.
Lezmond Mitchell, who is Navajo, is set to be put to death on Aug. 26 at the federal prison in Indiana where he’s being held. He’s among the first inmates whose executions were scheduled after the U.S. Justice Department said last year that it would resume carrying out capital punishment for the first time since 2003.
U.S. District Judge David Campbell in Arizona heard arguments on the request for a delay Wednesday and said he would make a decision quickly.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had spared Mitchell from execution temporarily while he sought to interview jurors about potential racial bias in his case.
The appeals court ruled against him, and the stay of execution is expected to expire next week. Mitchell’s attorneys have said they’ll seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court. They’ve also filed a petition for clemency based on the Navajo Nation’s longstanding opposition to the death penalty.
Mitchell was sentenced to death after being convicted of carjacking resulting in death, a crime that carries the possibility of capital punishment no matter where it happens. He fatally stabbed Alyce Slim, 63, and forced her 9-year-old granddaughter to sit beside her grandmother’s lifeless body as he drove about 40 miles (64 kilometers) before he slit the girl’s throat. Their beheaded, mutilated bodies were found in a shallow grave on the Arizona portion of the Navajo reservation in 2001.
Jonathan Aminoff, one of Mitchell’s federal public defenders, argued Wednesday that the Federal Bureau of Prisons is required to carry out the execution in the same way Arizona would. He said Mitchell would be better protected from potential mishap under Arizona provisions, citing differences in qualifications for administering lethal injections, disclosure of drugs, access to counsel and the number of witnesses.
“If anyone in Arizona would be entitled to these protections, Mr. Mitchell has to be as well,” he said.
The U.S. Justice Department said the defense request was untimely, unpersuasive and unjustified. Justice attorney William Voit said Mitchell’s attorneys knew since last July that the federal protocol would be used and didn’t raise the issue until after a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia recently ruled in a similar case.
He accused Aminoff of manufacturing conflicts between Arizona and federal provisions.
“In the 230-year history of the federal death penalty, the federal government has never been obligated to comply with the minute details of state execution protocols, and, in all that time, no federal execution has ever been carried out under a court order to follow such granular state procedures,” Voit wrote in court documents.
In a separate case, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals cleared the way for the executions of other federal death row inmates this year by overturning a lower court decision that said the federal government’s protocol for carrying out the death sentences was inconsistent with a 1994 federal law.
Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to review that case left the matter open to interpretation.
“What’s left is a decision that doesn’t provide any guidance and a virtual guarantee of continuing litigation in each of these cases,” he said. “That’s what’s come to pass here.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--SC doc overseeing pandemic response: Data shows masks work

COLUMBIA , S.C. ( AP ) - South Carolina ’ s top medical official overseeing the response to the coronavirus pandemic says new data shows mask ordinances are helping stem the spread of the illness .
“ We will be in a much better position in four to six weeks if South Carolinians practice physical distancing and use a mask , ” Dr. Linda Bell , South Carolina ’ s state epidemiologist , said in a statement Wednesday .
“ Together , we can completely reverse our fortunes and create safe environments for our business recovery , for our lifestyle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to school in a few short weeks , but we must act more aggressively , and now , ” she continued .
For months , Bell has advocated the wearing of face coverings to cut down on the transmission of the coronavirus , which as of Wednesday had infected more than 102,000 people in the state , according to data released by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control .
There also have been 2,057 total deaths linked to the virus , according to the agency .
Gov .
Henry McMaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask mandate , saying a patchwork of municipal ordinances covers many South Carolinians and that a statewide policy would be unenforceable .
According to health officials , nearly 40 percent of South Carolina residents , or about 2 million people , live in areas with local mask requirements , pointing toward emergency management officials ’ online tool showing areas covered under such policies .
Bell has frequently stood by the governor ’ s side during news conferences on response to the pandemic , although the two have apparently disagreed on some points .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ State newspaper , Bell told colleagues she regretted not speaking out publicly about her concerns as the state reopened close-contact businesses earlier this year as the pandemic continued .
According to state health officials , compared to jurisdictions without mask ordinances , places that do have one have shown a more than 46 % decrease in the total number of COVID-19 cases during the four weeks after the requirements were implemented .
In the same time frame , total cases in jurisdictions without mask requirements have gone up more than 30 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data shows us what we already knew , wearing face masks works , ” Bell said .
“ We ’ re strongly supportive of these local leaders ’ initiatives that are centered on protecting the health and wellbeing of their communities.
” Meg Kinnard can be reached at http : //twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina’s top medical official overseeing the response to the coronavirus pandemic says new data shows mask ordinances are helping stem the spread of the illness.
“We will be in a much better position in four to six weeks if South Carolinians practice physical distancing and use a mask,” Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, said in a statement Wednesday.
“Together, we can completely reverse our fortunes and create safe environments for our business recovery, for our lifestyle recovery, and particularly for our students returning to school in a few short weeks, but we must act more aggressively, and now,” she continued.
For months, Bell has advocated the wearing of face coverings to cut down on the transmission of the coronavirus, which as of Wednesday had infected more than 102,000 people in the state, according to data released by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. There also have been 2,057 total deaths linked to the virus, according to the agency.
Gov. Henry McMaster has stopped short of ordering a statewide mask mandate, saying a patchwork of municipal ordinances covers many South Carolinians and that a statewide policy would be unenforceable. According to health officials, nearly 40 percent of South Carolina residents, or about 2 million people, live in areas with local mask requirements, pointing toward emergency management officials’ online tool showing areas covered under such policies.
Bell has frequently stood by the governor’s side during news conferences on response to the pandemic, although the two have apparently disagreed on some points. According to emails first reported by The State newspaper, Bell told colleagues she regretted not speaking out publicly about her concerns as the state reopened close-contact businesses earlier this year as the pandemic continued.
According to state health officials, compared to jurisdictions without mask ordinances, places that do have one have shown a more than 46% decrease in the total number of COVID-19 cases during the four weeks after the requirements were implemented.
In the same time frame, total cases in jurisdictions without mask requirements have gone up more than 30%, health officials said.
“This new data shows us what we already knew, wearing face masks works,” Bell said. “We’re strongly supportive of these local leaders’ initiatives that are centered on protecting the health and wellbeing of their communities.”
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Police: Rental truck rear-ends school bus, 1 dead, 8 injured

ALMA , Ga. ( AP ) - A box truck crashed into the back of a school bus Wednesday afternoon that was stopped to unload students in rural Georgia , leaving the truck ’ s driver dead and at least eight students injured , authorities told local news outlets .
According to the Georgia State Patrol , the bus had stopped in the outside lane of highway U.S. 1 in Alma about 4 p.m. when the rental truck struck the back of the bus .
At least two helicopters were called to airlift injured students to area hospitals , Bacon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told WSAV-TV .
He said at least eight students were injured and taken to hospitals .
The condition of those students wasn ’ t immediately known later Wednesday , Trooper Shane Copeland of the Georgia State Patrol said both drivers were initially able to help students out of the bus , but the truck driver later collapsed and died .
The driver ’ s name was not immediately released , nor the name of the bus driver .
“ Terrible news out of Alma , ” Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp tweeted Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said his family was praying for the students involved and the family of the deceased driver .
A photograph published online by WSAV showed the yellow school bus with its back end and rear exit door caved in .
The back bumper appeared badly mangled .
Alma is a community in southeastern Georgia , located about 70 miles ( 110 kilometers ) west of the state ’ s Atlantic coast .
Phone messages and emails to the Georgia State Patrol seeking further details Wednesday evening weren ’ t immediately returned .

ALMA, Ga. (AP) - A box truck rear-ended a school bus that had stopped Wednesday to unload students in rural southeast Georgia, leaving at least six students and the bus driver injured, police said. Authorities said the injured truck driver died later in a hospital.
The Georgia State Patrol said the school bus had stopped minutes after 3:30 p.m. on Georgia highway 4 in Bacon County when, a preliminary investigation showed, the Ryder truck struck the back of the bus. At least 10 students were on the bus and six of them were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, a police statement said.
The statement said the truck driver, Johnathon Grayer, 25, of Jacksonville, Florida, was taken to Bacon County Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The State Patrol added that the bus driver, Jerry Sweat, also was injured and taken to the same hospital.
Authorities said three of the children were taken to a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, and three others to Bacon County Hospital.
Updates on the conditions of the injured were not immediately available Wednesday night.
At least two helicopters were called to airlift some of the injured students, Bacon County Emergency Management Agency Director Danny Turner told WSAV-TV earlier. The initial report in the aftermath of the crash had cited Turner as saying at least eight students were believed injured in the crash in Alma. It was not immediately clear why state police later reported a lower injury total.
Local reports said the students aboard ranged from elementary to high school age, though police had no immediate details on the injured children.
The crash prompted a swift message from Georgia’s governor.
“Terrible news out of Alma,” Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted Wednesday night after being informed of the crash. He said in his online post that his family was praying for the students and the family of the deceased driver.
A photograph published online by WSAV showed the yellow school bus with its back end and rear exit door caved in. The back bumper of the bus appeared badly mangled and the vehicle was upright, on grass.
A Georgia State Patrol team that specializes in reconstructing collisions is conducting an investigation, according to the statement emailed by public information officer Franka Young.
____
The story has been corrected to show that authorities say the crash occurred on Georgia 4, not highway U.S. 1 and that the time of the accident was shortly after 3:30 p.m.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--College bribery scheme tipster sentenced for financial fraud

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - A Los Angeles financier who tipped authorities to the college admissions cheating scheme was sentenced to prison Wednesday for trying to cheat stock investors out of $ 15 million .
Morrie Tobin , 57 , was sentenced to a year and a day in prison by a federal judge in Boston who acknowledged his “ extraordinary ” cooperation with federal authorities in both the college bribery case and his own fraud case , the Los Angeles Times reported .
However , U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton said he couldn ’ t allow a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motive was pure and simple greed , ” Gorton told him .
Tobin acknowledged that he sold stock to investors at inflated prices .
The scheme could have sent him to prison for eight years , although prosecutors asked that he receive probation .
Before sentencing , Tobin told the judge he was “ extremely , sincerely sorry and ashamed ” of his crimes and said he had since tried “ to do everything possible to make amends.
” Tobin met with federal authorities in Boston in 2018 and told them that Rudy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soccer coach at Yale University , wanted a bribe to grant his daughter an athletic waiver for admission .
During a recorded meeting in a hotel room , Meredith asked for $ 450,000 , prosecutors said .
That meeting sparked an investigation that led to William “ Rick ” Singer , a college admissions consultant in Newport Beach , California .
Authorities say he worked with wealthy parents and athletic coaches to have children admitted to elite universities across the country by having someone cheat on their exams or provide them with fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal charges and began cooperating in the investigation by secretly recording his phone calls with parents to build the case against them .
More than 50 people have been charged .
Nearly 30 prominent parents have pleaded guilty in the case , including “ Desperate Housewives ” star Felicity Huffman .
She was sentenced to two weeks in prison for paying $ 15,000 to have someone cheat on her daughter ’ s entrance exam .
Others include “ Full House ” actor Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband , Mossimo Giannulli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as fake rowing crew recruits .

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles financier who tipped authorities to the college admissions cheating scheme was sentenced to prison Wednesday for trying to cheat stock investors out of $15 million.
Morrie Tobin, 57, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison by a federal judge in Boston who acknowledged his “extraordinary” cooperation with federal authorities in both the college bribery case and his own fraud case, the Los Angeles Times reported.
However, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton said he couldn’t allow a felon to avoid prison.
“Your motive was pure and simple greed,” Gorton told him.
Tobin acknowledged that he sold stock to investors at inflated prices. The scheme could have sent him to prison for eight years, although prosecutors asked that he receive probation.
Before sentencing, Tobin told the judge he was “extremely, sincerely sorry and ashamed” of his crimes and said he had since tried “to do everything possible to make amends.”
Tobin met with federal authorities in Boston in 2018 and told them that Rudy Meredith, the head women’s soccer coach at Yale University, wanted a bribe to grant his daughter an athletic waiver for admission.
During a recorded meeting in a hotel room, Meredith asked for $450,000, prosecutors said.
That meeting sparked an investigation that led to William “Rick” Singer, a college admissions consultant in Newport Beach, California. Authorities say he worked with wealthy parents and athletic coaches to have children admitted to elite universities across the country by having someone cheat on their exams or provide them with fake athletic credentials.
Singer pleaded guilty to federal charges and began cooperating in the investigation by secretly recording his phone calls with parents to build the case against them.
More than 50 people have been charged. Nearly 30 prominent parents have pleaded guilty in the case, including “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman. She was sentenced to two weeks in prison for paying $15,000 to have someone cheat on her daughter’s entrance exam.
Others include “Full House” actor Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, who admitted to paying a half-million dollars to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as fake rowing crew recruits.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Judge invalidates Trump rollback of law protecting birds

NEW YORK ( AP ) - A U.S. judge in New York has invalidated rule changes put in place by the Trump administration that scaled back a century-old law protecting most American wild bird species despite warnings that billions of birds could die as a result .
U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni ’ s ruling Tuesday criticized the administration ’ s argument that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act only applied to the intentional killing of birds and not “ incidental ” killing from industrial activities .
“ It is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her ruling , citing Harper Lee ’ s “ To Kill a Mockingbird.
” ” That has been the letter of the law for the past century.
” Caproni , who was nominated to the Southern District of New York by President Obama in 2012 , disagreed with the Trump administration ’ s interpretation of the law .
“ There is nothing in the text of the ( Migratory Bird Treaty Act ) that suggests that in order to fall within its prohibition , activity must be directed specifically at birds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statute prohibit only intentionally killing migratory birds .
And it certainly does not say that only ’ some ’ kills are prohibited.
” More than 1,000 species are covered under the law , and the changes have drawn a sharp backlash from organizations that advocate on behalf of an estimated 46 million U.S. birdwatchers .
“ The Trump administration ’ s policy was nothing more than a cruel , bird-killing gift to polluters and we ’ re elated it has been vacated , ” said Noah Greenwald , endangered species director at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the plaintiffs .
The 1918 migratory bird law came after many U.S. bird populations had been decimated by hunting and poaching - much of it for feathers for women ’ s hats .
It was one of the country ’ s first major federal environmental laws , enacted just after the conservation movement embodied by President Teddy Roosevelt had emerged as a new force in American politics .
Over the past half-century , as new threats to birds emerged , the law also was applied against companies that failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil companies that did not put netting over toxic waste pits despite warnings from federal officials .
The Trump administration argued the deaths of birds that fly into oil pits , mining sites , telecommunications towers , wind turbines and other hazards should be treated as accidents and not subject to prosecution .
The Department of Interior said in a statement that Caproni ’ s ruling “ undermines a common sense interpretation of the law and runs contrary to recent efforts , shared across the political spectrum , to de-criminalize unintentional conduct.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had effectively ended criminal enforcement under the act during Trump ’ s presidency .
Eight states led by New York and numerous conservation groups including the National Audubon Society challenged that decision in federal court .
They argued that birds already were being harmed by the administration ’ s policies , most notably in the destruction last fall of nesting grounds for 25,000 shorebirds in Virginia to make way for a road and tunnel project .
State officials had ended conservation measures for the birds after federal officials advised such measures were voluntary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The highest-profile enforcement case bought under the migratory bird act resulted in a $ 100 million settlement by BP , after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 killed about 100,000 birds .
Industry sources kill an estimated 450 million to 1.1 billion birds annually , out of an overall 7.2 billion birds in North America , according to the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service and recent studies .

NEW YORK (AP) - A U.S. judge in New York has invalidated rule changes put in place by the Trump administration that scaled back a century-old law protecting most American wild bird species despite warnings that billions of birds could die as a result.
U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni’s ruling Tuesday criticized the administration’s argument that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act only applied to the intentional killing of birds and not “incidental” killing from industrial activities.
“It is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird, it is also a crime,” Caproni wrote in her ruling, citing Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” ”That has been the letter of the law for the past century.”
Caproni, who was nominated to the Southern District of New York by President Obama in 2012, disagreed with the Trump administration’s interpretation of the law.
“There is nothing in the text of the (Migratory Bird Treaty Act) that suggests that in order to fall within its prohibition, activity must be directed specifically at birds,” she wrote. “Nor does the statute prohibit only intentionally killing migratory birds. And it certainly does not say that only ’some’ kills are prohibited.”
More than 1,000 species are covered under the law, and the changes have drawn a sharp backlash from organizations that advocate on behalf of an estimated 46 million U.S. birdwatchers.
“The Trump administration’s policy was nothing more than a cruel, bird-killing gift to polluters and we’re elated it has been vacated,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity, which was one of the plaintiffs.
The 1918 migratory bird law came after many U.S. bird populations had been decimated by hunting and poaching - much of it for feathers for women’s hats.
It was one of the country’s first major federal environmental laws, enacted just after the conservation movement embodied by President Teddy Roosevelt had emerged as a new force in American politics.
Over the past half-century, as new threats to birds emerged, the law also was applied against companies that failed to prevent foreseeable bird deaths, such as oil companies that did not put netting over toxic waste pits despite warnings from federal officials.
The Trump administration argued the deaths of birds that fly into oil pits, mining sites, telecommunications towers, wind turbines and other hazards should be treated as accidents and not subject to prosecution.
The Department of Interior said in a statement that Caproni’s ruling “undermines a common sense interpretation of the law and runs contrary to recent efforts, shared across the political spectrum, to de-criminalize unintentional conduct.”
An Interior legal decision in 2017 already had effectively ended criminal enforcement under the act during Trump’s presidency. Eight states led by New York and numerous conservation groups including the National Audubon Society challenged that decision in federal court.
They argued that birds already were being harmed by the administration’s policies, most notably in the destruction last fall of nesting grounds for 25,000 shorebirds in Virginia to make way for a road and tunnel project. State officials had ended conservation measures for the birds after federal officials advised such measures were voluntary under the new interpretation of the law.
The highest-profile enforcement case bought under the migratory bird act resulted in a $100 million settlement by BP, after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 killed about 100,000 birds.
Industry sources kill an estimated 450 million to 1.1 billion birds annually, out of an overall 7.2 billion birds in North America, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and recent studies.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Grandmother: Girl shot in Madison going off life support

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) - The grandmother of an 11-year-old girl shot in Madison said Wednesday the girl @ @ @ @ @ support .
Loren Gomez told reporters that her granddaughter will go off life support Thursday @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday on Madison ’ s East Side , the Wisconsin State Journal reported .
The @ @ @ @ @ Dane County identified the girl by her first name , Anisa , and said she @ @ @ @ @ head .
The girl was riding in a car late Tuesday morning when a shooter @ @ @ @ @ the car .
Police believe the driver of the car was the intended target .
@ @ @ @ @ said Wednesday the girl remains in “ very critical condition.
” No arrests have been @ @ @ @ @ Madison leaders called for people to speak out , invest in community resources and act @ @ @ @ @ the shootings during a spate of gun violence in Wisconsin ’ s capital .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The grandmother of an 11-year-old girl shot in Madison said Wednesday the girl will be taken off life support.
Loren Gomez told reporters that her granddaughter will go off life support Thursday morning. The shooting happened Tuesday on Madison’s East Side, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
The Boys & Girls Club of Dane County identified the girl by her first name, Anisa, and said she had been shot in the head.
The girl was riding in a car late Tuesday morning when a shooter in another vehicle fired into the car. Police believe the driver of the car was the intended target.
Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said Wednesday the girl remains in “very critical condition.” No arrests have been made.
On Tuesday, Madison leaders called for people to speak out, invest in community resources and act as role models to end the shootings during a spate of gun violence in Wisconsin’s capital.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--75 years later, 1 million Japanese war dead still missing

TOKYO ( AP ) - Seventy-five years after the end of World War II , more than 1 million Japanese war dead are scattered throughout Asia , where the legacy of Japanese aggression still hampers recovery efforts .
The missing Japanese make up about half of the 2.4 million soldiers who died overseas during Japan ’ s military rampage across Asia in the early 20th century .
They are on remote islands in the South Pacific .
They are in northern China and Mongolia .
They are in Russia .
As the anniversary for the end of the Pacific War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these remains will ever be recovered , let alone identified and returned to grieving family members .
Only about half a million are considered retrievable .
The rest are lost in the sea or buried in areas that can ’ t be reached because of fighting or security or political reasons , according to Japan ’ s Ministry of Health , Labor and Welfare , which is in charge of support measures for bereaved families .
Locating , identifying and finding places to store the decades-old remains have been complicated as memories fade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families and relatives age .
In 2016 , Japan ’ s parliament passed a law launching an eight-year remains recovery initiative through 2024 .
It promotes more DNA matching and cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense in case remains are found at U.S. military facilities on islands in the southern Pacific that were former battlegrounds .
It was not until 2003 that the Japanese government started DNA matching , but only at the request of possible families .
In July , Japan set up a comprehensive remains information center at the ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan ’ s disastrous retreats in the Pacific in 1943 , the military started sending back empty boxes with stones to bereaved families , without providing details about the deaths .
Japan insisted all war dead would be honored as gods at Yasukuni Shrine .
Similar practices were continued by postwar governments , which didn ’ t put an emphasis on identifying individual remains to return to families , experts say .
Japan sent its first overseas remains collection mission in 1952 after a seven-year U.S. occupation ended .
The efforts were unwelcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under Japanese wartime aggression .
The government in the 1950s dispatched missions to major former battlegrounds for the “ token ” collection of random remains ; most were unidentified and never returned to families .
After collecting the remains of about 10,000 war dead , the welfare ministry in 1962 tried to end the project but was forced to continue the effort following repeated requests by veterans and bereaved families .
The government mission has so far recovered just 340,000 remains ; most are kept at Tokyo ’ s Chidorigafuchi national cemetery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested or identified , and almost certainly include a “ significant number ” of the remains of non-Japanese nationals , including Koreans and Taiwanese soldiers drafted and sent overseas to fight for the Japanese Imperial Army , said Kazufumi Hamai , a Teikyo University historian and expert on the remains issue .
More than 240,000 Koreans fought for Japan during the country ’ s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula , including 20,000 believed to have died outside of mainland Japan .
Some of their remains were most likely brought back , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during past missions before being placed in Chidorigafuchi .
Japan ’ s delayed and insufficient remains collection underscored the government ’ s failure to face up to its wartime past , Hamai said .
“ The government lacked respect for individual remains and their dignity , ” he said .
“ Their remains collection program was sloppy and carried out reluctantly at the request of veterans ’ families , while completely neglecting the Koreans and Taiwanese.
” About 700 remains of Koreans have been separately stored at a Tokyo Buddhist temple , Yutenji @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are the only remains of the former Korean soldiers that they are aware of .
More than half of the 700 are from North Korea .
Several hundred remains had been previously returned to their homes through diplomatic arrangement , but talks have been stalled in recent years as diplomatic relations have soured over Japan ’ s wartime actions , including the use of forced laborers and the sexual abuses of women forced to work at frontline military brothels .
Japan gained access to Russia and Mongolia only starting in 1991 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tens of thousands of imprisoned Japanese soldiers and maps of the mass graves where they were buried .
About 600,000 were sent to former Soviet prisons , where 55,000 died , including a few thousand Koreans .
Last year , a U.S. citizens ’ group searching for the remains of American war dead in the Pacific War found the remains of about 160 Asians on the island of Tarawa - called the Republic of Kiribati today .
It asked the Japanese and Korean governments to have them DNA tested .
Hamai says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and South Korea cooperating to identify and return the remains to where they belong .

TOKYO (AP) - Seventy-five years after the end of World War II, more than 1 million Japanese war dead are scattered throughout Asia, where the legacy of Japanese aggression still hampers recovery efforts.
The missing Japanese make up about half of the 2.4 million soldiers who died overseas during Japan’s military rampage across Asia in the early 20th century.
They are on remote islands in the South Pacific. They are in northern China and Mongolia. They are in Russia.
As the anniversary for the end of the Pacific War arrives Saturday, there is little hope these remains will ever be recovered, let alone identified and returned to grieving family members.
Only about half a million are considered retrievable. The rest are lost in the sea or buried in areas that can’t be reached because of fighting or security or political reasons, according to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, which is in charge of support measures for bereaved families.
Locating, identifying and finding places to store the decades-old remains have been complicated as memories fade, artifacts and documents get lost and families and relatives age.
In 2016, Japan’s parliament passed a law launching an eight-year remains recovery initiative through 2024. It promotes more DNA matching and cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense in case remains are found at U.S. military facilities on islands in the southern Pacific that were former battlegrounds.
It was not until 2003 that the Japanese government started DNA matching, but only at the request of possible families. In July, Japan set up a comprehensive remains information center at the ministry that would provide DNA testing.
After Japan’s disastrous retreats in the Pacific in 1943, the military started sending back empty boxes with stones to bereaved families, without providing details about the deaths. Japan insisted all war dead would be honored as gods at Yasukuni Shrine.
Similar practices were continued by postwar governments, which didn’t put an emphasis on identifying individual remains to return to families, experts say.
Japan sent its first overseas remains collection mission in 1952 after a seven-year U.S. occupation ended. The efforts were unwelcome in many Asian countries that had suffered under Japanese wartime aggression.
The government in the 1950s dispatched missions to major former battlegrounds for the “token” collection of random remains; most were unidentified and never returned to families. After collecting the remains of about 10,000 war dead, the welfare ministry in 1962 tried to end the project but was forced to continue the effort following repeated requests by veterans and bereaved families.
The government mission has so far recovered just 340,000 remains; most are kept at Tokyo’s Chidorigafuchi national cemetery of unknown soldiers.
They were never DNA tested or identified, and almost certainly include a “significant number” of the remains of non-Japanese nationals, including Koreans and Taiwanese soldiers drafted and sent overseas to fight for the Japanese Imperial Army, said Kazufumi Hamai, a Teikyo University historian and expert on the remains issue.
More than 240,000 Koreans fought for Japan during the country’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, including 20,000 believed to have died outside of mainland Japan. Some of their remains were most likely brought back, unidentified and mixed with the Japanese collected during past missions before being placed in Chidorigafuchi.
Japan’s delayed and insufficient remains collection underscored the government’s failure to face up to its wartime past, Hamai said.
“The government lacked respect for individual remains and their dignity,” he said. “Their remains collection program was sloppy and carried out reluctantly at the request of veterans’ families, while completely neglecting the Koreans and Taiwanese.”
About 700 remains of Koreans have been separately stored at a Tokyo Buddhist temple, Yutenji. Health and welfare ministry officials say they are the only remains of the former Korean soldiers that they are aware of. More than half of the 700 are from North Korea.
Several hundred remains had been previously returned to their homes through diplomatic arrangement, but talks have been stalled in recent years as diplomatic relations have soured over Japan’s wartime actions, including the use of forced laborers and the sexual abuses of women forced to work at frontline military brothels.
Japan gained access to Russia and Mongolia only starting in 1991, when Japan was given a list of tens of thousands of imprisoned Japanese soldiers and maps of the mass graves where they were buried. About 600,000 were sent to former Soviet prisons, where 55,000 died, including a few thousand Koreans.
Last year, a U.S. citizens’ group searching for the remains of American war dead in the Pacific War found the remains of about 160 Asians on the island of Tarawa - called the Republic of Kiribati today. It asked the Japanese and Korean governments to have them DNA tested.
Hamai says the case could set the stage for Japan and South Korea cooperating to identify and return the remains to where they belong.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Senate GOP ousts Walz cabinet member amid pandemic dispute

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate showed their displeasure with Democratic Gov .
Tim Walz on Wednesday by ousting his commissioner of labor and industry amid a dispute over how the administration is managing the state ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Senate voted 34-32 , with one Republican not voting , not to confirm Peggy Lippink , whose agency has been in charge of workplace safety during the pandemic .
GOP leaders did not publicly announce their plans for the vote in advance , prompting Democratic leaders to denounce the move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called it “ political payback ” and expressed fear that Senate Republicans will now go after his health commissioner , Jan Malcolm , one of his administration ’ s most visible faces in the fight against the virus , whose confirmation remains pending .
The vote was the most significant development in the one-day special session , which Walz was legally required to call as a condition for extending his emergency powers for another 30 days .
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka , of East Gull Lake , brought up Leppink ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the third time in as many months to rescind the governor ’ s emergency declaration , a move the Democratic-controlled House once again blocked .
“ This is something that ’ s been brewing since the very , very beginning of the year , ” Gazelka said as he opened a contentious debate , insisting that the dispute was about her job performance .
He said he would have called for the vote much earlier except for COVID-19 and the turmoil after the death of George Floyd .
“ Businesses across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we recover from COVID , ” Gazelka said .
“ Leppink has instead increased regulations on business , and even been hostile to businesses.
” Walz defended Leppink ’ s performance at a news conference Wednesday evening and said he didn ’ t see the vote coming despite Gazelka ’ s claims that he had warned the administration .
Walz said he would begin searching for a qualified replacement , but that what happened to Leppink could make that task harder .
“ To have Nancy Leppink get caught in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in danger , ” he said .
Democratic legislative leaders didn ’ t buy the GOP explanation of performance issues , either .
Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent , of Woodbury , backed up Walz ’ s statement that Gazelka gave them no advance warning .
“ It is a huge loss to the people of Minnesota that the Senate Republicans are not taking the pandemic seriously once again , and would use this kind of just petty political maneuver for no real good reason other than partisanship , ” she said .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate showed their displeasure with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday by ousting his commissioner of labor and industry amid a dispute over how the administration is managing the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Senate voted 34-32, with one Republican not voting, not to confirm Peggy Lippink, whose agency has been in charge of workplace safety during the pandemic. GOP leaders did not publicly announce their plans for the vote in advance, prompting Democratic leaders to denounce the move as a shameful political ploy.
Walz called it “political payback” and expressed fear that Senate Republicans will now go after his health commissioner, Jan Malcolm, one of his administration’s most visible faces in the fight against the virus, whose confirmation remains pending.
The vote was the most significant development in the one-day special session, which Walz was legally required to call as a condition for extending his emergency powers for another 30 days. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, of East Gull Lake, brought up Leppink’s confirmation after the Senate had already voted for the third time in as many months to rescind the governor’s emergency declaration, a move the Democratic-controlled House once again blocked.
“This is something that’s been brewing since the very, very beginning of the year,” Gazelka said as he opened a contentious debate, insisting that the dispute was about her job performance. He said he would have called for the vote much earlier except for COVID-19 and the turmoil after the death of George Floyd.
“Businesses across the state need a responsive and supportive commissioner as we recover from COVID,” Gazelka said. “Leppink has instead increased regulations on business, and even been hostile to businesses.”
Walz defended Leppink’s performance at a news conference Wednesday evening and said he didn’t see the vote coming despite Gazelka’s claims that he had warned the administration. Walz said he would begin searching for a qualified replacement, but that what happened to Leppink could make that task harder.
“To have Nancy Leppink get caught in the middle of a petty political move puts Minnesotans in danger,” he said.
Democratic legislative leaders didn’t buy the GOP explanation of performance issues, either. Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent, of Woodbury, backed up Walz’s statement that Gazelka gave them no advance warning.
“It is a huge loss to the people of Minnesota that the Senate Republicans are not taking the pandemic seriously once again, and would use this kind of just petty political maneuver for no real good reason other than partisanship,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Howard Mudd, former NFL player, standout coach, dies at 78

Howard Mudd , a former NFL All-Pro player and longtime offensive line coach , has died .
He was 78 .
The Indianapolis Colts announced Mudd ’ s death Wednesday .
No details of his death were provided by the team .
Mudd had been in a motorcycle accident in the Seattle area recently .
In a post on CaringBridge.org , Mudd ’ s family said , “ it became clear that he was ready and that we needed to surround him with love and fight for his right to comfort and peace.
” “ Howard deeply loved and enjoyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his family wrote .
“ Please honor Howard today and every day by sharing a belly laugh with a loved one , or telling a stupid joke , or calling up a friend to tell them you are thinking of them.
” Mudd coached the offensive line with the Colts from 1998-2009 and rejoined the team as a senior offensive assistant in 2019 .
Indianapolis was one of many stops in Mudd ’ s coaching career that included time with Philadelphia , Kansas City , Cleveland , Seattle , San Francisco and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started at the college level with two seasons as the offensive line coach at California in 1972-73 .
“ I will be forever grateful for Howard ’ s tireless efforts and work to protect me as a quarterback and to help our team win so many games , ” former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said in a statement .
“ He always told me the story about the day I got drafted - Jim Irsay came down to his office and left a note on his desk which said , ‘ Howard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 protected .
To keep No .
18 clean.
’ Howard always kept that with him and always took that direct order from our owner very seriously.
” His coaching prowess followed a brief but successful NFL playing career .
Mudd spent eight seasons with Chicago and San Francisco .
Three times he was voted a Pro Bowl starter and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1968 with the 49ers .
He grew up in Midland , Michigan , and played in college at Hillsdale .
The 49ers tweeted their condolences on Mudd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carroll said , “ He ’ s been a tough guy his whole life .
We ’ ll miss him.
” “ As a football coach , I don ’ t use this term often , he was remarkable , ” Irsay said .
“ people that know football know that the offensive line is the engine that drives your football team .
That is the engine .
One of the most important things in determining victories , besides the quarterback , is the battle at the line of scrimmage .
Howard was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to get offensive lines to play .
That was his love .
He was a real artist when it came to coaching that offensive line .
Howard was such an incredible intellectual .
Fiercely intellectual .
So , so smart .
So well read .
Howard was just a special man .
”

SEATTLE (AP) -
Howard Mudd, a former NFL All-Pro player and longtime offensive line coach, has died. He was 78.
The Indianapolis Colts announced Mudd’s death Wednesday. No details of his death were provided by the team. Mudd had been in a motorcycle accident in the Seattle area recently.
In a post on CaringBridge.org, Mudd’s family said, “it became clear that he was ready and that we needed to surround him with love and fight for his right to comfort and peace.”
“Howard deeply loved and enjoyed his many friends and family,” his family wrote. “Please honor Howard today and every day by sharing a belly laugh with a loved one, or telling a stupid joke, or calling up a friend to tell them you are thinking of them.”
Mudd coached the offensive line with the Colts from 1998-2009 and rejoined the team as a senior offensive assistant in 2019. Indianapolis was one of many stops in Mudd’s coaching career that included time with Philadelphia, Kansas City, Cleveland, Seattle, San Francisco and the San Diego Chargers. His coaching career started at the college level with two seasons as the offensive line coach at California in 1972-73.
“I will be forever grateful for Howard’s tireless efforts and work to protect me as a quarterback and to help our team win so many games,” former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said in a statement. “He always told me the story about the day I got drafted - Jim Irsay came down to his office and left a note on his desk which said, ‘Howard, your job is to keep No. 18 protected. To keep No. 18 clean.’ Howard always kept that with him and always took that direct order from our owner very seriously.”
His coaching prowess followed a brief but successful NFL playing career. Mudd spent eight seasons with Chicago and San Francisco. Three times he was voted a Pro Bowl starter and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1968 with the 49ers. He grew up in Midland, Michigan, and played in college at Hillsdale.
The 49ers tweeted their condolences on Mudd’s passing and Seattle coach Pete Carroll said, “He’s been a tough guy his whole life. We’ll miss him.”
“As a football coach, I don’t use this term often, he was remarkable,” Irsay said. “people that know football know that the offensive line is the engine that drives your football team. That is the engine. One of the most important things in determining victories, besides the quarterback, is the battle at the line of scrimmage. Howard was a hall-of-fame chief mechanic. He knew how to get offensive lines to play. That was his love. He was a real artist when it came to coaching that offensive line.
Howard was such an incredible intellectual. Fiercely intellectual. So, so smart. So well read. Howard was just a special man.”
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


washingtontimes--2020-08-12--Tusayan mayor seeking third two-year term apparently ousted

FLAGSTAFF , Ariz. ( AP ) - A woman who has long opposed massive development in Tusayan on the outskirts of Grand Canyon National Park is the unofficial winner of the mayoral race .
The Coconino County Recorder ’ s Office on Wednesday said Clarinda Vail won more than 61 % of the vote from the Aug. 4 primary election in her bid to oust current Mayor Craig Sanderson , who was seeking a third two-year term .
The county had dozens of outstanding ballots to process and count before posting the unofficial results , which don ’ t become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That likely will be next week .
Tusayan relies heavily on revenue from the millions of people who drive through the town each year on their way to the Grand Canyon ’ s more popular South Rim for revenue .
Up until 2010 , it wasn ’ t considered a town , but a state law that catered to Tusayan allowed it to incorporate .
Even before that , developers have eyed the outpost nestled among the forest where restaurants , gift shops and hotels line the state highway .
Development been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sanderson , the chief pilot for Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines , has supported the development while Vail , a property manager and a Tusayan native , has not .
Sanderson and Vail agree on the need for private housing in a town where most everyone lives in company housing , better internet access and a sports complex .
But the timelines on those projects have been stalled over various issues .
In a statement Wednesday , Vail said she plans to initiate reforms to make sure local sales tax revenues help accomplish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex .
Vail also wants to make sure public safety gets needed funding and plans to undertake new initiatives to bring quality housing to the town .

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - A woman who has long opposed massive development in Tusayan on the outskirts of Grand Canyon National Park is the unofficial winner of the mayoral race.
The Coconino County Recorder’s Office on Wednesday said Clarinda Vail won more than 61% of the vote from the Aug. 4 primary election in her bid to oust current Mayor Craig Sanderson, who was seeking a third two-year term.
The county had dozens of outstanding ballots to process and count before posting the unofficial results, which don’t become final until the town canvasses them. That likely will be next week.
Tusayan relies heavily on revenue from the millions of people who drive through the town each year on their way to the Grand Canyon’s more popular South Rim for revenue. Up until 2010, it wasn’t considered a town, but a state law that catered to Tusayan allowed it to incorporate.
Even before that, developers have eyed the outpost nestled among the forest where restaurants, gift shops and hotels line the state highway. Development been a major point of contention in the town.
Sanderson, the chief pilot for Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines, has supported the development while Vail, a property manager and a Tusayan native, has not.
Sanderson and Vail agree on the need for private housing in a town where most everyone lives in company housing, better internet access and a sports complex. But the timelines on those projects have been stalled over various issues.
In a statement Wednesday, Vail said she plans to initiate reforms to make sure local sales tax revenues help accomplish projects residents demand such as the sports complex.
Vail also wants to make sure public safety gets needed funding and plans to undertake new initiatives to bring quality housing to the town.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Turkey detains IS suspect planning attack on police

ANKARA , Turkey ( AP ) - Turkish police have detained a suspected Islamic State group militant who was allegedly @ @ @ @ @ station , Turkey ’ s state-run news agency reported Thursday .
Anadolu Agency agency reported @ @ @ @ @ by the initials M.A.
, was held in an operation in the district of Inegol @ @ @ @ @ Police seized a suicide vest and other explosive material , according to the report .
@ @ @ @ @ by police following five separate arson attacks on businesses in Inegol in the past two @ @ @ @ @ Anadolu said the suspect had entered Turkey illegally two years ago and had carried out @ @ @ @ @ I.S .
group in Syria between 2017 and 2018 .
Turkey has suffered a string @ @ @ @ @ militants over the last five years , including an attack at an Istanbul nightclub during @ @ @ @ @ early hours of 2017 .
The attack killed 39 people , most of them foreigners @

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish police have detained a suspected Islamic State group militant who was allegedly planning to attack a police station, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported Thursday.
Anadolu Agency agency reported that the suspect, identified by the initials M.A., was held in an operation in the district of Inegol in northwestern Bursa province. Police seized a suicide vest and other explosive material, according to the report.
The suspect was being monitored by police following five separate arson attacks on businesses in Inegol in the past two months, Anadolu reported.
Anadolu said the suspect had entered Turkey illegally two years ago and had carried out acts on behalf of the I.S. group in Syria between 2017 and 2018.
Turkey has suffered a string of attacks by Islamic State militants over the last five years, including an attack at an Istanbul nightclub during New Year celebrations in the early hours of 2017. The attack killed 39 people, most of them foreigners.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--State lawmaker sued by man who worked on possible campaign

SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
( AP ) - A South Dakota legislator is facing a lawsuit filed by a man who claims he was never paid for working on the lawmaker ’ s possible campaign for Congress .
Jaedon Kroger says state Rep. Michael Saba owes him $ 12,000 for work on a campaign that never came to fruition .
Saba considered challenging U.S. Rep .
Dusty Johnson , but decided against it , in part due to the coronavirus pandemic .
In his lawsuit , Kroger said he and Saba agreed in January that Kroger would work as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign for a salary of $ 4,875 per month from January to November , the Argus Leader reported .
Kroger lists two witnesses to the agreement .
Saba said he isn ’ t liable for the claim because “ no agreement was reached between the parties regarding services the plaintiff ( Kroger ) claims to have provided , and no contract exists.
” Saba requested and was granted the transfer of the case from small claims court to the regular civil docket for a jury trial .
A status hearing is set for @ @ @

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota legislator is facing a lawsuit filed by a man who claims he was never paid for working on the lawmaker’s possible campaign for Congress.
Jaedon Kroger says state Rep. Michael Saba owes him $12,000 for work on a campaign that never came to fruition. Saba considered challenging U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, but decided against it, in part due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In his lawsuit, Kroger said he and Saba agreed in January that Kroger would work as an independent contractor on Saba’s campaign for a salary of $4,875 per month from January to November, the Argus Leader reported. Kroger lists two witnesses to the agreement.
Saba said he isn’t liable for the claim because “no agreement was reached between the parties regarding services the plaintiff (Kroger) claims to have provided, and no contract exists.”
Saba requested and was granted the transfer of the case from small claims court to the regular civil docket for a jury trial. A status hearing is set for Aug. 31.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Vermont commits money to finish 93-mile trail in 2 years

MONTPELIER , Vt. ( AP ) - The state of Vermont has committed the money needed to finish a 93-mile rail trail across the northern part of the state by the end of 2022 .
Gov .
Phil Scott announced Wednesday the Legislature had authorized spending $ 2.8 million for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail , which will be matched by $ 11.3 million in federal funds , to complete construction of the trail .
“ The LVRT will bring together some of our most rural communities while boosting local economies and improving quality of life for Vermonters and visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Currently 33-miles of the trail is open , mostly near St. Johnsbury and Danville and in the Morrisville area .
The trail is located on a rail line that was completed in 1877 and operated until the 1980s .
It is being managed by the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers , the organization that oversees snowmobiling in the state .
“ We are pleased to enter into this new phase of our relationship with the state , which will significantly speed up the timeline for completing this project , ” VAST Executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distributed by the governor ’ s office .

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The state of Vermont has committed the money needed to finish a 93-mile rail trail across the northern part of the state by the end of 2022.
Gov. Phil Scott announced Wednesday the Legislature had authorized spending $2.8 million for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, which will be matched by $11.3 million in federal funds, to complete construction of the trail.
“The LVRT will bring together some of our most rural communities while boosting local economies and improving quality of life for Vermonters and visitors,” Scott said in a statement.
Currently 33-miles of the trail is open, mostly near St. Johnsbury and Danville and in the Morrisville area.
The trail is located on a rail line that was completed in 1877 and operated until the 1980s. It is being managed by the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, the organization that oversees snowmobiling in the state.
“We are pleased to enter into this new phase of our relationship with the state, which will significantly speed up the timeline for completing this project,” VAST Executive Director Cindy Locke said in a statement distributed by the governor’s office.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Rights group: Houthis, Saudis killed Ethiopian migrants

CAIRO ( AP ) - A prominent rights group Thursday accused Yemen ’ s Houthi rebels and rival Saudi border guards of killing several dozen Ethiopian migrants in an incident at the border earlier this year .
The statement from New York-based Human Rights Watch quoted Ethiopian migrants who said Houthi fighters in April rounded up thousands of them from their unofficial settlement area in al-Ghar town in the country ’ s northwestern Saada province .
The migrants said they were forced into pickup trucks and driven to the nearby Saudi border .
During the process , Houthis screamed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fired at anyone who tried to escape , the witnesses said .
Once the Ethiopian migrants arrived at the Saudi border , they got caught up in clashes between their Houthi escorts and Saudi border guards , the rights group said .
“ It was early in the morning ( on April 16 ) and they told us to leave in two hours , ” said an Ethiopian woman .
“ Most people left , but I stayed .
But after two hours , they started firing bullets and rockets - I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ongoing civil war pits the Houthis , who occupy the north , against a U.S-backed .
and Saudi-led coalition that supports an internationally recognized government in the south .
“ The lethal disregard Houthi and Saudi forces have shown civilians during Yemen ’ s armed conflict was replayed in April with Ethiopian migrants at the Yemen-Saudi border , ” said Nadia Hardman , refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch .
“ United Nations agencies need to step in to address the immediate threats to the Ethiopian migrants and press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings and other abuses.
” Neither Houthi nor Saudi officials could be immediately reached for comment .
Thousands of East Africans make the perilous journey from the Horn of Africa to oil-rich Saudi Arabia through war-torn Yemen every year , hoping to escape poverty and instability in their home countries .
They are exposed to many forms of abuse , including abduction , trafficking and arrest and detention .
In recent months , migrants have also been faced with growing xenophobia as a result of the spread of the coronavirus , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the migrants interviewed by HRW in the April incident said they saw dead bodies but the exact casualty toll could not be determined .
Those who managed to return to the settlement area saw their tents and shelters had been destroyed , an account that HRW was able to confirm later using satellite imagery .
Some of the migrants told HRW that Saudi border guards fired at them using mortar shells and rocket launchers .
They were eventually transferred to “ unsanitary and abusive ” detention facilities in Jeddah and Jizan provinces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their money and belongings confiscated .
Hundreds of others , including children , may still be stranded in the mountainous border region , the rights group said .
“ Hundreds if not thousands of Ethiopian migrants are now languishing in squalid detention centers in Saudi Arabia or remain stranded at the border , ” Hardman said .
“ The United Nations needs to work with the Saudis and Ethiopians to assist in the voluntary return of Ethiopians in detention or still stranded at the border.
” HRW urged both Houthi and Saudi authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endured by Ethiopian migrants .
In 2014 , Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran Yemen ’ s northern parts and the capital Sanaa , forcing the U.N.-backed government to flee to the south , In 2015 , a Saudi-led coalition launched a war on the Houthis hoping to reinstate the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi .
The 5-year-old conflict in the Arab World ’ s poorest country has resulted in a military stalemate and killed more than 100,000 people including thousands of civilians .

CAIRO (AP) - A prominent rights group Thursday accused Yemen’s Houthi rebels and rival Saudi border guards of killing several dozen Ethiopian migrants in an incident at the border earlier this year.
The statement from New York-based Human Rights Watch quoted Ethiopian migrants who said Houthi fighters in April rounded up thousands of them from their unofficial settlement area in al-Ghar town in the country’s northwestern Saada province. The migrants said they were forced into pickup trucks and driven to the nearby Saudi border. During the process, Houthis screamed that the migrants were “coronavirus carriers” and fired at anyone who tried to escape, the witnesses said.
Once the Ethiopian migrants arrived at the Saudi border, they got caught up in clashes between their Houthi escorts and Saudi border guards, the rights group said.
“It was early in the morning (on April 16) and they told us to leave in two hours,” said an Ethiopian woman. “Most people left, but I stayed. But after two hours, they started firing bullets and rockets - I saw two people killed.”
Yemen’s ongoing civil war pits the Houthis, who occupy the north, against a U.S-backed. and Saudi-led coalition that supports an internationally recognized government in the south.
“The lethal disregard Houthi and Saudi forces have shown civilians during Yemen’s armed conflict was replayed in April with Ethiopian migrants at the Yemen-Saudi border,” said Nadia Hardman, refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “United Nations agencies need to step in to address the immediate threats to the Ethiopian migrants and press for accountability for those responsible for the killings and other abuses.”
Neither Houthi nor Saudi officials could be immediately reached for comment.
Thousands of East Africans make the perilous journey from the Horn of Africa to oil-rich Saudi Arabia through war-torn Yemen every year, hoping to escape poverty and instability in their home countries. They are exposed to many forms of abuse, including abduction, trafficking and arrest and detention. In recent months, migrants have also been faced with growing xenophobia as a result of the spread of the coronavirus, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Many of the migrants interviewed by HRW in the April incident said they saw dead bodies but the exact casualty toll could not be determined. Those who managed to return to the settlement area saw their tents and shelters had been destroyed, an account that HRW was able to confirm later using satellite imagery.
Some of the migrants told HRW that Saudi border guards fired at them using mortar shells and rocket launchers. They were eventually transferred to “unsanitary and abusive” detention facilities in Jeddah and Jizan provinces. There some were beaten and had their money and belongings confiscated. Hundreds of others, including children, may still be stranded in the mountainous border region, the rights group said.
“Hundreds if not thousands of Ethiopian migrants are now languishing in squalid detention centers in Saudi Arabia or remain stranded at the border,” Hardman said. “The United Nations needs to work with the Saudis and Ethiopians to assist in the voluntary return of Ethiopians in detention or still stranded at the border.”
HRW urged both Houthi and Saudi authorities to investigate the killings and the abuses endured by Ethiopian migrants.
In 2014, Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran Yemen’s northern parts and the capital Sanaa, forcing the U.N.-backed government to flee to the south, In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launched a war on the Houthis hoping to reinstate the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The 5-year-old conflict in the Arab World’s poorest country has resulted in a military stalemate and killed more than 100,000 people including thousands of civilians.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--UN: 8 children die within days in Syria camp for IS families

BEIRUT ( AP ) - At least eight children under the age of five have died in recent days from health problems linked to the dire conditions in a camp in northern Syria housing tens of thousands of female supporters of the Islamic State group and their children , the U.N. said Thursday .
The U.N. children ’ s agency says the eight died between Aug. 6-10 from malnutrition or dehydration from diarrhea .
The camp has yet to report any outbreak of the new coronavirus , which has sickened people in other parts of war-torn Syria .
“ Any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is even more so when the death could have been averted , ” UNICEF said in a statement .
It said nearly 40,000 children from 60 countries languish at the al-Hol camp .
It is operated by U.S.-allied Kurdish forces that played a key role in dismantling the extremist group ’ s self-styled caliphate , which once sprawled across large areas of Syria and Iraq .
The extremists no longer control any territory , but continue to carry out sporadic attacks in both countries .
The detainees at al-Hol mainly consist of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children , who were captured or surrendered to Kurdish forces .
With few exceptions , Western countries have refused to repatriate them , citing security concerns .
The detainees “ lack access to basic services and have to contend with the sweltering summer heat and the trauma of violence and displacement , ” UNICEF said .
Restrictions and quarantine measures imposed to prevent a coronavirus outbreak have hindered aid operations .
Infections among camp workers have led to a “ pause ” in some health and education services , UNICEF said .

BEIRUT (AP) - At least eight children under the age of five have died in recent days from health problems linked to the dire conditions in a camp in northern Syria housing tens of thousands of female supporters of the Islamic State group and their children, the U.N. said Thursday.
The U.N. children’s agency says the eight died between Aug. 6-10 from malnutrition or dehydration from diarrhea. The camp has yet to report any outbreak of the new coronavirus, which has sickened people in other parts of war-torn Syria.
“Any child’s death is tragic. It is even more so when the death could have been averted,” UNICEF said in a statement.
It said nearly 40,000 children from 60 countries languish at the al-Hol camp. It is operated by U.S.-allied Kurdish forces that played a key role in dismantling the extremist group’s self-styled caliphate, which once sprawled across large areas of Syria and Iraq.
The extremists no longer control any territory, but continue to carry out sporadic attacks in both countries.
The detainees at al-Hol mainly consist of the wives of IS fighters and their children, who were captured or surrendered to Kurdish forces. With few exceptions, Western countries have refused to repatriate them, citing security concerns.
The detainees “lack access to basic services and have to contend with the sweltering summer heat and the trauma of violence and displacement,” UNICEF said.
Restrictions and quarantine measures imposed to prevent a coronavirus outbreak have hindered aid operations. Infections among camp workers have led to a “pause” in some health and education services, UNICEF said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Man stopped by ICE agents near courthouse files federal suit

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - A Washington County man on Wednesday filed a federal suit against the United States , alleging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents unlawfully detained him outside the county courthouse in 2017 .
Isidro Andrade-Tafolla , who was with his wife , said agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement followed him out of the courthouse in Hillsboro after he attended a hearing in a driving under the influence of intoxicants case , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
He says as he walked to his truck , an unmarked minivan parked in front of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they demanded to know his .
After more agents arrived , showing him a photo they said was of him , one said Andrade-Tafolla wasn ’ t the person they sought and they left , according to the lawsuit .
ICE Acting Field Office Director Elizabeth Godfrey of Portland denied allegations of racial profiling in a letter to federal lawmakers , writing that the officers identified themselves as ICE agents and never tried to detain Andrade-Tafolla .
The ACLU of Oregon filed the lawsuit on Andrade-Tafolla ’ s behalf , alleging wrongful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional distress and psychological harm .
“ The unlawful detention of Isidro Andrade-Tafolla is one of many that Black and brown Oregonians have experienced , ” said Leland Baxter-Neal , staff attorney for ACLU of Oregon .
The ACLU of Oregon says they have documented civil immigration enforcement activity in state courthouses in Lane , Marion , Multnomah , Clackamas , Umatilla , Morrow , Sherman , Gilliam , Wheeler , Wasco , Hood River , Josephine , Lincoln , Clatsop , Washington , and Yamhill counties .
In November , Oregon Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new rule that bans agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from carrying out arrests inside or in the close vicinity of Oregon ’ s state courthouses unless the agents first receive warrants from a judge .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Washington County man on Wednesday filed a federal suit against the United States, alleging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents unlawfully detained him outside the county courthouse in 2017.
Isidro Andrade-Tafolla, who was with his wife, said agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement followed him out of the courthouse in Hillsboro after he attended a hearing in a driving under the influence of intoxicants case, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
He says as he walked to his truck, an unmarked minivan parked in front of it and agents did not give their identity as they demanded to know his. After more agents arrived, showing him a photo they said was of him, one said Andrade-Tafolla wasn’t the person they sought and they left, according to the lawsuit.
ICE Acting Field Office Director Elizabeth Godfrey of Portland denied allegations of racial profiling in a letter to federal lawmakers, writing that the officers identified themselves as ICE agents and never tried to detain Andrade-Tafolla.
The ACLU of Oregon filed the lawsuit on Andrade-Tafolla’s behalf, alleging wrongful detention and seeking damages for humiliation, emotional distress and psychological harm.
“The unlawful detention of Isidro Andrade-Tafolla is one of many that Black and brown Oregonians have experienced,” said Leland Baxter-Neal, staff attorney for ACLU of Oregon.
The ACLU of Oregon says they have documented civil immigration enforcement activity in state courthouses in Lane, Marion, Multnomah, Clackamas, Umatilla, Morrow, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Wasco, Hood River, Josephine, Lincoln, Clatsop, Washington, and Yamhill counties.
In November, Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Martha Walters enacted a new rule that bans agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from carrying out arrests inside or in the close vicinity of Oregon’s state courthouses unless the agents first receive warrants from a judge.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Police: Man found shot to death in grassy lot in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
( AP ) - A man was found shot to death in a grassy lot @ @ @ @ @ there said .
Police were called to the area of Independence Avenue and the Paseo @ @ @ @ @ reports of a shooting , officials said .
Arriving officers found the man ’ s @ @ @ @ @ interviewed witnesses about the shooting .
The man ’ s name had not yet been @ @ @ @ @ and no arrests had been reported .
The death marked the 123rd homicide in Kansas @ @ @ @ @ , compared with 90 homicides for the same period in 2019 .

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A man was found shot to death in a grassy lot in Kansas City, police there said.
Police were called to the area of Independence Avenue and the Paseo around 1:15 a.m. Thursday for reports of a shooting, officials said. Arriving officers found the man’s body in the lot and interviewed witnesses about the shooting.
The man’s name had not yet been released by mid-morning Thursday, and no arrests had been reported. The death marked the 123rd homicide in Kansas City so far this year, compared with 90 homicides for the same period in 2019.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Survey: Most teachers to return, but worried about health

PORTLAND , Maine ( AP ) - Most Maine teachers intend to return to classrooms this fall , but they ’ re concerned about their health during the pandemic .
And they don ’ t have much faith in their students following safety protocols .
The survey provided by the Maine Department of Education to families , educators , support staff and school leaders last month indicates both teachers and parents share concerns about how well students will adhere to safety requirements necessary for schools to reopen .
Only 35 % of parents said they believe students will be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , and only 38 % said they believe students will wear masks , the Portland Press Herald reported .
Among educators , only 14 % agreed or strongly agreed that students would be able to avoid physical contact and only 22 % agreed or strongly agreed with the ability of students to wear masks , it said .
More than 45,000 people responded to the surveys , including 32,426 families , 9,733 teachers , 1,155 school or district leaders , and 1,823 school support staff .
There are about 182,500 preK-12 students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public schools .
All told , about 80 % of school workers said they plan to be return to work , the survey said .
And nearly as many , 76 % to 77 % , had concerned about their own health .
They had even greater concerns for their students ’ health .
Among parents 71 % of respondents said they intend to send their children to school even though nearly 60 % were concerned about the health and safety of the children .

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The University of Maine System is proposing travel restrictions to limit exposure to the coronavirus by students and faculty.
UMS says it’s discouraging personal travel by students, staff or faculty outside of Maine during the fall semester and will require a quarantine or test upon return, unless the state is exempted from the requirement.
The academic calendar eliminates the traditional fall and spring breaks to discourage out-of-state travel.
“College and campus life will have to be different this year because COVID is still in charge, but with our screening strategies and sensible travel and schedule accommodations we can better protect one another and our Maine communities,” UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy said in a statement.
In other coronavirus-related news in Maine:
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THE NUMBERS
Another 19 Mainers tested positive for the coronavirus but there were no new deaths, the Maine Center for Disease Control reported Thursday.
A total of 4,089 people have tested positive since the outbreak began, the Maine CDC said. The number deaths was unchanged at 126.
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SURVEY SAYS
Most Maine teachers intend to return to classrooms this fall, but they’re concerned about their health during the pandemic. They also don’t have much faith in their students following safety protocols.
The survey provided by the Maine Department of Education to families, educators, support staff and school leaders last month indicates both teachers and parents share concerns about how well students will adhere to safety requirements necessary for schools to reopen.
Only 35% of parents said they believe students will be able to avoid physical contact and maintain social distancing, and only 38% said they believe students will wear masks, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Among educators, only 14% agreed or strongly agreed that students would be able to avoid physical contact and only 22% agreed or strongly agreed with the ability of students to wear masks, it said.
More than 45,000 people responded to the surveys, including 32,426 families, 9,733 teachers, 1,155 school or district leaders, and 1,823 school support staff. There are about 182,500 pre-K-12 students in Maine and about 50,100 people work in public schools.
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STUDENT ATHLETES
Two students who participated in Foxcroft Academy’s preseason athletic workouts tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said.
The coronavirus case count grew from four to six between Tuesday and Wednesday in Picataquis County, which has the lowest infection rate in the state, according to state statistics.
Administrators at the Dover-Foxcroft school called off the preseason workouts on Tuesday.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--At least 1 person stabbed in Norway, suspect detained

COPENHAGEN , Denmark ( AP ) - Police say at least one person has been stabbed in Norway ’ s @ @ @ @ @ has been detained .
Local newspaper Bergens Tidende reported Thursday that a person with a @ @ @ @ @ central square in Bergen and acted threatening .
The newspaper says several people were reportedly @ @ @ @ @ located one with injuries .
The stabbing victim ’ s condition was not known .
@ @ @ @ @ Norwegian news agency NTB that a suspect , described as a woman , has been @ @ @ @ @ We are looking for more people injured in the area , ” Rebnor was quoted @ @ @ @ @ located some 300 kilometers ( 186 miles ) northwest of Oslo .

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - A woman wearing bloodied clothes who was detained Thursday in Norway’s second-largest city suffered self-inflicted injuries and nobody else appeared to have been hurt, police said.
Norwegian media earlier showed photos of ambulances lined up in Bergen, 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of the capital, Oslo, amid reports that several people may have been stabbed.
Police spokesman Bjarte Rebnor told Norwegian news agency NTB that no other victims had been found in the area. Police, however, protectively continued to be on the outlook for other victims and spoke to witnesses.
The alarm was initially raised shortly after 1200 GMT, when a person behaving in a threatening manner was reported headed to a downtown emergency room in Bergen with blood on her clothes, police said in a statement.
The woman in her 20s had blood on her head and had a cut on one hand which police said was self-inflicted. Her condition was not known. A person initially reported to have been stabbed, was unharmed, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Lebanon passes face covering ordinance

Lebanon passes face covering ordinance

CONCORD , N.H. ( AP ) - The city of Lebanon , New Hampshire , is the latest community to pass an ordinance requiring people to wear face masks in businesses , government buildings and other public indoor spaces during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Valley News reports the ordinance passed by the City Council on Wednesday requires employees to wear face coverings when they are within 6 feet of co-workers and customers who are not members of the same household .
Customers must wear mask when inside any “ business , governmental or nonprofit , ” or while riding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly recommended ” for people utilizing the Northern Rail Trail , Mascoma River Greenway and sidewalks , but not required .
Violations could face a $ 100 fine for a first offense , and a $ 250 fine afterward .
As of Wednesday , 6,887 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire , an increase of 26 from the previous day .
There was one new death , for a total of 420 .
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire decreased over the past two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 28 to 29 per day on Aug. 11 .
For most people , the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms .
For some , especially older adults and the infirm , it can cause more severe illness and can lead to death .

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - The city of Lebanon, New Hampshire, is the latest community to pass an ordinance requiring people to wear face masks in businesses, government buildings and other public indoor spaces during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Valley News reports the ordinance passed by the City Council on Wednesday requires employees to wear face coverings when they are within 6 feet of co-workers and customers who are not members of the same household.
Customers must wear mask when inside any “business, governmental or nonprofit,” or while riding on public transportation. Masks are “strongly recommended” for people utilizing the Northern Rail Trail, Mascoma River Greenway and sidewalks, but not required.
Violations could face a $100 fine for a first offense, and a $250 fine afterward.
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SENTENCE APPEAL
A man has asked a judge to suspend his 15-to-30-year sentence on a murder conspiracy conviction because of coronavirus concerns.
Jesse Brooks, along with others, including his millionaire father, John Brooks, were imprisoned following the 2005 slaying of a handyman they suspected of stealing.
Jesse Brooks, an inmate in Arizona, first asked for a chance to be released early in October. Brooks has a back injury, high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, and obesity, which put him at risk for severe consequences related to exposure to COVID-19, lawyers said in court paperwork.
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THE NUMBERS
As of Wednesday, 6,887 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, an increase of 26 from the previous day. There was one new death, for a total of 420. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire decreased over the past two weeks from 36 cases per day on July 28 to 29 per day on Aug. 11.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause more severe illness and can lead to death.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Police: 4 people charged after 2 goats found killed

SPOTSYLVANIA , Va. ( AP ) - Authorities in Virginia say that four people have been charged after two goats were attacked by dogs , a bat with a spikes and what appeared to be a machete .
The Free Lance-Star reported Monday that the charges were filed in Spotsylvania County .
Sheriff ’ s Capt .
Liz Scott said the investigation began after someone called to report that people were attacking the goats .
Scott said deputies arrived and were told by homeowner Halie Morgan , 22 , that the goats had been taken away earlier that day after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have them in the neighborhood .
But Scott said that two goats were found dead on the property .
Scott said that video obtained by police showed Morgan encouraging her two large dogs to attack the goats .
Authorities said Andrew Haefele , 36 , used a large bat with spikes to strike the goats .
Scott said the animals were also struck with what appeared to be a machete .
Scott said that Charles E. McKinney , 34 , was seen cutting the neck of one of the goats as it lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haefele , McKinney and Donald Compton , 35 , are all charged with offenses that include maiming an animal , conspiracy to maim an animal , animal cruelty and giving false information to law enforcement .
It ’ s unclear if they have hired attorneys .

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. (AP) - Four people have been charged after two goats were fatally attacked by dogs and someone wielding a spiked bat and what appeared to be a machete, authorities in Virginia said.
The charges were filed in Spotsylvania County, The Free Lance-Star reported Monday.
Sheriff’s Capt. Liz Scott said the investigation began after someone called to report that people were attacking the goats.
Scott said deputies arrived and were told by homeowner Halie Morgan, 22, that the goats had been taken away earlier that day after she learned she was not allowed to have them in the neighborhood.
But Scott said that two goats were found dead on the property. Scott said that video obtained by police showed Morgan encouraging her two large dogs to attack the goats.
Authorities said Andrew Haefele, 36, used a large bat with spikes to strike the goats. Scott said the animals were also struck with what appeared to be a machete.
Scott said that Charles E. McKinney, 34, was seen cutting the neck of one of the goats as it lay on the ground dying.
Morgan, Haefele, McKinney and Donald Compton, 35, are all charged with offenses that include maiming an animal, conspiracy to maim an animal, animal cruelty and giving false information to law enforcement.
It’s unclear if they have hired attorneys who could comment on the charges.


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--Migrants cross English Channel to UK for 10th day in a row

LONDON ( AP ) - Migrants crossing the English Channel arrived in the southern English port of Dover for the 10th day in a row Thursday , as British officials hardened their rhetoric against asylum-seekers .
The migrants , including children , were brought aboard a Border Force patrol boat into Dover harbor , where immigration officials conducted routine assessments for symptoms of the coronavirus .
More than 650 migrants have crossed the Channel , one of the world ’ s busiest waterways , in small boats so far this month , encouraged by favorable weather .
The numbers peaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 235 migrants made it to England .
The Kent County Council , which oversees the area around Dover , said it could be just “ days away ” from being unable to look after more asylum-seeking children arriving on local shores .
The government asked for military assistance in a bid to make the crossing “ unviable ” for small boats .
The Royal Air Force in recent days has been patrolling the English Channel with a new plane designed for anti-submarine warfare .
But Britain ’ s attempts to put pressure on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrants from setting out on the perilous voyage has drawn ire from French officials .
The mayor of the French port of Calais reportedly said Wednesday that proposals to send the Royal Navy into the English Channel to tackle migrant crossings was a “ declaration of maritime war.
” “ We in Calais no longer want to be permanent hostages enduring the lectures of British leaders , ” Mayor Natacha Bouchart told regional channel France 3 in an interview .
British and French officials met Tuesday in the latest talks to put more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of migrant crossings .
The two sides have long cooperated to stop migrants who mass around Calais and Dunkirk from sneaking onto trains or hiding in trucks to enter Britain , but migrants ’ success at using small boats is putting renewed pressure on officials to act .
British daily newspaper The Times reported Thursday that British Home Secretary Priti Patel vowed to improve the U.K. ’ s asylum system , which she reportedly described as one “ exploited by leftie Labour-supporting lawyers ” seeking to hinder government attempts to deport people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labour party , called the comments “ extremely distasteful .
”

LONDON (AP) - Migrants crossing the English Channel arrived in the southern English port of Dover for the 10th day in a row Thursday, as British officials hardened their rhetoric against asylum-seekers.
The migrants, including children, were brought aboard a Border Force patrol boat into Dover harbor, where immigration officials conducted routine assessments for symptoms of the coronavirus.
More than 650 migrants have crossed the Channel, one of the world’s busiest waterways, in small boats so far this month, encouraged by favorable weather. The numbers peaked on Aug. 6, when a record 235 migrants made it to England.
The Kent County Council, which oversees the area around Dover, said it could be just “days away” from being unable to look after more asylum-seeking children arriving on local shores.
The government asked for military assistance in a bid to make the crossing “unviable” for small boats. The Royal Air Force in recent days has been patrolling the English Channel with a new plane designed for anti-submarine warfare.
But Britain’s attempts to put pressure on France to take tougher action to stop migrants from setting out on the perilous voyage has drawn ire from French officials.
The mayor of the French port of Calais reportedly said Wednesday that proposals to send the Royal Navy into the English Channel to tackle migrant crossings was a “declaration of maritime war.”
“We in Calais no longer want to be permanent hostages enduring the lectures of British leaders,” Mayor Natacha Bouchart told regional channel France 3 in an interview.
British and French officials met Tuesday in the latest talks to put more muscle into efforts to stop the record number of migrant crossings. The two sides have long cooperated to stop migrants who mass around Calais and Dunkirk from sneaking onto trains or hiding in trucks to enter Britain, but migrants’ success at using small boats is putting renewed pressure on officials to act.
British daily newspaper The Times reported Thursday that British Home Secretary Priti Patel vowed to improve the U.K.’s asylum system, which she reportedly described as one “exploited by leftie Labour-supporting lawyers” seeking to hinder government attempts to deport people.
David Lammy, from the opposition Labour party, called the comments “extremely distasteful.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-13--New York challenges ruling that allowed larger weddings

SYRACUSE , N.Y. ( AP ) - New York officials are challenging a federal judge ’ s ruling in favor of two couples who wanted to have more than 50 people at their weddings despite the state ’ s pandemic-related restrictions .
U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby issued a preliminary injunction Friday that allowed a western New York golf club to accommodate more than 50 people for the weddings , though the venue has to operate under the same 50 % capacity rule as restaurants serving dinner indoors .
The ruling cleared the way for the first larger wedding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some public officials and wedding venue operators view it as a precedent that will enable larger ceremonies .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s administration told the federal court this week they are appealing the ruling as they seek a temporary restraining order .
Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a filing that allowing 175 guests at the Aug. 22 wedding could defeat the state ’ s carefully phased-in approach to keep the coronavirus from surging back .
“ The COVID-19 Task Force remains gravely concerned that the relaxing of the restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases in the spread of the virus , resulting in a serious , but avoidable , impact on the health and lives of New York ’ s population.
” Zucker said .
The couples argued that religious ceremonies should not be treated differently than gatherings for demonstrations , graduation ceremonies and restaurants .

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - New York officials are challenging a federal judge’s ruling in favor of two couples who wanted to have more than 50 people at their weddings despite the state’s pandemic-related restrictions.
U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby issued a preliminary injunction Friday that allowed a western New York golf club to accommodate more than 50 people for the weddings, though the venue has to operate under the same 50% capacity rule as restaurants serving dinner indoors.
The ruling cleared the way for the first larger wedding Friday and a second on Aug. 22. Some public officials and wedding venue operators view it as a precedent that will enable larger ceremonies.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration told the federal court this week they are appealing the ruling as they seek a temporary restraining order. Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a filing that allowing 175 guests at the Aug. 22 wedding could defeat the state’s carefully phased-in approach to keep the coronavirus from surging back.
“The COVID-19 Task Force remains gravely concerned that the relaxing of the restrictions the State has implemented will lead to increases in the spread of the virus, resulting in a serious, but avoidable, impact on the health and lives of New York’s population.” Zucker said.
The couples argued that religious ceremonies should not be treated differently than gatherings for demonstrations, graduation ceremonies and restaurants.