washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Future unclear for historic site in Nebraska City

NEBRASKA CITY , Neb .
( AP ) - For eight decades , a musty underground tunnel called John Brown ’ s Cave and the rough-hewn Mayhew Cabin have drawn tourists and school kids to this Missouri River town .
The site ’ s exhibits have focused on the story of slavery and the abolition movement , though there ’ s been a long-running debate over whether the site was ever a stop for escaping slaves on the famed Underground Railroad or whether Brown , the famed abolitionist , ever visited it .
But now , there ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will it ever reopen ?
The site , along a main entryway into Nebraska City , has been closed for more than a year after a trio of heavy rains flooded the “ cave ” and eroded a walkway exit from it .
The shuttered museum that houses exhibits on things like plantation work and origins of slavery now smells moldy and of sulfur gas .
The unmowed grass on the property , and a dead mouse near the museum entrance , attest to a lack of maintenance .
The flood damage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has been estimated at between $ 911,000 and more than $ 4 million by the foundation that owns the property .
The volunteer president of that group told the Omaha World-Herald there ’ s less than $ 1,000 in the foundation ’ s bank account .
The lack of money and the failure , so far , of lawsuits against the City of Nebraska City to repair the damage leaves doubts as to whether the attraction will reopen , she said .
“ If we don ’ t get help , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Cathleen Van Winkle , a Lincoln real estate appraiser and amateur historian .
“ And this is vital history , especially now with the racial strife we ’ re having in our country.
” Most of those interviewed in Nebraska City acknowledge that the cave and cabin are an important tourism asset for Nebraska City , which boasts 10 museums devoted to the history of one of the state ’ s oldest communities .
But there ’ s a disagreement over who is responsible for fixing up the site , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Places , and just how the place can ever reopen .
Amy Allgood , executive director of the Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce office , said visitors to the city frequently ask about visiting the attraction and when it will be open .
But Allgood said she has no answers .
“ We would like to know more , ” she said .
Some background : The Mayhew Cabin was built in 1854 , before Nebraska was a state , using cottonwood hewn on the site .
In the 1930s , the cabin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilitate the construction of Nebraska Highway 2 through town .
That ’ s when the history-minded owner of the cabin launched it as a tourist destination .
He built an underground tunnel from the cabin to a nearby ravine to replicate an underground hiding place that , according to legend , used to house escaping slaves at the cabin ’ s original location .
“ John Brown ’ s Cave ” was born .
But historians have differed over whether the cabin was ever a stop on the Underground Railroad and whether John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Potter , a researcher for the Nebraska State Historical Society , concluded in a 2002 article that while Brown had traveled several times between Kansas and Nebraska , there was no proof he ever visited the cabin .
But his research , and a book written by Van Winkle , do say that a group of black slaves most likely did pass through Nebraska City in early 1859 ; the group had been freed during a raid led by Brown in Missouri .
The slaves were accompanied by an associate of Brown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayhew , lived in the cabin with her husband , Allen .
Years later , a son of the Mayhews wrote that he once saw Kagi and a group of 11 or 12 slaves eat breakfast at the Mayhew Cabin , as they hurriedly fled northward from Missouri , having passed through Kansas .
That same son said there was never an underground tunnel at the cabin that sheltered such runaways .
In recent years , the name of the attraction has emphasized the Mayhew Cabin over John Brown , recognizing the historic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role of Kagi , who was killed in John Brown ’ s ill-fated attempt to start a slave uprising by raiding a weapons arsenal in Harper ’ s Ferry , Virginia , in 1859 .
But then the rains came , flooding a ravine that dead-ends just north of the cabin at least three times during spring 2019 .
The flooding filled the tunnel , rendering it dangerous and unfit for visitors , according to Van Winkle , as well as ruining a walkway in the ravine used by visitors leaving the tunnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mayhew Cabin and Historical Village foundation .
They maintain that the City of Nebraska City was at fault for diverting storm runoff from a housing area through the cabin and cave site .
Van Winkle said the city also failed to maintain a culvert that drains runoff from the ravine through a pipe that runs underneath the Mayhew Cabin museum .
She said that she suspects that the drainage culvert has collapsed underneath the museum and is causing the structure , which has a noticeable tilt in its floor , to sink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City , Marty Stovall , declined to comment about the lawsuits .
But the city , in a legal answer filed to the most recent lawsuit , said that the damage was caused by “ an extraordinary force of nature ” and that the drainage culvert is the property of the Mayhew foundation , which failed to maintain it .
In addition , the city claims it has sovereign immunity from such claims .
The first two lawsuits filed by the Mayhew foundation , both in 2019 , were tossed out after Van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a law license , was denied authority to represent the foundation .
A third lawsuit was filed this year , but the local attorney who volunteered to represent the Mayhew foundation without pay filed a motion recently to withdraw from the case .
That leaves the future of that lawsuit uncertain .
Van Winkle said she hopes to convince the volunteer lawyer to stay on the case or to find another attorney to take up the cause .
A hearing to allow the current lawyer to withdraw is scheduled Oct. 5 .
Allgood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her organization is willing to help write grants and line up funds to help fix up the cave and museum but hasn ’ t been contacted by the Mayhew foundation .
Van Winkle , though , said she doubts whether local tourism officials can line up enough grant funds to do the repairs that are necessary .
She said she first wants to see if the lawsuit is successful before pursuing any emergency fundraising drive .
“ It ’ s going to take a small miracle , ” Van Winkle said .

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) - For eight decades, a musty underground tunnel called John Brown’s Cave and the rough-hewn Mayhew Cabin have drawn tourists and school kids to this Missouri River town.
The site’s exhibits have focused on the story of slavery and the abolition movement, though there’s been a long-running debate over whether the site was ever a stop for escaping slaves on the famed Underground Railroad or whether Brown, the famed abolitionist, ever visited it.
But now, there’s a bigger question facing the popular attraction - will it ever reopen?
The site, along a main entryway into Nebraska City, has been closed for more than a year after a trio of heavy rains flooded the “cave” and eroded a walkway exit from it. The shuttered museum that houses exhibits on things like plantation work and origins of slavery now smells moldy and of sulfur gas. The unmowed grass on the property, and a dead mouse near the museum entrance, attest to a lack of maintenance.
The flood damage, for which the property was not insured, has been estimated at between $911,000 and more than $4 million by the foundation that owns the property.
The volunteer president of that group told the Omaha World-Herald there’s less than $1,000 in the foundation’s bank account. The lack of money and the failure, so far, of lawsuits against the City of Nebraska City to repair the damage leaves doubts as to whether the attraction will reopen, she said.
“If we don’t get help, this is going to be lost forever,” said Cathleen Van Winkle, a Lincoln real estate appraiser and amateur historian. “And this is vital history, especially now with the racial strife we’re having in our country.”
Most of those interviewed in Nebraska City acknowledge that the cave and cabin are an important tourism asset for Nebraska City, which boasts 10 museums devoted to the history of one of the state’s oldest communities. But there’s a disagreement over who is responsible for fixing up the site, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and just how the place can ever reopen.
Amy Allgood, executive director of the Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce office, said visitors to the city frequently ask about visiting the attraction and when it will be open. But Allgood said she has no answers.
“We would like to know more,” she said.
Some background: The Mayhew Cabin was built in 1854, before Nebraska was a state, using cottonwood hewn on the site.
In the 1930s, the cabin was moved northward a few yards to facilitate the construction of Nebraska Highway 2 through town. That’s when the history-minded owner of the cabin launched it as a tourist destination. He built an underground tunnel from the cabin to a nearby ravine to replicate an underground hiding place that, according to legend, used to house escaping slaves at the cabin’s original location. “John Brown’s Cave” was born.
But historians have differed over whether the cabin was ever a stop on the Underground Railroad and whether John Brown ever visited.
The late Jim Potter, a researcher for the Nebraska State Historical Society, concluded in a 2002 article that while Brown had traveled several times between Kansas and Nebraska, there was no proof he ever visited the cabin.
But his research, and a book written by Van Winkle, do say that a group of black slaves most likely did pass through Nebraska City in early 1859; the group had been freed during a raid led by Brown in Missouri. The slaves were accompanied by an associate of Brown, John Kagi, whose sister, Barbara Mayhew, lived in the cabin with her husband, Allen.
Years later, a son of the Mayhews wrote that he once saw Kagi and a group of 11 or 12 slaves eat breakfast at the Mayhew Cabin, as they hurriedly fled northward from Missouri, having passed through Kansas. That same son said there was never an underground tunnel at the cabin that sheltered such runaways.
In recent years, the name of the attraction has emphasized the Mayhew Cabin over John Brown, recognizing the historic importance of the 12-by-18-foot structure and the role of Kagi, who was killed in John Brown’s ill-fated attempt to start a slave uprising by raiding a weapons arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, in 1859.
But then the rains came, flooding a ravine that dead-ends just north of the cabin at least three times during spring 2019. The flooding filled the tunnel, rendering it dangerous and unfit for visitors, according to Van Winkle, as well as ruining a walkway in the ravine used by visitors leaving the tunnel.
Three lawsuits have been filed by the Mayhew Cabin and Historical Village foundation. They maintain that the City of Nebraska City was at fault for diverting storm runoff from a housing area through the cabin and cave site. Van Winkle said the city also failed to maintain a culvert that drains runoff from the ravine through a pipe that runs underneath the Mayhew Cabin museum.
She said that she suspects that the drainage culvert has collapsed underneath the museum and is causing the structure, which has a noticeable tilt in its floor, to sink.
The acting city administrator for Nebraska City, Marty Stovall, declined to comment about the lawsuits. But the city, in a legal answer filed to the most recent lawsuit, said that the damage was caused by “an extraordinary force of nature” and that the drainage culvert is the property of the Mayhew foundation, which failed to maintain it. In addition, the city claims it has sovereign immunity from such claims.
The first two lawsuits filed by the Mayhew foundation, both in 2019, were tossed out after Van Winkle, who doesn’t have a law license, was denied authority to represent the foundation. A third lawsuit was filed this year, but the local attorney who volunteered to represent the Mayhew foundation without pay filed a motion recently to withdraw from the case.
That leaves the future of that lawsuit uncertain. Van Winkle said she hopes to convince the volunteer lawyer to stay on the case or to find another attorney to take up the cause. A hearing to allow the current lawyer to withdraw is scheduled Oct. 5.
Allgood, the local tourism director, said her organization is willing to help write grants and line up funds to help fix up the cave and museum but hasn’t been contacted by the Mayhew foundation.
Van Winkle, though, said she doubts whether local tourism officials can line up enough grant funds to do the repairs that are necessary. She said she first wants to see if the lawsuit is successful before pursuing any emergency fundraising drive.
“It’s going to take a small miracle,” Van Winkle said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Cancer fighter's cohorts show support with paint brushes

SIOUX FALLS , S.D .
( AP ) - Washington High School science teacher Tim Gjoraas wouldn ’ t consider bright blue to be his first choice for a new house color .
His wife , Lisa , loves it , and he agreed , knowing that she will be living with it much longer than he will .
Gjoraas was diagnosed with colon cancer last year .
The journey has not been easy , and he made the difficult decision to leave his teaching position before the school year began to focus on spending what time he has left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to a friend to ask for help repainting his house next summer , he instead was greeted on a Saturday by a dozen of his former colleagues armed with paint sprayers , brushes and tarps .
Within five hours , Washington teachers from the past and present had completed the house ’ s paint job and were reminiscing together over lunch in the driveway .
“ He told me he got quite a bit of help , but I didn ’ t know it was going to represent my whole career , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ High , ” said Gjoraas , whose tenure lasted 22 years .
“ I kind of got torn out of the classroom this year and I miss it .
It feels really good to get back together with my coworkers .
They ’ re doing something really special for my family , but I also get to talk a little bit about Washington High with them and share old stories.
” Doug Rinken , a retired chemistry teacher , put the whole plan in motion .
He said he wasn ’ t sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to help , but if not he was willing to put in the work himself .
However , within an hour of making phone calls , all 12 people were on board and ready to work .
“ It was really effortless , almost , to get this many people to say yes , ” said Rinken .
“ You want to help in any way you can , but you know that whatever you do , it isn ’ t going to be enough .
Even this what we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to change anything , but I just hope it makes him feel a little more comfortable .
It maybe makes us feel a little better too.
” Beyond those who donated their time to complete this home improvement project , more people donated enough money to pay for the paint , and another few coworkers provided lunch for the group .
Gjoraas said that day was uniquely meaningful because it was put together by those coworkers and friends in his innermost circle , but this isn ’ t the first time he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
There have been multiple fundraisers for him over the past year , helping with anything from medical expenses to making the travel possible that he ’ s always wanted to experience with his family .
“ I ’ ve had so much of this happening since I got the news that I was dying of cancer , ” said Gjoraas .
“ The first time somebody wanted to do a fundraiser for me I said , no , we ’ re fine , we ’ re fine , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , your family deserves this , you deserve this.
” Another coworker , government , speech and debate teacher Travis Dahle , said that none of this support is surprising because of how many people love Gjoraas .
He fondly remembered the morning “ coffee club ” with Gjoraas and a few other teachers that became like a ritual before the school day began .
“ Most teachers will tell you that at Washington we are a family , ” said Dahle .
“ It ’ s just who we are , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around each other.
” Even if this level of care for each other is ingrained in the staff at Washington , Gjoraas doesn ’ t take any of it for granted .
He said he is extremely humbled over and over by the support he ’ s received .
“ If you spend your life being a good person and hanging around good people , trying to make a positive impact on your community , if you need something people show up , ” he said .
“ It ’ s pretty amazing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s had.
” As the paint dried on the house behind them , Gjoraas and his friends talked into the afternoon , swapping stories of the early days in their careers and savoring the memories they still have time to make .

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Washington High School science teacher Tim Gjoraas wouldn’t consider bright blue to be his first choice for a new house color. His wife, Lisa, loves it, and he agreed, knowing that she will be living with it much longer than he will.
Gjoraas was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. The journey has not been easy, and he made the difficult decision to leave his teaching position before the school year began to focus on spending what time he has left with his family.
When Gjoraas reached out to a friend to ask for help repainting his house next summer, he instead was greeted on a Saturday by a dozen of his former colleagues armed with paint sprayers, brushes and tarps. Within five hours, Washington teachers from the past and present had completed the house’s paint job and were reminiscing together over lunch in the driveway.
“He told me he got quite a bit of help, but I didn’t know it was going to represent my whole career, people from all my years at Washington High,” said Gjoraas, whose tenure lasted 22 years. “I kind of got torn out of the classroom this year and I miss it. It feels really good to get back together with my coworkers. They’re doing something really special for my family, but I also get to talk a little bit about Washington High with them and share old stories.”
Doug Rinken, a retired chemistry teacher, put the whole plan in motion. He said he wasn’t sure if he’d find anyone who wanted to help, but if not he was willing to put in the work himself. However, within an hour of making phone calls, all 12 people were on board and ready to work.
“It was really effortless, almost, to get this many people to say yes,” said Rinken. “You want to help in any way you can, but you know that whatever you do, it isn’t going to be enough. Even this what we’re doing today, it isn’t going to change anything, but I just hope it makes him feel a little more comfortable. It maybe makes us feel a little better too.”
Beyond those who donated their time to complete this home improvement project, more people donated enough money to pay for the paint, and another few coworkers provided lunch for the group.
Gjoraas said that day was uniquely meaningful because it was put together by those coworkers and friends in his innermost circle, but this isn’t the first time he’s experienced the generosity of his community. There have been multiple fundraisers for him over the past year, helping with anything from medical expenses to making the travel possible that he’s always wanted to experience with his family.
“I’ve had so much of this happening since I got the news that I was dying of cancer,” said Gjoraas. “The first time somebody wanted to do a fundraiser for me I said, no, we’re fine, we’re fine, we’re fine. They were like, no, your family deserves this, you deserve this.”
Another coworker, government, speech and debate teacher Travis Dahle, said that none of this support is surprising because of how many people love Gjoraas. He fondly remembered the morning “coffee club” with Gjoraas and a few other teachers that became like a ritual before the school day began.
“Most teachers will tell you that at Washington we are a family,” said Dahle. “It’s just who we are, we love working with each other and being around each other.”
Even if this level of care for each other is ingrained in the staff at Washington, Gjoraas doesn’t take any of it for granted. He said he is extremely humbled over and over by the support he’s received.
“If you spend your life being a good person and hanging around good people, trying to make a positive impact on your community, if you need something people show up,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing the outpouring of love my family’s had.”
As the paint dried on the house behind them, Gjoraas and his friends talked into the afternoon, swapping stories of the early days in their careers and savoring the memories they still have time to make.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Cook County judge resigns after alleged sexual harassment

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mauricio Araujo resigned Thursday , according to the Judicial Inquiry Board .
His resignation will take effect on Monday .
Araujo was facing the possibility of removal from the bench after the Illinois Courts Commission found Tuesday that there was “ clear and convincing evidence ” that he engaged in a pattern of inappropriate and harassing behavior toward women .
The commission of five judges and two members appointed by the governor was set to hand down a sanction next week .
The nonprofit news outlet Injustice Watch provided this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collaboration with Institute for Nonprofit News .
The decision followed a two-day hearing before the commission , during which three women testified that Araujo had sexually harassed or demeaned them in several incidents between 2011 and 2018 .
Araujo admitted to making one inappropriate comment about a Cook County assistant state ’ s attorney , but disputed the accounts of a Chicago police officer who said he tried to kiss her and a court reporter who said he propositioned her for sex .
Araujo did not respond to a request for comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the bench in the upcoming election .
He failed to receive the support of the Cook County Democratic Party and was opposed by the Judicial Accountability PAC , a group of progressive lawyers .
Araujo has been on administrative duty since 2018 , when the sexual harassment allegations were first filed with the Judicial Inquiry Board , which reviews allegations of misconduct against judges .
The board filed a formal complaint with the Courts Commission in June 2019 and served as the prosecutor in the hearing .
On Monday , Chicago Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Araujo ’ s chambers on Aug. 15 , 2016 , to get a warrant signed .
When she entered , he approached her and tried to kiss her on the lips , she said .
She instinctively performed a move she learned in the police academy known as a “ Back , sir ” that creates some distance , she said .
“ Aren ’ t you married ?
” she said she asked him in shock .
“ He said , ‘ Well , yeah , ’ ” she testified .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ god.
’ ” As they were leaving his chambers , Rittorno said , he reached back and grabbed her hand and said , “ Touch it.
” “ Touch my butt , ” she said he replied .
She said she was in disbelief .
Never in her nearly two decades as a female police officer surrounded by male colleagues had she ever been sexually harassed , she testified .
She told members of her gang investigation team soon after , and it became a kind of running joke , she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suck it up , ” she told the committee , her voice shaking .
She vowed never to let herself be alone with Araujo again , even though she and her team continued to request his approval for warrants .
Araujo disputed Rittorno ’ s account of their interaction and denied asking her to touch him .
He testified that because he considered Rittorno a friend , he once hugged and kissed her on the cheek as he does with many female friends , including other police officers .
Araujo described his gestures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colombian heritage .
But Rittorno said she had no personal relationship with Araujo .
“ The judge ’ s testimony that he hugs and kisses male and female officers all the time is just not believable , ” Judicial Inquiry Board attorney Kevin Fee said in his closing statement .
Rittorno said she came forward after watching coverage of the sexual assault trial of Bill Cosby and hearing that Araujo had made a sexual comment about a Cook County prosecutor .
That comment came on Sept. 11 , 2018 , after Cook County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a law school classmate of Araujo ’ s , appeared in his courtroom on a murder case , according to multiple people ’ s testimony .
Araujo said he was upset after Ricci didn ’ t acknowledge their past .
Later , in his chambers , Araujo told Akash Vyas , another assistant state ’ s attorney , “ something to the effect of , ‘ Maybe it was because I didn ’ t have sex with her .
Or maybe it was because I did have sex with her , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his comment was in response to Vyas suggesting that perhaps Ricci didn ’ t recognize him in his judicial robe .
State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx reported the event to the criminal division ’ s presiding judge , LeRoy Martin Jr. , and her office asked to move the case Ricci was handling to a different judge .
Rittorno said she wished she had come forward sooner .
“ I thought if I had said something when it happened , I probably would have stopped it from happening to the attorney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schultz described a third set of incidents , from 2011 , when she and Araujo were working at the Domestic Violence Courthouse .
While the two of them were alone in an elevator , Araujo asked her , “ How much ?
” with an implication that he was offering to pay her for sex , she said .
Weeks later , he repeated the proposition , she testified , not bothering to correct her when she pointed out that he was married and she had a boyfriend .
Schultz said after Araujo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevators alone and transferred to a different courthouse .
Araujo ’ s attorney Mary Robinson pointed out the lack of corroboration of Schultz and Rittorno ’ s allegations .
She also suggested that Araujo ’ s comment about Ricci , while inappropriate , was a clumsy response to a misinterpretation of Vyas ’ s comment .
“ We don ’ t ask you to reject the testimony of these accusers lightly , ” Robinson told the commission in her closing statement .
In his own testimony , Araujo described his behavior as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the commission lets him remain a judge , he will behave in a more formal manner and refrain from hugs and kisses .
“ Formality ’ s safest , ” he said .
“ My intent is not to make anybody feel uncomfortable.
” If the Courts Commission had chosen to remove Araujo from the bench , it would have been just the tenth time in the commission ’ s 50-year history .
The last judge to be dismissed was St. Clair County circuit judge Ronald R. Duebbert , who was removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had lied to police who were investigating his friend as a suspect in a murder , then lied to the Courts Commission about it .
This story was co-published with the Chicago Sun-Times .

CHICAGO (AP) - Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mauricio Araujo resigned Thursday, according to the Judicial Inquiry Board. His resignation will take effect on Monday.
Araujo was facing the possibility of removal from the bench after the Illinois Courts Commission found Tuesday that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that he engaged in a pattern of inappropriate and harassing behavior toward women.
The commission of five judges and two members appointed by the governor was set to hand down a sanction next week.
___
The nonprofit news outlet Injustice Watch provided this article to The Associated Press through a collaboration with Institute for Nonprofit News.
___
The decision followed a two-day hearing before the commission, during which three women testified that Araujo had sexually harassed or demeaned them in several incidents between 2011 and 2018. Araujo admitted to making one inappropriate comment about a Cook County assistant state’s attorney, but disputed the accounts of a Chicago police officer who said he tried to kiss her and a court reporter who said he propositioned her for sex.
Araujo did not respond to a request for comment. He had been seeking six more years on the bench in the upcoming election. He failed to receive the support of the Cook County Democratic Party and was opposed by the Judicial Accountability PAC, a group of progressive lawyers.
Araujo has been on administrative duty since 2018, when the sexual harassment allegations were first filed with the Judicial Inquiry Board, which reviews allegations of misconduct against judges. The board filed a formal complaint with the Courts Commission in June 2019 and served as the prosecutor in the hearing.
On Monday, Chicago Police Officer Karen Rittorno testified that she went to Araujo’s chambers on Aug. 15, 2016, to get a warrant signed. When she entered, he approached her and tried to kiss her on the lips, she said. She instinctively performed a move she learned in the police academy known as a “Back, sir” that creates some distance, she said.
“Aren’t you married?” she said she asked him in shock.
“He said, ‘Well, yeah,’” she testified. “I said, ‘Oh my god.’”
As they were leaving his chambers, Rittorno said, he reached back and grabbed her hand and said, “Touch it.”
“Touch what?” she asked.
“Touch my butt,” she said he replied.
She said she was in disbelief. Never in her nearly two decades as a female police officer surrounded by male colleagues had she ever been sexually harassed, she testified. She told members of her gang investigation team soon after, and it became a kind of running joke, she said.
“In my profession you have to suck it up,” she told the committee, her voice shaking. She vowed never to let herself be alone with Araujo again, even though she and her team continued to request his approval for warrants.
Araujo disputed Rittorno’s account of their interaction and denied asking her to touch him. He testified that because he considered Rittorno a friend, he once hugged and kissed her on the cheek as he does with many female friends, including other police officers. Araujo described his gestures of physical affection as part of his Colombian heritage.
But Rittorno said she had no personal relationship with Araujo.
“The judge’s testimony that he hugs and kisses male and female officers all the time is just not believable,” Judicial Inquiry Board attorney Kevin Fee said in his closing statement.
Rittorno said she came forward after watching coverage of the sexual assault trial of Bill Cosby and hearing that Araujo had made a sexual comment about a Cook County prosecutor.
That comment came on Sept. 11, 2018, after Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Nina Ricci, a law school classmate of Araujo’s, appeared in his courtroom on a murder case, according to multiple people’s testimony.
Araujo said he was upset after Ricci didn’t acknowledge their past. Later, in his chambers, Araujo told Akash Vyas, another assistant state’s attorney, “something to the effect of, ‘Maybe it was because I didn’t have sex with her. Or maybe it was because I did have sex with her,’” Vyas testified.
Araujo testified that his comment was in response to Vyas suggesting that perhaps Ricci didn’t recognize him in his judicial robe.
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx reported the event to the criminal division’s presiding judge, LeRoy Martin Jr., and her office asked to move the case Ricci was handling to a different judge.
Rittorno said she wished she had come forward sooner.
“I thought if I had said something when it happened, I probably would have stopped it from happening to the attorney,” Rittorno said.
Court reporter Carolina Schultz described a third set of incidents, from 2011, when she and Araujo were working at the Domestic Violence Courthouse. While the two of them were alone in an elevator, Araujo asked her, “How much?” with an implication that he was offering to pay her for sex, she said. Weeks later, he repeated the proposition, she testified, not bothering to correct her when she pointed out that he was married and she had a boyfriend.
Schultz said after Araujo’s comments she avoided taking the elevators alone and transferred to a different courthouse.
Araujo’s attorney Mary Robinson pointed out the lack of corroboration of Schultz and Rittorno’s allegations. She also suggested that Araujo’s comment about Ricci, while inappropriate, was a clumsy response to a misinterpretation of Vyas’s comment.
“We don’t ask you to reject the testimony of these accusers lightly,” Robinson told the commission in her closing statement.
In his own testimony, Araujo described his behavior as “overly casual” and said that, if the commission lets him remain a judge, he will behave in a more formal manner and refrain from hugs and kisses.
“Formality’s safest,” he said. “My intent is not to make anybody feel uncomfortable.”
If the Courts Commission had chosen to remove Araujo from the bench, it would have been just the tenth time in the commission’s 50-year history. The last judge to be dismissed was St. Clair County circuit judge Ronald R. Duebbert, who was removed in January after the commission found he had lied to police who were investigating his friend as a suspect in a murder, then lied to the Courts Commission about it.
____
This story was co-published with the Chicago Sun-Times.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Group wants to protect Lincoln prairie as city encroaches

LINCOLN , Neb .
( AP ) - From the entrance on the eastern edge of Nine-Mile Prairie , a mass of never-plowed Big Bluestem grass sways atop a hill in view of its likely future and remembered past .
Deactivated nuclear bomb bunkers to the northwest are relics of the prairie ’ s past , and the Lincoln city skyline to the southeast offers a view of the future as it inches closer and closer .
Part of the former Lincoln Air Force Base , the 230 acres off Northwest 48th Street and West Fletcher Avenue escaped a life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soybeans , said University of Nebraska-Lincoln biologist and Nine-Mile Prairie Director David Wedin .
Owned by the University of Nebraska Foundation and under the stewardship of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln , the Nine-Mile Prairie is among the 1 % of tallgrass prairie land left in the continental U.S. , according to the prairie ’ s master plan published earlier this year .
The Lincoln Journal Star reports the land carries on the legacy of prairie that once blanketed 200 million acres east to Indiana , up to Manitoba and south to Texas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to depend on what ’ s around us , ” Wedin said .
Wedin and others associated with Nine-Mile Prairie hope to help raise the prairie ’ s profile as the city and county craft the 2050 Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan .
What ’ s going on near the prairie preserve fits now , but with city planners anticipating continued growth in northwest Lincoln , Nine-Mile Prairie preservationists hope to have a hand in protecting the neighborhood .
Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department Director David Cary said the current comprehensive plan already denotes Nine-Mile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Nine-Mile Prairie ’ s preservation hope to raise its level of prominence in the 2050 plan and hopefully influence future land use surrounding it .
Neighbors aren ’ t an issue now , he said .
“ How do we ensure we ’ re still in good shape in 2050 ?
” Wedin asked .
Named because it sits 5 miles west and 4 miles north of the UNL campus downtown , Nine-Mile Prairie came under the university ’ s management after a successful effort by the Wachiska Audubon Society to preserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study .
Wedin brings his students out to demonstrate land management techniques , and researchers use it as a control environment in their experiments , he said .
Last week , about 60 UNL Army ROTC cadets searched Nine-Mile Prairie for flags planted by senior ROTC members Taylor Butalla , Ryan Martin and Kirk Martin , a test of their physical navigation skills .
In addition to its teaching and research value , Nine-Mile Prairie would make a great city park , said Tim Knott .
Knott , who is a member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prairie deserves protection from overdevelopment .
“ It can not be found again , ” Knott said .
For one , Wedin said , a key grassland management strategy on Nine-Mile Prairie is controlled burns that wipe out invasive weeds and preserve the native grasses and shrubs resilient on the prairie .
“ Those bunkers don ’ t care , ” he said of the smoky strategy .
But if housing moves in next door , the new neighbors might , he said .
The residential areas already envisioned for development by 2040 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the range of smoke from prescribed burns , according to the master plan .
Prairie proponents hope the comprehensive plan will help designate areas as green space or for connectivity to the city trail network and encourage lasting conservation partnerships in the area , they said in a letter to Cary .
Planners are continuing to work on the comprehensive plan and are expected to propose growth scenarios later this fall , Cary said .
Once they receive public feedback on where the city should grow to , they ’ ll begin evaluating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , he said .
“ We ’ ll try to find the best outcome for the broader community , which is the purpose of the plan , but also these special interests in the northwest part of the city , ” Cary said .
Nine-Mile Prairie doesn ’ t have the uninterrupted peace found in places like Spring Creek Prairie , Wedin said , with air traffic routinely flying overhead and daytime pops from the firing range occasionally breaking up the quiet .

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - From the entrance on the eastern edge of Nine-Mile Prairie, a mass of never-plowed Big Bluestem grass sways atop a hill in view of its likely future and remembered past.
Deactivated nuclear bomb bunkers to the northwest are relics of the prairie’s past, and the Lincoln city skyline to the southeast offers a view of the future as it inches closer and closer.
Part of the former Lincoln Air Force Base, the 230 acres off Northwest 48th Street and West Fletcher Avenue escaped a life of yearly plowing and planted corn or soybeans, said University of Nebraska-Lincoln biologist and Nine-Mile Prairie Director David Wedin.
Owned by the University of Nebraska Foundation and under the stewardship of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nine-Mile Prairie is among the 1% of tallgrass prairie land left in the continental U.S., according to the prairie’s master plan published earlier this year.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports the land carries on the legacy of prairie that once blanketed 200 million acres east to Indiana, up to Manitoba and south to Texas.
“What this looks like is going to depend on what’s around us,” Wedin said.
Wedin and others associated with Nine-Mile Prairie hope to help raise the prairie’s profile as the city and county craft the 2050 Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan.
What’s going on near the prairie preserve fits now, but with city planners anticipating continued growth in northwest Lincoln, Nine-Mile Prairie preservationists hope to have a hand in protecting the neighborhood.
Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department Director David Cary said the current comprehensive plan already denotes Nine-Mile Prairie.
But Wedin and others associated with Nine-Mile Prairie’s preservation hope to raise its level of prominence in the 2050 plan and hopefully influence future land use surrounding it.
Neighbors aren’t an issue now, he said.
“How do we ensure we’re still in good shape in 2050?” Wedin asked.
Named because it sits 5 miles west and 4 miles north of the UNL campus downtown, Nine-Mile Prairie came under the university’s management after a successful effort by the Wachiska Audubon Society to preserve it for teaching, research and nature study.
Wedin brings his students out to demonstrate land management techniques, and researchers use it as a control environment in their experiments, he said.
Last week, about 60 UNL Army ROTC cadets searched Nine-Mile Prairie for flags planted by senior ROTC members Taylor Butalla, Ryan Martin and Kirk Martin, a test of their physical navigation skills.
In addition to its teaching and research value, Nine-Mile Prairie would make a great city park, said Tim Knott.
Knott, who is a member of the Wachiska Audubon Society, said Nine-Mile Prairie deserves protection from overdevelopment.
“It cannot be found again,” Knott said.
The prairie wouldn’t be a typical neighbor.
For one, Wedin said, a key grassland management strategy on Nine-Mile Prairie is controlled burns that wipe out invasive weeds and preserve the native grasses and shrubs resilient on the prairie.
“Those bunkers don’t care,” he said of the smoky strategy.
But if housing moves in next door, the new neighbors might, he said.
The residential areas already envisioned for development by 2040 south of Nine-Mile Prairie would be within the range of smoke from prescribed burns, according to the master plan.
Prairie proponents hope the comprehensive plan will help designate areas as green space or for connectivity to the city trail network and encourage lasting conservation partnerships in the area, they said in a letter to Cary.
Planners are continuing to work on the comprehensive plan and are expected to propose growth scenarios later this fall, Cary said. Once they receive public feedback on where the city should grow to, they’ll begin evaluating the best uses for those new city areas, he said.
“We’ll try to find the best outcome for the broader community, which is the purpose of the plan, but also these special interests in the northwest part of the city,” Cary said.
Nine-Mile Prairie doesn’t have the uninterrupted peace found in places like Spring Creek Prairie, Wedin said, with air traffic routinely flying overhead and daytime pops from the firing range occasionally breaking up the quiet.
“It’s not wilderness,” Wedin said, “but it’s nice.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Native American historic site displays history with harvest

STANTON , N.D. ( AP ) - Darian Kath is helping Knife River Indian Villages get back to its roots .
The national historic site ’ s acting interpretive and cultural resource manager has been expanding the site ’ s gardens with an eye to history of the Mandan , Hidatsa and Arikara people .
Kath cultivated corn , beans , squash , tobacco and sunflowers this year .
Now he ’ s sharing the harvest with the Mandan , Hidatsa and Arikara Nation , the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other people for food , ceremony and starting community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tribune reported .
“ My ultimate goal with the gardening and everything is to have like a food sovereignty food bank for the tribes , ” Kath said .
He started growing plants indoors in April .
The garden plots faced challenges including ground squirrels raiding the corn and sunflowers , and a mosaic virus that struck the beans .
An early frost this month hit the gardens hard , but sunflowers and a stand of tobacco plants survived .
Harvested tobacco is hanging in the site ’ s earth lodge to dry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the garden next year , potentially abandoning one plot and expanding the other .
As the coronavirus pandemic emerged in North Dakota last spring , he found gardening a good diversion .
He ’ s enjoyed early morning walks in the quiet garden plots , where hummingbirds and bumblebees visit .
“ Gardening is therapeutic , ” he said .
“ It ’ s health and wellness.
” Site Superintendent Alisha Deegan said visitors comment most often on the gardens and earth lodge .
The site also offers trails and cross-country skiing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are visible on the land .
“ There ’ s a lot .
We have the natural and cultural resources , ” she said .
Kath grew three varieties of tobacco , including two traditional Native types and one commonly found on Virginia plantations of the time the Knife River villages were occupied .
The site had last grown tobacco circa 2008 .
When shrubs out front of the site ’ s visitor center were removed , Kath thought it the perfect spot , front and center , for a tobacco garden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribal elders , who mainly use it for ceremonial purposes .
He recently gave some to Keith Bear , a renowned Mandan-Hidatsa flutist .
Bear plans to take the tobacco with him as a gift when he and a brother visit medicine people in Montana .
Tobacco is a sacrament for many Native people , he said .
“ It ’ s not where you just sit down and have a cigarette , ” Bear said .
“ This is where you offer your prayers.
” Sometimes tobacco is mixed with clippings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
Tobacco is loaded into pipes in seven pinches , representing north , south , east , west , above and below , “ but the last pinch comes from your heart , because no matter where you stand in the universe , you are the center of the universe , ” Bear said .
“ Prayer is so powerful , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t care what culture you go to , prayer is the most powerful thing.
” Coming from the villages , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
He regularly offers tobacco in prayer .
Kath said the tobacco will hang in the earth lodge until it ’ s fully dry .
Several plants survived the frost .
A few new blossoms even turned up recently .
“ It ’ s kind of a special thing , ” he said .
Kath harvested corn ranging in color from dark red to “ pink lemonade ” to a rare “ eagle-spot ” variant .
He hand-pollinated the corn to encourage diversity in the garden , and studied gardener Buffalo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hidatsa agriculture .
“ Luckily we still have that knowledge today ” after smallpox epidemics devastated the tribes centuries ago , he said .
Kath plans to take a box of corn , squash and seed corn to New Town on the Fort Berthold Reservation .
He ’ s also talked with Standing Rock tribal members about gardening projects .
Knife River ’ s garden included colorful Painted Mountain corn developed by Montana corn breeder Dave Christensen and traced back to the villages .
“ That corn has most of its ancestry from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s been breeding the corn for 48 years , using seeds from a national seed bank that preserved Native corn from Bismarck seed magnate Oscar Will , who developed and sold seed varieties .
Painted Mountain corn is “ very versatile ” and stress-hardy , according to Christensen .
It also matures and dries quickly .
The corn is available through catalogs .
“ It ’ s always been fun to grow that one because you never know what you ’ re going to get when you unwrap a cob , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Knife River Indian Villages about 20 years ago on a spiritual corn trip , when he met with Native and local people to learn about the corn ’ s history .
He ’ s shared the corn with reservations that have lost their original seeds .
Painted Mountain is mainly a flour corn , but it can be eaten fresh off the cob like sweet corn , but it ’ s not sugary , he said .
He ’ s provided the corn all over the world for food crop — even North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing else will grow , ” he said .

STANTON, N.D. (AP) - Darian Kath is helping Knife River Indian Villages get back to its roots.
The national historic site’s acting interpretive and cultural resource manager has been expanding the site’s gardens with an eye to history of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara people. Kath cultivated corn, beans, squash, tobacco and sunflowers this year.
Now he’s sharing the harvest with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other people for food, ceremony and starting community gardens around the state, The Bismarck Tribune reported.
“My ultimate goal with the gardening and everything is to have like a food sovereignty food bank for the tribes,” Kath said.
He started growing plants indoors in April. The garden plots faced challenges including ground squirrels raiding the corn and sunflowers, and a mosaic virus that struck the beans. An early frost this month hit the gardens hard, but sunflowers and a stand of tobacco plants survived. Harvested tobacco is hanging in the site’s earth lodge to dry.
Kath might “dial back” the garden next year, potentially abandoning one plot and expanding the other. As the coronavirus pandemic emerged in North Dakota last spring, he found gardening a good diversion. He’s enjoyed early morning walks in the quiet garden plots, where hummingbirds and bumblebees visit.
“Gardening is therapeutic,” he said. “It’s health and wellness.”
Site Superintendent Alisha Deegan said visitors comment most often on the gardens and earth lodge. The site also offers trails and cross-country skiing. Ground depressions of past earth lodges also are visible on the land.
“There’s a lot. We have the natural and cultural resources,” she said.
Kath grew three varieties of tobacco, including two traditional Native types and one commonly found on Virginia plantations of the time the Knife River villages were occupied.
The site had last grown tobacco circa 2008. When shrubs out front of the site’s visitor center were removed, Kath thought it the perfect spot, front and center, for a tobacco garden.
He gives the tobacco as gifts to tribal elders, who mainly use it for ceremonial purposes. He recently gave some to Keith Bear, a renowned Mandan-Hidatsa flutist.
Bear plans to take the tobacco with him as a gift when he and a brother visit medicine people in Montana. Tobacco is a sacrament for many Native people, he said.
“It’s not where you just sit down and have a cigarette,” Bear said. “This is where you offer your prayers.”
Sometimes tobacco is mixed with clippings of red willow, a mixture called chinshasha, he said.
Tobacco is loaded into pipes in seven pinches, representing north, south, east, west, above and below, “but the last pinch comes from your heart, because no matter where you stand in the universe, you are the center of the universe,” Bear said.
“Prayer is so powerful,” he said. “I don’t care what culture you go to, prayer is the most powerful thing.”
Coming from the villages, the tobacco has historic and spiritual significance, he said. He regularly offers tobacco in prayer.
Kath said the tobacco will hang in the earth lodge until it’s fully dry. Several plants survived the frost. A few new blossoms even turned up recently.
“It’s kind of a special thing,” he said.
Kath harvested corn ranging in color from dark red to “pink lemonade” to a rare “eagle-spot” variant.
He hand-pollinated the corn to encourage diversity in the garden, and studied gardener Buffalo Bird Woman’s 1917 account of Hidatsa agriculture.
“Luckily we still have that knowledge today” after smallpox epidemics devastated the tribes centuries ago, he said.
Kath plans to take a box of corn, squash and seed corn to New Town on the Fort Berthold Reservation. He’s also talked with Standing Rock tribal members about gardening projects.
Knife River’s garden included colorful Painted Mountain corn developed by Montana corn breeder Dave Christensen and traced back to the villages.
“That corn has most of its ancestry from Knife River,” Christensen said.
He’s been breeding the corn for 48 years, using seeds from a national seed bank that preserved Native corn from Bismarck seed magnate Oscar Will, who developed and sold seed varieties.
Painted Mountain corn is “very versatile” and stress-hardy, according to Christensen. It also matures and dries quickly. The corn is available through catalogs.
“It’s always been fun to grow that one because you never know what you’re going to get when you unwrap a cob,” Kath said.
Christensen visited the Knife River Indian Villages about 20 years ago on a spiritual corn trip, when he met with Native and local people to learn about the corn’s history.
He’s shared the corn with reservations that have lost their original seeds. Painted Mountain is mainly a flour corn, but it can be eaten fresh off the cob like sweet corn, but it’s not sugary, he said.
He’s provided the corn all over the world for food crop — even North Korea.
“It will grow where nothing else will grow,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--The Latest: Australian state worried about mall outbreak

NEW DELHI — India has reached 100,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths , trailing only the United States and Brazil .
The Health Ministry says the 79,476 new infections raised the overall confirmed caseload to more than 6.4 million .
The country ’ s toll is nearly 10 % of the global deaths .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist government have been criticized for the handling of the virus and the contracting economy that ’ s left millions jobless .
Overall numbers show India ’ s urban districts have accounted for nearly 80 % of the death toll , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow burn ” surge in the country ’ s vast hinterlands .
“ India has an inadequate health system , which is lopsided and unjustly distributed , ” said Dr. T. Jacob John , a retired virologist .
Public health experts say a disorderly lockdown , which led millions of migrant workers to flee from cities to villages , further complicated the fight against the virus .
Still , India is preparing to reopen cinemas and entertainment parks with limited capacity beginning Oct. 15 .
Health experts warn the move has the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming religious festival and winter season .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK : - Cavalier White House approach to COVID catches up to Trump - Madrid starts first day under a partial lockdown with police controlling travel in and out of the Spanish capital , which has become a coronavirus hotspot .
- South Africa and India are asking the World Trade Organization to waive some provisions in the international agreements t hat regulate intellectual property rights to speed up efforts to prevent , treat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nobel Prizes show how slow , basic science pays off , even though everyone wants quick fixes to global problems .
The Nobels , with new winners announced next week , often concentrate on unheralded and methodical basic science .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : SANTA FE , N.M. - A federal judge has rejected an initial request to ease pandemic-related occupancy limits for in-person instruction at private schools in New Mexico , in a setback for a complaint supported by the U.S. Justice Department .
In a Friday order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuffed the complaint from the father of a seventh-grade prep school student in Albuquerque who claimed restrictions aimed at social distancing are more severe at private schools than public ones .
Johnson noted some private schools have managed to reboot in-person teaching despite a 25 % room occupancy limit , and 7-12 grade public school students are still cut off from in-person learning .
Private schools in New Mexico enroll about 22,000 students or nearly 7 % of school-aged children .
KATHMANDU , Nepal - Three close aides of Nepal ’ s Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for coronavirus .
Oli ’ s political adviser Bishnu Rimal , press adviser Surya Thapa and foreign affairs adviser Rajan Bhattarai announced on social media their test results on Saturday .
These three were close officials who worked with Oli while he works mostly out of his official residence in Kathmandu .
They are also the highest-level officials to be tested positive to the virus in Nepal .
It was not clear if the prime minister had taken any recent tests .
Nepal has 84,570 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 528 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office in Turkey has reiterated its call for reporting coronavirus data in line with WHO guidance to “ harmonize data collection and response measures.
” The statement comes days after Turkey ’ s health minister revealed the daily coronavirus figures published by the ministry reflected only patients with symptoms , excluding asymptomatic positive cases .
The WHO defines confirmed cases as : “ A person with laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection , irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.
” The WHO statement commended Turkey on its increased testing capacity and contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been isolating all COVID-19 positive cases , regardless of their symptoms.
” It added the agency has been consulting with members , including Turkey , to improve reporting and data collection .
Critics question the veracity of case and death toll numbers Turkey has reported during the pandemic .
PRAGUE - Coronavirus infections in the Czech Republic have been on a steep rise , setting a new record high for the second straight day .
The country ’ s Health Ministry says the day-to-day increase in new confirmed COVID-19 cases was 3,793 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
The country had a total of 78,051 reported cases since the beginning of the pandemic and 699 deaths .
Currently , 42,320 are ill with the virus , with 1,134 hospitalized and 221 in serious condition .
The recent surge has prompted several hospitals to postpone non-urgent operations to be able to treat COVID-19 patients .
The government has declared a state of emergency starting Monday with new restrictive measures .
Health Minister Roman Prymula predicted the number of people infected in one day could be higher than 8,000 later in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 figures in Australia ’ s Victoria state continue to show improvement but officials are concerned about an outbreak at the country ’ s largest shopping center .
Victoria reported three more COVID-19 deaths and eight more cases on Saturday .
The figures take the state toll to 805 and the national death count to 893 .
Melbourne ’ s latest 14-day average stood at 12 cases , and there have been 11 cases with an unknown source in the past two weeks up to Wednesday .
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews says a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Chadstone Shopping Centre showed why it was unsafe to ease restrictions .
Melbourne ’ s strict lockdown rules continue to be eased , and an overnight curfew ended last week .
WASHINGTON - Two Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have tested positive for the coronavirus , raising questions about upcoming Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett and whether additional senators may have been exposed .
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Utah Sen. Mike Lee both said Friday they had tested positive for the virus .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House on Sept. 25 with President Donald Trump , who has tested positive and is hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center .
Lee , who didn ’ t wear a mask at the White House event , said he had “ symptoms consistent with longtime allergies.
” Tillis , who did wear a mask , said he has no symptoms .
Both said they will quarantine for 10 days - ending just before Barrett ’ s confirmation hearings begin on Oct. 12 .
The positive tests come as Senate Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the few weeks they have before the Nov. 3 election .
SEOUL , South Korea - South Korea ’ s new coronavirus daily tally has remained in two digits for a third straight day as authorities called for public vigilance during one of the country ’ s biggest holidays .
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Saturday the 75 virus cases added in the past 24 hours took the country ’ s total to 24,027 and 420 deaths .
South Korea ’ s caseload has recently displayed a downward trajectory following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August and mid-September .
Stringent social distancing rules were credited with slowing the outbreak .
But worries about a rebound in new cases have grown again as South Korea is on the traditional autumn “ Chuseok ” holidays this week that would certainly increase public mobility .

NEW DELHI - India has registered 75,829 confirmed coronaviruses cases in the past 24 hours, a day after crossing 100,000 fatalities.
The Health Ministry raised India’s confirmed total to more than 6.5 million on Sunday and said at least 101,782 people have died of COVID-19.
India is still registering the highest number of daily cases globally but with the recovery rate at more than 83%, the number of those cured has surpassed 5.5 million, the Health Ministry said.
India also has the low fatality rate of 1.56%, which is nearly half of the global one.
The Health Ministry credited the increased testing in the country to a sustained low death rate. India has conducted nearly 79 million tests so far, according to official data.
India is preparing to reopen cinemas and entertainment parks with limited capacity beginning Oct. 15, in an effort to revive the economy. Health experts warn the move has the potential for the virus to spread during the upcoming religious festival and winter season.
___
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
- Doctor: Trump improving, but not ‘out of the woods’ yet
- Analysis: Trump faces credibility crisis over health scare
- Pence ordered borders closed after CDC experts refused
- South Africa and India have asked the World Trade Organization to waive some provisions in the international agreements that regulate intellectual property rights to speed up efforts to prevent, treat and contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Madrid has started its first day under a partial lockdown with police controlling travel in and out of the Spanish capital. The Madrid region has become Europe’s most critical hot spot in the second wave of the coronavirus.
- Pope Francis has traveled to the tomb of his nature-loving namesake to sign an encyclical laying out his vision of a post-COVID world built on solidarity, fraternity and care for the environment.
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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
MELBOURNE, Australia - The premier of Australia’s Victoria state has called on citizens to “stay the course” after large groups flooded beaches and parks at the weekend in defiance of strict lockdown regulations.
Victoria, emerging from a major winter spike in coronavirus cases, relaxed lockdown regulations last weekend but still allowed only five people from up to two households to congregate outside.
Many ignored those regulations on Saturday and crowded parks and beaches, causing Premier Daniel Andrews to remind Victorians not to be selfish and maintain social distancing. Victoria reported only 12 new coronavirus cases and one death Sunday, well down on the peaks of winter.
“We are so, so close,” Andrews said. “Let’s not any of us do anything that might undermine the very positive numbers. Once we get them low, we can keep them low and we can open up again if we don’t do anything silly or anything selfish right now.”
Andrews said the situation in Victoria is “delicately poised” as the state moves toward further easing of lockdown rules.
“It’s sunny, yes, and people love to go to the beach when it’s sunny but there’s a global pandemic on,” he said. “Surely, there’s a greater urge to see this thing, to defeat it and to have a normal summer and have a COVID normal Christmas and 2021.”
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SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea has reported 64 new cases of the coronavirus, the fourth straight day its increase came below 100, possibly reflecting the fewer number of tests conducted during one of the biggest holidays of the year.
The figures released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Sunday brought the national caseload to 24,091, including 421 deaths.
Thirty-eight of the new cases were reported from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, which has been at the center of a viral resurgence since August. Health workers have struggled to track transmissions tied to churches, hospitals, schools and offices.
Seventeen of the new cases were linked to international arrivals, mostly from other Asian countries such as the Philippines, India, and Bangladesh.
There are concerns that infections could rise in coming weeks because of increased travel during the five-day Chuseok harvest holiday that continues through Sunday.
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SANTA FE, N.M. - New Mexico officials have reported 298 additional known COVID-19 cases and three more deaths, increasing the statewide totals to 30,296 cases with 890 deaths.
The additional cases reported Saturday included 75 in Bernalillo County, 67 in Dona Ana County, 32 in Chaves County, 22 in Lea County and 20 in Curry County.
The three deaths occurred one each in Bernalillo, Curry and Dona Ana counties and involving people in their 70s or 80s with underlying conditions.
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PHOENIX - Numerous inmates say Arizona’s prison system has failed to provide necessary testing, supplies and treatment during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Arizona Republic reports that dozens of letters from inmates in recent months said the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry wasn’t protecting staff and inmates during the outbreak.
The Republic reports inmates’ letters describing fears and frustrations, asking for help while others provided graphic details in personal narratives of surviving the virus.
A department spokesperson denied many allegations by inmates, including that sick inmates weren’t tested. Department spokesperson Judy Keane also cited health and safety protocols announced during the pandemic.
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LONDON - Britain has recorded 12,872 new coronavirus infections, by far the highest daily total since the outbreak began, though the figure includes a backlog of previously unreported cases.
The government says the figure includes an unspecified number of deaths over the past week that have not been reported because of a now-resolved “technical issue.”
Saturday’s total is more than 5,000 cases more than the previous high, recorded earlier this week.
Britain is seeing a second spike in coronavirus cases, though the daily number can’t directly be compared to the outbreak’s U.K. peak in April because many more tests are now being performed now.
The number of hospitalizations and deaths is also rising but remains far below the U.K.’s springtime peak. Another 49 COVID-19 deaths were reported on Saturday. Britain’s official coronavirus death toll is 42,317.
The government has imposed restrictions on social gatherings to try and curb the spread of the virus, and almost a third of the country’s population of 66 million is under tighter local lockdown measures.
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NEW YORK - New York state’s daily count of new coronavirus cases is continuing to rise.
The state reported on Saturday that there were more than 1,700 new confirmed cases on Friday, up slightly from the day before with case totals not seen since May. Some of the hot spots in the state included the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where more than 350 people tested positive, and in suburban Rockland County, which saw at least 120 new cases.
The hardest hit regions of the state, on a per capita basis, were the Southern Tier area along the Pennsylvania border and the Mid-Hudson Valley.
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The news of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis serves as a reminder of the pervasive spread of the coronavirus in the United States.
U.S. infections have been rising for several weeks, a worrying sign with colder weather approaching. The response to the crisis rests largely with governors, which has meant a patchwork of approaches. Only a handful of countries rank higher in COVID-19 deaths per capita.
The Midwest is the new hotspot. Wisconsin reported a record daily death toll Wednesday, and hospitals in multiple cities said they were running out of space. A 530-bed field hospital that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built on the state fairgrounds in West Allis in April can be used if the situation worsens.
Iowa reported more than 1,000 new cases for the third consecutive day on Friday.
The U.S. leads the world with 7.3 million cases and more than 209,000 dead.
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - South Dakota health officials announced 11 new deaths in the last day, increasing the total to 248 since the start of the pandemic.
There were about 617 cases per 100,000 people in South Dakota over the past two weeks, which ranks second in the country for cases per capita, according to The COVID Tracking Project.
Officials say there have been 464 new cases since Friday’s report and nearly 24,000 have tested positive statewide. There were 1,758 tests processed in the last day.
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BEIRUT - Lebanon has registered a new record 1,321 daily cases of coronavirus amid a sharp increase around the country.
The Health Ministry reported 12 deaths, a day before authorities were to impose an eight-day lockdown in 111 towns and villages around Lebanon.
The new cases raise the total to 43,480 since the first was reported in small tiny of 5 million people in late February. The death toll has risen to 398.
The numbers rose following a massive blast in Beirut on Aug. 4 that resulted in many deaths and injuries. The blast led to people searching through the rubble and crowding at hospitals.
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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump’s doctors say the president is doing well, is fever-free and isn’t having difficulty breathing after contracting the coronavirus.
Dr. Sean Conley, Trump’s physician, says while he had fatigue, nasal congestion and coughing, his symptoms are resolving and improving. He says Trump had not been on oxygen Saturday or when he was with their medical team Friday.
Conley adds Trump said he felt he could walk out of a military hospital. Conley says the typical range of monitoring is seven to 10 days.
Trump was transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday afternoon in what doctors say was a precaution after he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus.
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BOSTON - The NFL has postponed Sunday’s game between New England and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs after positive coronavirus tests on both teams.
ESPN reported on Saturday that Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was among those contracting the disease. The NFL says the game will be played Monday or Tuesday.
The league says the move followed “positive COVID-19 tests on both teams.” The Patriots confirmed a player has tested positive but didn’t reveal his name.
This week, the matchup between Pittsburgh and Tennessee was postponed because of an outbreak on the Titans.
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MILAN - New coronavirus cases in Italy maintained a trajectory above 2,500 on Saturday, with about 119,000 people tested.
Twenty-seven people died in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry of health, bringing known deaths to 35,968. There have been 322,751 total infections.
Nearly 300 people are in intensive care and 3,205 hospital beds in COVID-19 wards are occupied. Those number have been increasing with a surge in new cases in recent weeks, following dips to only 100 new cases a day in July.
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SKOPJE, North Macedonia - North Macedonia has recorded 243 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily number since the pandemic began. There were also four new deaths.
Total number of confirmed cases exceed 18,600 with 753 deaths in the country of 2.1 million.
Facing a recent spike in cases, health authorities are considering imposing new restrictions, including banning public gatherings and limiting working hours for bars.
Schools in North Macedonia were opened on Thursday, but only for students in kindergarten and the first three grades. All other students attended classes online.
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ATHENS, Greece - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says authorities would use local lockdowns to keep a recent surge in coronavirus cases under control.
Health authorities announced another 267 coronavirus cases Saturday and seven deaths.
The total number of confirmed cases is 19,613, about 80 percent recorded in the past two months. A daily record of 460 new cases were reported Friday, attributed to people not wearing masks and failing to keep social distancing.
In Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest, people participated in a 2-kilometer (1.25 mile) fast walk to debunk speculation that wearing face masks causes shortness of breath. Participants measured oxygen and carbon dioxide levels after the walk, finding all within the normal range.


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Shunned by many, Indian man carries on cremating virus dead

GAUHATI , India ( AP ) - Ramananda Sarkar never wanted to burn bodies for a living , but he was deep in debt and desperate for money .
The 43-year-old had fled his remote village in India ’ s northeastern Assam state after failing to pay back a loan he ’ d taken to start selling sugarcane juice on a wooden cart .
But even in the state capital , Sarkar had trouble finding enough work .
Then two years ago Sarkar walked onto a cremation ground in Gauhati and took up the job of lighting the funeral pyres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights are sacred and release the dead person ’ s soul from the cycle of rebirth , those who actually deal with corpses are looked down upon .
It ’ s a stigma that ’ s only been made worse by the coronavirus , which has killed more than 100,000 people in India out of 6.4 million reported infections .
Sarkar thought he had come to terms with his reputation , finally telling his wife what his job was after hiding it for some time .
But then in early May , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a routine cremation , not knowing that the woman had died of COVID-19 .
When people learned the woman was a victim of the coronavirus , Sarkar ’ s acquaintances started shunning him .
The humiliation came flooding back .
State authorities put him under quarantine for a few days , but let him out as there was no one available to do his job at the cremation ground .
“ I don ’ t understand why people hate me .
Only because I burn the dead bodies ?
” Sarkar asked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , then who will ?
” Sarkar volunteered and now works at a special cremation ground that local authorities designated just for victims of the pandemic .
With a mask on his face and a prayer on his lips , he cremates bodies brought in by a handful of relatives in protective suits , hurried affairs conducted with minimal rituals under the state government ’ s guidelines .
Assam state has reported more than 181,600 confirmed cases of the virus since the pandemic began and 711 deaths .
Sarkar said he alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite his vital community service , the impact on Sarkar ’ s own life continues to worsen .
When his landlord heard about Sarkar ’ s work , he told him he would have to move out .
Thankfully a district official arranged a hotel room for him .
Sarkar was also stopped from returning to his village to visit his family , first by the village head and then , after local authorities intervened on his behalf , by the villagers themselves .
After a month and a half of not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarkar snuck into his village in the middle of a recent rainy night .
He called out to his family from the road outside his house and was able to spend 15 minutes with them and leave them some money .
“ I don ’ t want my sons to become cremators like me , ” Sarkar said .
“ I want them to go to school and become good human beings and earn respect from the society , not like me who has to meet his family in the dark.
” On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarkar decided to stop at a nearby temple to rest , but he was soon told to leave by temple officials .
Sarkar made it back to the cremation grounds and said despite the personal cost - which includes the risk of infection - he will continue to light the funeral pyres of those who have lost their lives to the virus and he will honor them as best as he can .
“ I may die of COVID-19 , but I don ’ t care , ” he said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end .
”

GAUHATI, India (AP) - Ramananda Sarkar never wanted to burn bodies for a living, but he was deep in debt and desperate for money.
The 43-year-old had fled his remote village in India’s northeastern Assam state after failing to pay back a loan he’d taken to start selling sugarcane juice on a wooden cart. But even in the state capital, Sarkar had trouble finding enough work.
Then two years ago Sarkar walked onto a cremation ground in Gauhati and took up the job of lighting the funeral pyres.
While Hindu’s believe cremation rights are sacred and release the dead person’s soul from the cycle of rebirth, those who actually deal with corpses are looked down upon. It’s a stigma that’s only been made worse by the coronavirus, which has killed more than 100,000 people in India out of 6.4 million reported infections.
Sarkar thought he had come to terms with his reputation, finally telling his wife what his job was after hiding it for some time. But then in early May, he took part in what he thought was a routine cremation, not knowing that the woman had died of COVID-19.
When people learned the woman was a victim of the coronavirus, Sarkar’s acquaintances started shunning him. The humiliation came flooding back.
State authorities put him under quarantine for a few days, but let him out as there was no one available to do his job at the cremation ground.
“I don’t understand why people hate me. Only because I burn the dead bodies?” Sarkar asked. “If I don’t do this, then who will?”
Sarkar volunteered and now works at a special cremation ground that local authorities designated just for victims of the pandemic.
With a mask on his face and a prayer on his lips, he cremates bodies brought in by a handful of relatives in protective suits, hurried affairs conducted with minimal rituals under the state government’s guidelines.
Assam state has reported more than 181,600 confirmed cases of the virus since the pandemic began and 711 deaths. Sarkar said he alone has cremated more than 450 COVID-19 victims.
Despite his vital community service, the impact on Sarkar’s own life continues to worsen.
When his landlord heard about Sarkar’s work, he told him he would have to move out. Thankfully a district official arranged a hotel room for him.
Sarkar was also stopped from returning to his village to visit his family, first by the village head and then, after local authorities intervened on his behalf, by the villagers themselves.
After a month and a half of not seeing his wife and three sons, Sarkar snuck into his village in the middle of a recent rainy night. He called out to his family from the road outside his house and was able to spend 15 minutes with them and leave them some money.
“I don’t want my sons to become cremators like me,” Sarkar said. “I want them to go to school and become good human beings and earn respect from the society, not like me who has to meet his family in the dark.”
On his way back to the city, Sarkar decided to stop at a nearby temple to rest, but he was soon told to leave by temple officials.
Sarkar made it back to the cremation grounds and said despite the personal cost - which includes the risk of infection - he will continue to light the funeral pyres of those who have lost their lives to the virus and he will honor them as best as he can.
“I may die of COVID-19, but I don’t care,” he said. “I will do my work sincerely till the end.”


washingtontimes--2020-10-03--Migrant caravan faces roadblocks in Guatemala

RIO DULCE , Guatemala ( AP ) - About 1,000 Honduran migrants headed for the United States became increasingly desperate Friday in the face of a police and army roadblock in northern Guatemala that was preventing them from continuing toward the United States .
Seldom since 2018 have the prospects for a migrant caravan been so discouraging .
Guatemala ’ s president sees them as a contagion risk amid the coronavirus pandemic and has vowed to deport them .
Mexico ’ s president thinks the caravan is a plot to influence the U.S. elections .
And newly formed Tropical Storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their planned route through southern Mexico .
Fears of a confrontation grew as over 100 Guatemalan soldiers and police blocked the migrants , who became increasingly frustrated with the lack of food and forward movement after walking hundreds of kilometers from Honduras earlier this week .
Migrants ’ voices rang out on the rural highway , demanding authorities either let them through or provide them food .
As night fell , Honduran migrant Paola Díaz spread a blanket on the roadside and put pajamas on her children , aged 4 and 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Díaz said she decided to join the caravan with her husband , Alejando Vásquez , 23 , because what he earned as a mechanic was no longer enough to buy the children food .
“ At first I wanted to turn back , but some doors have been opened , and I think we are going to be able to make it through , ” said Díaz , while acknowledging that she was afraid for her children if a confrontation develops .
Some migrants playing improvised leadership roles tried to dialogue with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny us the right to go on , ” one of the migrant leaders told a police officer .
“ Tell your bosses to give us a chance , ” said the man , who did not identify himself .
The police office responded that the migrants had entered the country illegally , and that their orders were to return them to Honduras , or at least not allow them to proceed toward the Mexican border .
Guatemala immigration authorities said some of the original group of about 2,000 migrants had agreed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ split between two routes : Some travelled north to Peten , where the roadblock was , and others walked , hitched rides took buses west toward the capital , Guatemala City .
Honduran Fernando Sabión , 20 , walked along shirtless on the northern route , carrying Angel , a 4-month-old baby , in his arms .
The boy isn ’ t his , but Sabión was helping the baby ’ s mother , Madelin , on the wearying walk through tropical heat .
“ I am going ( north ) because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in the United States , ” said Sabión .
“ He left when I was a baby , and I want to go up there and find a job in construction.
” Madelin trudged along , saying “ Even though you get blisters on your feet , you ’ re doing it for your children .
We knew it would be hard , but we ’ re going to get there.
” Some hitched rides aboard passing trucks .
Wilmer Chávez , 35 , got aboard the bed of one truck in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Honduran migrants .
In Mexico , President Andrés Manuel López Obrador suggested Friday that the estimated 2,000 migrants who set out from San Pedro Sula , Honduras , had perhaps been organized with U.S. politicis in mind .
“ I think it has to do with the election in the United States , ” López Obrador said .
“ I don ’ t have all the elements , but there are indications that it formed with that purpose .
I don ’ t know to whose benefit , but we ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a migrant caravan that formed two years ago shortly before U.S. midterm elections .
It became a hot issue in the campaign , fueling anti-immigrant rhetoric .
But on Friday , Mexico ’ s point man on the coronavirus pandemic , Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell , sounded more conciliatory , saying the migrants didn ’ t represent a health threat and that Mexico was “ morally , legally and politically obliged to help them.
” He said that “ 2,900 people of whatever nationality are unlikely to significantly contribute to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei vowed to return the migrants to Honduras , citing efforts to contain the pandemic .
“ We will not allow any foreigner who has used illegal means to enter the country , to think that they have the right to come and infect us and put us at serious risk , ” he said in a broadcast address .
Guatemala ’ s immigration agency reported Friday that 108 migrants had voluntarily agreed to return to Honduras .
Another 25 unaccompanied minors were in the care of social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gained popularity in recent years because they provided some degree of safety in numbers and allowed those who couldn ’ t afford to pay a smuggler to attempt the trip to the United States .
At first , they received generous support from the communities they passed , especially in southern Mexico .
Last year , however , U.S. President Donald Trump threatened crippling tariffs on Mexican imports if it didn ’ t slow the flow of migrants to the U.S. border .
Mexico responded by deploying the National Guard and more immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The last attempted caravan was broken up by Mexican guardsmen in January .
This week , Mexico has been warning that it will enforce its immigration laws and even prosecute people who knowingly put public health at risk .
Even if the migrants were allowed to cross Mexico without interference , the U.S. has essentially closed its border to legal immigration and entering illegally is as difficult as ever .
Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report .

POPTUN, Guatemala (AP) - Hundreds of U.S.-bound Honduran migrants who had entered Guatemala this week without registering were being bused back to their country’s border Saturday by authorities who met them with a large roadblock.
By 5 a.m. Saturday, none of 1,000 or so migrants who had been stalled by police and soldiers remained along a stretch of rural highway remained. Police said that hours earlier, migrants had boarded buses and army trucks to be taken back to the border.
Small groups of fewer than 10 migrants each could still be found walking along the highway before the roadblock Saturday morning.
Olvin Suazo, 21, was walking with three friends, all from Santa Barbara, Honduras.
“We’re going to continue,” he said. “We were resting and the bigger group continued. We didn’t know what happened to them.”
The four, all in their early 20s, are farmworkers. They heard about the caravan that formed earlier this week in San Pedro Sula via WhatsApp and Facebook.
Late Friday, hundreds of migrants headed for the United States had become increasingly desperate after running into the roadblock.
Seldom since 2018 had the prospects for a migrant caravan been so discouraging. Guatemala’s president saw them as a contagion risk amid the coronavirus pandemic and vowed to deport them. Mexico’s president speculated that the caravan was a plot to influence the U.S. elections. And newly formed Tropical Storm Gamma threatened to dump torrential rain on their planned route through southern Mexico.
The senior U.S. diplomat for the Americas on Saturday praised Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei “for the sustained efforts to mitigate the spread of #Covid19 and stop irregular migration.”
“The U.S. is committed to continuing to work with our partners to save lives and protect health,” tweeted Michael G. Kozak, acting assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
On Friday, over 100 Guatemalan soldiers and police blocked the migrants, who became increasingly frustrated with the lack of food and forward movement after walking from Honduras earlier this week.
Migrants’ voices rang out on the rural highway, demanding authorities either let them through or provide them food.
Guatemala immigration authorities said some of the original group of about 2,000 migrants had agreed to return to Honduras, though Guatemala’s vice minister of foreign relations, Eduardo Hernández, issued a video Saturday complaining that Honduras was refusing to receive at least some of them.
The others had split between two routes: Some traveled north to Peten, where the roadblock was, and others walked, hitched rides took buses west toward the capital, Guatemala City.
Some had hitched rides aboard passing trucks. Wilmer Chávez, 35, got aboard the bed of one truck in his wheelchair with the help of fellow Honduran migrants.
In Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador suggested Friday that the estimated 2,000 migrants who set out from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, had perhaps been organized with U.S. politics in mind.
“I think it has to do with the election in the United States,” López Obrador said. “I don’t have all the elements, but there are indications that it formed with that purpose. I don’t know to whose benefit, but we’re not naive.”
The new group was reminiscent of a migrant caravan that formed two years ago shortly before U.S. midterm elections. It became an issue in the campaign, fueling anti-immigrant rhetoric.
But on Friday, Mexico’s point man on the coronavirus pandemic, Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell, sounded more conciliatory, saying the migrants didn’t represent a health threat and that Mexico was “morally, legally and politically obliged to help them.”
On Thursday, Guatemalan President Giammattei vowed to return the migrants to Honduras, citing efforts to contain the pandemic.
Migrant caravans from Central America gained popularity in recent years because they provided some degree of safety in numbers and allowed those who couldn’t afford to pay a smuggler to attempt the trip to the United States.
At first, they received generous support from the communities they passed, especially in southern Mexico. Last year, however, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened crippling tariffs on Mexican imports if it didn’t slow the flow of migrants to the U.S. border. Mexico responded by deploying the National Guard and more immigration agents to intercept large groups of migrants.
The last attempted caravan was broken up by Mexican guardsmen in January.
This week, Mexico has been warning that it will enforce its immigration laws and even prosecute people who knowingly put public health at risk.
The U.S. has essentially closed its border to legal immigration and entering illegally is as difficult as ever.
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Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.