washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Dog in Georgia tests positive for virus that causes COVID-19

ATLANTA ( AP ) - A dog in Georgia is believed to have been the second canine in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ virus that causes COVID-19 , health officials said .
The 6-year-old mixed breed dog was @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 and the dog began suffering from a neurological illness , the Georgia Department of @ @ @ @ @ release Wednesday .
The dog was positive for SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ after the neurological illness progressed .
Officials said the dog ’ s neurological illness was @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus .
Guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say @ @ @ @ @ information available so far , the risk of pets spreading coronavirus to people “ is @ @ @ @ @ ”

ATLANTA (AP) - A dog in Georgia is believed to have been the second canine in the U.S. to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, health officials said.
The 6-year-old mixed breed dog was tested after its owners contracted COVID-19 and the dog began suffering from a neurological illness, the Georgia Department of Health said in a news release Wednesday.
The dog was positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The dog was euthanized after the neurological illness progressed. Officials said the dog’s neurological illness was caused by a condition unrelated to the coronavirus.
Guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that based on the limited information available so far, the risk of pets spreading coronavirus to people “is considered to be low.”


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Officer fired for excessive force for slamming man to ground

GREENVILLE , Miss .
( AP ) - A Mississippi police department fired an officer Friday for using excessive force @ @ @ @ @ and Police Chief Delando Wilson announced the dismissal during a news conference carried on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ firing of the unidentified officer came after video surfaced on social media showing the officer @ @ @ @ @ the pavement and striking his head .
Simmons says the video didn ’ t show @ @ @ @ @ he said what was shown was “ appalling and disturbing.
” Wilson said there were @ @ @ @ @ ”

GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi police department fired an officer Friday for using excessive force.
Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons and Police Chief Delando Wilson announced the dismissal during a news conference carried on Facebook.
News outlets said the firing of the unidentified officer came after video surfaced on social media showing the officer slamming a handcuffed suspect to the pavement and striking his head.
Simmons says the video didn’t show everything that happened. But he said what was shown was “appalling and disturbing.”
Wilson said there were no “major injuries.”


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Sheriff: Body of newborn found in Georgia woods

DAWSONVILLE , Ga. ( AP ) - The body of a newborn was discovered Friday in the woods of Georgia @ @ @ @ @ authorities said .
Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson said the 911 center got a call @ @ @ @ @ had found the baby in a wooded area behind his home .
Officials said they @ @ @ @ @ 1 to 2 weeks old , WSB-TV reported .
Johnson said that at least two @ @ @ @ @ connection to the case .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to @ @ @ @

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. (AP) - The body of a newborn was discovered Friday in the woods of Georgia’s Dawson County, authorities said.
Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson said the 911 center got a call around noon that a homeowner had found the baby in a wooded area behind his home. Officials said they believe the baby was around 1 to 2 weeks old, WSB-TV reported.
Johnson said that at least two people are being questioned in connection to the case.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist local investigators.


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Sean Reyes bests GOP challenger in attorney general race

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) - Republican Sean Reyes has won the primary in his bid for re-election as @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press called the race on Friday for Reyes .
He was endorsed by President @ @ @ @ @ % of the vote over challenger David Leavitt .
He is the top prosecutor in @ @ @ @ @ on criminal justice reform and the brother of former governor Mike Leavitt .
Reyes will @ @ @ @ @ Skordas in November , though Republican candidates have a leg up in conservative Utah .
@ @ @ @ @ since 2013 , when he was appointed by Republican Gov .
Gary Herbert after a @ @ @ @ @ John Swallow was later acquitted of criminal charges .
Reyes has made fighting human trafficking @ @ @ @ @ tenure , and recently helped prosecute a three-state adoption fraud scheme .
Vote-counting in the @ @ @ @ @ over days .
It was conducted entirely by mail during the coronavirus pandemic and ballots @ @ @ @ @ .

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Republican Sean Reyes has won the primary in his bid for re-election as Utah attorney general.
The Associated Press called the race on Friday for Reyes. He was endorsed by President Donald Trump and garnered 54% of the vote over challenger David Leavitt.
He is the top prosecutor in Utah County who is focused on criminal justice reform and the brother of former governor Mike Leavitt.
Reyes will face Democratic defense attorney Greg Skordas in November, though Republican candidates have a leg up in conservative Utah.
Reyes has held the position since 2013, when he was appointed by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert after a corruption scandal. His predecessor John Swallow was later acquitted of criminal charges.
Reyes has made fighting human trafficking a signature issue during his tenure, and recently helped prosecute a three-state adoption fraud scheme.
Vote-counting in the June 30 primary has stretched over days. It was conducted entirely by mail during the coronavirus pandemic and ballots were quarantined for 24 hours.


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--California surgeon charged in $52M sober living fraud

SANTA ANA , Calif. ( AP ) - A Beverly Hills , California , surgeon and his girlfriend have pleaded not guilty to taking part in a $ 52 million insurance fraud scheme that involved recruiting patients at Southern California sober living homes to undergo unnecessary surgeries and other procedures , prosecutors said Friday .
Dr. Randy Rosen and Liza Visamanos , both of Los Angeles , entered pleas Thursday in Orange County to a total of nearly 150 felony charges , the county district attorney ’ s office said in a statement .
Four other people also have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecutors said they hired “ body brokers ” to find and pay sober living facility patients to have unnecessary tests , cortisone shots and implants of Naltrexone , a drug that can reduce cravings for opioids and alchohol .
Insurance companies were then billed for the procedures , authorities said .
“ Vulnerable sober living patients who were trying desperately to battle their addictions were treated like human guinea pigs just to make a buck , ” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said , calling the defendants “ real-life Frankensteins.
” If convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades in state prison .

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A Beverly Hills, California, surgeon and his girlfriend have pleaded not guilty to taking part in a $52 million insurance fraud scheme that involved recruiting patients at Southern California sober living homes to undergo unnecessary surgeries and other procedures, prosecutors said Friday.
Dr. Randy Rosen and Liza Visamanos, both of Los Angeles, entered pleas Thursday in Orange County to a total of nearly 150 felony charges, the county district attorney’s office said in a statement.
Four other people also have been charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
Prosecutors said they hired “body brokers” to find and pay sober living facility patients to have unnecessary tests, cortisone shots and implants of Naltrexone, a drug that can reduce cravings for opioids and alchohol.
Insurance companies were then billed for the procedures, authorities said.
“Vulnerable sober living patients who were trying desperately to battle their addictions were treated like human guinea pigs just to make a buck,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, calling the defendants “real-life Frankensteins.”
If convicted of all charges, Rosen could face decades in state prison.


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Alabama health officials can't verify 'COVID party' reports

TUSCALOOSA , Ala. ( AP ) - The Alabama Department of Public Health said it could not verify reports of @ @ @ @ @ deliberately tried to become infected , but also warned people not to try it .
@ @ @ @ @ told news outlets this week that she heard of students holding parties and wagering over @ @ @ @ @ The department said it could not verify any parties where persons tried to contract COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ a dangerous and sometimes deadly virus .
“ Persons should not willfully expose themselves to @ @ @ @ @ own health and the health of others , ” the department said .
Tuscaloosa Fire @ @ @ @ @ City Council on Tuesday that fire officials confirmed some students had attended parties despite knowing @ @ @ @ @ department thought the parties were rumors , but Smith said after some research , officials @ @ @ @ @ The Department of Public Health said people with COVID-19 are to remain in home quarantine @ @ @ @ @ violating quarantine .

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Department of Public Health said it could not verify reports of so-called COVID-19 parties where students deliberately tried to become infected, but also warned people not to try it.
Tuscaloosa City Councilor Sonya McKinstry told news outlets this week that she heard of students holding parties and wagering over who would become infected.
The department said it could not verify any parties where persons tried to contract COVID-19 but warned that it is a dangerous and sometimes deadly virus.
“Persons should not willfully expose themselves to this virus both for their own health and the health of others,” the department said.
Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Randy Smith told the City Council on Tuesday that fire officials confirmed some students had attended parties despite knowing they were infected. The department thought the parties were rumors, but Smith said after some research, officials discovered they were real.
The Department of Public Health said people with COVID-19 are to remain in home quarantine and could be fined for violating quarantine.


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Oklahoma trooper struck SUV's bumper during procession

OKLAHOMA CITY ( AP ) - An accident that injured three Oklahoma troopers on motorcycles during a procession for a fatally shot Tulsa police officer started when one of the troopers struck the rear bumper of a SUV on the shoulder of the road , authorities said .
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Trooper Rocky Barnes was traveling on the shoulder when he struck the back of the SUV parked on the shoulder Thursday on the Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City .
His motorcycle then collided with other troopers .
OHP on Thursday night said the SUV ’ s driver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped to let the procession pass , and didn ’ t violate any traffic laws .
Barnes and fellow troopers Steve Eason and Ron Watson were injured .
Two were released from the hospital later Thursday while the third remained hospitalized but was expected to recover .
Officials didn ’ t identify which troopers were released and which one remained hospitalized .
The accident happened as the troopers participated in a motorcade for Tulsa police Sgt .
Craig Johnson , who died Tuesday after being shot during a traffic stop .
The troopers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambulance that was traveling from Tulsa to LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City .
Tulsa police said Johnson ’ s organs were being donated .

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - An accident that injured three Oklahoma troopers on motorcycles during a procession for a fatally shot Tulsa police officer started when one of the troopers struck the rear bumper of a SUV on the shoulder of the road, authorities said.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Trooper Rocky Barnes was traveling on the shoulder when he struck the back of the SUV parked on the shoulder Thursday on the Kilpatrick Turnpike in Oklahoma City. His motorcycle then collided with other troopers.
OHP on Thursday night said the SUV’s driver had legally pulled onto the shoulder and stopped to let the procession pass, and didn’t violate any traffic laws.
Barnes and fellow troopers Steve Eason and Ron Watson were injured. Two were released from the hospital later Thursday while the third remained hospitalized but was expected to recover.
Officials didn’t identify which troopers were released and which one remained hospitalized.
The accident happened as the troopers participated in a motorcade for Tulsa police Sgt. Craig Johnson, who died Tuesday after being shot during a traffic stop.
The troopers were among law enforcement officers escorting an ambulance that was traveling from Tulsa to LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Tulsa police said Johnson’s organs were being donated.


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--EU says Iran has triggered nuclear deal dispute mechanism

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - The European Union ’ s top diplomat said Friday that he has received a letter from Iran that triggers a dispute mechanism in the international agreement limiting Tehran ’ s nuclear ambitions , citing concerns that Britain , France and Germany are not living up to their side of the deal .
The accord , which Iran signed with the U.S. , Britain , Germany , France , China and Russia in 2015 , has been unraveling since President Donald Trump pulled Washington out in 2018 , unleashing sanctions designed to cripple the Islamic Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief Josep Borrell , who is coordinator of the pact known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or JCPOA , said that in the letter Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif seeks redress under “ the dispute resolution mechanism , as set out in paragraph 36 of the agreement.
” No details about the nature of Iran ’ s “ implementation issues ” with Britain , France and Germany were provided .
The dispute mechanism provides for a period of about one month , which can be prolonged if all parties agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet on June 19 , Zarif said the three countries “ must stop public face-saving and muster the courage to state publicly what they admit privately : their failure to fulfill even ( their ) own JCPOA duties due to total impotence in resisting U.S. bullying.
” Zarif ’ s letter to Borrell was sent a day after a mysterious fire broke out at the Natanz underground facility where Iran enriches uranium .
Britain , France and Germany consider the nuclear deal to be a cornerstone of regional and global security and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. pulled out , setting up a parallel system to try to keep funds flowing into Iran as its economy flagged .
On Jan. 15 , they reluctantly triggered the accord ’ s dispute resolution mechanism themselves to force Iran into discussions on possible violations of the deal , as Tehran appeared to backslide and refused to be bound by its uranium enrichment limits .
They later suspended the action .
Borrell said the dispute process “ requires intensive efforts in good faith by all.
” He underlined his support for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an historic achievement for global nuclear non-proliferation contributing to regional and global security ” and that he remains determined to preserve it .
Late last month , Iran ’ s president warned the U.N. nuclear watchdog to expect a “ stern response ” regarding its demands for Iran to provide access to sites thought to have stored or used undeclared nuclear material .
Tehran was irritated by a resolution adopted by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency demanding access to the sites .
The resolution was proposed by Britain , France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against it .
Iran has dismissed allegations of nuclear activities at the sites in question .

BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union’s top diplomat said Friday that he has received a letter from Iran that triggers a dispute mechanism in the international agreement limiting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, citing concerns that Britain, France and Germany are not living up to their side of the deal.
The accord, which Iran signed with the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia in 2015, has been unraveling since President Donald Trump pulled Washington out in 2018, unleashing sanctions designed to cripple the Islamic Republic’s economy.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is coordinator of the pact known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, said that in the letter Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif seeks redress under “the dispute resolution mechanism, as set out in paragraph 36 of the agreement.”
No details about the nature of Iran’s “implementation issues” with Britain, France and Germany were provided. The dispute mechanism provides for a period of about one month, which can be prolonged if all parties agree, to resolve any disagreement.
In a tweet on June 19, Zarif said the three countries “must stop public face-saving and muster the courage to state publicly what they admit privately: their failure to fulfill even (their) own JCPOA duties due to total impotence in resisting U.S. bullying.”
Zarif’s letter to Borrell was sent a day after a mysterious fire broke out at the Natanz underground facility where Iran enriches uranium.
Britain, France and Germany consider the nuclear deal to be a cornerstone of regional and global security and have struggled to keep it alive since the U.S. pulled out, setting up a parallel system to try to keep funds flowing into Iran as its economy flagged.
On Jan. 15, they reluctantly triggered the accord’s dispute resolution mechanism themselves to force Iran into discussions on possible violations of the deal, as Tehran appeared to backslide and refused to be bound by its uranium enrichment limits. They later suspended the action.
Borrell said the dispute process “requires intensive efforts in good faith by all.”
He underlined his support for the agreement, saying that it “is an historic achievement for global nuclear non-proliferation contributing to regional and global security” and that he remains determined to preserve it.
Late last month, Iran’s president warned the U.N. nuclear watchdog to expect a “stern response” regarding its demands for Iran to provide access to sites thought to have stored or used undeclared nuclear material.
Tehran was irritated by a resolution adopted by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency demanding access to the sites. The resolution was proposed by Britain, France and Germany. Russia and China voted against it. Iran has dismissed allegations of nuclear activities at the sites in question.


washingtontimes--2020-07-03--Inmate's attorneys seek execution delay due to pandemic

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - Attorneys for a federal inmate scheduled to be the first put to death in 17 years have asked a judge to delay his execution due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
Attorneys for Daniel Lee , the first of four inmates set to be executed starting this month , asked a federal judge Thursday to delay his execution until spring 2021 .
Lee , convicted of killing an Arkansas family as part of a plot to establish a whites-only nation in the Pacific Northwest , is scheduled to be executed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lee ’ s attorneys said the pandemic is preventing them from fulfilling their responsibilities to their client without putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus as cases surge throughout the country .
“ The government ’ s insistence on pressing forward with his execution in the midst of this public health crisis is forcing counsel and others to assume grave , potentially fatal , health risks in order to be present at the execution or in the days leading up to it , ” the filing said .
A Zen Buddhist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to another inmate set to be executed two days after Lee , has argued in a separate lawsuit the government is putting him at risk for the virus by moving forward with executions during the pandemic .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Attorneys for a federal inmate scheduled to be the first put to death in 17 years have asked a judge to delay his execution due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Attorneys for Daniel Lee, the first of four inmates set to be executed starting this month, asked a federal judge Thursday to delay his execution until spring 2021. Lee, convicted of killing an Arkansas family as part of a plot to establish a whites-only nation in the Pacific Northwest, is scheduled to be executed on July 13.
In their filing, Lee’s attorneys said the pandemic is preventing them from fulfilling their responsibilities to their client without putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus as cases surge throughout the country.
“The government’s insistence on pressing forward with his execution in the midst of this public health crisis is forcing counsel and others to assume grave, potentially fatal, health risks in order to be present at the execution or in the days leading up to it,” the filing said.
A Zen Buddhist priest, who is a spiritual adviser to another inmate set to be executed two days after Lee, has argued in a separate lawsuit the government is putting him at risk for the virus by moving forward with executions during the pandemic.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Man charged with murder of Southern Illinois toddler

CARLINVILLE , Ill. ( AP ) - A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a @ @ @ @ @ her head was apparently slammed against a wall of her mother ’ s Southern Illinois @ @ @ @ @ ) State Journal-Register r eports that 27-year-old Allan R. Castleberry Jr. appeared in a Macoupin @ @ @ @ @ where Associate Judge Joshua A. Meyer set his bond at $ 1 million .
According @ @ @ @ @ charge indicates that Castleberry struck Gracie Ellen Rose Nance ’ s head against a wall @ @ @ @ @ Carlinville residence that he shared with the girl ’ s mother , Courtney L. Rice @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t breathing and called 911 , and the child was rushed to an @ @ @ @ @ that Castleberry , who had been a resident of the western Illinois community of Roodhouse @ @ @ @ @ and her daughter at the time of the incident .

CARLINVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 23-month-old girl who died after her head was apparently slammed against a wall of her mother’s Southern Illinois home.
The (Springfield) State Journal-Register r eports that 27-year-old Allan R. Castleberry Jr. appeared in a Macoupin County courtroom this week, where Associate Judge Joshua A. Meyer set his bond at $1 million.
According to the paper, the charge indicates that Castleberry struck Gracie Ellen Rose Nance’s head against a wall on Feb. 3 at the Carlinville residence that he shared with the girl’s mother, Courtney L. Rice.
Rice discovered the girl wasn’t breathing and called 911, and the child was rushed to an area hospital.
Authorities said that Castleberry, who had been a resident of the western Illinois community of Roodhouse, was living with Nance and her daughter at the time of the incident.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Stimulus money could pose dilemmas in nursing homes

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Nursing home residents are among the Americans getting $ 1,200 checks as part of the U.S. government ’ s plan to revive the economy .
But with many long-term care facilities under lockdown to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks , what are the rules around how the money is handled ?
The situation underscores the vulnerability of many elderly residents and potential confusion about what homes can and can ’ t do with residents ’ money .
One worry is that nursing homes could pressure residents to use the checks to pay outstanding balances .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal representatives could demand to be in charge of the money , putting staff in difficult situations .
Visitor bans put in place months ago are making it difficult to tell whether such problems are widespread , since residents may be reluctant to express concerns by phone , said Lindsay Heckler of the Center for Elder Law and Justice .
“ We just don ’ t know , ” she said .
Residents can have personal accounts at nursing homes that are subject to federal regulations , a common setup that can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Medicaid , income such as Social Security checks may have to go to the nursing home to cover the cost of care .
But residents are entitled to keep about $ 50 a month of income for personal spending , which is often deposited in those personal accounts at the home - and is in many cases where stimulus money would be deposited .
Gregory Cole , a 70-year-old in southwest Ohio , said he walks up to a window at his nursing home when he wants to withdraw money from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would like to pull out $ 30 , and I ’ d like $ 20 in one dollar bills for the candy machine and the pop machines , ” said Cole , whose home has been under lockdown since mid-March .
It ’ s not yet known whether there are widespread problems with nursing homes taking residents ’ checks , said Lois Greisman of the Federal Trade Commission .
But after receiving a few queries about the issue , the agency in May told people to contact their state attorney general with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys general contacted by The Associated Press say they ’ ve had few to no complaints , while a couple said they had several .
Some noted reports could have been filed with local police or other agencies .
Some early complaints may stem from genuine confusion , Greisman said .
Homes often take other income with the prior consent of residents who are on Medicaid to cover costs , but the stimulus checks are considered tax credits that can ’ t be seized .
Nursing homes themselves could also be put in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel they should be in charge of the money , for example , the home isn ’ t supposed to hand it over unless the person is legally appointed to manage the resident ’ s finances .
Heckler also cited the example of a resident wanting a $ 1,200 check paid out in singles for the vending machine , which would bring worries about the money being lost or stolen .
Another potential issue : The stimulus money could jeopardize someone ’ s Medicaid eligibility if they don ’ t spend it within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have assets above certain limits , which vary depending on the state .
Cole , the southwest Ohio nursing home resident , said he still has some stimulus money left after buying a 55-inch television and gaming device .
He ’ ll said he ’ ll likely wait until his nursing home ’ s lockdown ends to spend the rest .
“ When I ’ m allowed out of here for a little while , I want to take my family out to a steak dinner , ” Cole said .
The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

NEW YORK (AP) - Nursing home residents are among the Americans getting $1,200 checks as part of the U.S. government’s plan to revive the economy. But with many long-term care facilities under lockdown to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, what are the rules around how the money is handled?
The situation underscores the vulnerability of many elderly residents and potential confusion about what homes can and can’t do with residents’ money.
One worry is that nursing homes could pressure residents to use the checks to pay outstanding balances. Another is that relatives who aren’t legal representatives could demand to be in charge of the money, putting staff in difficult situations.
Visitor bans put in place months ago are making it difficult to tell whether such problems are widespread, since residents may be reluctant to express concerns by phone, said Lindsay Heckler of the Center for Elder Law and Justice.
“We just don’t know,” she said.
Residents can have personal accounts at nursing homes that are subject to federal regulations, a common setup that can be convenient for both parties.
For those on Medicaid, income such as Social Security checks may have to go to the nursing home to cover the cost of care. But residents are entitled to keep about $50 a month of income for personal spending, which is often deposited in those personal accounts at the home - and is in many cases where stimulus money would be deposited.
Gregory Cole, a 70-year-old in southwest Ohio, said he walks up to a window at his nursing home when he wants to withdraw money from his account.
“I let her know I would like to pull out $30, and I’d like $20 in one dollar bills for the candy machine and the pop machines,” said Cole, whose home has been under lockdown since mid-March.
It’s not yet known whether there are widespread problems with nursing homes taking residents’ checks, said Lois Greisman of the Federal Trade Commission. But after receiving a few queries about the issue, the agency in May told people to contact their state attorney general with any problems.
About two dozen state attorneys general contacted by The Associated Press say they’ve had few to no complaints, while a couple said they had several. Some noted reports could have been filed with local police or other agencies.
Some early complaints may stem from genuine confusion, Greisman said. Homes often take other income with the prior consent of residents who are on Medicaid to cover costs, but the stimulus checks are considered tax credits that can’t be seized.
Nursing homes themselves could also be put in difficult positions. Even if family members feel they should be in charge of the money, for example, the home isn’t supposed to hand it over unless the person is legally appointed to manage the resident’s finances.
Heckler also cited the example of a resident wanting a $1,200 check paid out in singles for the vending machine, which would bring worries about the money being lost or stolen.
Another potential issue: The stimulus money could jeopardize someone’s Medicaid eligibility if they don’t spend it within a year. Medicaid recipients cannot have assets above certain limits, which vary depending on the state.
Cole, the southwest Ohio nursing home resident, said he still has some stimulus money left after buying a 55-inch television and gaming device. He’ll said he’ll likely wait until his nursing home’s lockdown ends to spend the rest.
“When I’m allowed out of here for a little while, I want to take my family out to a steak dinner,” Cole said.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Maine Marine Patrol to crack down on boating under influence

KITTERY , Maine ( AP ) - The Maine Marine Patrol is warning boaters in the state it will be @ @ @ @ @ laws about operating vessels while under the influence during the holiday weekend .
The agency @ @ @ @ @ Water , a national awareness and enforcement campaign that focuses on boating under the influence @ @ @ @ @ Maine Marine Patrol Major Rob Beal said officers will be conducting patrols “ from Kittery @ @ @ @ @ Alcohol use was the leading factor in nearly a fifth of boater deaths in which @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 , according to Coast Guard statistics .
Operating a boat with a blood @ @ @ @ @ or higher is against Maine law .

KITTERY, Maine (AP) - The Maine Marine Patrol is warning boaters in the state it will be looking for anyone violating state laws about operating vessels while under the influence during the holiday weekend.
The agency is participating in Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign that focuses on boating under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Maine Marine Patrol Major Rob Beal said officers will be conducting patrols “from Kittery to the Canadian border.”
Alcohol use was the leading factor in nearly a fifth of boater deaths in which the primary cause was known in 2018, according to Coast Guard statistics. Operating a boat with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher is against Maine law.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Drivers seeing lowest July 4 weekend gas prices in 4 years

Motorists heading out for the holiday weekend in New Jersey and around the country are seeing the lowest gas prices @ @ @ @ @ in four years .
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular @ @ @ @ @ Friday ticked up a penny to $ 2.16 .
Drivers were paying $ 2.80 a @ @ @ @ @ year .
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $ 2.17 @ @ @ @ @ .
The national average was $ 2.73 at this time a year ago .
Analysts @ @ @ @ @ region are fairly stable with data showing demand has slightly decreased while gasoline supplies increased @ @ @ @ @ also holding steady , meaning gasoline supply and demand are largely in sync across the @ @

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -
Motorists heading out for the holiday weekend in New Jersey and around the country are seeing the lowest gas prices for the July 4 period in four years.
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday ticked up a penny to $2.16. Drivers were paying $2.80 a gallon at this time last year.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.17, unchanged from last week. The national average was $2.73 at this time a year ago.
Analysts say gas prices in the region are fairly stable with data showing demand has slightly decreased while gasoline supplies increased. The national average is also holding steady, meaning gasoline supply and demand are largely in sync across the country,


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Vermont State Historic Sites are open on a limited basis

MONTPELIER , Vt. ( AP ) - Vermont State Historic Sites are now open on a limited basis .
The @ @ @ @ @ the sites opened this week and will operate in accordance with the Governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Executive Order and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development guidance .
Guests will be @ @ @ @ @ in buildings and in the presence of others outdoors .
Some spaces will not be @ @ @ @ @ social distancing requirements .
Those include the observation level of the Bennington Battle Monument and @ @ @ @ @ .
Events at the sites are also limited this year and days of operation have @ @ @ @ @ encouraged to check the historic sites website when planning a trip .
Many of the @ @ @ @ @ , gardens , or acres of preserved forest and farmland .
Vermont ’ s Underwater @ @ @ @ @ also opened to the divers this week .

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont State Historic Sites are now open on a limited basis.
The Division of Historic Preservation says the sites opened this week and will operate in accordance with the Governor’s Be Smart, Stay Safe Executive Order and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development guidance.
Guests will be required to wear facial coverings in buildings and in the presence of others outdoors. Some spaces will not be open to visitors because of social distancing requirements. Those include the observation level of the Bennington Battle Monument and the birthplace of Calvin Coolidge.
Events at the sites are also limited this year and days of operation have been altered so visitors are encouraged to check the historic sites website when planning a trip. Many of the sites also have hiking trails, gardens, or acres of preserved forest and farmland.
Vermont’s Underwater Historic Preserves of Lake Champlain also opened to the divers this week.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--'People aren’t stupid': Pence's virus spin tests credibility

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Vice President Mike Pence has long played the straight man to Donald Trump , translating the president ’ s bombast into more measured , calming language .
His job has become even more difficult .
As coronavirus cases spike across large parts of the country despite months of lockdown , Pence has spent the past week trying to convince the American public that things are going very well , even though they ’ re not .
“ Make no mistake about it , what you see today is that America is going back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way every day to put this coronavirus farther in the past , ” he told CNBC the same day the country reported more than 55,000 new virus cases , a daily record .
For public health experts , the optimism has been unmoored from reality .
“ It ’ s almost laughable because it doesn ’ t pass any test of credibility when we ’ re seeing spikes in cases , spikes in hospitalizations , ” said Larry Gostin , who specializes in public health at Georgetown University Law School .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They can see spin when there is spin.
” The most important thing Pence can do , Gostin said , “ is to be honest with the American public .
… They need to be told the truth and then they need to be told what America is going to do to turn this around.
” It ’ s not the first time Pence has been forced to put his own credibility on the line as he serves as Trump ’ s most loyal soldier .
It may be the most consequential .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from what he calls “ the plague ” as he pursues reelection , Pence has emerged as the public face of this phase of the outbreak , traveling frequently to virus hot spots , coordinating with governors and leading the administration ’ s coronavirus task force .
The role , according to those close to him , is a natural fit for Pence , a former Indiana governor who sees it as his job to defend the president and reopen the country as safely as possible .
But allies are keenly aware that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on whether Trump wins a second term .
If Trump loses , and Pence makes his own run at the presidency in 2024 , he probably would face many candidates from a new generation of politicians .
That could include Nikki Haley , former ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor , and Sen. Tom Cotton , R-Ark .
Robert Blendon , a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , said Pence faces a “ real dilemma ” because Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an economic rebound predicated on states reopening during the pandemic .
From a public health perspective , “ We ’ re actually losing again .
It ’ s getting worse .
We ’ re gong to have to cut back in the economy , ” he said .
After spending time on the road highlighting reopening efforts , Pence traveled this past week to Arizona and Florida , states where cases are surging .
He tried to make the case that the country is in a far improved position now than it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity was dismal and doctors and nurses were desperate for basic protective equipment .
“ The American people deserve to know that we ’ re in a much better place today , thanks to the whole-of-government approach , the whole-of-America approach that President Trump initiated at the very outset of the coronavirus pandemic , ” Pence said Tuesday during a task force briefing held not at the White House but at the U.S. Public Health Service headquarters in Rockville , Maryland .
White House officials and allies stress there are positive signs beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining down and several therapeutics on the market .
The point of the lockdowns , they stress , was to flatten the infection curve to avoid overwhelming hospitals , not eliminate cases .
To further push that message , Pence is expected to resume campaign travel soon .
Campaign officials met by phone on Thursday to map out media markets where they feel he could be beneficial .
While Trump favors large-scale rallies , Pence will continue to focus on more intimate settings , inducing diner visits , bus tours and smaller speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as white evangelicals and suburban families who may be more receptive to a less hyper-political message .
Pence will focus on swing states by stressing local issues and trying to show voters how the administration has affected their lives for the good .
He ’ s expected to spend plenty of time in states such as Wisconsin , Pennsylvania and Michigan , as well as Arizona and North Carolina , talking about bringing back manufacturing jobs .
It ’ s a promise Trump made in 2016 that has been largely unmet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s campaign recently disbanded a team of staffers dedicated to Pence , including his communications director , spokesperson and the director of vice presidential operations .
Strategy and planning are now being handled by Marty Obst , a longtime Pence adviser who served as his campaign manager in 2016 , and Marc Short , his chief of staff .
While some described the move as a natural transition given the vice president already has a full staff at the White House , others said it suggested a diminished role on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrogate than a principal .
Trump campaign spokeswoman Ali Pardo dismissed that suggestion , saying Pence “ has played an integral role in promoting and implementing President Trump ’ s ‘ America First ’ agenda across the country.
” Pence has made clear he feels this is Trump ’ s campaign and he has every right to run it how he wants .
Barry Bennett , a longtime Republican strategist who worked for Trump in 2016 , praised Pence ’ s performance .
“ He has a very tough job .
But so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it with compassion and integrity , ” he said .
“ He ’ s probably the only that ’ s come out of the pandemic experience with positive results .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence has long played the straight man to Donald Trump, translating the president’s bombast into more measured, calming language.
His job has become even more difficult. As coronavirus cases spike across large parts of the country despite months of lockdown, Pence has spent the past week trying to convince the American public that things are going very well, even though they’re not.
“Make no mistake about it, what you see today is that America is going back to work and the American people are finding a way every day to put this coronavirus farther in the past,” he told CNBC the same day the country reported more than 55,000 new virus cases, a daily record.
For public health experts, the optimism has been unmoored from reality.
“It’s almost laughable because it doesn’t pass any test of credibility when we’re seeing spikes in cases, spikes in hospitalizations,” said Larry Gostin, who specializes in public health at Georgetown University Law School. “The American people aren’t stupid. They can see spin when there is spin.”
The most important thing Pence can do, Gostin said, “is to be honest with the American public. … They need to be told the truth and then they need to be told what America is going to do to turn this around.”
It’s not the first time Pence has been forced to put his own credibility on the line as he serves as Trump’s most loyal soldier. It may be the most consequential.
While Trump has tried to distance himself from what he calls “the plague” as he pursues reelection, Pence has emerged as the public face of this phase of the outbreak, traveling frequently to virus hot spots, coordinating with governors and leading the administration’s coronavirus task force.
The role, according to those close to him, is a natural fit for Pence, a former Indiana governor who sees it as his job to defend the president and reopen the country as safely as possible. But allies are keenly aware that Pence’s political future will hinge on whether Trump wins a second term.
If Trump loses, and Pence makes his own run at the presidency in 2024, he probably would face many candidates from a new generation of politicians. That could include Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.
Robert Blendon, a professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said Pence faces a “real dilemma” because Trump’s reelection depends so much on an economic rebound predicated on states reopening during the pandemic.
From a public health perspective, “We’re actually losing again. It’s getting worse. We’re going to have to cut back in the economy,” he said.
After spending time on the road highlighting reopening efforts, Pence traveled this past week to Arizona and Florida, states where cases are surging. He tried to make the case that the country is in a far improved position now than it was early on in the outbreak when testing capacity was dismal and doctors and nurses were desperate for basic protective equipment.
“The American people deserve to know that we’re in a much better place today, thanks to the whole-of-government approach, the whole-of-America approach that President Trump initiated at the very outset of the coronavirus pandemic,” Pence said Tuesday during a task force briefing held not at the White House but at the U.S. Public Health Service headquarters in Rockville, Maryland.
White House officials and allies stress there are positive signs beyond the flow of supplies, with deaths remaining down and several therapeutics on the market. The point of the lockdowns, they stress, was to flatten the infection curve to avoid overwhelming hospitals, not eliminate cases.
To further push that message, Pence is expected to resume campaign travel soon. Campaign officials met by phone on Thursday to map out media markets where they feel he could be beneficial.
While Trump favors large-scale rallies, Pence will continue to focus on more intimate settings, inducing diner visits, bus tours and smaller speaking engagements, especially in front of groups such as white evangelicals and suburban families who may be more receptive to a less hyper-political message.
Pence will focus on swing states by stressing local issues and trying to show voters how the administration has affected their lives for the good. He’s expected to spend plenty of time in states such as Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, as well as Arizona and North Carolina, talking about bringing back manufacturing jobs. It’s a promise Trump made in 2016 that has been largely unmet.
At the same time, however, Trump’s campaign recently disbanded a team of staffers dedicated to Pence, including his communications director, spokesperson and the director of vice presidential operations. Strategy and planning are now being handled by Marty Obst, a longtime Pence adviser who served as his campaign manager in 2016, and Marc Short, his chief of staff.
While some described the move as a natural transition given the vice president already has a full staff at the White House, others said it suggested a diminished role on a campaign that sees Pence more as a surrogate than a principal.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Ali Pardo dismissed that suggestion, saying Pence “has played an integral role in promoting and implementing President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda across the country.”
Pence has made clear he feels this is Trump’s campaign and he has every right to run it how he wants.
Barry Bennett, a longtime Republican strategist who worked for Trump in 2016, praised Pence’s performance.
“He has a very tough job. But so far I think he’s managed to do it with compassion and integrity,” he said. “He’s probably the only that’s come out of the pandemic experience with positive results.”


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--In troubled times: Independence Day in a land of confusion

It was the worst of times .
It was the weirdest of times .
It was a season of sickness and shouting , of defiance and tension , of industrial-strength falsehood and spin .
It was a moment of ugliness and deep injustice - and perhaps , too , a moment when the chance for justice felt nearer than ever before .
On Independence Day , we Americans - if there is in fact a “ we ” in American life - celebrate the anniversary of a time when a lot of people , feeling really angry and scared , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed the world forever .
This year , we mark that event in a year when a lot of people are feeling really angry and scared .
Some of them are trying to do something about it , hoping it will change the world forever .
COVID-19 resurgent in 40 of 50 states .
The death of George Floyd , the fight for racial justice , and the reactions against it .
The fractious politics of masks .
A national conversation - loud , enraged and anguished - about the place that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the present .
An uneven president embraced by millions and despised by millions .
And superimposed over it all : a sure-to-be-chaotic election season that has only just begun .
Irritable , overstressed , buffeted by invisible forces and just plain worn out , the United States of America on its 244th birthday is a land of confusion .
“ At this moment , we are a country profoundly at odds with our own history .
We ’ re seething , ” says historian Ted Widmer , author of “ Lincoln on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s journey to his 1861 inauguration weeks before the Civil War began .
“ There ’ s this feeling that there are multiple versions of a country that is really supposed to be one country , ” Widmer says .
“ People are finding it hard to figure out which America is going to survive over the other one.
” This past week , the Pew Research Center found only 12 % of Americans satisfied with the way things are going in their country - down from 31 % in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
The poll was conducted June 16-22 among 4,708 adults , most of them registered voters .
This country has always contained multiple versions of itself .
That ’ s part of what ’ s held it together - “ e pluribus unum , ” or “ out of many , one ” - but also part of what ’ s driving today ’ s unraveling .
One group ’ s story of America - a story of triumph and exceptionalism and always prevailing - is very different from that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse , subjugation and systemic slavery .
Many things make this particular Fourth of July different , though .
It comes after millions of Americans have been forced to marinate in their own juices for months , stuck at home , in some cases losing their jobs , being economically stressed , fearing a horrifying death , feeling both trapped and unable to access the “ normal ” life they remember .
“ The ordinary flow of daily life - all of that has been disrupted .
Every day looks more similar than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Talarico , a psychology professor at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania who researches the role of emotion in how people remember events .
The weirdness , she suspects , also reflects the new ways we have to share and amplify things at lightning speed : Could more sources of information be intensifying things ?
Could we be feeling more because we ’ re stuck inside with our screens for company ?
Today , on a holiday that celebrates the dawn of the United States , recent weeks ’ protests hint at an important question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set off flag-colored fireworks but not engage with the actual racial history of the nation and its birth ?
There are those who say : Put it aside for the day and just celebrate what the country means - American ideals of equality .
But an increasing number of voices are insisting that the discussion has been put aside for far too long .
To Fred L. Johnson III , a U.S. historian at Hope College in Michigan who studies slavery , race and the Civil War , the notion of marking Independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - including the compromises the founders made to appease the pro-slavery South - is ludicrous .
“ The very things they were complaining that the British were doing to them , they were doing the same thing - oppression - to Black people early on , ” he says .
“ Being an American citizen is like having a relationship , ” Johnson says .
“ If all you can do is accept the good parts of the relationship and can ’ t deal with the hard stuff , I question the sincerity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the warts , the dark spots and all.
” No one would question whether American life on this Independence Day - after the dawn of coronavirus , after the ascent of a nationwide movement , at the cusp of a volatile election - is different from the previous one .
Many are dead .
Many more are confused .
Many are deeply angry at each other and at the system .
Many are terrified .
Many have simply had enough .
On the national birthday , bang and whimper are fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , collectively , is a driver without a map .
“ When you can ’ t make sense of what ’ s going on in the world , life feels pretty meaningless , ” says Daryl Van Tongeren , co-author of “ The Courage to Suffer : A New Clinical Framework for Life ’ s Greatest Crises.
” “ This holiday extols our way of life , ” he says .
“ This is absolutely an emphasis of the exact American values which are under question , and are under question because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality .
The curtain ’ s been pulled back .
And people feel like a lot of this is not working anymore.
” That might explain a meme circulating among weary Americans in the past few days .
“ Dear July , ” it says , “ I don ’ t want any trouble from you .
Just come in , sit down , don ’ t touch anything and keep your mouth shut.
” Ted Anthony , director of digital innovation for The Associated Press , has been writing about American culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at http : //twitter.com/anthonyted

It was the worst of times. It was the weirdest of times.
It was a season of sickness and shouting, of defiance and tension, of industrial-strength falsehood and spin. It was a moment of ugliness and deep injustice - and perhaps, too, a moment when the chance for justice felt nearer than ever before.
On Independence Day, we Americans - if there is in fact a “we” in American life - celebrate the anniversary of a time when a lot of people, feeling really angry and scared, decided to do something about it that changed the world forever. This year, we mark that event in a year when a lot of people are feeling really angry and scared. Some of them are trying to do something about it, hoping it will change the world forever.
COVID-19 resurgent in 40 of 50 states. The death of George Floyd, the fight for racial justice, and the reactions against it. The fractious politics of masks. A national conversation - loud, enraged and anguished - about the place that a history blemished by ugliness should hold in the present. An uneven president embraced by millions and despised by millions. And superimposed over it all: a sure-to-be-chaotic election season that has only just begun.
Irritable, overstressed, buffeted by invisible forces and just plain worn out, the United States of America on its 244th birthday is a land of confusion.
“At this moment, we are a country profoundly at odds with our own history. We’re seething,” says historian Ted Widmer, author of “Lincoln on the Verge,” which chronicles the 16th president’s journey to his 1861 inauguration weeks before the Civil War began.
“There’s this feeling that there are multiple versions of a country that is really supposed to be one country,” Widmer says. “People are finding it hard to figure out which America is going to survive over the other one.”
This past week, the Pew Research Center found only 12% of Americans satisfied with the way things are going in their country - down from 31% in April, which was already a month into the coronavirus pandemic. The poll was conducted June 16-22 among 4,708 adults, most of them registered voters.
This country has always contained multiple versions of itself. That’s part of what’s held it together - “e pluribus unum,” or “out of many, one” - but also part of what’s driving today’s unraveling. One group’s story of America - a story of triumph and exceptionalism and always prevailing - is very different from that of others, which include narratives of abuse, subjugation and systemic slavery.
Many things make this particular Fourth of July different, though.
It comes after millions of Americans have been forced to marinate in their own juices for months, stuck at home, in some cases losing their jobs, being economically stressed, fearing a horrifying death, feeling both trapped and unable to access the “normal” life they remember.
“The ordinary flow of daily life - all of that has been disrupted. Every day looks more similar than it did before,” says Jennifer Talarico, a psychology professor at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania who researches the role of emotion in how people remember events.
The weirdness, she suspects, also reflects the new ways we have to share and amplify things at lightning speed: Could more sources of information be intensifying things? Could we be feeling more because we’re stuck inside with our screens for company?
Today, on a holiday that celebrates the dawn of the United States, recent weeks’ protests hint at an important question: How do you grill burgers and set off flag-colored fireworks but not engage with the actual racial history of the nation and its birth?
There are those who say: Put it aside for the day and just celebrate what the country means - American ideals of equality. But an increasing number of voices are insisting that the discussion has been put aside for far too long.
To Fred L. Johnson III, a U.S. historian at Hope College in Michigan who studies slavery, race and the Civil War, the notion of marking Independence Day without digging into what it means - including the compromises the founders made to appease the pro-slavery South - is ludicrous.
“The very things they were complaining that the British were doing to them, they were doing the same thing - oppression - to Black people early on,” he says.
“Being an American citizen is like having a relationship,” Johnson says. “If all you can do is accept the good parts of the relationship and can’t deal with the hard stuff, I question the sincerity of your relationship. We need to look at the warts, the dark spots and all.”
No one would question whether American life on this Independence Day - after the dawn of coronavirus, after the ascent of a nationwide movement, at the cusp of a volatile election - is different from the previous one. Many are dead. Many more are confused. Many are deeply angry at each other and at the system. Many are terrified. Many have simply had enough.
On the national birthday, bang and whimper are fighting it out as never before. The country, collectively, is a driver without a map.
“When you can’t make sense of what’s going on in the world, life feels pretty meaningless,” says Daryl Van Tongeren, co-author of “The Courage to Suffer: A New Clinical Framework for Life’s Greatest Crises.”
“This holiday extols our way of life,” he says. “This is absolutely an emphasis of the exact American values which are under question, and are under question because they’re not holding up to reality. The curtain’s been pulled back. And people feel like a lot of this is not working anymore.”
That might explain a meme circulating among weary Americans in the past few days. “Dear July,” it says, “I don’t want any trouble from you. Just come in, sit down, don’t touch anything and keep your mouth shut.”
___
Ted Anthony, director of digital innovation for The Associated Press, has been writing about American culture since 1990. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--AP FACT CHECK: Trump's empty assurance on controlling virus

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - “ We have it totally under control , ” President Donald Trump said in late January .
A month later : “ The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.
” April and May brought the deadliest stretch of COVID-19 to date .
And this past week , the number of new coronavirus cases per day hit an all-time high of 50,000 .
Trump persisted in his empty assurances .
The virus is “ getting under control , ” he said Wednesday .
His press secretary described the surge in many parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president acknowledged “ flames ” here and there .
They cast word confetti over a pandemic that has killed more than 128,000 people in the U.S. , while the president talked up a July Fourth fireworks celebration on the National Mall and told those who come Saturday to wear masks if it makes them feel good .
A sampling of recent statements and how it compares with reality : TRUMP , describing the COVID-19 threat as “ getting under control ” : “ Some ( places ) were doing very well , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be gone and they flare up , and we ’ re putting out the fires.
” - remarks Thursday on a jobs report .
TRUMP : “ I think we are going to be very good with the coronavirus .
I think that , at some point , that ’ s going to sort of just disappear , I hope.
” - interview Wednesday on Fox Business Network .
THE FACTS : “ The virus is not going to disappear , ” says Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered “ under control ” as cases have been surging to fresh daily highs .
The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. per day has roughly doubled over the past month , hitting 50,000 on Wednesday , according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University .
That is higher even than what the country experienced from mid-April through early May , when deaths sharply rose .
Fauci warned this past week that the increase across the South and West “ puts the entire country at risk ” and that new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people don ’ t start listening to guidance from public health authorities to wear a mask and practice social distancing .
During one of the biggest weekends of the summer for July Fourth , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans to wear face coverings at the beach , though not in the water .
Arizona , California , Florida and Texas have recently been forced to shut down bars and businesses as virus cases surge .
The U.S. currently has more than 2.7 million known cases and many more undetected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” will be coronavirus infections in the fall and winter .
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE : “ While we ’ re monitoring about 16 states that are seeing outbreaks , it represents about 4 percent of all the counties in this country.
” - interview with CBS aired Sunday .
THE FACTS : That ’ s a misleading portrayal of the virus threat .
More than 20 % of Americans actually live in those relatively few counties .
The White House provided The Associated Press with the full list of U.S. counties that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week ago , when Pence and other administration officials repeatedly cited the low county tally .
The list showed 137 of the 3,142 counties in the U.S. that were under a higher alert - indeed , about 4 % in that snapshot of time .
But measured by population , those counties represent a vastly higher share - more than 1 in 5 people in the U.S .
Altogether there are 68.3 million people living in those 137 counties , while there is a total U.S. population of 322.9 million .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in the virus “ hot spots ” identified in the list .
TRUMP : “ Biden was asked questions at his so-called Press Conference yesterday where he read the answers from a teleprompter .
That means he was given the questions.
” - tweet Wednesday .
THE FACTS : Biden did not read answers off a teleprompter .
Nor did The Associated Press , which asked the first question at the briefing , submit questions in advance .
Biden used a teleprompter to read prepared remarks that took aim at Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the questions and answers started , at which point the teleprompter appeared to have been turned off .
Biden ’ s campaign gave him a list of news organizations to call on and he answered questions from reporters on that list as well as some he chose spontaneously .
That ’ s not an uncommon practice when officials give news conferences .
Video footage shows that during nearly 30 minutes of questions and answers , Biden often looked directly at the reporter , not at the teleprompter .
His answers were at times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard in prepared speeches .
Trump ’ s accusation reflected his tactic of trying to stir doubts about Biden ’ s mental acuity .
TRUMP : “ He wants to defund and abolish police.
” - interview Wednesday on “ America This Week.
” THE FACTS : Biden does not join the call of protesters who demanded “ defund the police ” after George Floyd ’ s killing .
“ I don ’ t support defunding the police , “ Biden said last month in a CBS interview .
But he said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on whether “ they meet certain basic standards of decency , honorableness and , in fact , are able to demonstrate they can protect the community , everybody in the community.
” Biden ’ s criminal justice agenda , released long before he became the Democrats ’ presumptive presidential nominee , proposes more federal money for “ training that is needed to avert tragic , unjustifiable deaths ” and hiring more officers to ensure that departments are racially and ethnically reflective of the populations they serve .
Specifically , he calls for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal community policing grant programs .
That adds up to more money for police , not defunding law enforcement .
Biden also wants the federal government to spend more on education , social services and struggling areas of cities and rural America , to address root causes of crime .
KAYLEIGH MCENANY , White House press secretary : “ You have this President who , when Washington was unanimous in saying , ‘ We ’ re going into Iraq , ’ this President said , ‘ No , that ’ s not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
THE FACTS : That ’ s false .
Trump voiced support for going into Iraq , as much as he and now his press secretary insist otherwise .
And Washington was not unanimous in supporting the invasion .
On Sept. 11 , 2002 , when radio host Howard Stern asked Trump whether he supported a potential Iraq invasion , Trump said : “ Yeah , I guess so.
” On March 21 , 2003 , just days after the invasion , Trump said it “ looks like a tremendous success from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he began expressing reservations .
More than 150 members of Congress voted against the 2002 resolution to authorize President George W. Bush to use military force against Iraq .
That is not unanimity .
TRUMP : “ We are tracking down the two Anarchists who threw paint on the magnificent George Washington Statue in Manhattan .
… They will be prosecuted and face 10 years in Prison.
” - tweet Tuesday .
TRUMP : “ Since imposing a very powerful 10 year prison sentence on those that Vandalize Monuments , Statues etc.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over our Country , the Vandalism has completely stopped.
” - tweet Sunday .
THE FACTS : Trump does not have the authority to impose prison sentences - a president is not a judge .
Nor can he toughen penalties on his own .
Trump signed an executive order last week to protect monuments , memorials and statues , calling on the attorney general to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any person or group that destroys or vandalizes a monument , memorial or statue .
The order basically instructs the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exist .
Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe , Zeke Miller and Darlene Superville contributed to this report .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE - A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .

WASHINGTON (AP) - “We have it totally under control,” President Donald Trump said in late January. A month later: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.”
April and May brought the deadliest stretch of COVID-19 to date. And this past week, the number of new coronavirus cases per day hit an all-time high of 50,000.
Trump persisted in his empty assurances. The virus is “getting under control,” he said Wednesday. His press secretary described the surge in many parts of the country as “embers.” The president acknowledged “flames” here and there.
They cast word confetti over a pandemic that has killed more than 128,000 people in the U.S., while the president talked up a July Fourth fireworks celebration on the National Mall and told those who come Saturday to wear masks if it makes them feel good.
A sampling of recent statements and how it compares with reality:
VIRUS THREAT
TRUMP, describing the COVID-19 threat as “getting under control”: “Some (places) were doing very well, and we thought they (the virus) may be gone and they flare up, and we’re putting out the fires.” - remarks Thursday on a jobs report.
TRUMP: “I think we are going to be very good with the coronavirus. I think that, at some point, that’s going to sort of just disappear, I hope.” - interview Wednesday on Fox Business Network.
THE FACTS: “The virus is not going to disappear,” says Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert. Nor can it be considered “under control” as cases have been surging to fresh daily highs.
The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. per day has roughly doubled over the past month, hitting 50,000 on Wednesday, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. That is higher even than what the country experienced from mid-April through early May, when deaths sharply rose.
Fauci warned this past week that the increase across the South and West “puts the entire country at risk” and that new infections could reach 100,000 a day if people don’t start listening to guidance from public health authorities to wear a mask and practice social distancing.
During one of the biggest weekends of the summer for July Fourth, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans to wear face coverings at the beach, though not in the water.
Arizona, California, Florida and Texas have recently been forced to shut down bars and businesses as virus cases surge. The U.S. currently has more than 2.7 million known cases and many more undetected.
Fauci has said there “certainly” will be coronavirus infections in the fall and winter.
___
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: “While we’re monitoring about 16 states that are seeing outbreaks, it represents about 4 percent of all the counties in this country.” - interview with CBS aired Sunday.
THE FACTS: That’s a misleading portrayal of the virus threat. More than 20% of Americans actually live in those relatively few counties.
The White House provided The Associated Press with the full list of U.S. counties that reported increases in COVID-19 cases as of a week ago, when Pence and other administration officials repeatedly cited the low county tally. The list showed 137 of the 3,142 counties in the U.S. that were under a higher alert - indeed, about 4% in that snapshot of time.
But measured by population, those counties represent a vastly higher share - more than 1 in 5 people in the U.S.
Altogether there are 68.3 million people living in those 137 counties, while there is a total U.S. population of 322.9 million. That means 21.1% of U.S. residents actually live in the virus “hot spots” identified in the list.
___
TRUMP ON BIDEN
TRUMP: “Biden was asked questions at his so-called Press Conference yesterday where he read the answers from a teleprompter. That means he was given the questions.” - tweet Wednesday.
THE FACTS: Biden did not read answers off a teleprompter. Nor did The Associated Press, which asked the first question at the briefing, submit questions in advance.
Biden used a teleprompter to read prepared remarks that took aim at Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, before the questions and answers started, at which point the teleprompter appeared to have been turned off.
Biden’s campaign gave him a list of news organizations to call on and he answered questions from reporters on that list as well as some he chose spontaneously. That’s not an uncommon practice when officials give news conferences.
Video footage shows that during nearly 30 minutes of questions and answers, Biden often looked directly at the reporter, not at the teleprompter. His answers were at times long-winded, without the practiced pauses typically heard in prepared speeches.
Biden campaign national press secretary TJ Ducklo called Trump’s allegation “laughable, ludicrous and a lie.”
Trump’s accusation reflected his tactic of trying to stir doubts about Biden’s mental acuity.
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TRUMP: “He wants to defund and abolish police.” - interview Wednesday on “America This Week.”
THE FACTS: Biden does not join the call of protesters who demanded “defund the police” after George Floyd’s killing.
“I don’t support defunding the police,“ Biden said last month in a CBS interview. But he said he would support conditioning federal aid to police based on whether “they meet certain basic standards of decency, honorableness and, in fact, are able to demonstrate they can protect the community, everybody in the community.”
Biden’s criminal justice agenda, released long before he became the Democrats’ presumptive presidential nominee, proposes more federal money for “training that is needed to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths” and hiring more officers to ensure that departments are racially and ethnically reflective of the populations they serve.
Specifically, he calls for a $300 million infusion into existing federal community policing grant programs.
That adds up to more money for police, not defunding law enforcement.
Biden also wants the federal government to spend more on education, social services and struggling areas of cities and rural America, to address root causes of crime.
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WAR IN IRAQ
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, White House press secretary: “You have this President who, when Washington was unanimous in saying, ‘We’re going into Iraq,’ this President said, ‘No, that’s not the right decision.’” - news briefing Tuesday.
THE FACTS: That’s false. Trump voiced support for going into Iraq, as much as he and now his press secretary insist otherwise. And Washington was not unanimous in supporting the invasion.
On Sept. 11, 2002, when radio host Howard Stern asked Trump whether he supported a potential Iraq invasion, Trump said: “Yeah, I guess so.”
On March 21, 2003, just days after the invasion, Trump said it “looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint.”
Later that year, he began expressing reservations.
More than 150 members of Congress voted against the 2002 resolution to authorize President George W. Bush to use military force against Iraq. That is not unanimity.
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MEMORIALS
TRUMP: “We are tracking down the two Anarchists who threw paint on the magnificent George Washington Statue in Manhattan. … They will be prosecuted and face 10 years in Prison.” - tweet Tuesday.
TRUMP: “Since imposing a very powerful 10 year prison sentence on those that Vandalize Monuments, Statues etc., with many people being arrested all over our Country, the Vandalism has completely stopped.” - tweet Sunday.
THE FACTS: Trump does not have the authority to impose prison sentences - a president is not a judge. Nor can he toughen penalties on his own.
Trump signed an executive order last week to protect monuments, memorials and statues, calling on the attorney general to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any person or group that destroys or vandalizes a monument, memorial or statue.
The order basically instructs the attorney general to enforce laws that already exist.
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Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe, Zeke Miller and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
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EDITOR’S NOTE - A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.
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Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck
Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Michigan village not waiting for federal, state flood relief

LANSING , Mich ( AP ) - Jenna Hulse was at work out of town as a nurse when she got a message from her brother that a dam three blocks from her house in the Michigan village of Sanford was failing .
Six feet ( 2 meters ) of water entered the home , and though Hulse said she ’ s lucky that the house she ’ s lived in most of her life is still structurally sound , many other peoples ’ homes were destroyed , ripped from their foundations .
“ Things aren ’ t ever going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a new normal , I guess , but there ’ s so much of the village that ’ s getting torn down .
Eventually , the look and feel of it will be different , ” Hulse said .
“ It ’ s just unfair and disgusting , watching these houses get torn down that I ’ ve been looking at my whole life.
” Hulse is among the 859 Sanford residents whose lives were upended when privately owned dams with a history of neglect failed in May , resulting in more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County .
When the floodwaters roiled the Tittabawassee River , much of the attention focused on the larger downstream city of Midland , home to Dow Chemical Co .
But many in Sanford are still scraping up muck and debris as they wait to find out whether any government aid may come their way .
In mid-June , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster , which would open up federal resources and financial support for the area .
Michigan has not yet received a response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allocate $ 6 million in state funds to the Midland area , mostly for housing , is sitting in a committee , with the Legislature adjourned for the summer .
Hulse said that when the floodwaters hit , countless volunteers in the village went to work helping her and families like hers by providing meals and supplies , and removing debris .
“ The mud was unbelievable .
It was slimy and it left this film on anything , ” Hulse said .
“ A lot of the stuff that you thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean this off and keep it , ’ you can ’ t even , you can ’ t. ” Sanford , being so small , has already spent more than its yearly budget on debris cleanup alone .
Emily Ricards created a Facebook page to organize volunteer work .
Although state or federal government aid would be a huge help , Ricards said Sanford could not wait .
Midland County has a history of salt and gravel mining , and local excavating companies are helping to clean up the debris .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still be sitting and in three foot of muck , ” Ricards said .
Many damaged houses were not in the floodplain and did not have flood insurance , Ricards said .
Together with the Midland Foundation , which funds programming and services for the county , the Sanford Strong Facebook page has raised $ 210,000 to take care of the immediate needs of residents , such as food and housing .
Floodwaters reached nearly to the ceilings of businesses in the downtown area , preventing them from reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Midland attorney Angela M. Cole , who lived in Sanford for more than 40 years .
She created a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $ 20,000 to help local businesses .
“ It ’ s very personal to me .
I raised my three sons in Sanford , ” Cole said .
“ When they went to college and came back , the first place they always wanted to go for dinner was Lanny ’ s Restaurant , which is right in downtown Sanford .
We celebrated birthday parties , their graduations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The goal is to keep people in the village , Cole said .
Supporting businesses will make it easier for residents to stay or visit , which would build the tax base .
” I think it ’ s better just to help than to sit back and wait ” for state or federal funding , Cole said .
“ We ’ re gon na be very grateful for it , but can it really help the amount of devastation ?
Maybe not , so maybe if we do our part , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anna Liz Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

LANSING, Mich (AP) - Jenna Hulse was at work out of town as a nurse when she got a message from her brother that a dam three blocks from her house in the Michigan village of Sanford was failing.
Six feet (2 meters) of water entered the home, and though Hulse said she’s lucky that the house she’s lived in most of her life is still structurally sound, many other peoples’ homes were destroyed, ripped from their foundations.
“Things aren’t ever going to be normal again. There will be a new normal, I guess, but there’s so much of the village that’s getting torn down. Eventually, the look and feel of it will be different,” Hulse said. “It’s just unfair and disgusting, watching these houses get torn down that I’ve been looking at my whole life.”
Hulse is among the 859 Sanford residents whose lives were upended when privately owned dams with a history of neglect failed in May, resulting in more than $200 million damage in Midland County.
When the floodwaters roiled the Tittabawassee River, much of the attention focused on the larger downstream city of Midland, home to Dow Chemical Co. But many in Sanford are still scraping up muck and debris as they wait to find out whether any government aid may come their way.
In mid-June, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster, which would open up federal resources and financial support for the area. Michigan has not yet received a response to Whitmer’s request.
Legislation to allocate $6 million in state funds to the Midland area, mostly for housing, is sitting in a committee, with the Legislature adjourned for the summer.
Hulse said that when the floodwaters hit, countless volunteers in the village went to work helping her and families like hers by providing meals and supplies, and removing debris.
“The mud was unbelievable. It was slimy and it left this film on anything,” Hulse said. “A lot of the stuff that you thought, ‘Well maybe I’ll clean this off and keep it,’ you can’t even, you can’t.”
Sanford, being so small, has already spent more than its yearly budget on debris cleanup alone.
Emily Ricards created a Facebook page to organize volunteer work. Although state or federal government aid would be a huge help, Ricards said Sanford could not wait. Midland County has a history of salt and gravel mining, and local excavating companies are helping to clean up the debris.
“If we would have waited we’d still be sitting and in three foot of muck,” Ricards said.
Many damaged houses were not in the floodplain and did not have flood insurance, Ricards said. Together with the Midland Foundation, which funds programming and services for the county, the Sanford Strong Facebook page has raised $210,000 to take care of the immediate needs of residents, such as food and housing.
Floodwaters reached nearly to the ceilings of businesses in the downtown area, preventing them from reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic with the rest of the state, said Midland attorney Angela M. Cole, who lived in Sanford for more than 40 years. She created a GoFundMe that has raised nearly $20,000 to help local businesses.
“It’s very personal to me. I raised my three sons in Sanford,” Cole said. “When they went to college and came back, the first place they always wanted to go for dinner was Lanny’s Restaurant, which is right in downtown Sanford. We celebrated birthday parties, their graduations, anything you can think of there.”
The goal is to keep people in the village, Cole said. Supporting businesses will make it easier for residents to stay or visit, which would build the tax base.
”I think it’s better just to help than to sit back and wait” for state or federal funding, Cole said. “We’re gonna be very grateful for it, but can it really help the amount of devastation? Maybe not, so maybe if we do our part, that will help heal some more.”
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Anna Liz Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Two state troopers win national law enforcement award

Two Massachusetts State Police troopers have been recognized by a national law enforcement organization for helping save a man who collapsed inside a gas station .
Troopers Andrew Zeller and Michael Lane were named Officers of the Month for May by the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum , according to a statement this week .
Zeller was near the end of his shift on May 17 when he stopped for gas on his way to the Medical Examiner ’ s Office to deliver evidence in a case , according to the nonprofit organization .
While inside to pay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zeller immediately alerted EMS , and then performed life-saving measures .
Lane responded to the scene and assisted until EMS arrived .
The troopers re-established the man ’ s pulse .
He was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover .
“ These troopers immediately jumped into action , providing life-saving measures when every moment mattered , ” said National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Marcia Ferranto .
“ Had it not been for the efforts of these two troopers , the outcome could have been much worse.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memorial Fund has been giving an officer of the month award since 1996 .

Two Massachusetts State Police troopers have been recognized by a national law enforcement organization for helping save a man who collapsed inside a gas station.
Troopers Andrew Zeller and Michael Lane were named Officers of the Month for May by the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum, according to a statement this week.
Zeller was near the end of his shift on May 17 when he stopped for gas on his way to the Medical Examiner’s Office to deliver evidence in a case, according to the nonprofit organization.
While inside to pay, a man came in and collapsed. Zeller immediately alerted EMS, and then performed life-saving measures. Lane responded to the scene and assisted until EMS arrived.
The troopers re-established the man’s pulse. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover.
“These troopers immediately jumped into action, providing life-saving measures when every moment mattered,” said National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Marcia Ferranto. “Had it not been for the efforts of these two troopers, the outcome could have been much worse.”
The Washington, D.C.-based National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has been giving an officer of the month award since 1996.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Zion National Park reopens shuttles with less seats, tickets

SPRINGDALE , Utah ( AP ) - More than 3,400 people shuffled onto Zion ’ s shuttles on its reopening day Wednesday as the national park welcomes more visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The shuttles , which have been closed since April , chugged up and down the canyon as per usual but carrying only 33 passengers each .
Inside , most passengers wore masks and maintained social distance as every other seat was taken completely out of the bus with no standing allowed .
Both entrance fees to the park and preregistered tickets are now required in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free service now costs $ 1 through Recreation.gov , and the shuttle ticket is not included with your entrance fee .
A price has been applied as a service fee for the website , Zion spokesperson Jeff Axel said .
But while thousands of more people can now come to Zion on a daily basis , the park is taking steps to curb COVID-19 infections .
“ It ’ s a careful balance as we want to allow as much access as possible while following the health guidelines , ” Axel said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandatory , and rangers have boxes of free masks at the visitor ’ s center .
At each shuttle stop , rangers check tickets and make sure no more than the maximum amount of people are allowed on the shuttle at once .
Axel said they are currently planning on adding more signs about masks about social distancing along the road throughout the park .
But parking is still an issue .
The visitors center has 480 parking spots and there are about 200 parking spots within a 10-minute walk of the entrance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 11 a.m. on Wednesday .
Depending on how the next few days play out , they might consider opening the museum parking , Axel said .
Currently , there are 23 shuttles with two cars attached cruising through the canyon .
Axel said they are evaluating the situation daily and will make adjustments to shuttles and capacities if needed .
All this comes with a warning - if you want to get on the shuttle either direction without a ticket , you ’ re out of luck .
And if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. , you better start walking .
They urge hikers to be waiting for the shuttle by 7:30 p.m. to help ensure you get on one .
Before Wednesday , up to 400 people would line up starting the night before for the chance to be able to hike the Narrows .
With no shuttles , the canyon was at capacity every morning by about 6 a.m .
The shuttles , however , are well overdue for an update .
According to Axel , it is industry standard to replace shuttles like theirs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Zion ’ s shuttles are well over 30,000 hours of driving and are over 20 years old .
He estimated it will take about $ 50 million to replace the fleet .
These shuttles cause noise issues throughout the canyon as well as a headache for air quality .
That , and maintenance costs are a huge hassle .
They ’ re hoping that in collecting entrance fees once more they can start to make up for the deficit they ’ ve accumulated since the pandemic began .
With the revenue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintenance and overall park upkeep .
As for the shuttles in Springdale , there are currently no plans to restart service .
While private cars are no longer allowed on the scenic drive , if you ’ re staying at the Lodge or have a physical disability , you may receive a permit from rangers to park up the canyon .
On Tuesday , Zion released shuttle tickets through the month of July .
While most days are already sold out , a select amount of tickets are available the day before you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If Zion ’ s shuttles are sold out , then private shuttles are still allowed to travel through the canyon .
Overall , rangers were pleased with how reopening day went , saying it was “ calm ” and “ not frenzied.
” Rangers at the visitor center said there wasn ’ t more than a 15-minute wait and everything ran smoothly .
“ We ’ ve been managing the situation well , there ’ s a calmness through the canyon .
There ’ s more reliability with the shuttle , ” Axel @ @

SPRINGDALE, Utah (AP) - More than 3,400 people shuffled onto Zion’s shuttles on its reopening day Wednesday as the national park welcomes more visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The shuttles, which have been closed since April, chugged up and down the canyon as per usual but carrying only 33 passengers each. Inside, most passengers wore masks and maintained social distance as every other seat was taken completely out of the bus with no standing allowed.
Both entrance fees to the park and preregistered tickets are now required in order to ride the shuttle. The previously free service now costs $1 through Recreation.gov, and the shuttle ticket is not included with your entrance fee. A price has been applied as a service fee for the website, Zion spokesperson Jeff Axel said.
But while thousands of more people can now come to Zion on a daily basis, the park is taking steps to curb COVID-19 infections.
“It’s a careful balance as we want to allow as much access as possible while following the health guidelines,” Axel said.
Masks are highly encouraged, but not mandatory, and rangers have boxes of free masks at the visitor’s center. At each shuttle stop, rangers check tickets and make sure no more than the maximum amount of people are allowed on the shuttle at once.
Axel said they are currently planning on adding more signs about masks about social distancing along the road throughout the park.
But parking is still an issue. The visitors center has 480 parking spots and there are about 200 parking spots within a 10-minute walk of the entrance. But visitor center parking filled up at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.
Depending on how the next few days play out, they might consider opening the museum parking, Axel said.
Currently, there are 23 shuttles with two cars attached cruising through the canyon. Axel said they are evaluating the situation daily and will make adjustments to shuttles and capacities if needed.
All this comes with a warning - if you want to get on the shuttle either direction without a ticket, you’re out of luck. And if you’re not on a shuttle by 8:15 p.m., you better start walking. They urge hikers to be waiting for the shuttle by 7:30 p.m. to help ensure you get on one.
Before Wednesday, up to 400 people would line up starting the night before for the chance to be able to hike the Narrows. With no shuttles, the canyon was at capacity every morning by about 6 a.m.
The shuttles, however, are well overdue for an update. According to Axel, it is industry standard to replace shuttles like theirs after 10-15,000 hours of driving. However, Zion’s shuttles are well over 30,000 hours of driving and are over 20 years old. He estimated it will take about $50 million to replace the fleet.
These shuttles cause noise issues throughout the canyon as well as a headache for air quality. That, and maintenance costs are a huge hassle.
They’re hoping that in collecting entrance fees once more they can start to make up for the deficit they’ve accumulated since the pandemic began. With the revenue, they’re hoping to increase shuttle maintenance and overall park upkeep.
As for the shuttles in Springdale, there are currently no plans to restart service.
While private cars are no longer allowed on the scenic drive, if you’re staying at the Lodge or have a physical disability, you may receive a permit from rangers to park up the canyon.
On Tuesday, Zion released shuttle tickets through the month of July. While most days are already sold out, a select amount of tickets are available the day before you want to go at 9 a.m.
If Zion’s shuttles are sold out, then private shuttles are still allowed to travel through the canyon.
Overall, rangers were pleased with how reopening day went, saying it was “calm” and “not frenzied.” Rangers at the visitor center said there wasn’t more than a 15-minute wait and everything ran smoothly.
“We’ve been managing the situation well, there’s a calmness through the canyon. There’s more reliability with the shuttle,” Axel said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Indiana report says abortions dropped 5% in state last year

INDIANAPOLIS ( AP ) - The number of abortions performed in Indiana fell by about 5 % last year , according to a new state health department report .
The annual report shows that the number of abortions in Indiana fell by 400 to 7,637 during 2019 .
That decline came following two years of increases from the 7,280 abortions recorded in 2016 after several years of declines .
Indiana ’ s Republican-dominated Legislature has adopted laws giving the state some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in the country .
But a federal judge last year blocked a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion procedure that the legislation called “ dismemberment abortion.
” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year against state ’ s ban on abortion based on gender , race or disability .
The court , however , upheld a portion of the 2016 law signed by then-Gov .
Mike Pence requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains after an abortion .
Mike Fichter , president of the anti-abortion group Indiana Right to Life , said he didn ’ t have a reason for last year ’ s state abortion decline but was encouraged @ @ @ @

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The number of abortions performed in Indiana fell by about 5% last year, according to a new state health department report.
The annual report shows that the number of abortions in Indiana fell by 400 to 7,637 during 2019. That decline came following two years of increases from the 7,280 abortions recorded in 2016 after several years of declines.
Indiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature has adopted laws giving the state some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in the country.
But a federal judge last year blocked a new law that would have banned a second-trimester abortion procedure that the legislation called “dismemberment abortion.”
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year against state’s ban on abortion based on gender, race or disability. The court, however, upheld a portion of the 2016 law signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains after an abortion.
Mike Fichter, president of the anti-abortion group Indiana Right to Life, said he didn’t have a reason for last year’s state abortion decline but was encouraged by the drop.


washingtontimes--2020-07-04--Small earthquake reported in western Maine

WATERFORD , Maine ( AP ) - The rumbling started early on the Fourth of July in western Maine , @ @ @ @ @ to blame .
There was a Magnitude 2.1 earthquake centered near Waterford early Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ Survey .
Earthquakes of this magnitude aren ’ t uncommon in Maine .
In February @ @ @ @ @ occurred near Sabbatus , the USGS said .

WATERFORD, Maine (AP) - The rumbling started early on the Fourth of July in western Maine, but fireworks weren’t to blame.
There was a Magnitude 2.1 earthquake centered near Waterford early Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Earthquakes of this magnitude aren’t uncommon in Maine. In February, a magnitude 2.2 earthquake occurred near Sabbatus, the USGS said.