washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Satellite images show buildup on disputed India-China border

BEIJING ( AP ) - Construction activity appeared underway on both the Indian and Chinese sides of a contested border high in the Karakoram mountains a week after a deadly clash in the area left 20 Indian soldiers dead , satellite images showed .
The images released this week by Maxar , a Colorado-based satellite imagery company , show new construction activity along the Galwan River Valley , even as Chinese and Indian diplomats said military commanders had agreed to disengage from a standoff there .
The images appeared to show that the Indians had built a wall on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outpost camp at the end of a long road connected to Chinese military bases farther from the poorly defined border , according to experts .
The contradictions in words and deeds showed the fragility of an agreement following the worst violence since the Asian giants went to war in 1962 over their competing claims to the arid border region , experts said .
China has said that India first changed the status quo last August when it split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two federal territories - the territory of Jammu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , parts of which are contested by China .
The new maps released by India following the move drew criticism from Beijing because they showed Aksai Chin - an area administered by China but contested by India - as part of Ladakh .
Indian officials said the standoff that culminated in this month ’ s deadly clash in the Galwan Valley , part of a remote stretch of the 3,380-kilometer ( 2,100-mile ) Line of Actual Control , or LAC , established following the 1962 war , began in early May when large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indian-controlled territory at three places in Ladakh , erecting tents .
After a few skirmishes in May , Indian and Chinese commanders met June 6 to hash out an agreement that would reduce tensions .
The two sides agreed to build observation posts on either side of the mouth of the Galwan River , China ’ s ambassador to India , H.E .
Sun Weidong , told the Press Trust of India news agency on Tuesday .
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that during the June 6 meeting “ both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the LAC and not undertake any activity to alter the status quo , ” but did not address whether they had agreed to observation posts .
Around midnight on June 15 , soldiers attacked each other with rocks , clubs and their fists in the Galwan Valley , the deadliest violence between the two countries in 45 years .
Indian security officials said the fatalities were caused by severe injuries and exposure to subfreezing temperatures .
China has not said whether it suffered any casualties in the clash .
India and China have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staked fresh claims on the area where it occurred .
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Wednesday that the confrontation occurred on China ’ s side of the Line of Actual Control , and that Indian forces had illegally entered Chinese territory .
“ The responsibility ( for the incident ) is entirely not on the Chinese side , ” Zhao said .
But Srivastava said Thursday that China had provoked the fight when its soldiers “ sought to erect structures just across the LAC ” on the Indian side .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , a sequence of Maxar images of the river bend where the clash occurred in the weeks before and after the clash showed that construction had expanded up the Galwan Valley toward the Line of Actual Control from Chinese bases , Maxar vice president Steve Wood said .
Wood said that since May 22 , satellite images showed “ convoy after convoy of heavy trucks , diggers , bulldozers and some military armored equipment ” rolling down the Galwan Valley toward the disputed border .
Before and after the fatal clash , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and military hardware toward the LAC , said Chris Biggers , senior analyst at the geospatial intelligence company HawkEye 360 .
“ The Chinese were obviously pushing toward the junction and what they perceive as their claim line .
They have now built a post and a track reinforcing their claim , thus changing the status quo in the area , ” he said .
At that junction , the Galwan River turns west toward an important supply route for a key Indian airfield .
Biggers said that satellite imagery shows that India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new Chinese post , with a layered set of barriers draped in camouflage netting and tarps that “ could also function as fighting positions.
” “ We also see quite a bit of activity on the road , with trucks moving in both directions as well as troops marching in formation along the new track , ” Biggers said .

BEIJING (AP) - Construction activity appeared underway on both the Indian and Chinese sides of a contested border high in the Karakoram mountains a week after a deadly clash in the area left 20 Indian soldiers dead, satellite images showed.
The images released this week by Maxar, a Colorado-based satellite imagery company, show new construction activity along the Galwan River Valley, even as Chinese and Indian diplomats said military commanders had agreed to disengage from a standoff there.
The images appeared to show that the Indians had built a wall on their side and the Chinese had expanded an outpost camp at the end of a long road connected to Chinese military bases farther from the poorly defined border, according to experts.
The contradictions in words and deeds showed the fragility of an agreement following the worst violence since the Asian giants went to war in 1962 over their competing claims to the arid border region, experts said.
China has said that India first changed the status quo last August when it split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two federal territories - the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the territory of Ladakh, parts of which are contested by China.
The new maps released by India following the move drew criticism from Beijing because they showed Aksai Chin - an area administered by China but contested by India - as part of Ladakh.
Indian officials said the standoff that culminated in this month’s deadly clash in the Galwan Valley, part of a remote stretch of the 3,380-kilometer (2,100-mile) Line of Actual Control, or LAC, established following the 1962 war, began in early May when large contingents of Chinese soldiers entered deep inside Indian-controlled territory at three places in Ladakh, erecting tents.
After a few skirmishes in May, Indian and Chinese commanders met June 6 to hash out an agreement that would reduce tensions.
The two sides agreed to build observation posts on either side of the mouth of the Galwan River, China’s ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, told the Press Trust of India news agency on Tuesday.
Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that during the June 6 meeting “both sides had agreed to respect and abide by the LAC and not undertake any activity to alter the status quo,” but did not address whether they had agreed to observation posts.
Around midnight on June 15, soldiers attacked each other with rocks, clubs and their fists in the Galwan Valley, the deadliest violence between the two countries in 45 years.
Indian security officials said the fatalities were caused by severe injuries and exposure to subfreezing temperatures. China has not said whether it suffered any casualties in the clash.
India and China have blamed each other for the melee and staked fresh claims on the area where it occurred.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Wednesday that the confrontation occurred on China’s side of the Line of Actual Control, and that Indian forces had illegally entered Chinese territory.
“The responsibility (for the incident) is entirely not on the Chinese side,” Zhao said.
But Srivastava said Thursday that China had provoked the fight when its soldiers “sought to erect structures just across the LAC” on the Indian side. He said Indian soldiers foiled the attempts.
However, a sequence of Maxar images of the river bend where the clash occurred in the weeks before and after the clash showed that construction had expanded up the Galwan Valley toward the Line of Actual Control from Chinese bases, Maxar Vice President Steve Wood said.
Wood said that since May 22, satellite images showed “convoy after convoy of heavy trucks, diggers, bulldozers and some military armored equipment” rolling down the Galwan Valley toward the disputed border.
Before and after the fatal clash, China was moving construction equipment, soldiers and military hardware toward the LAC, said Chris Biggers, senior analyst at the geospatial intelligence company HawkEye 360.
“The Chinese were obviously pushing toward the junction and what they perceive as their claim line. They have now built a post and a track reinforcing their claim, thus changing the status quo in the area,” he said.
At that junction, the Galwan River turns west toward an important supply route for a key Indian airfield. Biggers said that satellite imagery shows that India has built a stone wall there facing the new Chinese post, with a layered set of barriers draped in camouflage netting and tarps that “could also function as fighting positions.”
“We also see quite a bit of activity on the road, with trucks moving in both directions as well as troops marching in formation along the new track,” Biggers said.
___
Schmall reported from New Delhi.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Liverpool condemns fan behavior in title celebrations

LIVERPOOL , England ( AP ) - English champion Liverpool has condemned the behavior of crowds of fans who gathered in the city to celebrate the club ’ s Premier League title win after a 30-year wait .
Merseyside Police issued a dispersal order for Liverpool city center on Friday night .
This allowed police to disperse crowds who had gathered on the Pier Head , after part of the Liver Building caught fire amid the wild celebrations despite the coronavirus pandemic .
Videos circulating on social media showed a firework hitting the distinctive building , which is partly owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A joint statement on behalf of the club , Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police was issued on Saturday .
It said : “ Several thousand people turned up at the Pier Head on Friday June 26 and some chose to ignore the social distancing guidance and risk public safety .
Our city is still in a public health crisis and this behavior is wholly unacceptable.
” The statement added : “ When it is safe to do so , we will all work together to arrange a victory parade when everyone can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engines were sent to the Liver Building , where they extinguished a blaze on a balcony , a Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said .
The extent of the damage was not known .
The Liverpool Echo carried video that appeared to show glass bottles being thrown at police .
On Saturday the area was left littered with discarded bottles and rubbish and council street cleaners were on site .

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - English champion Liverpool has condemned the behavior of some fans who gathered in the city to celebrate the club’s Premier League title win after a 30-year wait.
Merseyside Police issued a dispersal order for Liverpool city center on Friday night. This allowed police to disperse crowds who gathered on the Pier Head, after part of the Liver Building caught fire amid the wild celebrations despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Videos circulating on social media showed a firework hitting the distinctive building, which is partly owned by Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
A joint statement on behalf of the club, Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police was issued on Saturday.
It said: “Several thousand people turned up at the Pier Head on Friday June 26 and some chose to ignore the social distancing guidance and risk public safety. Our city is still in a public health crisis and this behavior is wholly unacceptable.”
The statement added: “When it is safe to do so, we will all work together to arrange a victory parade when everyone can come together to celebrate.”
Four fire engines were sent to the Liver Building, where they extinguished a blaze on a balcony, a Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said. The floor of the balcony was damaged.
Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jon Roy said two officers needed medical treatment for injuries to their backs after bottles were thrown at them as they went to help an assault victim in a crowd of supporters at the Pier Head.
He said later a group of about 100 people threw glasses and bottles at riot police as they tried to stop them committing acts of disorder in the city center. Roy said there was “a number of really violent, absolutely unacceptable, incidents of violence and disorder throughout the city center.”
Fifteen people have been arrested for public order offences and one man was arrested on suspicion of assault, he said.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Remains confirmed to be Oregon woman missing since December

NORTH PLAINS , Ore. ( AP ) - Authorities say a body found Saturday in an unincorporated area near North Plains , Oregon , belongs to a 20-year-old woman reported missing in December .
The Washington County Sheriff ’ s Office said Friday that the county medical examiner had identified the remains as Allyson Watterson .
No final cause of death has been determined and the sheriff ’ s office said detectives will continue to follow up on tips .
Her remains were discovered where a property owner had been clearing brush .
Watterson was first reported missing Dec. 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Don Garland , who claimed Watterson and Benjamin Garland were hiking when the couple became separated in the woods in North Plains .
Misty Watterson , Allyson ’ s mother , had said that her daughter and the boyfriend were in North Plains to visit a friend when their car broke down and that the two got separated as they left to go get help .
Deputies arrested Benjamin Garland the day after Watterson was reported missing on charges unrelated to her disappearance .
He was sentenced to three years in prison in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a motor vehicle , fraudulent use of a credit card and theft for incidents between October and December .

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say a body found Saturday in an unincorporated area near North Plains, Oregon, belongs to a 20-year-old woman reported missing in December.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that the county medical examiner had identified the remains as Allyson Watterson. No final cause of death has been determined and the sheriff’s office said detectives will continue to follow up on tips.
Her remains were discovered where a property owner had been clearing brush.
Watterson was first reported missing Dec. 23 by her boyfriend’s father, Don Garland, who claimed Watterson and Benjamin Garland were hiking when the couple became separated in the woods in North Plains.
Misty Watterson, Allyson’s mother, had said that her daughter and the boyfriend were in North Plains to visit a friend when their car broke down and that the two got separated as they left to go get help.
Deputies arrested Benjamin Garland the day after Watterson was reported missing on charges unrelated to her disappearance. He was sentenced to three years in prison in April after pleading guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, fraudulent use of a credit card and theft for incidents between October and December.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Buddies embark on 500-mile pack trip for cancer research

GREAT FALLS , Mont .
( AP ) - Three Montana buddies decided to turn a fun trip into the state ’ s backcountry into a cause , raising money for research on cancer , which has claimed the lives of friends and family members they loved .
Harry Green , 21 , and Keagan Stroop and Troy Hennes , both 20 , were on the Belt basketball and football teams .
Now they ’ re teaming up for a different kind of challenge , a 45-day , 500-mile pack trip through some of Montana ’ s wildest wildlands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to be a journey for sure , ” Green said Wednesday at his ranch outside of the northcentral Montana community of Belt , where the trio was making last-minute preparations for the epic ride across western Montana ’ s mountains , forests and wilderness .
The young cowboys planned to hitch up the horse trailers and drive to the launch point Thursday before officially beginning the horseback ride at Bannock Pass in the Beaverhead-Dearlodge National Forest near the Montana-Idaho border southwest of Dillon , at 8 a.m. Friday .
The six-week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , near the Montana border with Canada north of Whitefish .
It will take the riders , 12 horses and an Airedale terrier named Russell through the entire length of the Bob Marshall Wilderness .
Western Montana was chosen as the route because of its beauty and a large amount of public land making access easier .
Their goal is to raise at least $ 20,000 , which will be donated to cancer treatment and research .
Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute in Great Falls and the Anna Schindler Foundation , which provides emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer in the Northwest , are two of the organizations that will benefit .
They ’ ve already raised $ 5,500 through a GoFundMe site , and another $ 5,000 from a raffle , in which the first-place prize was a saddle , and selling T-shirts advertising the pack trip with the message , “ Cancer is tough , Cowboys are tougher.
” “ We couldn ’ t have done this without a whole big support system , ” Green said .
Over the past few years , Green , Hennes and Stroop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of the horses that will make the trip is a mustang captured by the Bureau of Land Management during an annual roundup of wild horses on public lands .
On Wednesday , Green hopped on a four-wheeler and rounded up the grazing horses and drove them into a corral .
The frisky bunch snorted and jostled for position at a water tank .
“ We ’ re going to have a lot of fun , ” Stroop says of the trip .
“ And we like each other - for now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Team members will be moving north most of the time , and they plan to ride horses the entire time .
Construction along one six-mile stretch of highway may pose a problem .
If possible , they ’ ll have flag trucks in front and behind them along that stretch so they can continue to ride .
If not , they ’ ll walk the horses .
“ We had to snake around a little bit , ” Green said of developing the route .
The journey will take them through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which remains home to just about every kind of wild critter that ever roamed the West , including grizzly bears .
They ’ ll be carrying bear spray and keeping food in bear-resistant containers .
To keep the horses fresh , they ’ ll be rotated in and out during the trip , with six horses in use at a time .
At the end of the journey in August , a horse sale is planned at the King ’ s Arena in Great Falls , with the proceeds also benefiting the cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve had several super dear people who were affected by cancer and died from cancer , ” said Jay Green , Harry ’ s father and a Belt-area veterinarian who is assisting with logistical support .
Initially , Green was skeptical about how much money the boys could raise and the impact the trip could have in light of the millions needed for research and care .
In light of the strong response generated by the gesture behind the trip , he ’ s had to rethink that notion .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychological aspect is bigger than the monetary amount , ” Jay Green said .
Besides having fun and raising money for cancer , Hennes , Stroop and Green will be riding in honor of those who have lost their lives and of those who are battling the disease today .
For Hennes , that ’ s his brother , Tyler , who died in 2014 from osteosarcoma , a type of bone cancer .
Tyler , who was diagnosed when he was 13 , was 18 when he died .
Tyler was tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Troy Hennes provided the motto for the trip : “ Ride Out the Grief , Ride Out the Pain , Ride for Hope.
” Green is riding for two family friends , Doug Youren , who died in 2017 , and Laurie Anderson , who died in 2018 , both from bladder cancer .
Stroop is riding for a great grandfather , Ed Elam , who died of skin cancer , and family friend Maida Sorkness , who died in 2019 of stomach cancer .
Green , Stroop and Hennes all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a community of 600 22 miles southeast of Great Falls , where they competed together in basketball , football and track .
Initially , Green and Stroop discussed taking a trip for fun .
With the death of a community member from cancer fresh in their minds , the talk turned to turning the trip into a cause , which Hennes soon joined .
They ’ re calling the trip “ Ride it Out - Montana Against Cancer.
” Stroop is studying trades management at Montana State University-Northern in Havre .
Hennes breaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dude ranch .
Green is studying premed at Carroll College in Helena .
He hopes to become an oncologist diagnosing and treating people who have cancer .

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) - Three Montana buddies decided to turn a fun trip into the state’s backcountry into a cause, raising money for research on cancer, which has claimed the lives of friends and family members they loved.
Harry Green, 21, and Keagan Stroop and Troy Hennes, both 20, were on the Belt basketball and football teams.
Now they’re teaming up for a different kind of challenge, a 45-day, 500-mile pack trip through some of Montana’s wildest wildlands, entirely on horseback.
“It’s going to be a journey for sure,” Green said Wednesday at his ranch outside of the northcentral Montana community of Belt, where the trio was making last-minute preparations for the epic ride across western Montana’s mountains, forests and wilderness.
The young cowboys planned to hitch up the horse trailers and drive to the launch point Thursday before officially beginning the horseback ride at Bannock Pass in the Beaverhead-Dearlodge National Forest near the Montana-Idaho border southwest of Dillon, at 8 a.m. Friday.
The six-week journey is scheduled to end Aug. 8, near the Montana border with Canada north of Whitefish.
It will take the riders, 12 horses and an Airedale terrier named Russell through the entire length of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
“It’s super sweet country,” Green said.
Western Montana was chosen as the route because of its beauty and a large amount of public land making access easier.
Their goal is to raise at least $20,000, which will be donated to cancer treatment and research.
Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute in Great Falls and the Anna Schindler Foundation, which provides emotional and financial support to families fighting childhood cancer in the Northwest, are two of the organizations that will benefit.
They’ve already raised $5,500 through a GoFundMe site, and another $5,000 from a raffle, in which the first-place prize was a saddle, and selling T-shirts advertising the pack trip with the message, “Cancer is tough, Cowboys are tougher.”
“We couldn’t have done this without a whole big support system,” Green said.
Over the past few years, Green, Hennes and Stroop have broken twelve colts for the ride.
One of the horses that will make the trip is a mustang captured by the Bureau of Land Management during an annual roundup of wild horses on public lands.
On Wednesday, Green hopped on a four-wheeler and rounded up the grazing horses and drove them into a corral. The frisky bunch snorted and jostled for position at a water tank.
“We’re going to have a lot of fun,” Stroop says of the trip.
“And we like each other - for now,” Hennes added with a laugh.
Team members will be moving north most of the time, and they plan to ride horses the entire time. Construction along one six-mile stretch of highway may pose a problem. If possible, they’ll have flag trucks in front and behind them along that stretch so they can continue to ride. If not, they’ll walk the horses.
“We had to snake around a little bit,” Green said of developing the route.
The journey will take them through the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness and The Bob, which remains home to just about every kind of wild critter that ever roamed the West, including grizzly bears.
They’ll be carrying bear spray and keeping food in bear-resistant containers.
To keep the horses fresh, they’ll be rotated in and out during the trip, with six horses in use at a time.
At the end of the journey in August, a horse sale is planned at the King’s Arena in Great Falls, with the proceeds also benefiting the cause.
“In this little community, we’ve had several super dear people who were affected by cancer and died from cancer,” said Jay Green, Harry’s father and a Belt-area veterinarian who is assisting with logistical support.
Initially, Green was skeptical about how much money the boys could raise and the impact the trip could have in light of the millions needed for research and care. In light of the strong response generated by the gesture behind the trip, he’s had to rethink that notion.
“In a way, I think the psychological aspect is bigger than the monetary amount,” Jay Green said.
Besides having fun and raising money for cancer, Hennes, Stroop and Green will be riding in honor of those who have lost their lives and of those who are battling the disease today.
For Hennes, that’s his brother, Tyler, who died in 2014 from osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Tyler, who was diagnosed when he was 13, was 18 when he died.
Tyler was tough, funny and very religious, Troy said.
Troy Hennes provided the motto for the trip: “Ride Out the Grief, Ride Out the Pain, Ride for Hope.”
Green is riding for two family friends, Doug Youren, who died in 2017, and Laurie Anderson, who died in 2018, both from bladder cancer.
Stroop is riding for a great grandfather, Ed Elam, who died of skin cancer, and family friend Maida Sorkness, who died in 2019 of stomach cancer.
Green, Stroop and Hennes all graduated from high school in Belt, a community of 600 22 miles southeast of Great Falls, where they competed together in basketball, football and track.
Initially, Green and Stroop discussed taking a trip for fun. With the death of a community member from cancer fresh in their minds, the talk turned to turning the trip into a cause, which Hennes soon joined.
They’re calling the trip “Ride it Out - Montana Against Cancer.”
Stroop is studying trades management at Montana State University-Northern in Havre. Hennes breaks horses and leads horseback rides at a dude ranch.
Green is studying premed at Carroll College in Helena. He hopes to become an oncologist diagnosing and treating people who have cancer.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Lei burial honors 1908 Cheyenne Frontier Days roping champ

CHEYENNE , Wyo .
( AP ) - Ikua Purdy might not have known a soul in Cheyenne when , after travel by steamship and train , he arrived in the frontier town from Honolulu in 1908 .
But by the time he was done at Cheyenne Frontier Days , Purdy was well-known by most , if not all , of the rodeo ’ s 10,000-plus attendants .
As a paniolo , which refers to the Hawaiian cowboy tradition that traces back to Mexican-Spanish vaqueros , Purdy won the top steer roping prize at that year ’ s rodeo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victorious in the competition .
Though already inducted into the CFD Hall of Fame , Purdy was further honored Monday afternoon when a lei brought by Purdy ’ s grandson was buried near where the Hawaiian won the 1908 competition at the arena .
Mike Kassel , the assistant director of the CFD Old West Museum , conducted the burial , which is one of several ways to dispose of a lei in honor of someone .
Purdy ’ s grandson , who made the lei with leaves from Hawaii , brought it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Purdy ’ s portrait in the museum gallery , the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports .
“ As it started falling apart , we thought it would be a good idea to dispose of the lei in an honorable and purposeful way , ” said Kassel .
The 1908 rodeo that Purdy won was also the first CFD at Frontier Park , after about a decade of it being held at Pioneer Park .
Purdy was joined by two other Hawaiians , one of whom – Archie Kaaua – placed third in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an amazing job of demonstrating the paniolo skills of how they did roping , ” Kassel said .
Though this year ’ s CFD has been canceled due to concerns about spread of COVID-19 , Kassel said the rich history of Cheyenne ’ s world-famous rodeo is a good reminder of why CFD will bounce back .
“ We ’ re going to be doing ( Frontier Days ) again next year , and it ’ s going to be bigger and better than ever before , ” Kassel said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much to so many people .
Any chance to remember that is worthy .
”

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Ikua Purdy might not have known a soul in Cheyenne when, after travel by steamship and train, he arrived in the frontier town from Honolulu in 1908.
But by the time he was done at Cheyenne Frontier Days, Purdy was well-known by most, if not all, of the rodeo’s 10,000-plus attendants.
As a paniolo, which refers to the Hawaiian cowboy tradition that traces back to Mexican-Spanish vaqueros, Purdy won the top steer roping prize at that year’s rodeo, becoming the first non-Wyomingite to come out victorious in the competition.
Though already inducted into the CFD Hall of Fame, Purdy was further honored Monday afternoon when a lei brought by Purdy’s grandson was buried near where the Hawaiian won the 1908 competition at the arena.
Mike Kassel, the assistant director of the CFD Old West Museum, conducted the burial, which is one of several ways to dispose of a lei in honor of someone. Purdy’s grandson, who made the lei with leaves from Hawaii, brought it to Cheyenne in 2018, hanging it at Purdy’s portrait in the museum gallery, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports.
“As it started falling apart, we thought it would be a good idea to dispose of the lei in an honorable and purposeful way,” said Kassel.
The 1908 rodeo that Purdy won was also the first CFD at Frontier Park, after about a decade of it being held at Pioneer Park. Purdy was joined by two other Hawaiians, one of whom – Archie Kaaua – placed third in the same competition.
“The Hawaiians did an amazing job of demonstrating the paniolo skills of how they did roping,” Kassel said.
Though this year’s CFD has been canceled due to concerns about spread of COVID-19, Kassel said the rich history of Cheyenne’s world-famous rodeo is a good reminder of why CFD will bounce back.
“We’re going to be doing (Frontier Days) again next year, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever before,” Kassel said. “We still have a great legacy that means so much to so many people. Any chance to remember that is worthy.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--As virus cases spike, Louisiana struggles with tracking work

BATON ROUGE , La .
( AP ) - Seeing a new surge in coronavirus infections , Louisiana is struggling with the critical tracking work needed to combat the spread , as contact tracers face unanswered calls , privacy concerns and distrust from elected officials .
Only 59 % of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-May have responded to phone calls from contact tracers , according to the latest data from Louisiana ’ s health department , and only one-third answered within the crucial first 24 hours after the test results .
As more of Louisiana ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases have spiked , infectious disease experts describe a robust contact tracing program as essential .
“ Contact tracing ’ s a basic public health tool .
It ’ s really important for us to identify people who ’ ve been exposed to a disease , to test them and , if need be , quarantine them until the results are back , and if necessary , put them in isolation if the result is positive , ” said Patricia Kissinger , an epidemiology professor at Tulane University ’ s School of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Bel Edwards ’ administration has signed $ 20 million in federally financed contracts with call centers for the tracking .
Nearly 400 people are trained and making calls .
But people don ’ t always answer unknown callers .
Some don ’ t want to share information , fearful of how it will be used .
Others don ’ t want to give phone numbers and names of contacts , said Theresa Sokol , Louisiana ’ s acting state epidemiologist , who oversees contact tracing efforts .
In some instances , test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone number , and the contact tracer has to comb through databases to find one , she said .
Sometimes the numbers provided don ’ t work .
Some people refuse to be interviewed .
While only 4 % of the people reached by Louisiana ’ s contact tracers have outright refused to participate , some who answer the phone offer little information .
“ There are a concerning number of people that are not reporting any contacts to us , ” Sokol said .
“ They ’ ll say , ‘ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone for more than 15 minutes.
’ There might be people for whom that is true , but I think it might be that some people are reluctant .
They may very well think , ‘ Oh , it ’ s not necessary .
I ’ m going to tell people who might have been exposed myself.
’ ” Sokol said that eliminates other benefits of contact tracing , beyond tracking exposure risks .
The state also uses those calls to connect people with grocery and prescription delivery , testing information , temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment .
Louisiana contact tracers ’ calls get answered , on average , more than two days after they get information about the positive test , according to health department data .
They average another 37 hours to reach people identified as coming into close contact with those infected .
COVID-19 spreads so fast that , ideally , contact tracers would reach 75 % of the potentially exposed people within 24 hours after learning about their exposure , said Perry Halkitis , dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health .
He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; two days you probably could live with it .
Once you get to three or more days , the benefit of contact tracing is really lost because people are out in the community doing what they do - and spreading the virus , potentially.
” Some of Louisiana ’ s tracking is undermined by a suspicious public concerned about privacy rights .
Conservative GOP state lawmakers said they ’ ve heard officials will threaten to arrest those who refuse to comply .
Some lawmakers have continued to spread the idea even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t intend to penalize people who don ’ t respond .
“ When will we say enough is enough ?
Will that be when COVID-19 trackers come to your house and pulls your family members out of your house ?
” Republican Rep. Danny McCormick asked House colleagues Thursday .
Edwards , a Democrat , has appealed to people to be “ good neighbors ” by participating .
He ’ s stressed that everything told to contact tracers is confidential .
He ’ s noted that public health agencies have used contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diseases for decades , drawing little attention before the pandemic .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up within weeks .
But for some , especially older adults and those with existing health problems , it can cause more severe or fatal illness .
About 55,00 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Louisiana residents , and the actual infection rate is expected to be much higher .
Nearly 3,100 Louisiana residents have died .
In recent days , 850 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported daily and hospitalizations have continued to grow , worrying public health officials that Louisiana ’ s once successful efforts to slow infections are being undermined by a complacent public ignoring recommended precautions .
“ If contact tracing is effective , that will bring the number of cases and number of hospitalizations down over time , ” said Susanne Straif-Bourgeois , an epidemiology professor at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans .
Louisiana ’ s state health officer Jimmy Guidry acknowledges the tracking work is falling short of goals .
“ Is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , obviously not , because some people are not taking this seriously , ” he said .
“ It ’ s better than not having it , I ’ ll say that.
” McConnaughey contributed to this story from New Orleans .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Seeing a new surge in coronavirus infections, Louisiana is struggling with the critical tracking work needed to combat the spread, as contact tracers face unanswered calls, privacy concerns and distrust from elected officials.
Only 59% of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-May have responded to phone calls from contact tracers, according to the latest data from Louisiana’s health department, and only one-third answered within the crucial first 24 hours after the test results.
As more of Louisiana’s businesses have reopened and new virus cases have spiked, infectious disease experts describe a robust contact tracing program as essential.
“Contact tracing’s a basic public health tool. It’s really important for us to identify people who’ve been exposed to a disease, to test them and, if need be, quarantine them until the results are back, and if necessary, put them in isolation if the result is positive,” said Patricia Kissinger, an epidemiology professor at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has signed $20 million in federally financed contracts with call centers for the tracking. Nearly 400 people are trained and making calls.
But people don’t always answer unknown callers. Some don’t want to share information, fearful of how it will be used. Others don’t want to give phone numbers and names of contacts, said Theresa Sokol, Louisiana’s acting state epidemiologist, who oversees contact tracing efforts.
In some instances, test information received doesn’t include a phone number, and the contact tracer has to comb through databases to find one, she said. Sometimes the numbers provided don’t work. Some people refuse to be interviewed. While only 4% of the people reached by Louisiana’s contact tracers have outright refused to participate, some who answer the phone offer little information.
“There are a concerning number of people that are not reporting any contacts to us,” Sokol said. “They’ll say, ‘I have not been within 6 feet of anyone for more than 15 minutes.’ There might be people for whom that is true, but I think it might be that some people are reluctant. They may very well think, ‘Oh, it’s not necessary. I’m going to tell people who might have been exposed myself.’”
Sokol said that eliminates other benefits of contact tracing, beyond tracking exposure risks. The state also uses those calls to connect people with grocery and prescription delivery, testing information, temporary housing, cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment.
Louisiana contact tracers’ calls get answered, on average, more than two days after they get information about the positive test, according to health department data. They average another 37 hours to reach people identified as coming into close contact with those infected.
COVID-19 spreads so fast that, ideally, contact tracers would reach 75% of the potentially exposed people within 24 hours after learning about their exposure, said Perry Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health.
“Every day makes a difference,” he said.
He added: “One day’s ideal; two days you probably could live with it. Once you get to three or more days, the benefit of contact tracing is really lost because people are out in the community doing what they do - and spreading the virus, potentially.”
Some of Louisiana’s tracking is undermined by a suspicious public concerned about privacy rights.
Conservative GOP state lawmakers said they’ve heard officials will threaten to arrest those who refuse to comply. Some lawmakers have continued to spread the idea even though Edwards has repeatedly said he doesn’t intend to penalize people who don’t respond.
“When will we say enough is enough? Will that be when COVID-19 trackers come to your house and pulls your family members out of your house?” Republican Rep. Danny McCormick asked House colleagues Thursday.
Edwards, a Democrat, has appealed to people to be “good neighbors” by participating. He’s stressed that everything told to contact tracers is confidential. He’s noted that public health agencies have used contact tracing to combat the spread of other infectious diseases for decades, drawing little attention before the pandemic.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up within weeks. But for some, especially older adults and those with existing health problems, it can cause more severe or fatal illness.
About 55,00 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Louisiana residents, and the actual infection rate is expected to be much higher. Nearly 3,100 Louisiana residents have died.
In recent days, 850 to 1,350 newly confirmed cases have been reported daily and hospitalizations have continued to grow, worrying public health officials that Louisiana’s once successful efforts to slow infections are being undermined by a complacent public ignoring recommended precautions.
“If contact tracing is effective, that will bring the number of cases and number of hospitalizations down over time,” said Susanne Straif-Bourgeois, an epidemiology professor at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.
Louisiana’s state health officer Jimmy Guidry acknowledges the tracking work is falling short of goals.
“Is it as good as we would like? Well, obviously not, because some people are not taking this seriously,” he said. “It’s better than not having it, I’ll say that.”
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McConnaughey contributed to this story from New Orleans.
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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Man fires shots at business center in Northern California

RED BLUFF , Calif ( AP ) - Two people were left dead and at least four people were in fair condition at a hospital Saturday after a man drove into a distribution center and started shooting at people .
The two deceased people and the four injured ones were treated at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff , spokeswoman Allison Hendrickson told The Associated Press .
She declined to provide more details .
The shooting by a man with “ AR-type weapon ” started about 3:30 p.m. at the Walmart distribution center south of Red Bluff , emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also was a fire at the site , and the suspect appears to have rammed a vehicle into the building , dispatchers said .
There were about 200 workers inside the facility , some of whom locked themselves in a room , employees at the center told the KHSL TV station .
The suspect was described as being in a white vehicle that had wedged into the building , the Sacramento Bee reported .
The shooter was in the middle of the parking lot , dispatchers said .
The suspect had been shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dispatchers told the newspaper .
Scott Thammakhanty , an employee at the facility ’ s receiving center , said he heard the shooter fire from a semi-automatic weapon .
“ It went on and on - I don ’ t even know how many times he fired , ” Thammakhanty said .
“ I just know it was a lot.
” Thammakhanty and others started running for their lives , and he saw people lying on the ground as he went , he said .
Thammakhanty told the newspaper that he didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee , Franklin Lister , 51 , told the New York Times he had just started work when a coworker ran down the hallway shouting : “ Active gunfire !
Active shooter !
” Dispatchers told the Record-Searchlight that at least one woman had been shot .
A man had also reported his leg getting run over when the shooter rammed a vehicle into the store , but the man wasn ’ t sure whether he ’ d been shot , dispatchers said .
Walmart spokesman Scott Pope told the Record-Searchlight that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and working with law enforcement .
“ We don ’ t have any additional information to share at this time , ” Pope said .
Red Bluff is a city of about 14,000 people about 131 miles ( 210 kilometers ) north of Sacramento , California .

RED BLUFF, Calif (AP) - A man drove into a Northern California distribution center and started shooting at people Saturday afternoon, killing an employee and wounding four others before he was killed by police, authorities said.
The shooting by a 31-year-old man with a semi-automatic rifle started about 3:30 p.m. at the Walmart distribution center south of Red Bluff, a city of about 14,000 people about 131 miles (210 kilometers) north of Sacramento, California.
Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said at a news conference that the shooter circled the parking lot four times before crashing into the building and opening fire with the rifle. Red Bluff Police officers shot and killed the suspect, KHSL-TV reported.
The employee who died was Martin Haro-Lozano, 45, of Orland, California, Johnston said.
Officials did not identify the shooter, but Johnston said he has a history with the Red Bluff workplace.
The shooting victims were taken to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff, spokeswoman Allison Hendrickson told The Associated Press. She confirmed that four were hospitalized, but declined to provide more details.
Some of the 200 workers inside the facility locked themselves in a room , employees told KHSL-TV.
The suspect was shot in the chest about 3:45 p.m., dispatchers told the newspaper.
Scott Thammakhanty, an employee at the facility’s receiving center, told the Redding Record-Searchlight that he heard the shooter fire from the rifle.
“It went on and on - I don’t even know how many times he fired,” Thammakhanty said. “I just know it was a lot.”
Thammakhanty and others started running for their lives, and he saw people lying on the ground as he went, he said.
Fellow employee Franklin Lister told the New York Times he had just started work when a coworker ran down the hallway shouting: “Active gunfire! Active shooter!”
Vince Krick told the Record-Searchlight that his wife and son work at the facility and he was on his way to pick up his wife when he saw the flames. Neither was hurt, but his wife told him not to come to the front entrance, the newspaper reported.
“It was real crazy, because, you know, you can’t do nothing,” Krick said.
Dispatchers told the Record-Searchlight that at least one woman had been shot. A man had also reported his leg being run over when the shooter rammed a vehicle into the building, but the man wasn’t sure if he had been shot, dispatchers said.
Walmart spokesman Scott Pope told the Record-Searchlight that the company was “aware of the situation” and working with law enforcement.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--1-year-old boy killed, mom wounded in Chicago shooting

CHICAGO ( AP ) - A 1-year-old boy died Saturday in a shooting that also wounded his mother while she was driving in Chicago with the child in the back seat of the car .
The 22-year-old mother was driving home with her 20-month-old child from a laundromat after 2 p.m. Saturday when the shooting happened in the city ’ s Englewood neighborhood , Chicago Police Chief Fred Waller said during a press briefing .
The shooter , in another car , pulled up next to the pair and opened fire in , police said .
The gunman fired seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Waller .
The mother rushed herself and her son to a nearby hospital , where the boy was pronounced dead after being shot once in the chest while he was in the back seat of the car .
The mother was grazed in the head .
“ Too many times children are killed , ‘ ’ Waller told reporters .
“ When is this going to stop ?
I don ’ t even have the words … to see that family at ( the hospital ) .
” Waller said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working “ feverishly ” to solve the case .
“ When are we going to say enough is enough ?
… no doubt we ’ ll catch the person who did it .
… but it ’ s not going to bring the kid back .
”

CHICAGO (AP) - A 1-year-old boy died Saturday in a shooting that also wounded his mother while she was driving in Chicago with the child in the back seat of the car.
The 22-year-old mother was driving home with her 20-month-old child from a laundromat after 2 p.m. Saturday when the shooting happened in the city’s Englewood neighborhood, Chicago Police Chief Fred Waller said during a press briefing.
The shooter, in another car, pulled up next to the pair and opened fire at the car seven or eight times, according to Waller.
The mother rushed herself and her son to a nearby hospital, where the boy was pronounced dead after being shot once in the chest while he was in the back seat of the car. The mother was grazed in the head.
“Too many times children are killed,” Waller told reporters. “When is this going to stop? I don’t even have the words … to see that family at (the hospital).”
Waller said the motive is unclear and that detectives are working “feverishly” to solve the case.
“When are we going to say enough is enough? … no doubt we’ll catch the person who did it. … but it’s not going to bring the kid back.”
Earlier this month over Father’s Day weekend, 14 people, including five children, were killed and more than 100 people were shot in a wave of gunfire in Chicago. That marked the city’s highest number of shooting victims in a single weekend this year.
Among the victims who died over Father’s Day weekend was 3-year-old Mekhi James, who police said was fatally shot as the boy was in a car with his father in the city’s south Austin neighborhood. Police said the child’s 27-year-old father was the intended target when someone fired shots at the car. Community leaders are offering a $10,000 reward for any information in the boy’s killing.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Leaders push to remove John Wayne name, statue from airport

SANTA ANA , Calif. ( AP ) - In the latest move to change place names in light of U.S. racial history , leaders of Orange County ’ s Democratic Party are pushing to drop film legend John Wayne ’ s name , statue and other likenesses from the county ’ s airport because of his racist and bigoted comments .
The Los Angeles Times reported that earlier this week , officials passed an emergency resolution condemning Wayne ’ s “ racist and bigoted statements ” made in a 1971 interview and are calling on the Orange County Board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other likenesses from the international airport .
The resolution asked the board “ to restore its original name : Orange County Airport.
” “ There have been past efforts to get this done and now we ’ re putting our name and our backing into this to make sure there is a name change , ” said Ada Briceño , chair of the Democratic Party of Orange Count According to those who crafted the resolution , the effort to oust Wayne , a longtime resident of Orange County who died in 1979 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement to remove white supremacist symbols and names ( that are ) reshaping American institutions , monuments , businesses , nonprofits , sports leagues and teams.
” In a 1971 Playboy magazine interview , Wayne makes bigoted statements against Black people , Native Americans and the LGBTQ community .
He said , “ I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility .
I don ’ t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.
” Wayne also said that although he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves.
” The actor said he felt no remorse in the subjugation of Native Americans .
“ I don ’ t feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them .
… ( O ) ur so-called stealing of this country from them was just a matter of survival , ” he said .
“ There were great numbers of people who needed new land , and the Indians were selfishly trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also called movies such as “ Easy Rider ” and “ Midnight Cowboy ” perverted , and used a gay slur to refer to the two main characters of the latter film .
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner told the Times that he had just heard about the Democratic resolution and was unaware of its wording or merit .

In the latest move to change U.S. place names tied to racist groups and ideas, leaders of Orange County’s Democratic Party are pushing to drop film legend John Wayne’s name from the county’s airport because of his racist and bigoted comments.
The request was immediately contested by the head of the county’s Republican Party, who condemned the comments but touted Wayne’s contributions as an actor and philanthropist.
The Democratic Party of Orange County adopted a resolution last week condemning Wayne’s “racist and bigoted statements” in a 1971 interview and called on the county’s board of supervisors to drop his “name and likeness” from the airport. The resolution asked the board to restore the name to Orange County Airport.
“An international airport that serves millions of people each year should not be named for someone who, in real life, opposed our nation’s values of opportunity and justice for all,” Ada Briceño, chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County, said in a statement. “Now is the time for change.”
The push to oust Wayne, a longtime county resident who died in 1979, from the airport’s name, has a lengthy history, and his bigoted statements against Black people, Native Americans and the LGBTQ community in a 1971 Playboy magazine interview are often cited as the reason it’s ill-suited to welcome visitors to the diverse Southern California county widely known for its scenic beaches and as the home to Disneyland.
In the interview, Wayne is quoted saying, “I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.” He also said he felt no remorse for the subjugation of Native Americans and called movies such as “Easy Rider” and “Midnight Cowboy” perverted.
The airport in the heart of Orange County dates back decades and county officials voted to change the name to remember Wayne when he died in 1979. Deanne Thompson, an airport spokeswoman, said the county has no plans to change the name or remove a statue of Wayne from the airport, which served more than 10 million passengers in 2018, though the issue comes up periodically, including last year.
But the current push comes as thousands of Americans have taken to the streets to protest police brutality against Black people and systemic racism in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. In many places, communities have moved to take down statues of former slaveholders - or topple them - and remove the Confederate emblem from imagery including Mississippi’s state flag.
It also comes as Orange County has gone over the past four decades from being a predominantly Republican, suburban enclave to a region of more than 3 million residents that is now home to more Democrats than Republicans. The county has also gone from being largely white to much more diverse, with large Latino and Asian communities.
The county’s board of supervisors is still comprised mostly of Republicans, even as the GOP lost four key Congressional seats in the region to Democratic contenders two years ago.
Board Chair Michelle Steel, a Republican who is seeking to unseat one of those Democratic representatives, said Monday that Wayne’s comments are “wrong and sad” but she supports keeping his name on the airport, arguing “a person should be judged on the totality of their actions and contributions to society.” She said Wayne also supported U.S. military personnel and Vietnamese refugees who arrived fleeing communism.
Fred Whitaker, chair of the county’s Republican Party, said in a statement that Wayne was a hero on screen and posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President Jimmy Carter.
“Iconography is about enshrining the larger ideals of good from their lives, not the flaws,” he said. “Those goals are best served by keeping our history in front of us, not by destroying it to serve the radicalism and frenzy of the present moment.”
Wayne starred in movies including “The Alamo,” ”The Green Berets” and “True Grit,” for which he won an Academy Award, while portraying the gruff, rugged cowboys and brave soldiers who were his stock in trade.
Ethan Wayne, the movie star’s son, said in a statement that his father was not racist and hired and worked with people from diverse backgrounds. He said it would be unfair to judge him based on a single interview.
“The current focus on social justice is absolutely valid and necessary,” the younger Wayne said. “But attempts by some to use it for political advantage distract from real opportunities for reform.”
Jay Burress, chief executive of Visit Anaheim, declined to weigh in on the controversy over Wayne’s name. But having a single name for an airport can be helpful when tourists are planning a trip, he said, adding that Orange County’s airport winds up being listed in various ways on terminal screens.
“Most visitors we have know the name Orange County,” Burress said. “If they’re looking and can’t figure out which one, they may just fly into LAX.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Rochester-area religious leaders call for racial justice

ROCHESTER , N.Y. ( AP ) - Religious leaders in the Rochester area called for criminal justice reforms and other racial justice measures Saturday at an interfaith prayer service urging unity and change .
About 100 people gathered outside the First Church of God in Rochester and listened to speeches by more than 20 community and faith leaders , the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reported .
The service was organized by the United Christian Leadership Ministry .
“ The nation ’ s pain and frustration has been fueled by the flames of 400 years of racial division which resulted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cultural racism , ” the ministry said in a statement .
“ The result - inequitable opportunities for people of color and oppressive law enforcement and criminal justice systems throughout our society.
” The Rev .
Lane Campbell , of the First Universalist Church in Rochester , urged people to unite against systemic racism .
“ The time is now to put aside egos and divides and to focus on addressing mass incarceration , our broken bail system , city budgets that support over-policing in our neighborhoods but do not support our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The calls for unity and change come amid protests nationwide over the law enforcement killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans .

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - Religious leaders in the Rochester area called for criminal justice reforms and other racial justice measures Saturday at an interfaith prayer service urging unity and change.
About 100 people gathered outside the First Church of God in Rochester and listened to speeches by more than 20 community and faith leaders, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reported. The service was organized by the United Christian Leadership Ministry.
“The nation’s pain and frustration has been fueled by the flames of 400 years of racial division which resulted in layers of embedded systemic, institutional, and cultural racism,” the ministry said in a statement. “The result - inequitable opportunities for people of color and oppressive law enforcement and criminal justice systems throughout our society.”
The Rev. Lane Campbell, of the First Universalist Church in Rochester, urged people to unite against systemic racism.
“The time is now to put aside egos and divides and to focus on addressing mass incarceration, our broken bail system, city budgets that support over-policing in our neighborhoods but do not support our Rochester City School District,” he said.
The calls for unity and change come amid protests nationwide over the law enforcement killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--4 California officers on leave amid probe of racist posts

SAN JOSE , Calif. ( AP ) - Four police officers in Northern California have been placed on administrative leave while officials investigate a Facebook group in which members made bigoted and anti-Muslim comments .
The Facebook posts linked to a group of retired and active San Jose police officers were revealed Friday in an article posted on Medium.com , leading to swift condemnations by the police union , local officials and civil rights advocates , the East Bay Times reported .
The article , by an unnamed blogger who said they were the partner of a law enforcement officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed screen shots of what appears to be Facebook posts in which a member of the group called Black Lives Matter activists “ domestic enemies.
” The writer sought anonymity , citing a concern for his or her safety .
The article gave another example in which members of the Facebook group commented about a Muslim woman whose hijab was pulled off by a sheriff ’ s deputy in Ventura County .
One suggested pulling the hijab over the woman ’ s face , and another suggested using hijabs as nooses .
Zahra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council on American-Islamic Relations , San Francisco Bay Area , said that sort of Islamophobic sentiment is concerning no matter who writes it , and is “ even more terrifying ” coming from police officers .
“ How are we supposed to be able to call on these officers to protect our community when this is what they say when they feel as though they are around their peers ?
” Billoo said .
“ I worry that this is not just a few bad officers and this is not just a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that other officers knew about these posts and looked the other way.
” Police Chief Eddie Garcia said he asked the FBI to assist in the investigation .
Mayor Sam Liccardo said he expected any officer who made “ racist , anti-Muslim or menacing comments ” to be fired .
Liccardo expressed frustration that a white officer who was fired in 2016 for tweets criticizing Black Lives Matter demonstrations returned to the job after an independent arbitrator reversed the termination and forced the department to reinstate the officer .
“ I will push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows unaccountable arbitrators to reverse termination decisions of the chief , and I will further push for independent investigation of all racially discriminatory conduct , ” he said .

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Four police officers in Northern California have been placed on administrative leave while officials investigate a Facebook group in which members made bigoted and anti-Muslim comments.
The Facebook posts linked to a group of retired and active San Jose police officers were revealed Friday in an article posted on Medium.com, leading to swift condemnations by the police union, local officials and civil rights advocates, the East Bay Times reported.
The article, by an unnamed blogger who said they were the partner of a law enforcement officer in the San Francisco Bay Area, showed screen shots of what appears to be Facebook posts in which a member of the group called Black Lives Matter activists “domestic enemies.” The writer sought anonymity, citing a concern for his or her safety.
The article gave another example in which members of the Facebook group commented about a Muslim woman whose hijab was pulled off by a sheriff’s deputy in Ventura County. One suggested pulling the hijab over the woman’s face, and another suggested using hijabs as nooses.
Zahra Billoo, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area, said that sort of Islamophobic sentiment is concerning no matter who writes it, and is “even more terrifying” coming from police officers.
“How are we supposed to be able to call on these officers to protect our community when this is what they say when they feel as though they are around their peers?” Billoo said. “I worry that this is not just a few bad officers and this is not just a few bad posts. I’m concerned that other officers knew about these posts and looked the other way.”
Police Chief Eddie Garcia said he asked the FBI to assist in the investigation. Mayor Sam Liccardo said he expected any officer who made “racist, anti-Muslim or menacing comments” to be fired.
Liccardo expressed frustration that a white officer who was fired in 2016 for tweets criticizing Black Lives Matter demonstrations returned to the job after an independent arbitrator reversed the termination and forced the department to reinstate the officer.
“I will push for changes to a disciplinary process that allows unaccountable arbitrators to reverse termination decisions of the chief, and I will further push for independent investigation of all racially discriminatory conduct,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--4 Albuquerque fireworks displays planned to avoid gatherings

ALBUQUERQUE , N.M. ( AP ) - Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are teaming up to stage July Fourth fireworks displays @ @ @ @ @ metro area to encourage residents to avoid congregating in any one area .
while restrictions @ @ @ @ @ outbreak remain in effect .
A statement announcing the planned displays said the multiple displays @ @ @ @ @ to watch the fireworks from home .
The four fireworks displays will launch from the @ @ @ @ @ Domingo Baca Park , the Los Altos Golf Course , and Tom Tenorio Park .
@ @ @ @ @ sites will be closed to the public several hours ahead of the planned launch time @ @ @ @ @ reasons , and it said the city “ ” is strongly discouraging residents from gathering @ @ @ @ @ Also , law enforcement officers will be at each launch site and street parking around @ @ @ @ @ in the hours leading up to the launch time and during the event .

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are teaming up to stage July Fourth fireworks displays in each quadrant of the metro area to encourage residents to avoid congregating in any one area. while restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak remain in effect.
A statement announcing the planned displays said the multiple displays are intended to allow residents to watch the fireworks from home.
The four fireworks displays will launch from the Ladera Golf Course, North Domingo Baca Park, the Los Altos Golf Course, and Tom Tenorio Park.
The announcement statement said the sites will be closed to the public several hours ahead of the planned launch time of 9:20 p.m. for safety reasons, and it said the city “”is strongly discouraging residents from gathering near the launch sites.”
Also, law enforcement officers will be at each launch site and street parking around each one will be restricted in the hours leading up to the launch time and during the event.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Georgia reports 1,990 new cases of COVID-19, breaking record

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Georgia health officials reported 1,990 additional COVID-19 cases Saturday , another record in newly confirmed coronavirus cases in the state .
That brings Georgia ’ s total confirmed cases to about 75,000 .
The state ’ s previous record came on Friday when officials reported 1,900 new cases .
Since the pandemic began , the state has seen more than 2,700 deaths from the virus .
In states such as Texas and Arizona , health officials have expressed concerns about a shortage of beds .
In Georgia , the state Emergency Management Agency reported Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain available .
Coronavirus infections have been rising throughout June .
Georgia has reported at least 1,700 new cases each of the past five days .
The surge in infections comes about two months after Georgia began lifting restrictions April 24 on hair salons , gyms , bowling alleys and other businesses that had been forced to close to slow the virus .
Restaurants , retail stores and bars have since reopened as well .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But for others , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , the virus can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia health officials reported 1,990 additional COVID-19 cases Saturday, another record in newly confirmed coronavirus cases in the state. That brings Georgia’s total confirmed cases to about 75,000.
The state’s previous record came on Friday when officials reported 1,900 new cases.
Since the pandemic began, the state has seen more than 2,700 deaths from the virus.
In states such as Texas and Arizona, health officials have expressed concerns about a shortage of beds.
In Georgia, the state Emergency Management Agency reported Saturday that 27% of critical care beds remain available.
Coronavirus infections have been rising throughout June. Georgia has reported at least 1,700 new cases each of the past five days.
The surge in infections comes about two months after Georgia began lifting restrictions April 24 on hair salons, gyms, bowling alleys and other businesses that had been forced to close to slow the virus. Restaurants, retail stores and bars have since reopened as well.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Police: Noose left at Black man's home in Delaware

SEAFORD , Del .
( AP ) - Delaware State Police said Saturday they have opened a hate crime investigation @ @ @ @ @ finding a cord tied into a noose outside his home .
The 59-year-old victim told @ @ @ @ @ property in Seaford on Friday while he was at work and left the noose on @ @ @ @ @ the agency said in a news release .
Initial interviews with neighbors in the area @ @ @ @ @ potential suspects , according to police , who said they did not have any more @ @ @ @ @ with information is asked to contact state police .

SEAFORD, Del. (AP) - Delaware State Police said Saturday they have opened a hate crime investigation after a Black man reported finding a cord tied into a noose outside his home.
The 59-year-old victim told police someone trespassed onto his property in Seaford on Friday while he was at work and left the noose on his front step railing, the agency said in a news release.
Initial interviews with neighbors in the area have not led to any potential suspects, according to police, who said they did not have any more specific suspect information.
Anyone with information is asked to contact state police.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Man accused of skipping seizure meds before deadly crash

OZARK , Mo .
( AP ) - A Missouri man accused of skipping his seizure medication and drinking a cocktail before causing a fatal motorcycle crash has been charged with involuntary manslaughter .
Forty-nine-year-old Douglas Dale also was charged this month with two counts of assault in the March 2019 crash that killed 67-year-old James Roe and seriously injured two other motorcyclists .
No attorney is listed for him in online court records .
The Springfield News-Leader reports that Dale told investigators he had a seizure while driving , causing him to cross the median on U.S. 65 near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dale ’ s blood alcohol concentration was within the legal limit , but his medical records note that his seizure was “ exacerbated ” by not taking his medication for at least a week and having alcohol in his system , according to a probable cause statement in the case .
Court records indicate Dale has an extensive criminal history that includes prior arrests for drinking and driving .
He also was found guilty in 2003 of voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting his ex-wife , Jodie McAllister .
Involuntary manslaughter normally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Dale could be subject to a more severe sentence because he is a prior and persistent felony offender .

OZARK, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri man accused of skipping his seizure medication and drinking a cocktail before causing a fatal motorcycle crash has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Forty-nine-year-old Douglas Dale also was charged this month with two counts of assault in the March 2019 crash that killed 67-year-old James Roe and seriously injured two other motorcyclists. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that Dale told investigators he had a seizure while driving, causing him to cross the median on U.S. 65 near Highlandville and hit a group of motorcyclists.
Dale’s blood alcohol concentration was within the legal limit, but his medical records note that his seizure was “exacerbated” by not taking his medication for at least a week and having alcohol in his system, according to a probable cause statement in the case.
Court records indicate Dale has an extensive criminal history that includes prior arrests for drinking and driving. He also was found guilty in 2003 of voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting his ex-wife, Jodie McAllister.
Involuntary manslaughter normally carries a possible 10-year prison sentence, but Dale could be subject to a more severe sentence because he is a prior and persistent felony offender.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Low-income California zip codes see spike in virus cases

ANAHEIM , Calif. ( AP ) - Beachgoers packed Orange County ’ s shoreline on Saturday and not everybody wore masks , worrying public health and elected officials who say people were letting their guard down even as the coronavirus surges across California .
Data collected by health officials show hundreds of people have been infected in densely populated neighborhoods in Anaheim and Santa Ana that are more likely home to low-income residents , the Orange County Register reported Saturday .
The residents living in the identified hot spots are more likely to live in multi-generational or multi-family households and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and restaurants , health officials told the newspaper .
Cases and hospitalizations have grown significantly in the last couple weeks , and “ it ’ s not just around the hot zones - we ’ re seeing much more spread around the county , ” said Bernadette Boden-Albala , dean of University of California , Irvine ’ s public health program .
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county has been steadily rising : two weeks ago it was 325 people ; on Saturday the total was 451 .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said people tired of stay-at-home restrictions may not have taken the risks of infection as seriously because they didn ’ t know anyone who has gotten seriously ill .
Concerns about the spike in cases prompted Disneyland employees to stage a car caravan around the theme park on Saturday to call for routine testings and other safety measures to protect them .
Disney announced Wednesday it would delay reopening its California theme parks , which were set to welcome back visitors on July 17 .
At least four California counties on Friday paused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans in an effort to slow the spread of the virus .
On Saturday , the state reported a rise of nearly 6,000 confirmed virus cases from the day before .
Nearly 5,900 people have died from coronavirus complications in the state .
This week , Gov .
Gavin Newsom sounded renewed alarm bells about where the state is headed and pleaded for residents to wear masks in public , as required , and keep a physical distance from people not in their household .
He also urged Imperial County , an agricultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stay-at-home order to deal with a high rate of positive cases and hospitalizations .
The county ’ s board of supervisors elected not to take any action during an emergency meeting Friday .
Instead , local officials said they were urging residents to wear masks and continue to follow social distancing guidelines .
Imperial officials were set to meet with the governor ’ s office on Saturday to address the problem .
Newsom ’ s recommendation prompted the bishop of the Diocese of San Diego to suspend plans to resume services in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for short outdoor Mass services .
“ I thank our priests , church personnel and volunteers who had prepared for weeks to welcome our brothers and sisters back to Mass , but the community ’ s and our parishioners ’ safety comes first , ” Bishop Robert W. McElroy said in a statement .
The county of 175,000 people lies across the border from Mexicali , a sprawling industrial city of 1 million people that has enormous influence on its economy and culture .
Some hospital officials in the county , which provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the winter , have said the increase in cases was at least partly driven by American citizens who live on the Mexico side in a region where cross-border travel and living is common .
AP photographer Marcio Sanchez in Orange County contributed to this report .

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Beachgoers packed Orange County’s shoreline on Saturday and not everybody wore masks, worrying public health and elected officials who say people were letting their guard down even as the coronavirus surges across California.
Data collected by health officials show hundreds of people have been infected in densely populated neighborhoods in Anaheim and Santa Ana that are more likely home to low-income residents, the Orange County Register reported Saturday.
The residents living in the identified hot spots are more likely to live in multi-generational or multi-family households and many of them hold jobs in stores and restaurants, health officials told the newspaper.
Cases and hospitalizations have grown significantly in the last couple weeks, and “it’s not just around the hot zones - we’re seeing much more spread around the county,” said Bernadette Boden-Albala, dean of University of California, Irvine’s public health program.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county has been steadily rising: two weeks ago it was 325 people; on Saturday the total was 451.
As the county reopens for business, Boden-Albala said people tired of stay-at-home restrictions may not have taken the risks of infection as seriously because they didn’t know anyone who has gotten seriously ill.
Concerns about the spike in cases prompted Disneyland employees to stage a car caravan around the theme park on Saturday to call for routine testings and other safety measures to protect them. Disney announced Wednesday it would delay reopening its California theme parks, which were set to welcome back visitors on July 17.
At least four California counties on Friday paused or prepared to backtrack on their reopening plans in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. On Saturday, the state reported a rise of nearly 6,000 confirmed virus cases from the day before. Nearly 5,900 people have died from coronavirus complications in the state.
This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom sounded renewed alarm bells about where the state is headed and pleaded for residents to wear masks in public, as required, and keep a physical distance from people not in their household. He also urged Imperial County, an agricultural county that borders Mexico, to reimpose a stay-at-home order to deal with a high rate of positive cases and hospitalizations.
The county’s board of supervisors elected not to take any action during an emergency meeting Friday. Instead, local officials said they were urging residents to wear masks and continue to follow social distancing guidelines. Imperial officials were set to meet with the governor’s office on Saturday to address the problem.
Newsom’s recommendation prompted the bishop of the Diocese of San Diego to suspend plans to resume services in Imperial county. The original plan called for short outdoor Mass services.
“I thank our priests, church personnel and volunteers who had prepared for weeks to welcome our brothers and sisters back to Mass, but the community’s and our parishioners’ safety comes first,” Bishop Robert W. McElroy said in a statement.
The county of 175,000 people lies across the border from Mexicali, a sprawling industrial city of 1 million people that has enormous influence on its economy and culture. Some hospital officials in the county, which provides many of the vegetables in U.S. supermarkets in the winter, have said the increase in cases was at least partly driven by American citizens who live on the Mexico side in a region where cross-border travel and living is common.
____
AP photographer Marcio Sanchez in Orange County contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--2 Yanomami reported slain by illegal prospectors in Amazon

BRASILIA , Brazil ( AP ) - Two members of the Yanomami ethnic group in Brazil ’ s Amazon rainforest were shot to death by illegal gold prospectors inside the Indigenous community ’ s territory , according to reports from the group .
Júnior Hekurari Yanomami , a member of the group who is president of Condisi-Y , the local health council , told The Associated Press on Saturday that Original Yanomami , 24 , and Marcos Yanomami , 20 , were slain June 12 .
The deaths were only reported recently due to the remoteness of the region in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulties .
The Hutukara association , which represents Yanomami communities in Brazil , issued a statement confirming the reports of the killings .
Brazil ’ s national Indian foundation , known as Funai , and the Federal Police didn ’ t immediately respond to requests for comment .
Relying on a conversation with a leader of the far-flung community , Hekurari said Original was shot first as a group of Yanomami followed prospectors who were trespassing on the community ’ s land .
Then Marcos was shot and the other Indigenous people retreated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their bodies were left in the forest , in accordance with the traditions of the Yanomami , he said .
“ The community is in mourning , ” Hekurari said .
“ It is unacceptable to be killed in your home by people who are looking for gold .
We need support , security.
” The Socio-Environmental Institute , an environmental and indigenous advocacy group , says more than 26,000 indigenous people live in Yanomami territory and they have faced invasions by prospectors and contamination of their waterways since the 1980s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern about incursions into Indigenous lands by prospectors amid the coronavirus pandemic , worrying the intruders could infect their isolate communities far from medical facilities .
The Hutukara association also expressed concern that the incident could lead to further violence , as has occurred in the past .
“ We fear that the family of the Yanomami murdered will decide to retaliate against the prospectors following the justice system of the Yanomami culture , ” the association ’ s statement said .
“ That can lead to a cycle of violence that will @ @ @ @ @

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) - Two members of the Yanomami ethnic group in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest were shot to death by illegal gold prospectors inside the Indigenous community’s territory, according to reports from the group.
Júnior Hekurari Yanomami, a member of the group who is president of Condisi-Y, the local health council, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Original Yanomami, 24, and Marcos Yanomami, 20, were slain June 12. The deaths were only reported recently due to the remoteness of the region in Brazil’s Roraima state and communication difficulties.
The Hutukara association, which represents Yanomami communities in Brazil, issued a statement confirming the reports of the killings.
Brazil’s national Indian foundation, known as Funai, and the Federal Police didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Relying on a conversation with a leader of the far-flung community, Hekurari said Original was shot first as a group of Yanomami followed prospectors who were trespassing on the community’s land. Then Marcos was shot and the other Indigenous people retreated after an hour-long pursuit, Hekurari said.
Their bodies were left in the forest, in accordance with the traditions of the Yanomami, he said.
“The community is in mourning,” Hekurari said. “It is unacceptable to be killed in your home by people who are looking for gold. We need support, security.”
The Socio-Environmental Institute, an environmental and indigenous advocacy group, says more than 26,000 indigenous people live in Yanomami territory and they have faced invasions by prospectors and contamination of their waterways since the 1980s.
The institute and other groups have expressed concern about incursions into Indigenous lands by prospectors amid the coronavirus pandemic, worrying the intruders could infect their isolate communities far from medical facilities.
The Hutukara association also expressed concern that the incident could lead to further violence, as has occurred in the past.
“We fear that the family of the Yanomami murdered will decide to retaliate against the prospectors following the justice system of the Yanomami culture,” the association’s statement said. “That can lead to a cycle of violence that will result in tragedy.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Arkansas reports 570 more COVID-19 cases

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - Arkansas on Saturday reported 570 more cases of the coronavirus and @ @ @ @ @ Arkansas Department of Health said that there are now 19,310 reported cases in the state @ @ @ @ @ total deaths from COVID-19 , the illness the new coronavirus causes , is now at @ @ @ @ @ of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested , and studies @ @ @ @ @ and not feel sick .
Gov .
Asa Hutchinson has said he ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ on businesses as coronavirus cases are surging .
Arkansas ’ virus numbers have dramatically risen @ @ @ @ @ businesses began reopening .
Earlier this month , he allowed restaurants and other businesses to @ @ @ @ @ most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever @ @ @ @ @ in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with @ @ @ @ @ can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas on Saturday reported 570 more cases of the coronavirus and 10 more deaths.
The Arkansas Department of Health said that there are now 19,310 reported cases in the state. The state’s total deaths from COVID-19, the illness the new coronavirus causes, is now at 259.
The true number of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he’s not ready to further ease restrictions on businesses as coronavirus cases are surging. Arkansas’ virus numbers have dramatically risen since last month, when businesses began reopening. Earlier this month, he allowed restaurants and other businesses to serve more customers.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Protesters face off over statue of St. Louis namesake

ST. LOUIS ( AP ) - Protesters on Saturday called for the removal of a statue of St. Louis ’ namesake , a French king-turned-saint who burned manuscript copies of Jewish religious texts during the Middle Ages , while another group prayed for the monument to stay .
Nearly 200 people gathered at the Apotheosis of St. Louis , the formal name for the statue of King Louis IX atop Art Hill in Forest Park while about a dozen police officers stood between the two groups , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
A few altercations happened , with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one appeared to have been hurt .
Police ordered another man to leave after he became angry over someone grabbing his hat when he refused to stop taking pictures .
Louis IX , the only king of France to be canonized in the Catholic Church , was lauded for giving aid to the poor and founding hospitals .
But critics say he also presided over a mass burning of wagon loads of handwritten volumes of the Talmud and took part in two crusades in effort to retake previous Christian holdings from Muslims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Umar Lee , one of the protest leaders , who converted to Islam at 17 .
“ We have one side calling for the removal of this hateful man to create a city of love.
” Lee said he started a petition drive to remove the statue and rename the city .
Meanwhile , Catholics have been praying at the park every night this week , hoping the statue stays put .
Maria Miloscia , 25 , of Jefferson County , stepped up and onto the base of the statue and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quietly praying and singing religious songs to herself Saturday .
She said St. Louis , in her view , represents Christ .
She said she also believes the defacing of statues could easily devolve into the destruction of buildings or the murder of people .
“ I think he symbolizes deep faith and convictions , ” she said .
“ I stand for him .
And I stand for those Catholic virtues and those Catholic values that I think are important , like courage , faith and love .
But ultimately , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The protests over King Louis IX ’ statue comes amid calls across the country to remove other monuments , particularly those honoring Confederate leaders .
About three years ago , St. Louis removed a Confederate statue in Forest Park .
A statue of Christopher Columbus came down from its Tower Grove Park pedestal not quite two weeks ago .

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Protesters on Saturday called for the removal of a statue of St. Louis’ namesake, a French king-turned-saint who burned manuscript copies of Jewish religious texts during the Middle Ages, while another group prayed for the monument to stay.
Nearly 200 people gathered at the Apotheosis of St. Louis, the formal name for the statue of King Louis IX atop Art Hill in Forest Park while about a dozen police officers stood between the two groups, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
A few altercations happened, with one man swinging punches at another, but no one appeared to have been hurt. Police ordered another man to leave after he became angry over someone grabbing his hat when he refused to stop taking pictures.
Louis IX, the only king of France to be canonized in the Catholic Church, was lauded for giving aid to the poor and founding hospitals. But critics say he also presided over a mass burning of wagon loads of handwritten volumes of the Talmud and took part in two crusades in effort to retake previous Christian holdings from Muslims.
“The lines are clear,” said Umar Lee, one of the protest leaders, who converted to Islam at 17. “We have one side calling for the removal of this hateful man to create a city of love.”
Lee said he started a petition drive to remove the statue and rename the city. Meanwhile, Catholics have been praying at the park every night this week, hoping the statue stays put.
Maria Miloscia, 25, of Jefferson County, stepped up and onto the base of the statue and stood for at least an hour, quietly praying and singing religious songs to herself Saturday. She said St. Louis, in her view, represents Christ. She said she also believes the defacing of statues could easily devolve into the destruction of buildings or the murder of people.
“I think he symbolizes deep faith and convictions,” she said. “I stand for him. And I stand for those Catholic virtues and those Catholic values that I think are important, like courage, faith and love. But ultimately, I’m here for Christ the king.”
The protests over King Louis IX’ statue comes amid calls across the country to remove other monuments, particularly those honoring Confederate leaders. About three years ago, St. Louis removed a Confederate statue in Forest Park. A statue of Christopher Columbus came down from its Tower Grove Park pedestal not quite two weeks ago.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Texas pilot of small plane dies in crash as he tries to land

ZAVALLA , Texas ( AP ) - A 40-year-old pilot died when his small plane crashed as he tried to @ @ @ @ @ in East Texas early Saturday morning , officials said .
The Texas Department of Public @ @ @ @ @ of Tomball was pronounced dead at the scene .
Officials said it appears the crash @ @ @ @ @ but the scene wasn ’ t located till about 12:30 p.m. Capt .
Alton Lenderman @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office tells KLTV that the single-engine plane crashed north of Zavalla .
DPS @ @ @ @ @ flying from Tomball to Zavalla , about 130 miles to the northeast .
The pilot @ @ @ @ @ trees and crashed just north of the runway .
DPS says the Federal Aviation Administration @ @ @ @ @ Board have been notified and will investigate .

ZAVALLA, Texas (AP) - A 40-year-old pilot died when his small plane crashed as he tried to land on a private runway in East Texas early Saturday morning, officials said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said James Duke VanLue of Tomball was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials said it appears the crash happened at about 2 a.m. but the scene wasn’t located till about 12:30 p.m.
Capt. Alton Lenderman with the Angelina County sheriff’s office tells KLTV that the single-engine plane crashed north of Zavalla.
DPS said the Piper Aircraft was flying from Tomball to Zavalla, about 130 miles to the northeast. The pilot clipped the top of some trees and crashed just north of the runway.
DPS says the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate.


washingtontimes--2020-06-27--Tyson Foods: 371 positive COVID-19 tests at Missouri plant

NOEL , Mo .
( AP ) - Tyson Foods has announced that 371 employees at its chicken processing plant @ @ @ @ @ of Missouri have tested positive for COVID-19 .
The company said in a news release @ @ @ @ @ employees at the plant in Noel from June 17 to June 19 , and 291 @ @ @ @ @ Of those 291 , Tyson said 249 , or 85 % , were asymptomatic .
@ @ @ @ @ Noel employees tested positive for COVID-19 in separate tests that were performed by their healthcare @ @ @ @ @ s Department of Health and Senior Services .
The announcement confirms suspicions that the large @ @ @ @ @ s reported COVID-19 numbers starting this past weekend was the result of large-scale testing at @ @ @ @ @ News-Leader reports .
Meat processing plants across the U.S. have been stung by outbreaks , @ @ @ @ @ of Missouri .

NOEL, Mo. (AP) - Tyson Foods has announced that 371 employees at its chicken processing plant in the far southwestern corner of Missouri have tested positive for COVID-19.
The company said in a news release Friday that it tested 1,142 employees at the plant in Noel from June 17 to June 19, and 291 tested positive for COVID-19. Of those 291, Tyson said 249, or 85%, were asymptomatic. Tyson said an additional 80 Noel employees tested positive for COVID-19 in separate tests that were performed by their healthcare providers or the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services.
The announcement confirms suspicions that the large spike in McDonald County’s reported COVID-19 numbers starting this past weekend was the result of large-scale testing at the plant, the Springfield News-Leader reports.
Meat processing plants across the U.S. have been stung by outbreaks, including plants in other parts of Missouri.