washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Bernie Sanders backers wary of Joe Biden tested at DNC

Pete D ’ Alessandro counters with what could be called the Stalin test when liberal activists question how he justifies supporting Joseph R. Biden after being all-in for Sen. Bernard Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary .
The former Sanders campaign adviser points out that President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin put aside their differences to confront the threat of Nazi aggression .
Mr. D ’ Alessandro said politics makes for strange bedfellows and that holds true in the push to oust President Trump .
“ I say , ‘ Well , my purity test is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a chance to ?
’ ” he told The Washington Times .
“ I mean , we teamed up with Stalin in World War II to stop fascism .
“ There is a real-life metaphor for you , ” he added with a chuckle .
It is a reminder of the uncomfortable alliance between the Biden forces and the liberal activists who preferred the Vermont democratic socialist ’ s “ political revolution.
” Those ties will be tested this week during the four-day Democratic National Convention , which Democrats hope to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unified behind Mr. Biden and against Mr. Trump .
The virtual event kicks off Monday and closes Thursday with Mr. Biden ’ s formal acceptance of the party ’ s presidential nomination from his home state of Delaware .
Democrats are eager to avoid a repeat of 2016 .
Just before the convention , stolen Democratic National Committee emails showing bias against Mr. Sanders were leaked .
Grassroots activists cried foul , leading to protests and pressuring then-DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to tender her resignation .
A virtual convention this year could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and protests that typically crop up around the convention hall , and limit the chances that bad blood from the primary race spills into the public eye .
The scheduled speakers include former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama ; former President Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton ; Mr. Sanders ; Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts ; New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ; Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ; former acting Attorney General Sally Q. Yates ; and freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ohio , an outspoken “ Never Trumper , ” also has a slot .
Mr. Obama said reports about the beef between the more centrist and liberal elements of the party are overblown .
He said Mr. Biden deserves credit for reaching out to the Sanders wing of the party since becoming the presumptive nominee .
“ My impression is now that people feel good about this ticket , ” Mr. Obama said on a podcast with former adviser David Plouffe , “ I thought that Joe did a wonderful thing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right thing substantively to engage Bernie Sanders after the election.
” Mr. Obama highlighted the work of the Biden-Sanders unity task forces that offered 110 pages of policy recommendations .
“ You look at what ’ s contained in those documents .
Those are serious , well-thought-through ideas that really , I think , potentially can make a difference , ” Mr. Obama said .
“ So the good news is that a lot of the so-called divisions within the Democratic Party , I think are not going to be a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that Mr. Biden ’ s selection of Ms. Harris , who has compiled one of the most partisan voting records in Congress , will help ease the left ’ s concerns .
Mr. D ’ Alessandro said the decision to tap the senator from California signaled that the Biden brain trust decided its path to victory hinged more on energizing traditional Democratic voters than reaching out to the party ’ s left wing .
“ I think their strategy wasn ’ t for that group of people but was directed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Indeed , despite Mr. Trump ’ s warning that Ms. Harris is part of the “ radical left , ” grassroots activists gave a tepid response to the vice presidential announcement .
They celebrated the historic nature of Ms. Harris ’ nomination as the first Black and Asian American woman to be a vice presidential candidate but rejected the notion that she has been a loyal warrior for their causes .
“ The audience for a Kamala Harris candidacy and the audience for a Joe Biden candidacy were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who served as a spokeswoman for the Sanders campaign , said in the radio interview last week .
“ If you want to have people truly excited , if you want to get those voters who aren ’ t already on board , weren ’ t already on board with the Joe Biden agenda , what you need is some indication from this ticket that they are open to moving left to where frankly the rest of America is , ” she said .
“ Medicare for All ” and an overhaul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-negotiable , she said .
Ms. Gray , noting that just two people younger than 50 are scheduled to address the convention , said the DNC should give a bigger showcase to minorities and the next generation of party leaders .
“ And one of those people is Pete Buttigieg , who most people on the left do not consider to be a leftist , ” she said .
Meanwhile , the buzz over a slot for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez tailed off after she learned , and announced on Twitter , that she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others questioned the timing of the Harris announcement , noting that it coincided with the primary victory of Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota , stealing some of the liberal star ’ s thunder .
Mr. Biden delivered his pitch to activists over the weekend at the annual Netroots Nation conference , which serves as a showcase for far-left leaders and activists across the country .
“ We are going to need your help .
Only then can we govern after the election as the most progressive administration since FDR , ” Mr. Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are in the battle for the soul of this country , and because of you , we can win it .
But I badly need you .
The country needs you.
” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also sought to assure activists that Mr. Biden is on their side .
“ There is so much opportunity for progressive victories with Joe Biden , ” said Ms. Warren , citing the candidate ’ s support of overhauling bankruptcy laws and curbing student loan debt .
“ He has embraced the progressive vision.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Better ” plan calls for massive investments in infrastructure and clean energy and raising taxes on the rich to pay for them .
For some activists , though , Mr. Biden must do more .
They say that the coronavirus has amplified racial and social inequities that must be addressed and that the Democratic ticket isn ’ t offering a “ bold transformational vision.
” Still , it appears as if Mr. Trump is doing most of the heavy lifting for Mr. Biden in persuading the grassroots to rally behind the former vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee for New York ’ s 17th Congressional District this year , said if helping Mr. Biden means giving Mr. Trump the boot , then he is in .
“ For many of us , in fact , I would say probably for most progressives , this nominee for the Democratic Party was not the person who was our first choice , in many instances he was not our second , third or fourth choice , but there is no threat to everything we stand for as progressives more dangerous , more powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oval Office , ” Mr. Jones said .

Pete D’Alessandro counters with what could be called the Stalin test when liberal activists question how he justifies supporting Joseph R. Biden after being all-in for Sen. Bernard Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary.
The former Sanders campaign adviser points out that President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin put aside their differences to confront the threat of Nazi aggression. Mr. D’Alessandro said politics makes for strange bedfellows and that holds true in the push to oust President Trump.
“I say, ‘Well, my purity test is, ‘Can I stop fascism when I have a chance to?’ ” he told The Washington Times. “I mean, we teamed up with Stalin in World War II to stop fascism.
“There is a real-life metaphor for you,” he added with a chuckle.
It is a reminder of the uncomfortable alliance between the Biden forces and the liberal activists who preferred the Vermont democratic socialist’s “political revolution.”
Those ties will be tested this week during the four-day Democratic National Convention, which Democrats hope to use as a platform to show they are unified behind Mr. Biden and against Mr. Trump.
SEE ALSO: Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., to speak at DNC
The virtual event kicks off Monday and closes Thursday with Mr. Biden’s formal acceptance of the party’s presidential nomination from his home state of Delaware.
Democrats are eager to avoid a repeat of 2016. Just before the convention, stolen Democratic National Committee emails showing bias against Mr. Sanders were leaked.
Grassroots activists cried foul, leading to protests and pressuring then-DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to tender her resignation.
A virtual convention this year could help put a lid on intraparty squabbling and protests that typically crop up around the convention hall, and limit the chances that bad blood from the primary race spills into the public eye.
The scheduled speakers include former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama; former President Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton; Mr. Sanders; Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; former acting Attorney General Sally Q. Yates; and freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
Former Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, an outspoken “Never Trumper,” also has a slot.
Obama downplays party division
Mr. Obama said reports about the beef between the more centrist and liberal elements of the party are overblown. He said Mr. Biden deserves credit for reaching out to the Sanders wing of the party since becoming the presumptive nominee.
“My impression is now that people feel good about this ticket,” Mr. Obama said on a podcast with former adviser David Plouffe, “I thought that Joe did a wonderful thing, not just politically, but it was the right thing substantively to engage Bernie Sanders after the election.”
Mr. Obama highlighted the work of the Biden-Sanders unity task forces that offered 110 pages of policy recommendations.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez co-chaired the climate change group alongside 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry.
“You look at what’s contained in those documents. Those are serious, well-thought-through ideas that really, I think, potentially can make a difference,” Mr. Obama said. “So the good news is that a lot of the so-called divisions within the Democratic Party, I think are not going to be a major factor in the election.”
Wishy-washy on Harris
Others have suggested that Mr. Biden’s selection of Ms. Harris, who has compiled one of the most partisan voting records in Congress, will help ease the left’s concerns.
The Harris pick, though, hasn’t energized activists.
Mr. D’Alessandro said the decision to tap the senator from California signaled that the Biden brain trust decided its path to victory hinged more on energizing traditional Democratic voters than reaching out to the party’s left wing.
“I think their strategy wasn’t for that group of people but was directed at the ‘blue no matter who’ people,” he said.
Indeed, despite Mr. Trump’s warning that Ms. Harris is part of the “radical left,” grassroots activists gave a tepid response to the vice presidential announcement.
They celebrated the historic nature of Ms. Harris’ nomination as the first Black and Asian American woman to be a vice presidential candidate but rejected the notion that she has been a loyal warrior for their causes.
“The audience for a Kamala Harris candidacy and the audience for a Joe Biden candidacy were largely overlapping,” Briahna Joy Gray, who served as a spokeswoman for the Sanders campaign, said in the radio interview last week.
“If you want to have people truly excited, if you want to get those voters who aren’t already on board, weren’t already on board with the Joe Biden agenda, what you need is some indication from this ticket that they are open to moving left to where frankly the rest of America is,” she said.
“Medicare for All” and an overhaul of the criminal justice system should be non-negotiable, she said.
Ms. Gray, noting that just two people younger than 50 are scheduled to address the convention, said the DNC should give a bigger showcase to minorities and the next generation of party leaders. “And one of those people is Pete Buttigieg, who most people on the left do not consider to be a leftist,” she said.
Meanwhile, the buzz over a slot for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez tailed off after she learned, and announced on Twitter, that she had been reserved one minute to speak.
Others questioned the timing of the Harris announcement, noting that it coincided with the primary victory of Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota, stealing some of the liberal star’s thunder.
Progressive administration
Mr. Biden delivered his pitch to activists over the weekend at the annual Netroots Nation conference, which serves as a showcase for far-left leaders and activists across the country.
“We are going to need your help. Only then can we govern after the election as the most progressive administration since FDR,” Mr. Biden said in a taped message. “We are in the battle for the soul of this country, and because of you, we can win it. But I badly need you. The country needs you.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also sought to assure activists that Mr. Biden is on their side.
“There is so much opportunity for progressive victories with Joe Biden,” said Ms. Warren, citing the candidate’s support of overhauling bankruptcy laws and curbing student loan debt. “He has embraced the progressive vision.”
Mr. Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan calls for massive investments in infrastructure and clean energy and raising taxes on the rich to pay for them.
For some activists, though, Mr. Biden must do more.
They say that the coronavirus has amplified racial and social inequities that must be addressed and that the Democratic ticket isn’t offering a “bold transformational vision.”
Still, it appears as if Mr. Trump is doing most of the heavy lifting for Mr. Biden in persuading the grassroots to rally behind the former vice president.
Mondaire Jones, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 17th Congressional District this year, said if helping Mr. Biden means giving Mr. Trump the boot, then he is in.
“For many of us, in fact, I would say probably for most progressives, this nominee for the Democratic Party was not the person who was our first choice, in many instances he was not our second, third or fourth choice, but there is no threat to everything we stand for as progressives more dangerous, more powerful than Donald Trump continuing to be in the Oval Office,” Mr. Jones said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--New Zealand delays election after virus outbreak in Auckland

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has delayed New Zealand ’ s elections by four weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak in Auckland .
The election had been scheduled for Sept. 19 but will now be held on Oct. 17 .
Opposition parties had sought a delay after the virus outbreak prompted the government last week to put Auckland under a two-week lockdown and halted election campaigning .
Before the latest outbreak , New Zealand had gone 102 days without any known community transmission of the virus , and life had returned to normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools open and sports fans back in stadiums .
The only known cases during that time were returning travelers who were quarantined at the border .
Officials believe the virus was reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad but haven ’ t yet determined how .
The Auckland outbreak has grown to 49 infections , all thought to be connected , giving health officials hope the virus isn ’ t spreading beyond the cluster .
Ardern had the option of delaying the election for up to about two months .
She said she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties represented in the parliament to get their views before making her decision Monday .
“ Ultimately I want to ensure we have a well-run election that gives all voters the best chance to receive all the information they need about parties and candidates , and delivers certainty for the future , ” Ardern said .
She said she wouldn ’ t consider delaying the election again - no matter what was happening with any virus outbreaks .
“ COVID is continuing to disrupt life around the world , ” Ardern said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had nevertheless managed to hold elections during the pandemic , she added .
Ardern also announced that lawmakers would be called back to parliament , which had finished sitting ahead of the election .
The parliament will now continue operating through early September .
Conservative opposition leader Judith Collins did not offer much of an opinion on the delay , saying only that her National Party “ acknowledge the new date ” while also saying there had been testing failures at the border .
But the small opposition ACT party welcomed the delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak had already forced him to cancel a dozen events , including debates and community meetings “ In order to have a free and fair election , candidates need to be out in the community listening to voters , and that ’ s not possible while Aucklanders are housebound , ” he said in a statement .
The delay will cause logistical problems , including rebooking voting venues and ensuring that the thousands of election workers needed for the poll are available on the new date .
Ardern said she believed there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling indicates Ardern ’ s liberal Labour Party is favored to win a second term in office .
The party ’ s popularity has jumped significantly since the pandemic , with Ardern winning international praise for the way she ’ s handled the crisis .

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has delayed New Zealand’s elections by four weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak in Auckland.
The election had been scheduled for Sept. 19 but will now be held on Oct. 17. Opposition parties had sought a delay after the virus outbreak prompted the government last week to put Auckland under a two-week lockdown and halted election campaigning.
Before the latest outbreak, New Zealand had gone 102 days without any known community transmission of the virus, and life had returned to normal for most people, with restaurants and schools open and sports fans back in stadiums. The only known cases during that time were returning travelers who were quarantined at the border.
Officials believe the virus was reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad but haven’t yet determined how. The outbreak in the nation’s largest city has grown to 58 infections, all thought to be connected, giving health officials hope the virus isn’t spreading beyond the cluster.
Ardern had the option of delaying the election for up to about two months. She said she had called the leaders of all the political parties represented in the parliament to get their views before making her decision Monday.
“Ultimately I want to ensure we have a well-run election that gives all voters the best chance to receive all the information they need about parties and candidates, and delivers certainty for the future,” Ardern said.
She said she wouldn’t consider delaying the election again - no matter what was happening with any virus outbreaks.
“COVID is continuing to disrupt life around the world,” Ardern said. Other nations including South Korea and Singapore had nevertheless managed to hold elections during the pandemic, she added.
Ardern also announced that lawmakers would be called back to parliament, which had finished sitting ahead of the election. The parliament will now continue operating through early September.
Conservative opposition leader Judith Collins did not offer much of an opinion on the delay, saying only that her National Party “acknowledge the new date” while also saying there had been testing failures at the border.
But the small opposition ACT party welcomed the delay. Leader David Seymour said the new outbreak had already forced him to cancel a dozen events, including debates and community meetings
“In order to have a free and fair election, candidates need to be out in the community listening to voters, and that’s not possible while Aucklanders are housebound,” he said in a statement.
The delay will cause logistical problems, including rebooking voting venues and ensuring that the thousands of election workers needed for the poll are available on the new date. Ardern said she believed there was enough time to organize everything.
Opinion polling indicates Ardern’s liberal Labour Party is favored to win a second term in office. The party’s popularity has jumped significantly since the pandemic, with Ardern winning international praise for the way she’s handled the crisis.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Passenger dies in one-vehicle accident on Delaware road

GEORGETOWN , Del .
( AP ) - A passenger in a sedan died on Sunday when the driver lost @ @ @ @ @ after trying to take a curve on a Delaware road , police said .
The @ @ @ @ @ Sand Hill Road in Georgetown about 10 a.m. when the car began to rotate as @ @ @ @ @ Delaware State Police said in a news release .
The car slid in the grass @ @ @ @ @ the tree .
Both people in the car were taken to Beebe Hospital .
The @ @ @ @ @ at the hospital , while the driver was admitted with non-life-threatening injuries , the release @ @ @ @ @ s name was not disclosed late Sunday pending notification of family members .
Troopers identified @ @ @ @ @ 42-year-old woman from Felton .
Police were still investigating the accident on Sunday .
Impairment @ @ @ @ @ , the release said .

GEORGETOWN, Del. (AP) - A passenger in a sedan died on Sunday when the driver lost control and struck a tree after trying to take a curve on a Delaware road, police said.
The Toyota was traveling southbound on Sand Hill Road in Georgetown about 10 a.m. when the car began to rotate as it exited the road, Delaware State Police said in a news release. The car slid in the grass before the passenger side struck the tree.
Both people in the car were taken to Beebe Hospital. The passenger was pronounced dead later at the hospital, while the driver was admitted with non-life-threatening injuries, the release said.
The passenger’s name was not disclosed late Sunday pending notification of family members. Troopers identified the driver only as a 42-year-old woman from Felton.
Police were still investigating the accident on Sunday. Impairment is not a contributing factor, the release said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Luchita Hurtado, a celebrated painter, dies at 99

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - Celebrated painter Luchita Hurtado , whose body of work came to light late in her life , has died .
She was 99 .
She died Thursday evening at her home in Santa Monica of natural causes , The Los Angeles Times reported .
Her death was confirmed by a representative at her gallery , Hauser & Wirth .
Hurtado ’ s death came six months after the opening of a major career survey at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in February , “ Luchita Hurtado : I Live I Die I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an associate curator at the museum , said narratives about Hurtado ’ s globe-trotting , bohemian life , combined with the late rediscovery of her work , can often overwhelm her artistic accomplishments .
“ She was a very original artist , ” King said .
“ She was a formal innovator .
She was an incredible colorist.
” The L.A. survey , which originated at London ’ s Serpentine Galleries last year , featured more than 120 works from different eras .
Key among her works are a series of paintings from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of women ’ s bodies as surreal landscapes and others featuring the nude female form as viewed from a woman ’ s perspective .
Hurtado ’ s late fame came as the result of a small exhibition of her paintings in 2016 reviewed by Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight .
“ Hurtado ’ s work was multicultural before multicultural was cool , ” Knight wrote .
Hurtado was married to notable painters Wolfgang Paalen and Lee Mullican , and her friends included key 20th century art figures such as Mexican painter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Noguchi and French surrealist Marcel Duchamp .
Hurtado was born Luisa Amelia Garcia Rodriguez Hurtado on Nov. 28 , 1920 , in Maiquetía , Venezuela .
When she was 8 , the family immigrated to New York City .
Hurtado focused on art while she was a student at Washington Irving High School , which was the extent of her formal training .
“ I never told my mother that I was taking art - she thought I was taking dress-making , ” Hurtado said .
She had a short-lived marriage to Chilean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through her various art world connections , she met Paalen , an Austrian theorist and painter .
By the 1940s , she was living in Mexico with Paalen and her two children during a time she later described as “ very bohemian , ” socializing with artists including Frida Kahlo , Leonora Carrington and Oklahoma-born painter Mullican .
The death of a son from polio resulted in a rift between Paalen and Hurtado .
She returned to the U.S. and ultimately settled in California for the rest of her life .
In California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had two children and remained together for 40 years until his death in 1998 .
Speaking with curator and writer Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer about her desire to make art , Hurtado said , “ It was a need , like brushing your teeth .
”

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Celebrated painter Luchita Hurtado, whose body of work came to light late in her life, has died. She was 99.
She died Thursday evening at her home in Santa Monica of natural causes, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Her death was confirmed by a representative at her gallery, Hauser & Wirth.
Hurtado’s death came six months after the opening of a major career survey at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in February, “Luchita Hurtado: I Live I Die I Will Be Reborn.”
Jennifer King, an associate curator at the museum, said narratives about Hurtado’s globe-trotting, bohemian life, combined with the late rediscovery of her work, can often overwhelm her artistic accomplishments.
“She was a very original artist,” King said. “She was a formal innovator. She was an incredible colorist.”
The L.A. survey, which originated at London’s Serpentine Galleries last year, featured more than 120 works from different eras.
Key among her works are a series of paintings from the late 1960s and 1970s rendering aspects of women’s bodies as surreal landscapes and others featuring the nude female form as viewed from a woman’s perspective.
Hurtado’s late fame came as the result of a small exhibition of her paintings in 2016 reviewed by Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight.
“Hurtado’s work was multicultural before multicultural was cool,” Knight wrote.
Hurtado was married to notable painters Wolfgang Paalen and Lee Mullican, and her friends included key 20th century art figures such as Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo, Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi and French surrealist Marcel Duchamp.
Hurtado was born Luisa Amelia Garcia Rodriguez Hurtado on Nov. 28, 1920, in Maiquetía, Venezuela. When she was 8, the family immigrated to New York City.
Hurtado focused on art while she was a student at Washington Irving High School, which was the extent of her formal training.
“I never told my mother that I was taking art - she thought I was taking dress-making,” Hurtado said.
She had a short-lived marriage to Chilean journalist Daniel del Solar and later, through her various art world connections, she met Paalen, an Austrian theorist and painter.
By the 1940s, she was living in Mexico with Paalen and her two children during a time she later described as “very bohemian,” socializing with artists including Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington and Oklahoma-born painter Mullican.
The death of a son from polio resulted in a rift between Paalen and Hurtado. She returned to the U.S. and ultimately settled in California for the rest of her life.
In California she reconnected with Mullican. They married, had two children and remained together for 40 years until his death in 1998.
Speaking with curator and writer Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer about her desire to make art, Hurtado said, “It was a need, like brushing your teeth.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Heat wave drives up crowds, strains California's power grid

SAN FRANCISCO ( AP ) - Californians packed beaches , lakes and recreation areas Sunday to seek relief from a record heat wave that strained the electricity grid and threatened to trigger a third round of rolling power outages .
The heat wave brought triple-digit temperatures and raised the risk of more wildfires and fears of coronavirus spread - a major concern in a state that has seen more than 621,000 confirmed cases .
Public health officers urged people to follow mask and social distancing orders if they head outdoors .
The hot weather overwhelmed the state ’ s electrical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Operator , which runs the grid , to warn of an electricity supply shortage by Sunday evening .
California ISO sought to buy additional power to avert another rolling outage and issued a Flex Alert , urging utility customers to conserve energy during the late afternoon and evening hours .
“ It ’ s going to be tight , ” said Severin Borenstein , a board member of the ISO and energy economist at the University of California , Berkeley .
“ There is a real concern that they would have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said Sunday about the rolling outages .
California ISO ordered the first rolling outages in nearly 20 years on Friday when it directed utilities around the state to shed their power loads .
The state ’ s three biggest utilities - Pacific Gas & Electric , Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric - turned off power to more than 410,000 homes and businesses for about an hour at a time until the emergency declaration ended 3 1/2 hours later .
The ISO instituted a second , but shorter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more than 200,000 customers .
The power grid is mostly stressed during the late afternoon and early evening because of higher demand and solar energy production falling after the sun sets .
The blistering heat was a concern for firefighters battling several wildfires and dozens of smaller ones sparked early Sunday by a rare lightning storm .
The prolonged heat wave , with little to no relief overnight , also elevated concerns about heat stroke and other hot-weather illnesses .
The National Weather Service said temperatures in the Central Valley , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Celcius ) during the day , were expected to stay as high as nearly 80 degrees until Thursday .
California increasingly relies on energy from renewable sources instead of natural gas-fired plants .
During the summer months , the state imports power when demand goes up , but a heat wave sweeping Western states meant there was less available , Borenstein said .
“ They are literally calling as well as emailing and saying , ‘ Do you have any power to sell us to everyone in the West , ’ ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t force the other areas to sell their electricity when those other areas need it for themselves.
” The last time the state ordered rolling outages was during an energy crisis in 2001 .
Blackouts occurred several times from January to May , including one that affected more than 1.5 million customers .
The cause was a combination of energy shortages and market manipulation by energy wholesalers , infamously including Enron Corp. , that drove up prices by withholding supplies .
The heat sent Californians to outdoor spaces and waterways , even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus transmission .
The state reported another 77 deaths Sunday , bringing total deaths in California from the virus above 11,200 .
However , residents complained masks and social distancing were often absent when hordes of visitors crowded into beaches along the Russian River in Northern California over the weekend .
“ It ’ s always been busy in the summer , ” Adam Venn , who has lived there for 13 years , told the Press-Democrat of Santa Rosa .
“ Now it ’ s pretty out of control.
” Park officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 30 % ahead of the weekend heat wave .
Meanwhile , towns on the Monterey Peninsula , south of San Francisco , either limited beach access or closed beaches altogether to keep visitors away .

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Californians packed beaches, lakes and recreation areas Sunday to seek relief from a record heat wave that strained the electricity grid and threatened to trigger a third round of rolling power outages.
The heat wave brought triple-digit temperatures and raised the risk of more wildfires and fears of coronavirus spread - a major concern in a state that has seen more than 621,000 confirmed cases. Public health officers urged people to follow mask and social distancing orders if they head outdoors.
The hot weather overwhelmed the state’s electrical grid, prompting the California Independent System Operator, which runs the grid, to warn of an electricity supply shortage by Sunday evening.
California ISO sought to buy additional power to avert another rolling outage and issued a Flex Alert, urging utility customers to conserve energy during the late afternoon and evening hours.
“It’s going to be tight,” said Severin Borenstein, a board member of the ISO and energy economist at the University of California, Berkeley.
“There is a real concern that they would have to do it again tomorrow and Tuesday,” he said Sunday about the rolling outages.
California ISO ordered the first rolling outages in nearly 20 years on Friday when it directed utilities around the state to shed their power loads. The state’s three biggest utilities - Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric - turned off power to more than 410,000 homes and businesses for about an hour at a time until the emergency declaration ended 3 1/2 hours later.
The ISO instituted a second, but shorter, rolling outage Saturday evening that cut power to more than 200,000 customers.
The power grid is mostly stressed during the late afternoon and early evening because of higher demand and solar energy production falling after the sun sets.
The blistering heat was a concern for firefighters battling several wildfires and dozens of smaller ones sparked early Sunday by a rare lightning storm. The prolonged heat wave, with little to no relief overnight, also elevated concerns about heat stroke and other hot-weather illnesses.
The National Weather Service said temperatures in the Central Valley, where temperatures climbed above 110 Fahrenheit (43 Celcius) during the day, were expected to stay as high as nearly 80 degrees until Thursday.
California increasingly relies on energy from renewable sources instead of natural gas-fired plants. During the summer months, the state imports power when demand goes up, but a heat wave sweeping Western states meant there was less available, Borenstein said.
“They are literally calling as well as emailing and saying, ‘Do you have any power to sell us to everyone in the West,’” he said. “But they can’t force the other areas to sell their electricity when those other areas need it for themselves.”
The last time the state ordered rolling outages was during an energy crisis in 2001. Blackouts occurred several times from January to May, including one that affected more than 1.5 million customers. The cause was a combination of energy shortages and market manipulation by energy wholesalers, infamously including Enron Corp., that drove up prices by withholding supplies.
The heat sent Californians to outdoor spaces and waterways, even as officials worried about the risk of increased coronavirus transmission. The state reported another 77 deaths Sunday, bringing total deaths in California from the virus above 11,200.
However, residents complained masks and social distancing were often absent when hordes of visitors crowded into beaches along the Russian River in Northern California over the weekend.
“It’s always been busy in the summer,” Adam Venn, who has lived there for 13 years, told the Press-Democrat of Santa Rosa. “Now it’s pretty out of control.”
Park officials there reduced capacity at two beaches by about 30% ahead of the weekend heat wave. Meanwhile, towns on the Monterey Peninsula, south of San Francisco, either limited beach access or closed beaches altogether to keep visitors away.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Herman rallies to win Wyndham, qualify for FedEx playoffs

GREENSBORO , N.C. ( AP ) - Jim Herman ’ s got a plan to keep his PGA Tour career thriving - play more rounds with President Donald Trump .
Whenever Herman plays golf with the president , soon after he hoists a trophy .
It happened in 2016 with his breakthrough victory at the Houston Open , again before he won the Barbasol tournament last year - and now before Herman ’ s improbable rally Sunday at Wyndham Championship to make the FedEx Cup playoffs .
“ He ’ s been a big supporter of mine , ” Herman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner while working as an assistant professional at Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey .
“ I need to play golf with him a little bit more.
” Herman gave the president plenty to cheer about on the weekend , a victory even the 42-year-old didn ’ t see coming .
“ This was out of the blue .
I ’ ll tell you that , ” Herman said .
Herman shot a 7-under 63 for a one-stroke victory over Billy Horschel , overcoming a four-stroke deficit in the final round at Sedgefield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a birdie on the 71st hole .
A mutual friend passed along the president ’ s best wishes Saturday , Herman said .
He had not heard from Trump yet .
“ You never know what could happen later tonight or tomorrow morning , ” Herman said .
“ There were some rumors he was definitely watching.
” Horschel closed with a 65 .
He had a final chance to tie on the 72nd hole , but his 8-foot birdie putt slid left of the cup .
Herman got into the playoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race for the 125 spots .
Si Woo Kim , the third-round leader , had a 70 to tie for third at 18 under with Kevin Kisner ( 64 ) , Webb Simpson ( 65 ) and Doc Redman ( 68 ) .
Herman had two birdies and an eagle - from 59 feet - on his first five holes to catch up to Kim .
Then , trailing Horschel by a stroke , Herman stuck his approach to No .
17 to just over 3 feet for a birdie .
to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead when Horschel missed a 12-footer for par on 16 .
It was quite a week for Herman , who had three birdies over his final four holes Friday simply to make the cut .
He followed that up with a career-low 61 on Saturday to get into striking distance before taking the victory .
He had come off a poor showing at the PGA Championship and couldn ’ t find the fairway early on here .
“ This is going to be a pretty quick week if we don ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his caddie .
His next tee shot split the fairway and Herman was off and running .
Horschel looked as if he was the one to rally as he moved from three behind Kim to the lead with a birdie-eagle- birdie run on the front nine while Kim struggled with a double bogey and a bogey over his first eight holes .
Horschel had an 11-footer for birdie that didn ’ t fall on the 17th hole before his miss on No .
18 .
“ A little disappointed , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the last two holes and the way I was rolling , I thought I ’ d make one of them.
” Kim was a birdie machine with 21 birdies and a hole in one the first three rounds .
But he stumbled out of the gate and a pair of bad drives cost him his first win since The Players Championship in 2017 .
He drove right into a hazzard of thick grass and , despite six people searching , could not find his shot .
Kim made double bogey to fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kim would up near a cart path bridge for a bogey to fall four shots off the lead .
Divots : British Open chamnp Shane Lowry shot 67 Sunday , playing his way into the playoffs after starting the week outside the top 125 , going from 131 to 122 … Tom Hoge , who shared the lead here Thursday and Friday , shot 72-68 on the weekend to slip back to a tie for 27th .
… C.T .
Pan had a hole in one on the par-3 16th .

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - Jim Herman’s got a plan to keep his PGA Tour career thriving - play more rounds with President Donald Trump.
Whenever Herman plays golf with the president, soon after he hoists a trophy.
It happened in 2016 with his breakthrough victory at the Houston Open, again before he won the Barbasol tournament last year - and now before Herman’s improbable rally Sunday at Wyndham Championship to make the FedEx Cup playoffs.
“He’s been a big supporter of mine,” Herman said about Trump, his regular golf partner while working as an assistant professional at Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey. “I need to play golf with him a little bit more.”
Herman gave the president plenty to cheer about on the weekend, a victory even the 42-year-old didn’t see coming.
“This was out of the blue. I’ll tell you that,” Herman said.
Herman shot a 7-under 63 for a one-stroke victory over Billy Horschel, overcoming a four-stroke deficit in the final round at Sedgefield Country Club. Herman moved past Horschel with a birdie on the 71st hole.
A mutual friend passed along the president’s best wishes Saturday, Herman said. He had not heard from Trump yet. “You never know what could happen later tonight or tomorrow morning,” Herman said. “There were some rumors he was definitely watching.”
Herman finished at 21-under 259.
Horschel closed with a 65. He had a final chance to tie on the 72nd hole, but his 8-foot birdie putt slid left of the cup.
Herman got into the playoffs, jumping from 192nd to 54th in the race for the 125 spots.
Si Woo Kim, the third-round leader, had a 70 to tie for third at 18 under with Kevin Kisner (64), Webb Simpson (65) and Doc Redman (68).
Herman had two birdies and an eagle - from 59 feet - on his first five holes to catch up to Kim. Then, trailing Horschel by a stroke, Herman stuck his approach to No. 17 to just over 3 feet for a birdie. to reach 21 under. He gained the lead when Horschel missed a 12-footer for par on 16.
It was quite a week for Herman, who had three birdies over his final four holes Friday simply to make the cut. He followed that up with a career-low 61 on Saturday to get into striking distance before taking the victory.
He had come off a poor showing at the PGA Championship and couldn’t find the fairway early on here. “This is going to be a pretty quick week if we don’t get this figured out,” he told his caddie.
His next tee shot split the fairway and Herman was off and running.
Horschel looked as if he was the one to rally as he moved from three behind Kim to the lead with a birdie-eagle- birdie run on the front nine while Kim struggled with a double bogey and a bogey over his first eight holes.
Horschel had an 11-footer for birdie that didn’t fall on the 17th hole before his miss on No. 18.
“A little disappointed,” he said. “I had two good looks on the last two holes and the way I was rolling, I thought I’d make one of them.”
Kim was a birdie machine with 21 birdies and a hole in one the first three rounds. But he stumbled out of the gate and a pair of bad drives cost him his first win since The Players Championship in 2017.
He drove right into a hazzard of thick grass and, despite six people searching, could not find his shot. Kim made double bogey to fall from the top.
Two holes later, Kim would up near a cart path bridge for a bogey to fall four shots off the lead.
Divots: British Open chamnp Shane Lowry shot 67 Sunday, playing his way into the playoffs after starting the week outside the top 125, going from 131 to 122 … Tom Hoge, who shared the lead here Thursday and Friday, shot 72-68 on the weekend to slip back to a tie for 27th. … C.T. Pan had a hole in one on the par-3 16th.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--2 people die when plane crashes in central Missouri

OSAGE BEACH , Mo .
( AP ) - Two people died when a plane crashed in central Missouri Sunday @ @ @ @ @ Beach Police said the plane crashed near Grand Glaize Airport on Sunday afternoon , killing @ @ @ @ @ Osage Beach is about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City , Missouri , near the @ @ @ @ @ The names of the victims were not immediately released Sunday .
Federal officials will investigate @ @ @

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (AP) - Two people died when a plane crashed in central Missouri Sunday, authorities said.
Osage Beach Police said the plane crashed near Grand Glaize Airport on Sunday afternoon, killing both people on board. Osage Beach is about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, near the Lake of the Ozarks.
The names of the victims were not immediately released Sunday. Federal officials will investigate the crash.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Nancy Pelosi calls on House to return for post office bill vote

The House is set to return to Washington , D.C. from its summer vacation this week to try to block recent Postal Service changes as congressional Democrats push for U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to testify about the moves ahead of the November elections .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the scheduling change in a letter to her colleagues late Sunday in which she said President Trump is sabotaging the election by manipulating the Postal Service to “ disenfranchise ” voters .
The White House countered the fracas with calls for Democrats to return to negotiations for another coronavirus relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 25 billion for the Postal Service .
House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney , New York Democrat , announced an “ urgent ” Aug. 24 hearing about the Postal Service and invited Mr. DeJoy to testify .
“ Your testimony is particularly urgent given the troubling influx of reports of widespread delays at postal facilities across the country — as well as President Trump ’ s explicit admission last week that he has been blocking critical coronavirus funding for the Postal Service in order to impair mail-in voting efforts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Maloney said in a letter to Mr. DeJoy on Sunday .
She also wants to hear from Robert Duncan , chairman of the Postal Service Board of Governors .
The Postal Service recently warned nearly every state that it can ’ t guarantee mailed ballots will be returned in time for them to count in the November elections .
Mrs. Pelosi said she wants the House to act on legislation from Ms. Maloney , New York Democrat , that would bar the Postal Service from changing operations or service levels that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year until the COVID-19 pandemic is over .
Shortly after Mrs. Pelosi ’ s announcement , Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer called on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the Senate back into session .
“ We must stop these destructive actions — no overtime , not filling positions that are empty , dismantling machines , ” Mr. Schumer , New York Democrat , said earlier in the day .
Mr. Schumer ’ s office indicated that the House will likely reconvene Saturday , which falls in between the Democratic and Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. DeJoy to resign .
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. , New Jersey Democrat , went a step further .
He is asking New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to impanel a grand jury to consider criminal indictments against Mr. Trump and Mr. DeJoy for “ electoral subversion.
” The Postal Service is always vital , but its importance has been magnified with many states expanding vote-by-mail because of the public health crisis .
In a Friday letter to Democratic leaders , Mr. DeJoy acknowledged that the recent changes have caused “ unintended consequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I stated to our employees , the Postal Service is working feverishly to address service problems , new and old , to improve performance for the election and the upcoming peak season , ” he said .
Democrats ’ demands for immediate action sparked questions about why they won ’ t try to jump-start stalled negotiations on a broader coronavirus relief package .
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday that Mr. Trump would sign a comprehensive bill that included additional stimulus checks , unemployment benefits , and money for small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will the president sign that ?
Yes , he will sign that , ” Mr. Meadows said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union.
” “ I ’ m certain that whether it ’ s $ 10 billion or $ 25 billion or something in between , we can do that.
” House Democrats included $ 25 billion for the Postal Service in the nearly $ 3.5 trillion coronavirus relief package they passed in May .
The bill also included $ 3.6 billion for grants to states to prepare for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional Democrats and the White House appeared to settle on $ 10 billion for the Postal Service but couldn ’ t strike a broader deal before the talks broke off .
The House and Senate had since gone on vacation until after Labor Day .
Mrs. Pelosi said last week that Republicans were not serious about coronavirus relief .
“ For months and even until now , [ Republicans ] have ignored the science .
They called it a hoax , ” Mrs. Pelosi said .
“ They are the hoax.
” Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand-alone bill to rush money to the Postal Service .
“ I ’ m all about piecemeal .
If we can agree on postal , let ’ s do it .
If we can agree on stimulus checks , let ’ s do it , ” he said .
“ I have been the one that ’ s advocating for that .
Speaker Pelosi is the one who says that she won ’ t do anything unless it ’ s a big deal.
” Mrs. Pelosi suggested late last week that Democrats would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand-alone Postal Service funding bill .
Mr. Meadows said he guaranteed that Mr. Trump will not interfere with legitimate voting , whether it ’ s via mail or otherwise .
He said mail sorting machines will not be taken offline before Election Day and pointed out that efforts to overhaul the long-struggling Postal Service started well before Mr. Trump took office .
The Postal Service planned to remove almost 700 high-volume mail sorting machines , which was heavily criticized .
The president said multiple times last week that Democrats wouldn ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader deal and that expansive vote-by-mail efforts for the November elections would be logistically impossible without the additional money .
“ They want money for the universal mail-in ballot .
They ’ re not getting it .
You know why ?
Because of them , ” Mr. Trump said Saturday .
“ They need money , but they ’ re not willing to approve the money that they need.
” He praised Mr. DeJoy for trying to make the Postal Service “ great again.
” At the behest of Sen. Elizabeth Warren , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inspector General is looking into the recent changes , including the elimination of overtime and other moves that have slowed some mail delivery .
Mr. Trump took great care to distinguish between absentee voting , where people have to swear they have a valid reason why they can ’ t physically go to the polls , and policies in several states to automatically send mail-in ballots or absentee forms to all voters .
While no-excuse mail-in voting has spread during the coronavirus crisis , five states — Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections entirely that way .
More than half of the states and the District of Columbia offer no-excuse absentee voting .
Democrats say Mr. Trump ’ s comments about the Postal Service and mail-in voting are proof that the president is willing to cheat to win the election .
“ I am deeply , deeply concerned about Trump ’ s effort to undermine American democracy by defunding the Postal Service , ” Sen. Bernard Sanders , Vermont independent , said on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” Jason Miller , a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said on the program that Mr. Sanders and other Democrats are being disingenuous .
“ What really is going on here is they ’ re trying to change the rules and try to institute something that normally takes five to 10 years to put in place , and rush it through [ in ] five to 10 weeks , ” he said .

The House is set to return to Washington, D.C., from its summer vacation this week to try to block recent Postal Service changes as congressional Democrats push for U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to testify about the moves ahead of the November elections.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the scheduling change in a letter to her colleagues late Sunday in which she said President Trump is sabotaging the election by manipulating the Postal Service to “disenfranchise” voters.
The White House countered the fracas with calls for Democrats to return to negotiations for another coronavirus relief package that could include as much as $25 billion for the Postal Service.
House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, New York Democrat, announced an “urgent” Aug. 24 hearing about the Postal Service and invited Mr. DeJoy to testify.
“Your testimony is particularly urgent given the troubling influx of reports of widespread delays at postal facilities across the country — as well as President Trump’s explicit admission last week that he has been blocking critical coronavirus funding for the Postal Service in order to impair mail-in voting efforts for the upcoming elections in November,” Ms. Maloney said in a letter to Mr. DeJoy on Sunday.
She also wants to hear from Robert Duncan, chairman of the Postal Service Board of Governors.
The Postal Service recently warned nearly every state that it can’t guarantee mailed ballots will be returned in time for them to count in the November elections.
Mrs. Pelosi said she wants the House to act on legislation from Ms. Maloney, New York Democrat, that would bar the Postal Service from changing operations or service levels that were in place at the beginning of the year until the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
Shortly after Mrs. Pelosi’s announcement, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer called on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the Senate back into session.
“We must stop these destructive actions — no overtime, not filling positions that are empty, dismantling machines,” Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, said earlier in the day.
Mr. Schumer’s office indicated that the House will likely reconvene Saturday, which falls in between the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
Some Democrats called on Mr. DeJoy to resign.
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., New Jersey Democrat, went a step further. He is asking New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to impanel a grand jury to consider criminal indictments against Mr. Trump and Mr. DeJoy for “electoral subversion.”
The Postal Service is always vital, but its importance has been magnified with many states expanding vote-by-mail because of the public health crisis.
In a Friday letter to Democratic leaders, Mr. DeJoy acknowledged that the recent changes have caused “unintended consequences” affecting service levels.
“As I stated to our employees, the Postal Service is working feverishly to address service problems, new and old, to improve performance for the election and the upcoming peak season,” he said.
Democrats’ demands for immediate action sparked questions about why they won’t try to jump-start stalled negotiations on a broader coronavirus relief package.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday that Mr. Trump would sign a comprehensive bill that included additional stimulus checks, unemployment benefits, and money for small businesses and the Postal Service.
“Will the president sign that? Yes, he will sign that,” Mr. Meadows said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I’m certain that whether it’s $10 billion or $25 billion or something in between, we can do that.”
House Democrats included $25 billion for the Postal Service in the nearly $3.5 trillion coronavirus relief package they passed in May. The bill also included $3.6 billion for grants to states to prepare for the fall elections.
The negotiating teams for congressional Democrats and the White House appeared to settle on $10 billion for the Postal Service but couldn’t strike a broader deal before the talks broke off. The House and Senate had since gone on vacation until after Labor Day.
Mrs. Pelosi said last week that Republicans were not serious about coronavirus relief.
“For months and even until now, [Republicans] have ignored the science. They called it a hoax,” Mrs. Pelosi said. “They are the hoax.”
Mr. Meadows said he is open to a stand-alone bill to rush money to the Postal Service.
“I’m all about piecemeal. If we can agree on postal, let’s do it. If we can agree on stimulus checks, let’s do it,” he said. “I have been the one that’s advocating for that. Speaker Pelosi is the one who says that she won’t do anything unless it’s a big deal.”
Mrs. Pelosi suggested late last week that Democrats would be willing to send Mr. Trump a stand-alone Postal Service funding bill.
Mr. Meadows said he guaranteed that Mr. Trump will not interfere with legitimate voting, whether it’s via mail or otherwise.
He said mail sorting machines will not be taken offline before Election Day and pointed out that efforts to overhaul the long-struggling Postal Service started well before Mr. Trump took office.
The Postal Service planned to remove almost 700 high-volume mail sorting machines, which was heavily criticized.
The president said multiple times last week that Democrats wouldn’t get money for the Postal Service without a broader deal and that expansive vote-by-mail efforts for the November elections would be logistically impossible without the additional money.
“They want money for the universal mail-in ballot. They’re not getting it. You know why? Because of them,” Mr. Trump said Saturday. “They need money, but they’re not willing to approve the money that they need.”
He praised Mr. DeJoy for trying to make the Postal Service “great again.”
At the behest of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat, the USPS Office of Inspector General is looking into the recent changes, including the elimination of overtime and other moves that have slowed some mail delivery.
Mr. Trump took great care to distinguish between absentee voting, where people have to swear they have a valid reason why they can’t physically go to the polls, and policies in several states to automatically send mail-in ballots or absentee forms to all voters.
While no-excuse mail-in voting has spread during the coronavirus crisis, five states — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington — had previously conducted elections entirely that way. More than half of the states and the District of Columbia offer no-excuse absentee voting.
Democrats say Mr. Trump’s comments about the Postal Service and mail-in voting are proof that the president is willing to cheat to win the election.
“I am deeply, deeply concerned about Trump’s effort to undermine American democracy by defunding the Postal Service,” Sen. Bernard Sanders, Vermont independent, said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Mr. Trump’s campaign, said on the program that Mr. Sanders and other Democrats are being disingenuous.
“What really is going on here is they’re trying to change the rules and try to institute something that normally takes five to 10 years to put in place, and rush it through [in] five to 10 weeks,” he said.
⦁ Tom Howell Jr. contributed to this report.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Police examining death of N.C. youth found near restaurant

RALEIGH , N.C. ( AP ) - A teenager was found dead in a vehicle outside a fast-food restaurant , @ @ @ @ @ ’ s capital city said on Sunday they ’ re treating as a homicide .
@ @ @ @ @ parking lot of a Bojangles restaurant near Garner and close to Interstate 40 on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ .
The youth , identified as Veronica Lee Baker , 17 , of Raleigh , @ @ @ @ @ scene , the Raleigh Police Department said in a news release .
The news release @ @ @ @ @ she died and asks the public for information about what happened .

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A teenager was found dead in a vehicle outside a fast-food restaurant, which police in North Carolina’s capital city said on Sunday they’re treating as a homicide.
Raleigh officers arrived at the parking lot of a Bojangles restaurant near Garner and close to Interstate 40 on Saturday evening, media outlets reported.
The youth, identified as Veronica Lee Baker, 17, of Raleigh, was declared dead at the scene, the Raleigh Police Department said in a news release.
The news release didn’t explain how she died and asks the public for information about what happened.


washingtontimes--2020-08-16--Wichita Police say man shot wife, himself during dispute

WICHITA , Kan. ( AP ) - Wichita police say two people are dead after a man shot his wife @ @ @ @ @ .
Police were called to the couple ’ s home around 11 p.m. Saturday after @ @ @ @ @ a woman with a gunshot wound who was already dead and a man with what @ @ @ @ @ gunshot wound .
The man died later at a hospital .
Wichita Police Officer Paul @ @ @ @ @ happened during an argument between the man and woman .
The woman was 42 and @ @ @ @ @ Their names were not immediately released Sunday .

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Wichita police say two people are dead after a man shot his wife and himself in southwest Wichita.
Police were called to the couple’s home around 11 p.m. Saturday after the shooting. Officers found a woman with a gunshot wound who was already dead and a man with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man died later at a hospital.
Wichita Police Officer Paul Cruz said Sunday the shooting happened during an argument between the man and woman.
The woman was 42 and the man was 44. Their names were not immediately released Sunday.


washingtontimes--2020-08-17--Royal House confirms former king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, has been in United Arab Emirates since Aug

MADRID ( AP ) - Royal House confirms former king of Spain , Juan Carlos I , has been in @ @ @ @ @ 3 .

MADRID (AP) - Royal House confirms former king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, has been in United Arab Emirates since Aug. 3.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-08-17--Israel frees Palestinian boycott activist from detention

JERUSALEM ( AP ) - The Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel said Monday that a campaign organizer has been released without charge by Israel after more than two weeks in detention .
The BDS campaign said Mahmoud Nawajaa was on his way back to the occupied West Bank .
“ They can not break us because they can not crush an idea or counter our strategy , despite all the financial , intelligence , political , diplomatic and propaganda resources they ’ ve invested , ” Nawajaa said in a statement .
Israel ’ s Shin Bet security agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicion of unspecified “ security offenses.
” It said the suspicions were not connected to his boycott activities .
The Shin Bet did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The BDS campaign advocates boycotts , divestment and sanctions against Israel to protest what it says is Israel ’ s oppression of the Palestinians .
Israel says the BDS movement ’ s nonviolent message masks a deeper agenda that aims to delegitimize and even destroy the country .
Last week , dozens of Palestinians protested in the West Bank city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The global human rights group Amnesty International also had called on Israel to “ immediately and unconditionally ” free him .

JERUSALEM (AP) - The Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel said Monday that a campaign organizer has been released without charge by Israel after more than two weeks in detention.
The BDS campaign said Mahmoud Nawajaa was on his way back to the occupied West Bank.
In a statement, Nawajaa thanked his supporters and said a global pressure campaign on his behalf had helped win his release.
“They cannot break us because they cannot crush an idea or counter our strategy, despite all the financial, intelligence, political, diplomatic and propaganda resources they’ve invested,” Nawajaa said in a statement.
Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said Nawajaa was arrested on July 30 on suspicion of unspecified “security offenses.” It said the suspicions were not connected to his boycott activities. The Shin Bet said he was freed “at the conclusion” of its interrogation.
The BDS campaign advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel to protest what it says is Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians. Israel says the BDS movement’s nonviolent message masks a deeper agenda that aims to delegitimize and even destroy the country.
Last week, dozens of Palestinians protested in the West Bank city of Ramallah calling for Nawajaa’s release. The global human rights group Amnesty International also had called on Israel to “immediately and unconditionally” free him.


washingtontimes--2020-08-17--Community banks were efficient with PPP loans in Maine

PORTLAND , Maine ( AP ) - Maine ’ s community banks are getting credit for swiftly funneling aid to businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program .
While national banks prioritized large businesses , Maine banks helped small businesses stabilize businesses and the economy with hundreds of millions of dollars of forgivable loans , the Portland Press Herald reported .
More than 46 % of Paycheck Protection Program loans over $ 150,000 were made by just six locally owned banks , according to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration .
National banks were far less active in PPP lending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PPP lenders , including TD Bank , KeyBank , Bank of America and Chase Bank , provided just 13 % of loans under $ 150,000 , and about 17 % of larger loans in the state .
“ I think everyone realized that the goal was to get as many of those loans approved and in the system as quickly as possible , ” said Kim Donnelly , director of business banking at Gorham Savings Bank .
To date , about 28,300 loans worth more than $ 2.2 billion have been made to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans are under $ 150,000 .
The loans may be forgiven if businesses meet certain spending and employment thresholds .
Loan balances that aren ’ t forgiven may be repaid over up to five years at 1 % interest .

MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) - Two dozen Maine residents tested positive for the coronavirus after a wedding reception in Millinocket - the state’s first outbreak linked to a social gathering, officials said Monday.
Eighteen people who attended the Aug. 7 reception and six others who had close contact with attendees subsequently tested positive, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control.
All told, about 65 people attended the indoor event at the Big Moose Inn, said Maine CDC spokesman Robert Long.
The governor’s executive orders put in place during the global pandemic limit indoor gatherings to 50 people if there’s adequate space, while 100 people are allowed at outdoor events. Attendees should also follow physical distancing guidelines and wear masks while not eating.
The Maine CDC was communicating with Big Moose Inn about the nature of the event and adherence to state requirements. A telephone message was left at the inn on Monday afternoon.
Millinocket Town Manager John Davis said Monday that he didn’t have all the details about the outbreak, but said there was enough concern to close town hall and local schools as a precaution.
“We didn’t want to take any chances,” he said.
It was the first outbreak tied to a specific social event in Maine, where most previous outbreaks have been tied to workplaces or congregant care settings, Long said Monday.
It’s unclear if the owner of the Big Moose Inn could be cited if it’s confirmed there were too many people at the reception. The governor’s executive orders allow for a fine of up to $10,000, the governor’s spokeswoman said.
Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine CDC, planned to address the outbreak during a regular briefing on Tuesday.
In Maine, nearly 4,200 people have contracted the virus, including 29 additional cases reported on Monday. The number of deaths remained unchanged at 127 on Monday, the Maine CDC said.
For most people, the 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.
In other coronavirus-related news:
___
PPP LOANS
Maine’s community banks are getting credit for swiftly funneling aid to businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program.
While national banks prioritized large businesses, Maine banks helped small businesses stabilize businesses and the economy with hundreds of millions of dollars of forgivable loans, the Portland Press Herald reported.
More than 46% of Paycheck Protection Program loans over $150,000 were made by just six locally owned banks, according to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
National banks were far less active in PPP lending in Maine. The top 10 national PPP lenders, including TD Bank, KeyBank, Bank of America and Chase Bank, provided just 13% of loans under $150,000, and about 17% of larger loans in the state.
To date, about 28,300 loans worth more than $2.2 billion have been made to Maine employers. The vast majority of loans are under $150,000.


Editorial Roundup:

If science and data are driving the state ’ s COVID-19 shutdown orders , as Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer contends , it should at least be certain the numbers are right .
As The Detroit News reported Thursday , a key statistic that precipitated a tightening of the northern Michigan economy last month was wrong .
On July 28 , Michigan ’ s chief medical officer , Joneigh Khaldun , reported a spike in the positive test rate for the virus to 3.7 % .
It had been as low as 2.2 % in June , when some restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The next day , Whitmer ordered tighter limits on northern Michigan bars and restaurants , and reduced the size of permissible indoor gatherings .
As it turns out , the 3.7 % rate was overstated .
After a review of the test reports , the state now says the rate was more like 3.4 % , closer to the 3 % positive test results that health experts believe is tolerable for containing the virus .
As explained in The News ’ report , one reason for the adjustment is that a local laboratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mixed in tallies from that state in the Michigan report that later had to be removed .
Also , all of the lab ’ s results weren ’ t getting to the state .
So officials had to go back in and add about 40,000 test results by the date a specimen was collected .
Bottom line : Conditions in Michigan were not as dire as it seemed when Whitmer moved to clamp down again .
It ’ s worth noting that although Michigan has seen surges in the number of positive tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risen at the same pace , and on most days are in the single digits .
By comparison , on April 6 , during the height of the pandemic , Michigan posted 110 deaths .
It was the deadly nature of the virus , and fears that it would overwhelm the health system , that justified the harsh shutdowns imposed in the spring .
Since then , treatment of COVID-19 patients has become more effective , and the new victims are younger and less likely to die from the virus .
Most hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to handle surges , should they come .
Those are the factors that should be considered before issuing further COVID-19 mandates , rather than testing data that has proven to be unreliable .
That ’ s borne out by the bad numbers last month .
Over a three-week period in July , the positive test rate was previously lowered by three-tenths of a percent , meaning conditions in Michigan were not as bad as they seemed .
And yet policy , including whether to reopen schools for in-person learning , was being made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more severe spike .
Other states have experienced similar problems with test data .
The News quoted Jennifer Nuzzo , an epidemiologist and professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , who called a lack of national standards for tracking and reporting testing “ problematic.
” Data also changes depending on who ’ s compiling the numbers .
COVID Act Now , the nonprofit organization that ’ s been tracking states ’ performance combating the virus , says Michigan is among states seeing “ slow disease growth , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan ’ s seven-day positivity rate at 2.5 % .
The University of Michigan comes up with yet another rate , 3.2 % .
That inconsistency is worrisome when it is driving life-and-death decisions .
“ The danger of government deciding which information is shared and ordering people to close their businesses and stop going to church is obviously very high , ” says Patrick Anderson , CEO of Anderson Economic Group , who has been critical of the state for the selective use of data .
“ The chance of a mistake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Depression-era unemployment , and its children face another year of substandard learning in the name of fighting COVID-19 .
The state must be certain that bad data isn ’ t making the situation here worse .
Hope Starts Here Challenge a great way to give back When a person is diagnosed with a brain tumor , it can be a life-changing situation that impacts many facets of life for the person and their loved ones .
Due to this , Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center - a collaboration between Northern Michigan University and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers and NMU students together to advance treatment , research , education and advocacy for people who are impacted by brain tumors .
Through its research , the UMBTC works to increase the quality of life for brain tumor patients and ultimately find a cure or better treatment options for the condition .
And one way the community has historically been able to support this mission is through the annual Hope Starts Here Challenge , which typically offers area residents a chance to walk or run to raise funds for UMBTC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain tumors .
However , like many events this year , this year ’ s IncredibleBank Hope Starts Here Challenge has undergone a format change and will be virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic , according to a recent Journal article .
This means participants can take part in a duathlon , half marathon , 10K , 5K , leisure walk , 1-mile kids fun run , 10-mile mountain bike ride , and an all-new 31K run from anywhere they choose any time between Aug. 22 and Aug. 30 .
Those who participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their account .
Organizers have also created a Virtual Hope Starts Here Challenge event page on Facebook for participants to share pictures and post inspiring messages , according to www.hopestartshere.org .
We encourage area residents to participate in this event , as it ’ s a wonderful way to support local brain tumor patients and research while getting some exercise and enjoying the outdoors .
And we are glad to hear the fundraising is already off to a strong start .
Larry Collister earned the 2020 Hope Starts Here Fundraising Champion award for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in honor of his wife Patti and has also decided to donate $ 1,000 annually ” due to the great care Patti received from the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center , ” organizers said .
Furthermore , IncredibleBank donated $ 5,000 as the title sponsor .
We commend IncredibleBank and Collister for their generous contributions to this cause and we hope to see other area businesses and individuals get involved and contribute however they can , as it can make a big difference for those battling brain tumors .
Hope for the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have been a surprise to any of us .
But the arrival of the inevitable doesn ’ t make the cancellation of the fall high school football season any less devastating for players , coaches and parents .
It ’ s also a foreshadowing of what we can expect as our children return to school , or remote learning , or whatever combination of the two school leaders choose .
High school football seemed doomed from the start as our state and nation continue to take substantial precautions to combat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when school board trustees and many administrators still don ’ t conduct meetings in person for fear of spreading the pandemic illness , it ’ s no surprise officials would throw in the towel on a dozen weeks of a sport predicated on physical contact .
It ’ s also probably the right choice - no school district has the resources to implement precautions that would properly prevent and detect the spread of the coronavirus within teams that , by the nature of the sport , are prone to swapping germs freely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletes who needed an outlet , a reprieve and camaraderie .
Most of us probably have enjoyed the somewhat normal summer we ’ ve had in comparison to the widespread disruption COVID-19 poured over us during March , April and May .
We ’ ve missed some of the festivals , backyard barbecues and beach days with friends .
But overall our favorite summer pastimes , with a few exceptions , have plodded along in normal-ish fashion .
The decision to postpone high school football at least until spring , coupled with continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school will entail , delivered some difficult-to-swallow reality to us all during the past week .
Our quasi-normal summer will end , and fall promises to bring with it at least a partial return to the disruption that dominated our lives during the spring .
We still are in the midst of a pandemic , there still is no vaccine , and no decisions our leaders face are simple yes or no , stop or go .
Students , parents , teachers and administrators find themselves dangling in a sort of limbo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the path forward as numbers and conditions evolve daily .
The Michigan High School Athletics Association ’ s announcement Friday is a prime example .
Many coaches spent the past few weeks pulling together their teams for workouts , but full-contact practice hadn ’ t yet begun .
We should expect a similar process as the return to school nears .
Traverse City Area Public Schools trustees decided last week to keep students outside of the classroom for the first few weeks of the fall semester , enough time for administrators to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We likely won ’ t know whether our children will re-enter many schools until a week or two before restart .
And there is a chance any in-person classroom time could be disrupted in short order by an infection or two .
Cancellation of the fall football season won ’ t be the last disappointment or disruption our families and children will face .
The lingering is frustrating , requiring collective patience we burned through months ago .
Yet , that ’ s what we need at this moment of upheaval and uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with one another .
Patience with decision makers .
And most important patience with our children .

Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Aug. 15, 2020
The Big Ten and Pac-12 became the first Power 5 conferences - those eligible for the college football national championship - to cancel fall play last week, putting caution ahead of pressure.
The decision came abruptly after both leagues had promoted conference-only football schedules. Iowa and Nebraska reportedly opposed cancellation.
The Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 — including Iowa State — and the Atlantic Coast Conference will play on.
President Donald Trump called cancellation “a tragic mistake.”
Big money is at stake. ESPN estimates college football generates $4 billion annually. In 2019, Iowa football revenue was $81 million and ISU $51.9 million.
The Big Ten and Pac-12 cancelled after medical experts described a serious complication from COVID-19: myocarditis.
It’s a sometimes fatal heart condition that can be caused by a viral infection. Ten players in Big Ten preseason football camps were diagnosed with it, including Indiana offensive lineman Brady Feeney,who went to the emergency room with breathing problems.
It causes 9% of fatal heart attacks among college athletes.
Myocarditis ended the season for Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, 27, and the lives of Michael Ojo, 27, a former Florida State basketball star playing overseas (months after “recovering” from COVID-19), and a 19-year-old former Washington state high school football player.
The Pac-12’s medical advisory team cited an editorial in the July 27 Cardiology issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association concerning a study of 100 recovering COVID-19 patients.
Seventy-one days after recovery “78% had demonstrable cardiac involvement via cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, 76% had detectable high-sensitivity troponin (proteins in heart muscle fibers regulating muscular contraction) and 60% had evidence of active myocardial inflammation.”
It concluded, “We are inclined to raise a new and very evident concern that cardiomyopathy and heart failure related to COVID-19 may potentially evolve as the natural history of this infection becomes clearer.”
Gung-ho Pac-12 football coaches reversed field.
“Whenever you start mentioning the heart, that is a whole different deal,” one coach told The Athletic. “That got everybody’s attention. When you hear that even people who are asymptomatic can get heart issues, that’s what I think really scared people. It is a novel virus - what do we really know?”
COVID-19 outbreaks temporarily benched the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams while attacking college football teams during preseason practices.
Defending national champion Louisiana State had 30 cases; preseason favorite Clemson, 37.Others included Iowa (plus two basketball players), Iowa State, Michigan State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Alabama, Mississippi, Auburn, Florida State and UCLA.
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, formerly athletic director at the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa, defend its decision, which includes coronavirus testing three times per week as well as an EKG, troponin blood tests, an echocardiogram and a cardiac MRI.
“We know there can be complications with this virus, so positives have to be dealt with very carefully,” he said, “and follow-up and return-to-play has to be carefully managed and appropriately diagnosed.”
The Football Championship Series schools (formerly I-AA), including UNI, postponed football until spring 2021. NCAA Division I followed Divisions II (Upper Iowa University) and III (Wartburg College) by delaying all sports until spring. The Power 5 leagues oversee their own football.
Iowa high school boys and girls will play on as will prep athletes in 38 states, although Colorado, California, Illinois and Minnesota are among those delaying or canceling fall sports.
Iowa schools will rely on limited protocols, including temperature checks and questions, but no testing owing to limited resources. Masks will be encouraged, not required. Face shields must be attached to helmets.
Recommendations include not allowing players to congregate for coaching instructions, expanding sideline boxes, no pregame handshakes and timeouts every four minutes of running time to sanitize and hydrate.
If summer baseball and softball are any indication, problems await.
The tally by early July was 25 baseball teams and 20 softball teams sidelined temporarily (Cedar Falls boys and girls included) or permanently (top-ranked Des Moines Dowling’s baseball team) by COVID-19.
We’ll soon find out if the business “nearly-as-usual” advocates made the right call rather than more cautionary folks relying on medical advice.
Our position reflects a Pac-12 coach’s comments to The Athletic regarding players infected with COVID-19 developing heart conditions.
“Everybody else seems to be saying, ‘We can identify (myocarditis).’ Do they just take him out (of action)? What if he has long-term issues from it? If there’s a kid who had a heart issue on my team, I’d be very afraid. We want to prevent them from getting it.”
While the absence of sports has created a great void, the truly “tragic mistake” would be ignoring medical science - as many federal and state officials seem wont to do - which results in otherwise preventable fatalities.
—
Fort Dodge Messenger. Aug 14, 2020
Iowa farmers have been punished by weather, trade fights
It’s time to find a solution to help them move forward
In the best of times, farming is full of risk.
So much of a farmer’s livelihood depends on circumstances beyond their control. They must have faith that seeds will germinate and grow as expected, that livestock will remain healthy and that the weather will be favorable. The weather is a big factor, the ultimate unknown that farmers must deal with.
Recently, the weather has not been a friend to Iowa farmers.
For much of the summer, the state has been in a drought that is judged to be extreme in at least some places.
Then came Monday’s storm. It brought rain, but probably not enough to quench the drought. Worse, it packed high speed winds that flattened crops and wrecked many bins full of grain
That storm came in the aftermath of a couple years of trade disputes with China that greatly reduced exports. Those trade disputes were supposed to be settled by what officials have called the Phase One agreement between the United States and China. Under that agreement China is supposed to buy $36.5 billion worth of American agricultural products. Obviously, Iowa farmers would benefit from that agreement, but there seems to be some question if China is going to hold up its end of the deal.
Plus, the world is still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic that nearly crippled the economy.
All of those things combined must have some farmers close to despair when they look at their financials. And when Iowa farmers are hurting, the rest of the state is, too.
It’s time for famers to get some help.
We don’t presume to have the answer for this situation. Instead we call on government agencies and farm groups to work together to devise a plan that will get farmers through this latest series of problems.
Iowa’s future demands nothing less.
—
Dubuque Telegraph Herald. Aug. 15, 2020
Iowans deserve better explanation of state positivity rates
Iowa public health officials and a spokesman for Gov. Kim Reynolds have offered differing, conflicting and incomplete explanations as to how the state is calculating 14-day positivity rates for COVID-19.
After repeated requests for information about how the state is arriving at the percentages posted on its website, state officials responded to the Telegraph Herald, resulting in stories on Wednesday and Friday. But the answers they gave didn’t bring much clarity.
The TH has for months tracked and reported the number of positive cases and tests completed for Dubuque County and neighboring counties, based on the state’s website. When the state changed its site on May 19 to begin updating in real time instead of once per day, the TH began reporting those numbers twice per day, at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to have daily benchmarks to compare. At the outset, the state confirmed that the test number being reported was in reference to test results in, as opposed to tests given.
Therefore, it became clear that by dividing the number of new daily positives by the number of new daily test results, that would provide a positivity percentage that could be telling over time. For instance, in late June, the overall county positivity rate was about 5.5%. Today, it is about 8.2%.
That rate became even more significant when the state announced in late July that the 14-day positivity rate would be one of the criteria used to determine when schools might need to close. Immediately, the TH began to report a 14-day positivity rate, as did the state.
Only the numbers didn’t match up, and the state-provided percentages were significantly lower. School district officials and readers alike were confused by this.
When a TH reporter sought an explanation from the Iowa Department of Public Health spokeswoman, the answer from Amy McCoy was that the state-issued 14-day positivity rates were derived by adding up the “daily percentage of individuals positive” for each day over the course of two weeks and dividing that total by 14.
After the TH reporting of that method began to raise mathematicians’ eyebrows, a spokesman from the governor’s office gave a different answer on Thursday.
Pat Garrett reframed the state’s method for calculating such rates as the sum total of positive cases from 14 days divided by the sum total of total individuals tested over those 14 days.
But since that lined up with the TH’s methodology - and many others, when asked to calculate a 12-week average - why did discrepancies remain?
To that, Garrett had this to say, “It doesn’t make sense for school districts and, frankly, newspapers to constantly calculate something and expect to get the exact same result as our website.”
Well. We beg to differ.
During a recent two-week stretch analyzed by the TH, 76 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Dubuque County reported on the state website were not factored into the state’s 14-day positivity analysis. It still is unclear why, but the result was undeniable - a much-lower positivity rate.
This isn’t advanced calculus. If there are other factors at play, it could be that either the number of new positive cases reported by the state daily or the number of new test results reported by the state daily isn’t accurate.
That is something the citizens of Iowa clearly want and need to know. The state’s elaborate website is clearly meant to be transparent about public health information, but its value is diminished if the accuracy of the daily numbers is in question.
The state could take a lesson from math teachers across the state, many of whom are looking at this state website to assess their own risk in going back to the classroom. As those teachers instruct their students, the state must “show its work.”
Citizens, school districts and, yes, even newspapers have a right to understand how state officials are calculating this critical number, especially because it serves as a bellwether of the risk to schoolchildren and their teachers.
During this public health crisis, an accurate explanation of the numbers is essential, and Iowans should continue to demand that from state officials.


washingtontimes--2020-08-17--Iran: Fuel en route to Venezuela seized by US wasn't Iranian

TEHRAN , Iran ( AP ) - The cargo of four tankers seized by the United States last week en route to Venezuela was no longer Iranian property , Iran ’ s oil minister said Monday , insisting that the U.S. had no right to confiscate the shipment in international waters .
The Trump administration said it seized the cargo of four tankers it was targeting for transporting Iranian fuel to Venezuela .
The move was part of stepped-up U.S. campaign of maximum pressure on Iran and Venezuela , both heavily sanctioned allies .
According to the semi-official ISNA news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the oil had been “ sold to customers and the payment was received ” for it .
“ The U.S. claimed it seized Iranian petrol , but even though the cargo was sent from Iran , neither the ships nor the petrol were Iranian , ” Zanganeh was quoted as saying .
He did not elaborate or say who the owners of the petrol was at the time of the seizure .
But Zanganeh ’ s remarks echoed those of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who on Sunday called the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet and said the ships carried sold cargo .
Iran ’ s ambassador to Venezuela , Hojad Soltani , also said that neither the ships not the oil were Iranian .
“ Sadly for them , stolen booty wasn ’ t Iran ’ s .
Fuel was sold F.O.B .
Persian Gulf .
Ship and flag weren ’ t ours either , ” Zarif tweeted .
Iranian officials have called pushed for stronger ties between Iran and Venezuela , and Tehran has sent several fuel shipments to energy-hungry Venezuela amid U.S. sanctions .

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The cargo of four tankers seized by the United States last week en route to Venezuela was no longer Iranian property, Iran’s oil minister said Monday, insisting that the U.S. had no right to confiscate the shipment in international waters.
The Trump administration said it seized the cargo of four tankers it was targeting for transporting Iranian fuel to Venezuela. The move was part of stepped-up U.S. campaign of maximum pressure on Iran and Venezuela, both heavily sanctioned allies.
According to the semi-official ISNA news agency, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the oil had been “sold to customers and the payment was received” for it.
“The U.S. claimed it seized Iranian petrol, but even though the cargo was sent from Iran, neither the ships nor the petrol were Iranian,” Zanganeh was quoted as saying.
He did not elaborate or say who the owners of the petrol was at the time of the seizure. But Zanganeh’s remarks echoed those of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who on Sunday called the U.S. “pirates of Caribbean” in a tweet and said the ships carried sold cargo. Iran’s ambassador to Venezuela, Hojad Soltani, also said that neither the ships not the oil were Iranian.
“Sadly for them, stolen booty wasn’t Iran’s. Fuel was sold F.O.B. Persian Gulf. Ship and flag weren’t ours either,” Zarif tweeted.
Iranian officials have called pushed for stronger ties between Iran and Venezuela, and Tehran has sent several fuel shipments to energy-hungry Venezuela amid U.S. sanctions.


washingtontimes--2020-08-17--4 killed, at least 20 hurt in Cincinnati weekend shootings

CINCINNATI ( AP ) - Police in Cincinnati say three more people suffered gunshot wounds as a violent weekend that saw four killings and at least 20 injuries came to a close .
Police said the three Sunday evening shootings were unrelated , and none of the three victims had life-threatening wounds .
Two people were wounded in hands , and a man was shot in the back after a fight broke out at a party , police said .
Those shootings followed four gunfire outbursts early Sunday in which 18 people where shot , four fatally .
In one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police said they ’ re trying to determine why there was such a string of shootings in one weekend .
Mayor John Cranley called it “ senseless gun violence.
” No suspect information was released immediately in any of the cases .
Police said the department would shift officers from other assignments to increase the number of uniformed officers in the affected communities and would call on federal prosecutors and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives for help .
Cranley said the city was facing “ unprecedented circumstances and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic .
He said guns are “ far too prevalent ” at private gatherings after bars close early under pandemic restrictions .
In July , The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the city had experienced a rise in shootings and homicides from gun violence during the first half of the year as compared to the same time period in 2019 .

CINCINNATI (AP) - An Ohio prosecutor pledged Monday help police find and prosecute those responsible for a weekend wave of gun violence.
Cincinnati police said more than 20 people were shot, four fatally, in a string of seven cases beginning early Sunday morning. Police were still investigating, but didn’t believe the shootings were connected.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said he is “alarmed, shocked and saddened” about the gun violence. The Republican also added that the violence and police response to it should silence calls to “defund” police. Such calls have been made across the country for efforts to reform policing.
“While I believe that we should police smartly and efficiently and use all of our resources in the best way possible, ‘defunding’ the police is not the answer,” Deters said in a statement.
Mayor John Cranley, a Democrat, said the city was facing “unprecedented circumstances and challenges” in fighting crime during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said guns are “far too prevalent” at private gatherings after bars close early under pandemic restrictions.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine again action on his “STRONG Ohio” proposals to address gun violence. Introduced last year in the aftermath of a mass shooting in Dayton, the legislation lacks the toughest measures backed gun control advocates favored, but seeks to increase and improve background checks. It has stalled in the state Legislature.
Police said the three Sunday evening shootings in Cincinnati were unrelated, and none of the three victims had life-threatening wounds. Two people were wounded in hands, and a man was shot in the back after a fight broke out at a party, police said.
Those shootings followed four gunfire outbursts early Sunday in which 18 people where shot, four fatally. In one case, 10 people were shot.
No suspect information was released immediately in any of the cases.
Police said the department would shift officers from other assignments to increase the number of uniformed officers in the affected communities and would call on federal prosecutors and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for help.
In July, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the city had experienced a rise in shootings and homicides from gun violence during the first half of the year as compared to the same time period in 2019.
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Follow Dan Sewell at https://www.twitter.com/dansewell


washingtontimes--2020-08-17--People found in submerged in SUV had been reported missing

BOSTON ( AP ) - The two people whose bodies were found in an SUV submerged in 40-feet of water @ @ @ @ @ District had been missing since last Tuesday , state police said .
Tatianna Morales , @ @ @ @ @ , had been reported missing to police by her family last Wednesday , as had @ @ @ @ @ of Boston , according to authorities .
Morales had a young child .
The two @ @ @ @ @ SUV near the Black Falcon Terminal , officials said .
State police responded to the @ @ @ @ @ vehicle had gone into the water earlier in the week , police have said .
@ @ @ @ @ SUV ended up in the water remain under investigation .

BOSTON (AP) - The two people whose bodies were found in an SUV submerged in 40-feet of water near Boston’s Seaport District had been missing since last Tuesday, state police said.
Tatianna Morales, 21, of New Bedford, had been reported missing to police by her family last Wednesday, as had Djovany Pierre, 21, of Boston, according to authorities. Morales had a young child.
The two were found Friday inside the SUV near the Black Falcon Terminal, officials said. State police responded to the site after learning that a vehicle had gone into the water earlier in the week, police have said.
The deaths and how the SUV ended up in the water remain under investigation.