washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Controversy puts spotlight on Georgia congressional runoff

DALLAS , Ga. ( AP ) - Marjorie Taylor Greene is running for Congress - and is unrepentant about her racist rhetoric and support for the QAnon conspiracy theory .
With the runoff for the Republican nomination in the conservative district approaching , some voters seem unaware of Greene ’ s controversial views , or shrug it off .
Greene received the most votes in the June 9 Republican primary for Georgia ’ s 14th Congressional District but failed to win outright .
She now faces fellow Republican John Cowan , a neurosurgeon , in a runoff election Tuesday for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which stretches from the outskirts of metro Atlanta to the largely rural northwest corner of the state , is heavily conservative , and the winner of the runoff will likely earn a ticket to Washington .
Greene often communicates with supporters through stream-of-consciousness style videos posted to social media .
Shortly after the initial primary , Politico revealed a series of videos where Greene , who is white , expresses racist , anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim views .
In one of the videos she claims there ’ s an “ Islamic invasion ” into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Black and Hispanic men are being held back by “ gangs and dealing drugs , ” later adding , “ it ’ s not white people.
” She also has touted an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros , who is Jewish , collaborated with the Nazis .
Greene ’ s campaign did not respond to multiple interview requests from The Associated Press .
But she previously addressed the criticism on Twitter .
“ The Fake News Media , the DC Swamp , and their radical leftist allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I will not let them whip me into submission , ” she said without backing away from the remarks .
The unearthed videos led several high-profile Republicans to denounce her campaign .
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana released a statement calling Greene ’ s comments “ disgusting ” and threw his support behind Cowan .
Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia clawed back his endorsement of Greene , saying her statements are “ appalling and deeply troubling.
” Greene is also part of a growing list of candidates who have expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory popular among some supporters of President Donald Trump .
Lauren Boebert , another candidate who has expressed support for QAnon , recently upset a five-term congressman in a Republican primary in Colorado .
Cowan has expressed staunch support for Trump , touting a pro-gun and pro-border wall message .
He says he ’ ll use his experience as a doctor to improve the health care system and will push to repeal the Affordable Care Act , though he supports keeping protections for pre-existing conditions .
He has also strongly pushed back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She loves saying inflammatory , incendiary things to get attention and to get likes and to make news , but then when she ’ s questioned about it , she just folds , ” Cowan said in an interview .
“ You can ’ t challenge anything she ’ s said without being accused of being part of the ‘ swamp ’ or ‘ fake news.
’ ” While Greene ’ s comments have caused a stir in Washington , some in her district seemed unaware or unfazed by them while casting ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who voted for Greene at a polling site in Dallas , Georgia , on Thursday , said he hadn ’ t heard the criticism .
“ I don ’ t even know if I ’ d buy into that , ” Young said .
“ She ’ s just pro-American is what I see.
” Larry Silker , a 72-year-old retiree who cast a ballot at the same location , said he saw Greene as a “ go-getter ” and voted for her .
Reports of Greene ’ s racist remarks didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you know , you see it , ” he said .
“ But do you put faith in it ?
” There were critics of Greene voting as well .
“ Don ’ t like her .
Don ’ t care for some of the things I ’ ve read about her and heard about her , ” said Gene Melton , a 53-year-old truck driver .
Kerwin Swint , director of the School of Government and International Affairs at Kennesaw State University , said Greene initially appealed to many conservatives who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that her chances of winning have been complicated as more information comes to light .
“ She is not just a conservative , she is literally on the fringe of some very troubling beliefs , ” Swint said .
“ This is the kind of candidate that a lot of Republicans , and really I ’ m talking about Republican officials who are elected and appointed , sort of cringe when they hear what she says or they look at what she believes in , ” he said .
Greene has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederate monuments .
“ Whether I see a statue that may be something I would fully disagree with , like Adolf Hitler , maybe a statue of Satan himself , I would not want to say , ‘ take it down , ’ ” Greene said at a city council meeting in Dalton , Georgia , in mid-June .
“ But again , it ’ s so that I could tell my children and teach others about who these people are , what they did , and what they may be about .
@

DALLAS, Ga. (AP) - Marjorie Taylor Greene is running for Congress - and is unrepentant about her racist rhetoric and support for the QAnon conspiracy theory.
With the runoff for the Republican nomination in the conservative district approaching, some voters seem unaware of Greene’s controversial views, or shrug it off.
Greene received the most votes in the June 9 Republican primary for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District but failed to win outright. She now faces fellow Republican John Cowan, a neurosurgeon, in a runoff election Tuesday for the open seat.
The district, which stretches from the outskirts of metro Atlanta to the largely rural northwest corner of the state, is heavily conservative, and the winner of the runoff will likely earn a ticket to Washington.
Greene often communicates with supporters through stream-of-consciousness style videos posted to social media.
Shortly after the initial primary, Politico revealed a series of videos where Greene, who is white, expresses racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim views. In one of the videos she claims there’s an “Islamic invasion” into government offices. In another, she says Black and Hispanic men are being held back by “gangs and dealing drugs,” later adding, “it’s not white people.” She also has touted an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, who is Jewish, collaborated with the Nazis.
Greene’s campaign did not respond to multiple interview requests from The Associated Press. But she previously addressed the criticism on Twitter. “The Fake News Media, the DC Swamp, and their radical leftist allies see me as a very serious threat. I will not let them whip me into submission,” she said without backing away from the remarks.
The unearthed videos led several high-profile Republicans to denounce her campaign. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana released a statement calling Greene’s comments “disgusting” and threw his support behind Cowan. Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia clawed back his endorsement of Greene, saying her statements are “appalling and deeply troubling.”
But many other Republican officials have remained on the sidelines.
Greene is also part of a growing list of candidates who have expressed support for QAnon, the far-right U.S. conspiracy theory popular among some supporters of President Donald Trump. Lauren Boebert, another candidate who has expressed support for QAnon, recently upset a five-term congressman in a Republican primary in Colorado.
Cowan has expressed staunch support for Trump, touting a pro-gun and pro-border wall message. He says he’ll use his experience as a doctor to improve the health care system and will push to repeal the Affordable Care Act, though he supports keeping protections for pre-existing conditions.
He has also strongly pushed back on Greene’s rhetoric.
“She loves saying inflammatory, incendiary things to get attention and to get likes and to make news, but then when she’s questioned about it, she just folds,” Cowan said in an interview. “You can’t challenge anything she’s said without being accused of being part of the ‘swamp’ or ‘fake news.’”
While Greene’s comments have caused a stir in Washington, some in her district seemed unaware or unfazed by them while casting ballots during early voting.
Kris Young, who voted for Greene at a polling site in Dallas, Georgia, on Thursday, said he hadn’t heard the criticism.
“I don’t even know if I’d buy into that,” Young said. “She’s just pro-American is what I see.”
Larry Silker, a 72-year-old retiree who cast a ballot at the same location, said he saw Greene as a “go-getter” and voted for her. Reports of Greene’s racist remarks didn’t dissuade him.
“Well yeah, you know, you see it,” he said. “But do you put faith in it?”
There were critics of Greene voting as well.
“Don’t like her. Don’t care for some of the things I’ve read about her and heard about her,” said Gene Melton, a 53-year-old truck driver.
Kerwin Swint, director of the School of Government and International Affairs at Kennesaw State University, said Greene initially appealed to many conservatives who want a firebrand in the seat, but that her chances of winning have been complicated as more information comes to light.
“She is not just a conservative, she is literally on the fringe of some very troubling beliefs,” Swint said.
“This is the kind of candidate that a lot of Republicans, and really I’m talking about Republican officials who are elected and appointed, sort of cringe when they hear what she says or they look at what she believes in,” he said.
Greene has also expressed strong views on the removal of Confederate monuments.
“Whether I see a statue that may be something I would fully disagree with, like Adolf Hitler, maybe a statue of Satan himself, I would not want to say, ‘take it down,’” Greene said at a city council meeting in Dalton, Georgia, in mid-June. “But again, it’s so that I could tell my children and teach others about who these people are, what they did, and what they may be about.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Gubernatorial candidate series will look at civil liberties

CONCORD , N.H. ( AP ) - A “ Civil Liberties and the Corner Office ” conversation series with state @ @ @ @ @ by the ACLU of New Hampshire and the Warren B. Rudman Center at the UNH @ @ @ @ @ .
Candidates will be given the chance to discuss their vision and plans for the @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire .
The series is scheduled to start on Monday , Aug. 10 , @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , Aug. 13 , with Dan Feltes , both Democrats .
The sessions are @ @ @ @ @ p.m. and will take place virtually on Zoom .
The one-hour program will include audience @ @ @ @ @ to news media .
The ACLU of New Hampshire , the University of New Hampshire @ @ @ @ @ the Warren B. Rudman Center are nonpartisan and do not endorse or oppose candidates .

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A “Civil Liberties and the Corner Office” conversation series with state gubernatorial candidates is being hosted by the ACLU of New Hampshire and the Warren B. Rudman Center at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law.
Candidates will be given the chance to discuss their vision and plans for the advancement of civil rights in New Hampshire.
The series is scheduled to start on Monday, Aug. 10, with Andru Volinksy and on Thursday, Aug. 13, with Dan Feltes, both Democrats. The sessions are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. and will take place virtually on Zoom.
The one-hour program will include audience questions, and is open to news media.
The ACLU of New Hampshire, the University of New Hampshire School of Law, and the Warren B. Rudman Center are nonpartisan and do not endorse or oppose candidates.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Acadia transit facility gets help to reach completion

TRENTON , Maine ( AP ) - The federal government is giving $ 9 million to help with the development @ @ @ @ @ Downeast Maine that supporters say will dramatically improve transportation in the area .
The Federal @ @ @ @ @ money to help finish the next phase of Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton .
The @ @ @ @ @ a place for visitors to park their vehicles and get information about Acadia National Park @ @ @ @ @ said the project will improve the experience of visiting the park and also improve safety @ @ @ @ @ The first phase of the project finished in 2012 .
That included a bus maintenance @ @ @ @ @ a propane fueling station .
Collins said the investment will help “ ensure effective , @ @ @ @ @ for all riders and improve the visitor experience at Acadia National Park .
”

TRENTON, Maine (AP) - The federal government is giving $9 million to help with the development of a transit facility in Downeast Maine that supporters say will dramatically improve transportation in the area.
The Federal Transit Administration is providing the money to help finish the next phase of Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton. The facility is designed to be a place for visitors to park their vehicles and get information about Acadia National Park.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins said the project will improve the experience of visiting the park and also improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The first phase of the project finished in 2012. That included a bus maintenance garage, park-and-ride lot and a propane fueling station.
Collins said the investment will help “ensure effective, safe, and reliable transportation for all riders and improve the visitor experience at Acadia National Park.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--3rd phase of Newport Pell Bridge rehab project to start

JAMESTOWN , R.I. ( AP ) - The third and final phase of the Newport Pell Bridge roadway deck rehabilitation @ @ @ @ @ this week about a month ahead of schedule .
Preparation work will begin Tuesday with @ @ @ @ @ the week of Aug. 17 , the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority said in @ @ @ @ @ is expected to last through the end of November .
The third phase will focus @ @ @ @ @ lane , as well as accelerated replacement of an area previously not scheduled for replacement @ @ @ @ @ ramp realignment project .
During the work , there will be two lanes of travel @ @ @ @ @ rush hour .
During non-rush hours , there may only be one lane open in @ @ @ @ @ speed limit of 25 mph will be strictly enforced during the work , and overwide @ @ @ @ @ be allowed .
The 11,247-foot toll bridge that opened in 1969 connects Newport and Jamestown @

JAMESTOWN, R.I. (AP) - The third and final phase of the Newport Pell Bridge roadway deck rehabilitation project is expected to start this week about a month ahead of schedule.
Preparation work will begin Tuesday with hydro-demolition and milling work beginning the week of Aug. 17, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority said in a statement. The work is expected to last through the end of November.
The third phase will focus on rehabilitating the eastbound passing lane, as well as accelerated replacement of an area previously not scheduled for replacement until after completion of a ramp realignment project.
During the work, there will be two lanes of travel leaving Newport during the evening rush hour.
During non-rush hours, there may only be one lane open in both directions.
A reduced speed limit of 25 mph will be strictly enforced during the work, and overwide and overweight vehicles will not be allowed.
The 11,247-foot toll bridge that opened in 1969 connects Newport and Jamestown.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Ohio governor's conflicting COVID-19 tests raise backlash

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) - The Ohio governor ’ s positive , then negative , tests for COVID-19 have provided fuel for skeptics of government pandemic mandates and critics of his often-aggressive polices .
“ I ’ m sure the internet is lighting up with ‘ Well , you can ’ t believe any test , ’ ” Mike DeWine said in a WCOL radio interview Friday , after a whirlwind of events the day before when the initial positive showing forced the Republican to scrub a planned meeting with President Donald Trump .
Instead of seeing Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this state capital for new testing with his wife , Fran , through Ohio State University ’ s medical center They then went to their southwestern Ohio farm in Cedarville , where DeWine said he planned to quarantine for 14 days .
But within hours , he had received Columbus test results that were negative .
The first test , part of protocol for people meeting with the president , was a rapid-result antigen test , while the Columbus testing was a genetic , laboratory test whose results are considered more reliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday another test for each by Ohio State ’ s Wexner Medical Center again returned negative results for DeWine and his wife .
The conflicting results come as Americans have grown frustrated about access to testing and by slow results .
Ohioans also remain divided over DeWine ’ s actions to deal with the pandemic , with some saying his early shutdown actions unnecessarily damaged businesses .
He was an early advocate of wearing masks to stop the COVID-19 spread even as other Republicans in Ohio remain unconvinced .
State Rep. Nino Vitale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tweeted a photo of DeWine wearing a mask minutes after the positive test was announced Thursday .
“ I think the question must be asked .
Has he not been wearing his mask , or do masks not stop the spread ?
” Vitale said in his post , which also stated he wished the governor no ill will .
DeWine said he received some “ not so nice ” texts during the day Thursday about wearing masks .
He reasserted Friday that while they might not be 100 % effective , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been made a noticeable difference in the state ’ s most-populated cities .
Critics were blasting him on his official Twitter account , too .
DeWine , 73 , a former U.S. senator and House member who is in his first term as governor , at first appeared to have been only the second U.S. governor to positive for the coronavirus .
Oklahoma Gov .
Kevin Stitt announced he contracted the virus last month .
Stitt , a Republican who has been disdainful of mask mandates , said he contracted COVID -19 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Wilson , who has been analyzing and writing about coronavirus data since he contracted COVID-19 this summer , saw a storm of strong reactions on his Facebook page including from some who said DeWine ’ s results show the pandemic is “ a scam.
” “ At this point , this is clearly not a hoax , ” said Wilson , who has fully recovered from the virus .
He said continued pandemic-deniers are mostly “ outliers , ” but many other people are frustrated over what they see as DeWine ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues .
Test results , including false positives , affect individual lives by triggering quarantines that are a rising concern as Ohio schools prepare to reopen .
The number of positive cases in Ohio had decreased after the first surge , hitting a low in late May .
But numbers again began to rise in mid-June as Ohio began to reopen businesses .
DeWine had resisted a statewide mask mandate until July 23 .
He quickly backed off an earlier try at a mask requirement inside businesses and balked at closing down bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call ” at 10 p.m. and an 11 p.m. closing time .
Nearly 3,700 Ohio deaths have been linked to the coronavirus .
Wilson thinks by now , DeWine and other government officials should allow people to make their own decisions on which precautions they need or are willing to take .
“ We ’ ve found that people ’ s individual behavior matters more than those government actions anyway , ” Wilson said .
Follow Dan Sewell at https : //twitter.com/dansewell and Andrew Welsh-Huggins at https : //twitter.com/awhcolumbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio governor’s positive, then negative, tests for COVID-19 have provided fuel for skeptics of government pandemic mandates and critics of his often-aggressive policies.
“I’m sure the internet is lighting up with ‘Well, you can’t believe any test,’ ” Mike DeWine said in a WCOL radio interview Friday, after a whirlwind of events the day before when the initial positive showing forced the Republican to scrub a planned meeting with President Donald Trump. And on Sunday, he told CNN’s “State of the Union” that “people should not take away from my experience that testing is not reliable or doesn’t work.”
Instead of seeing Trump at the Cleveland airport, DeWine returned to this state capital for new testing with his wife, Fran, through Ohio State University’s medical center They then went to their southwestern Ohio farm in Cedarville, where DeWine said he planned to quarantine for 14 days. But within hours, he had received Columbus test results that were negative. The first test, part of protocol for people meeting with the president, was a rapid-result antigen test, while the Columbus testing was a genetic, laboratory test whose results are considered more reliable.
The governor’s office said Saturday another test for each by Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center again returned negative results for DeWine and his wife.
The conflicting results come as Americans have grown frustrated about access to testing and by slow results. Ohioans also remain divided over DeWine’s actions to deal with the pandemic, with some saying his early shutdown actions unnecessarily damaged businesses. He was an early advocate of wearing masks to stop the COVID-19 spread even as other Republicans in Ohio remain unconvinced.
State Rep. Nino Vitale, a conservative GOP gadfly from Urbana, tweeted a photo of DeWine wearing a mask minutes after the positive test was announced Thursday.
“I think the question must be asked. Has he not been wearing his mask, or do masks not stop the spread?” Vitale said in his post, which also stated he wished the governor no ill will.
DeWine said he received some “not so nice” texts during the day Thursday about wearing masks. He reasserted Friday that while they might not be 100% effective, they do help prevent spread and have been made a noticeable difference in the state’s most-populated cities.
Critics were blasting him on his official Twitter account, too.
DeWine, 73, a former U.S. senator and House member who is in his first term as governor, at first appeared to have been only the second U.S. governor to positive for the coronavirus.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced he contracted the virus last month. Stitt, a Republican who has been disdainful of mask mandates, said he contracted COVID -19 by hugging friends.
Longtime Cincinnati-area conservative activist Mike Wilson, who has been analyzing and writing about coronavirus data since he contracted COVID-19 this summer, saw a storm of strong reactions on his Facebook page including from some who said DeWine’s results show the pandemic is “a scam.”
“At this point, this is clearly not a hoax,” said Wilson, who has fully recovered from the virus. He said continued pandemic-deniers are mostly “outliers,” but many other people are frustrated over what they see as DeWine’s overreactions and also about the testing issues. Test results, including false positives, affect individual lives by triggering quarantines that are a rising concern as Ohio schools prepare to reopen.
The number of positive cases in Ohio had decreased after the first surge, hitting a low in late May. But numbers again began to rise in mid-June as Ohio began to reopen businesses.
DeWine had resisted a statewide mask mandate until July 23. He quickly backed off an earlier try at a mask requirement inside businesses and balked at closing down bars, instead recently mandating a “last call” at 10 p.m. and an 11 p.m. closing time. Nearly 3,700 Ohio deaths have been linked to the coronavirus.
Wilson thinks by now, DeWine and other government officials should allow people to make their own decisions on which precautions they need or are willing to take.
“We’ve found that people’s individual behavior matters more than those government actions anyway,” Wilson said.
___
Sewell reported from Cincinnati.
___
Follow Dan Sewell at https://twitter.com/dansewell and Andrew Welsh-Huggins at https://twitter.com/awhcolumbus


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Simon Cowell breaks back in e-bike crash

MALIBU , Calif. — Simon Cowell broke his back Saturday while testing his new electric bicycle at his home in @ @ @ @ @ to have surgery Saturday evening , according to a spokesperson for the entertainment mogul .
@ @ @ @ @ while in the courtyard with his family at his house in Malibu .
He was @ @ @ @ @ was said to be under observation and doing fine .
Cowell created “ America ’ @ @ @ @ @ serves as a judge on the show .
He has also been the judge on @ @ @ @ @ Talent , ” “ The X Factor ” and “ American Idol .
”

MALIBU, Calif. — Simon Cowell broke his back Saturday while testing his new electric bicycle at his home in California.
Cowell was expected to have surgery Saturday evening, according to a spokesperson for the entertainment mogul. Cowell fell off the bike while in the courtyard with his family at his house in Malibu. He was taken to a hospital and was said to be under observation and doing fine.
Cowell created “America’s Got Talent” and serves as a judge on the show. He has also been the judge on “Britain’s Got Talent,” “The X Factor” and “American Idol.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Amid pandemic, future of many Catholic schools is in doubt

NEW YORK ( AP ) - As the new academic year arrives , school systems across the United States are struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic .
Roman Catholic educators have an extra challenge - trying to forestall a relentless wave of closures of their schools that has no end in sight .
Already this year , financial and enrollment problems aggravated by the pandemic have forced the permanent closure of more than 140 Catholic schools nationwide , according to officials who oversee Catholic education in the country .
Three of the nation ’ s highest-ranking Catholic leaders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic schools “ are presently facing their greatest financial crisis ” and warned that hundreds more closures are likely without federal support .
“ Because of economic loss and uncertainty , many families are confronting the wrenching decision to pull their children out of Catholic schools , ” said New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan , Boston Cardinal Sean O ’ Malley and Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez , president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops .
They urged Congress to include funding in the next pandemic relief bill for scholarship assistance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other private schools .
The pace of closures has been relentless since March .
Within the past month , Catholic leaders have announced the shuttering of five schools in Newark , New Jersey , and 26 in the New York City area .
Several have promoted protests and petition campaigns by angry parents , and Catholic officials have been scrambling to help affected families .
The Diocese of Brooklyn ’ s school superintendent , Thomas Chadzutko , said the closures were unavoidable due to the pandemic ’ s “ devastating effects ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered a $ 500 grant if their children enrolled in other Catholic schools , but many were bitter that the closures were announced with little time to make alternative school plans .
“ It is a complete travesty how the Brooklyn Diocese can shut down schools within a pandemic and with less than two months ’ notice , ” parent Javier Cortes wrote in an online post about the closure of Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy .
“ Treating children like this is NOT the Catholic thing to do !
” Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lady , an elementary school in the Bronx .
“ I was part of the first graduating class and now I walked out of there hysterical in tears , ” said Hope Wilson , who attended the school as a child and later taught there for 30 years .
“ It ’ s heartbreaking.
” In Newark , Shante McGlone Burgess was devastated by the news that St. Francis Xavier School was closing .
All three of her children attended the elementary school last year , though the family is not Catholic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” McGlone Burgess said .
“ At a public school , I don ’ t think my children would have gotten the same camaraderie , as well as the structure.
” St. Francis Xavier is one of many schools being closed that serve predominantly Black and Hispanic communities .
Three bishops who oversee matters related to education and racial issues recently sent an appeal to U.S. Rep. Karen Bass , chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus , seeking support for families of color with students in Catholic schools .
“ A Black or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to graduate from high school , and two-and-a-half times more likely to graduate from college if he or she attends a Catholic school , ” wrote Bishops Michael Barber of Oakland , California , Joseph Perry of Chicago and Shelton Fabre of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese in Louisiana .
At the National Catholic Educational Association , there ’ s acute concern about the closures ’ consequences .
“ Catholic schools have a very profound impact on young people of low-income backgrounds , students of color , kids from single-parent homes , ” said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kevin Baxter “ That makes it all the more tragic if we lose the Catholic schools that serve those populations.
” One consequence of the turmoil : increased interest in Catholic-oriented homeschooling .
Chris Sebastian , a spokesman for the Mother of Divine Grace School , said it is preparing to serve about 6,000 students in the new school year , compared with 4,800 last year .
The school , based in California but serving families across the U.S. and overseas , offers a structured Catholic curriculum and assigns an educational consultant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ COVID is the primary motivator for people enrolling , ” Sebastian said .
“ People are afraid of the pandemic and not wanting the stress of required masks.
” The Rev .
Thomas Vassalotti , pastor of Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy ’ s parish in New York , said numerous parents affected by that closure - and wary of switching to public schools - are expressing interest in homeschooling , perhaps in a cooperative with assistance from the parish .
For Catholic schools that are reopening , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should handle the question of in-person classes .
Decisions are being made diocese by diocese , often influenced by local and state rules .
In Los Angeles , archdiocese officials had hoped to open the new year with in-person classes .
They now will have to start out with distance learning , due to an order from Gov .
Gavin Newsom barring public and private schools from reopening campuses if their counties are on a monitoring list for high rates of new coronavirus cases .
The situation is different in Dallas , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 , six days before the earliest date when secular schools can start in-person classes .
The diocese chose that option after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said religious schools were exempt from local orders delaying in-person instruction .
And in Evansville , Indiana , Catholic schools reopened Aug. 5 with a full program of in-person instruction .
Schools were told to spread out desks , place students in small groups and require face coverings .
Mary Pat Donoghue , who heads the education office of the national bishops ’ conference , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans , with a common aim of getting students back in the classroom as quickly as health conditions allow .
Associated Press video journalist Jessie Wardarski contributed to his report .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

NEW YORK (AP) - As the new academic year arrives, school systems across the United States are struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Roman Catholic educators have an extra challenge - trying to forestall a relentless wave of closures of their schools that has no end in sight.
Already this year, financial and enrollment problems aggravated by the pandemic have forced the permanent closure of more than 140 Catholic schools nationwide, according to officials who oversee Catholic education in the country.
Three of the nation’s highest-ranking Catholic leaders, in a recent joint appeal, said Catholic schools “are presently facing their greatest financial crisis” and warned that hundreds more closures are likely without federal support.
“Because of economic loss and uncertainty, many families are confronting the wrenching decision to pull their children out of Catholic schools,” said New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley and Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
They urged Congress to include funding in the next pandemic relief bill for scholarship assistance for economically disadvantaged families to use at Catholic or other private schools.
Many Catholic schools already have received substantial federal aid from the U.S. Department of Education and from the Paycheck Protection Program, which was designed to pay wages at businesses or nonprofits impacted by the pandemic.
The pace of closures has been relentless since March. Within the past month, Catholic leaders have announced the shuttering of five schools in Newark, New Jersey, and 26 in the New York City area. Among the schools closed earlier was the Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore, a 173-year-old girl’s high school that’s the alma mater of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Several of the closures have promoted protests and petition campaigns by angry parents, and Catholic officials have been scrambling to help affected families.
The Diocese of Brooklyn’s school superintendent, Thomas Chadzutko, said the closures were unavoidable due to the pandemic’s “devastating effects” on enrollment and finances.
Parents were offered a $500 grant if their children enrolled in other Catholic schools, but many were bitter that the closures were announced with little time to make alternative school plans.
“It is a complete travesty how the Brooklyn Diocese can shut down schools within a pandemic and with less than two months’ notice,” parent Javier Cortes wrote in an online post about the closure of Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy. “Treating children like this is NOT the Catholic thing to do!”
Also ordered closed was Nativity of Our Blessed Lady, an elementary school in the Bronx.
“I was part of the first graduating class and now I walked out of there hysterical in tears,” said Hope Wilson, who attended the school as a child and later taught there for 30 years. “It’s heartbreaking.”
In Newark, Shante McGlone Burgess was devastated by the news that St. Francis Xavier School was closing. All three of her children attended the elementary school last year, though the family is not Catholic.
“They were very welcoming there,” McGlone Burgess said. “At a public school, I don’t think my children would have gotten the same camaraderie, as well as the structure.”
St. Francis Xavier is one of many schools being closed that serve predominantly Black and Hispanic communities. Three bishops who oversee matters related to education and racial issues recently sent an appeal to U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, seeking support for families of color with students in Catholic schools.
“A Black or Latino child is 42% more likely to graduate from high school, and two-and-a-half times more likely to graduate from college if he or she attends a Catholic school,” wrote Bishops Michael Barber of Oakland, California, Joseph Perry of Chicago and Shelton Fabre of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese in Louisiana.
At the National Catholic Educational Association, there’s acute concern about the closures’ consequences.
“Catholic schools have a very profound impact on young people of low-income backgrounds, students of color, kids from single-parent homes,” said the NCEA’s chief innovation officer, Kevin Baxter “That makes it all the more tragic if we lose the Catholic schools that serve those populations.”
One consequence of the turmoil: increased interest in Catholic-oriented homeschooling.
Chris Sebastian, a spokesman for the Mother of Divine Grace School, said it is preparing to serve about 6,000 students in the new school year, compared with 4,800 last year.
The school, based in California but serving families across the U.S. and overseas, offers a structured Catholic curriculum and assigns an educational consultant to work with each family that signs up.
“COVID is the primary motivator for people enrolling,” Sebastian said. “People are afraid of the pandemic and not wanting the stress of required masks.”
The Rev. Thomas Vassalotti, pastor of Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy’s parish in New York, said numerous parents affected by that closure - and wary of switching to public schools - are expressing interest in homeschooling, perhaps in a cooperative with assistance from the parish.
For Catholic schools that are reopening, there is no national directive as to how they should handle the question of in-person classes. Decisions are being made diocese by diocese, often influenced by local and state rules.
In Los Angeles, archdiocese officials had hoped to open the new year with in-person classes. They now will have to start out with distance learning, due to an order from Gov. Gavin Newsom barring public and private schools from reopening campuses if their counties are on a monitoring list for high rates of new coronavirus cases.
The situation is different in Dallas, where the diocese plans to open schools Sept. 2, six days before the earliest date when secular schools can start in-person classes. The diocese chose that option after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said religious schools were exempt from local orders delaying in-person instruction.
And in Evansville, Indiana, Catholic schools reopened Aug. 5 with a full program of in-person instruction. Schools were told to spread out desks, place students in small groups and require face coverings.
Mary Pat Donoghue, who heads the education office of the national bishops’ conference, said she expects a wide variety of reopening plans, with a common aim of getting students back in the classroom as quickly as health conditions allow.
___
Associated Press video journalist Jessie Wardarski, in New York, and Justin Pritchard, in Los Angeles, contributed to his report.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--UK names 'Channel threat commander' as boat crossings surge

LONDON ( AP ) - The British government has appointed a former Royal Marine commando to try to stop people crossing the English Channel from France in small boats .
The government said Sunday that Dan O ’ Mahoney , who currently heads the U.K. ’ s Joint Maritime Security Center , has been named “ clandestine Channel threat commander.
” Home Secretary Priti Patel said O ‘ Mahoney would work with French authorities on stronger enforcement measures , including intercepting boats at sea , “ to make this route unviable.
” Britain ’ s Conservative government has talked tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrants crossing the Channel during recent warm summer weather .
On Thursday , 235 people were brought ashore , a record number for a single day .
More than 650 have arrived so far in August , including babies and unaccompanied children .
Patel has said the Royal Navy could be called in to prevent boats reaching U.K. waters , though other senior officials and politicians say that would be impractical and potentially dangerous .
On Saturday the Ministry of Defense said it had received a government request to “ support U.K. Border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it could best help .
Migrants have long used northern France as a launching point to reach Britain , either in trucks through the Channel tunnel or on ferries .
Some have turned to small boats organized by smugglers because coronavirus lockdowns have reduced opportunities to stow away on ferries and trucks .
Fine summer weather is also prompting more people to make the risky journey across one of the world ’ s busiest shipping lanes - about 20 miles ( 32 kilometers ) at its narrowest point - in vessels as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and French immigration ministers are due to hold talks this week about the Channel crossings .
Human rights groups have criticized the British government ’ s harsh rhetoric and accused officials of trying to blame France for the rise in the number of boat crossings .
Bridget Chapman of the Kent Refugee Action Network accused the government of “ saber-rattling , ” and called for asylum seekers to be given legal ways to come to Britain .
“ That would close this route overnight , would save lives , and we would know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .

LONDON (AP) - The British government has appointed a former Royal Marine commando to try to stop people crossing the English Channel from France in small boats.
The government said Sunday that Dan O’Mahoney, who currently heads the U.K.’s Joint Maritime Security Center, has been named “clandestine Channel threat commander.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel said O‘Mahoney would work with French authorities on stronger enforcement measures, including intercepting boats at sea, “to make this route unviable.”
Britain’s Conservative government has talked tough amid a surge in the number of migrants crossing the Channel during recent warm summer weather. On Thursday, 235 people were brought ashore, a record number for a single day. More than 650 have arrived so far in August, including babies and unaccompanied children.
Patel has said the Royal Navy could be called in to prevent boats reaching U.K. waters, though other senior officials and politicians say that would be impractical and potentially dangerous.
On Saturday the Ministry of Defense said it had received a government request to “support U.K. Border Force operations” and was looking into how it could best help.
Migrants have long used northern France as a launching point to reach Britain, either in trucks through the Channel tunnel or on ferries.
Some have turned to small boats organized by smugglers because coronavirus lockdowns have reduced opportunities to stow away on ferries and trucks. Fine summer weather is also prompting more people to make the risky journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes - about 20 miles (32 kilometers) at its narrowest point - in vessels as small as dinghies and kayaks
The British and French immigration ministers are due to hold talks this week about the Channel crossings.
Human rights groups have criticized the British government’s harsh rhetoric and accused officials of trying to blame France for the rise in the number of boat crossings.
Bridget Chapman of the Kent Refugee Action Network accused the government of “saber-rattling,” and called for asylum seekers to be given legal ways to come to Britain.
“That would close this route overnight, would save lives, and we would know exactly who was arriving and when,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Paul Vallone, Democrat NYC council member: Hydroxychloroquine 'saved my life'

A Democratic New York City council member has credited hydroxychloroquine with saving his life after he contracted the novel coronavirus in March .
Democrat Paul Vallone , who represents northeast Queens , told the New York Post he was struggling to breathe before his doctor prescribed hydroxychloroquine , which he took with Azithromycin , the antibiotic also known as Zithromax or Z-Pak .
“ I couldn ’ t breathe , very weak , couldn ’ t get out of bed , ” said Mr. Vallone in an interview posted Saturday .
“ My doctor prescribed it .
My pharmacy had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within two or three days I was able to breathe .
Within a week I was back on my feet.
” He said the medication , which is FDA-approved for lupus , malaria and rheumatoid arthritis but not COVID-19 , “ saved my life.
” His experience comes as debate continues to rage on whether to prescribe hydroxychloroquine , or HCQ , for COVID-19 .
The FDA revoked its emergency-use authorization for the drug on June 15 after determining that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine “ are unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Admiral Brett Giroir , a physician and member of the White House coronavirus task force , said Aug. 2 that “ right now , hydroxychloroquine , I can ’ t recommend that.
” “ And the evidence just doesn ’ t show that hydroxychloroquine is effective right now , ” said Dr. Giroir on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” “ I think we need to move on from that and talk about what is effective , both from a public-health standpoint.
” Other physicians swear by HCQ , insisting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 when administered early on .
A July 2 study conducted by the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit found that treating patients with HCQ “ cut the death rate significantly in sick patients hospitalized with COVID-19 — and without heart-related side effects.
” In a July 16 report , the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases also recommended early administration of HCQ , saying its study findings suggested that “ patients confirmed of COVID-19 infection should be administered HCQ as soon as possible.
” Dr. Stephen Smith , who heads the Smith Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East Orange , New Jersey , called Dr. Giroir ’ s “ move on ” comment “ a ridiculous statement , ” saying the drug “ has an anti-inflammation effect on COVID patients.
” “ I ’ ve seen dramatic responses , especially early on , ” said Dr. Smith in a Thursday interview on Fox ’ s “ The Ingraham Angle.
” “ I ’ ve seen some patients get better really quickly — much more quickly than we expect with an anti-viral agent.
” Mr. Vallone , who announced his diagnosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that he suffers from sarcoidosis , an auto-immune disorder that attacks the lungs .
“ We were in panic mode when I went down because I didn ’ t have a lot of immune response , ” he told the Post .
“ I needed something to stay alive.
” The drug ’ s effectiveness was called into question after President Trump touted it at a press conference , but another Democrat , Michigan state Rep. Karen Whitsett , credited in April her recovery from COVID-19 to hydroxychloroquine .

A Democratic New York City council member has credited hydroxychloroquine with saving his life after he contracted the novel coronavirus in March.
Democrat Paul Vallone, who represents northeast Queens, told the New York Post he was struggling to breathe before his doctor prescribed hydroxychloroquine, which he took with Azithromycin, the antibiotic also known as Zithromax or Z-Pak.
“I couldn’t breathe, very weak, couldn’t get out of bed,” said Mr. Vallone in an interview posted Saturday. “My doctor prescribed it. My pharmacy had it. Took it that day and within two or three days I was able to breathe. Within a week I was back on my feet.”
He said the medication, which is FDA-approved for lupus, malaria and rheumatoid arthritis but not COVID-19, “saved my life.”
His experience comes as debate continues to rage on whether to prescribe hydroxychloroquine, or HCQ, for COVID-19. The FDA revoked its emergency-use authorization for the drug on June 15 after determining that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine “are unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19 for the authorized uses in the EUA.”
Democratic New York City Councilman Paul Vallone says Hydroxychloroquine saved his lifehttps://t.co/Vmnd2U3EoA — Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) August 8, 2020
WATCH: Trump’s testing czar flatly contradicts Trump’s push of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment.
“At this point in time, we don’t recommend that as a treatment. There is no evidence to show that it is” beneficial. pic.twitter.com/DNHzkd9ppb — DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) August 2, 2020
Admiral Brett Giroir, a physician and member of the White House coronavirus task force, said Aug. 2 that “right now, hydroxychloroquine, I can’t recommend that.”
“And the evidence just doesn’t show that hydroxychloroquine is effective right now,” said Dr. Giroir on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “I think we need to move on from that and talk about what is effective, both from a public-health standpoint.”
Other physicians swear by HCQ, insisting the drug works for helping patients recover from COVID-19 when administered early on.
A July 2 study conducted by the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit found that treating patients with HCQ “cut the death rate significantly in sick patients hospitalized with COVID-19 — and without heart-related side effects.”
In a July 16 report, the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases also recommended early administration of HCQ, saying its study findings suggested that “patients confirmed of COVID-19 infection should be administered HCQ as soon as possible.”
I wonder why is the left hiding the truth about#Hydroxycholoroquine, a medicine proven to save lives?
(And that, by the way, it’s not an anabiotic. Dr. Stephen Smith explains).
Via @IngrahamAngle pic.twitter.com/ipYNILI3nD — ᴀʜॐ (@adrianahoyos) August 8, 2020
Dr. Stephen Smith, who heads the Smith Center for Infectious Diseases and Urban Health in East Orange, New Jersey, called Dr. Giroir’s “move on” comment “a ridiculous statement,” saying the drug “has an anti-inflammation effect on COVID patients.”
“I’ve seen dramatic responses, especially early on,” said Dr. Smith in a Thursday interview on Fox’s “The Ingraham Angle.” “I’ve seen some patients get better really quickly — much more quickly than we expect with an anti-viral agent.”
Mr. Vallone, who announced his diagnosis in an April 1 Facebook post, said that he suffers from sarcoidosis, an auto-immune disorder that attacks the lungs.
“We were in panic mode when I went down because I didn’t have a lot of immune response,” he told the Post. “I needed something to stay alive.”
Mr. Vallone added that hydoxychloroquine “worked for me.”
The drug’s effectiveness was called into question after President Trump touted it at a press conference, but another Democrat, Michigan state Rep. Karen Whitsett, credited in April her recovery from COVID-19 to hydroxychloroquine.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Postal Service emerges as flash point heading into election

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Mail piling up .
Constant attacks from the president .
Cuts to overtime as record numbers of ballots are expected to pass through post offices this fall .
The success of the 2020 presidential election could hinge on a most unlikely government agency : the U.S .
Postal Service .
Current signs are not promising .
The Postal Service already was facing questions over how it would handle the expected spike of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic , but several operational changes imposed by its new leader have led to mail backlogs across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cutbacks swirl , fueling worries about the November vote .
“ It seems like they ’ re just trying to turn customers away from the post office , ” said Jim Sizemore , president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in the Cincinnati region .
He said his offices are behind on deliveries because of new rules specifying when mail can go out .
The pandemic has forced states to expand voting by mail as a safe alternative to in-person polling places .
Some states are opting to send ballots to voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus as a reason to cast an absentee ballot .
That ’ s led to predictions of an an unprecedented amount of mail voting in the presidential election .
Trailing in the polls , President Donald Trump has been sowing public distrust in the Postal Service ’ s ability to adequately deliver ballots and has , without evidence , said allowing more people to vote by mail will result in rampant corruption .
The agency ’ s new leader , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , a former supply-chain CEO and a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has pushed cost-cutting measures to eliminate overtime pay and hold mail until the next day if postal distribution centers are running late .
DeJoy , 63 , of North Carolina , was tapped to head the service by a Trump-appointed board of governors and started in June .
He is the first postmaster general in nearly two decades who is not a career postal employee .
DeJoy has said repeatedly that the Postal Service is in a financially untenable position and needs to rein in expenses .
This past week , it reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months that ended in June .
Postal leaders want at least a $ 10 billion infusion from Congress as well as regulatory changes that would end a costly mandate that they fund in advance billions of dollars in retiree health benefits .
“ Without dramatic change , there is no end in sight , and we face an impending liquidity crisis , ” DeJoy told the Postal Service ’ s governing board Friday .
Memos from post office leadership , obtained by The Associated Press , detailed an elimination of overtime and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are sometimes needed to make sure deliveries arrive on time .
One document said if distribution centers are running behind , “ they will keep the mail for the next day.
” Another said : “ One aspect of these changes that may be difficult for employees is that - temporarily - we may see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or docks.
” Additional records obtained by AP outline upcoming reductions of hours at post offices , including closures during lunch and on Saturdays .
Rumors have also circulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutter , after the Postal Service told Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W.Va. , that regional managers there have identified 12 offices for “ feasibility studies.
” Postal employees have been recently instructed not to talk to news media while on duty , according to another memo obtained by AP .
The changes have taken their toll on the Postal Service ’ s 630,000 employees .
“ As they risk their health each day along with other front-line essential workers , letter carriers have become angry , frustrated and embarrassed by various USPS management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail and undelivered routes in many areas of the country , ’ ’ said Fredric Rolando , president of the National Association of Letter Carriers , which represents nearly 300,000 carriers nationwide .
The new policies have angered lawmakers from both parties and drawn criticism from former President Barack Obama , who said the current administration is “ undermining the Postal Service in an election that ’ s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots.
” DeJoy has been the target of multiple letters from members of Congress who have called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have complained about a lack of transparency from the agency .
Eighty-four House members , including four Republicans , signed a letter that said it is “ vital that the Postal Service does not reduce mail delivery hours , which could harm rural communities , seniors , small businesses and millions of Americans who rely on the mail for critical letters and packages.″ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , had a closed-door meeting with DeJoy this past week to discuss the agency ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding .
Schumer later described it as “ a heated discussion.″ Pelosi and Schumer followed up with a letter to DeJoy that said the operational changes “ threaten the timely delivery of mail - including medicines for seniors , paychecks for workers , and absentee ballots for voters - that is essential to millions of Americans.
” During a meeting Friday with the Postal Service governing board , DeJoy said the agency is not slowing down election mail and remains committed to fulfilling its role in elections .
“ Although there will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume due to the pandemic , the Postal Service has ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on-time in accordance with our delivery standards , and we will do so , ” he said .
“ However , as discussed , we can not correct the errors of the Election Boards if they fail to deploy processes that take our normal processing and delivery standards into account.
” In West Virginia , Sini Melvin , president of an American Postal Workers Union chapter in a northern part of the state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post office ’ s ability to deliver ballots on time this fall if current policies hold .
“ It ’ s like they ’ re setting us up for failure , ” she said , Izaguirre reported from Charleston , West Virginia .
The Associated Press produced this coverage with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mail piling up. Constant attacks from the president. Cuts to overtime as record numbers of ballots are expected to pass through post offices this fall.
The success of the 2020 presidential election could hinge on a most unlikely government agency: the U.S. Postal Service. Current signs are not promising.
The Postal Service already was facing questions over how it would handle the expected spike of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic, but several operational changes imposed by its new leader have led to mail backlogs across the United States as rumors of additional cutbacks swirl, fueling worries about the November vote.
“It seems like they’re just trying to turn customers away from the post office,” said Jim Sizemore, president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in the Cincinnati region. He said his offices are behind on deliveries because of new rules specifying when mail can go out.
The pandemic has forced states to expand voting by mail as a safe alternative to in-person polling places. Some states are opting to send ballots to voters or allowing people to use fear of the virus as a reason to cast an absentee ballot. That’s led to predictions of an an unprecedented amount of mail voting in the presidential election.
Trailing in the polls, President Donald Trump has been sowing public distrust in the Postal Service’s ability to adequately deliver ballots and has, without evidence, said allowing more people to vote by mail will result in rampant corruption.
The agency’s new leader, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a former supply-chain CEO and a major donor to Trump and other Republicans, has pushed cost-cutting measures to eliminate overtime pay and hold mail until the next day if postal distribution centers are running late.
DeJoy, 63, of North Carolina, was tapped to head the service by a Trump-appointed board of governors and started in June. He is the first postmaster general in nearly two decades who is not a career postal employee.
DeJoy has said repeatedly that the Postal Service is in a financially untenable position and needs to rein in expenses. This past week, it reported $2.2 billion in losses during the three months that ended in June.
Postal leaders want at least a $10 billion infusion from Congress as well as regulatory changes that would end a costly mandate that they fund in advance billions of dollars in retiree health benefits.
“Without dramatic change, there is no end in sight, and we face an impending liquidity crisis,” DeJoy told the Postal Service’s governing board Friday.
Memos from post office leadership, obtained by The Associated Press, detailed an elimination of overtime and a halting of late delivery trips that are sometimes needed to make sure deliveries arrive on time. One document said if distribution centers are running behind, “they will keep the mail for the next day.” Another said: “One aspect of these changes that may be difficult for employees is that - temporarily - we may see mail left behind or mail on the workroom floor or docks.”
Additional records obtained by AP outline upcoming reductions of hours at post offices, including closures during lunch and on Saturdays. Rumors have also circulated about the potential for entire offices to shutter, after the Postal Service told Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that regional managers there have identified 12 offices for “feasibility studies.” Postal employees have been recently instructed not to talk to news media while on duty, according to another memo obtained by AP.
The changes have taken their toll on the Postal Service’s 630,000 employees.
“As they risk their health each day along with other front-line essential workers, letter carriers have become angry, frustrated and embarrassed by various USPS management initiatives that are now resulting in delayed mail and undelivered routes in many areas of the country,’’ said Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents nearly 300,000 carriers nationwide.
The new policies have angered lawmakers from both parties and drawn criticism from former President Barack Obama, who said the current administration is “undermining the Postal Service in an election that’s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots.”
DeJoy has been the target of multiple letters from members of Congress who have called on the postmaster general to rescind his measures and have complained about a lack of transparency from the agency. Eighty-four House members, including four Republicans, signed a letter that said it is “vital that the Postal Service does not reduce mail delivery hours, which could harm rural communities, seniors, small businesses and millions of Americans who rely on the mail for critical letters and packages.″
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had a closed-door meeting with DeJoy this past week to discuss the agency’s worsening performance and need for emergency funding. Schumer later described it as “a heated discussion.″
Pelosi and Schumer followed up with a letter to DeJoy that said the operational changes “threaten the timely delivery of mail - including medicines for seniors, paychecks for workers, and absentee ballots for voters - that is essential to millions of Americans.”
During a meeting Friday with the Postal Service governing board, DeJoy said the agency is not slowing down election mail and remains committed to fulfilling its role in elections.
“Although there will likely be an unprecedented increase in election mail volume due to the pandemic, the Postal Service has ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on-time in accordance with our delivery standards, and we will do so,” he said. “However, as discussed, we cannot correct the errors of the Election Boards if they fail to deploy processes that take our normal processing and delivery standards into account.”
In West Virginia, Sini Melvin, president of an American Postal Workers Union chapter in a northern part of the state, said she has serious concerns about the post office’s ability to deliver ballots on time this fall if current policies hold.
“It’s like they’re setting us up for failure,” she said,
___
Izaguirre reported from Charleston, West Virginia. The Associated Press produced this coverage with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Gretchen Whitmer, Joe Biden meet as VP pick looms

LANSING , Mich. — Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer traveled to Delaware last weekend to meet with Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ’ s first known in-person session with a potential running mate as he nears a decision .
Whitmer visited Biden Sunday , according to two high-ranking Michigan Democrats who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly .
The first-term governor of the battleground state has long been on his short list of possible running mates .
Flight records show a chartered plane left Lansing ’ s Capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 5:33 p.m. and returned at 11:16 p.m .
The governor ’ s office declined to confirm or deny the trip .
He has spent months weighing who would serve alongside him if he wins in November .
Biden has pledged to select a woman and has conducted an expansive search , including Sens .
Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , California Rep. Karen Bass and former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice .
Biden is facing calls to select a Black woman to acknowledge their crucial role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s reckoning with systemic racism .
Whitmer has sought to address racism and racial inequity .
In April , she created a task force to address the pandemic ’ s racial disparities and later proposed police reforms in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
On Wednesday - days after visiting Biden - she declared racism a public health crisis , created an advisory council of Black leaders and required implicit bias training for all state employees .
If Whitmer is chosen to join the ticket and Biden wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would become the country ’ s only Black governor .
Biden and Whitmer formed a bond after he campaigned for her in the 2018 gubernatorial election .
She is a co-chair on his campaign .
Her profile has grown since delivering the Democrats ’ response to President Donald Trump ’ s State of the Union address and especially amid the pandemic .
She has taken aggressive steps to curb the coronavirus in a state that was a hot spot nationally early on and - after she criticized the federal response - has drawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged Vice President Mike Pence not to call “ the woman in Michigan .
”

LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer traveled to Delaware last weekend to meet with Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s first known in-person session with a potential running mate as he nears a decision.
Whitmer visited Biden Sunday, according to two high-ranking Michigan Democrats who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The first-term governor of the battleground state has long been on his short list of possible running mates.
Flight records show a chartered plane left Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport for Delaware Coastal Airport at 5:33 p.m. and returned at 11:16 p.m.
The governor’s office declined to confirm or deny the trip.
“We don’t discuss her personal schedule,” spokeswoman Tiffany Brown said.
Biden’s campaign declined to comment.
He has spent months weighing who would serve alongside him if he wins in November. Biden has pledged to select a woman and has conducted an expansive search, including Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, California Rep. Karen Bass and former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice.
Biden is facing calls to select a Black woman to acknowledge their crucial role in Democratic politics and in response to the nation’s reckoning with systemic racism.
Whitmer has sought to address racism and racial inequity. In April, she created a task force to address the pandemic’s racial disparities and later proposed police reforms in the wake of George Floyd’s death. On Wednesday — days after visiting Biden — she declared racism a public health crisis, created an advisory council of Black leaders and required implicit bias training for all state employees.
If Whitmer is chosen to join the ticket and Biden wins, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II would become the country’s only Black governor.
Biden and Whitmer formed a bond after he campaigned for her in the 2018 gubernatorial election. She is a co-chair on his campaign.
Her profile has grown since delivering the Democrats’ response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address and especially amid the pandemic. She has taken aggressive steps to curb the coronavirus in a state that was a hot spot nationally early on and - after she criticized the federal response - has drawn criticism from Trump, who in March urged Vice President Mike Pence not to call “the woman in Michigan.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Beirut explosion bares pitfalls of sending aid to Lebanon

BEIRUT ( AP ) - Hospitals and schools , then shattered and bent water pipes , then the crater that once was Lebanon ’ s port .
The rebuilding needs of Lebanon are immense , but so is the question of how to ensure the millions of dollars promised in international aid is not diverted in a country notorious for missing money , invisible infrastructure projects and its refusal to open the books .
And the port - the epicenter of the explosion that shattered Beirut , the center of Lebanon ’ s import-based economy , and a source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political factions were willing to divide its control so everyone could get a piece - sits at the heart of the fears .
Sunday ’ s donor teleconference is hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron , who was mobbed last week by tearful victims of the Beirut ammonium nitrate explosion begging him to ensure the corruption they blame for the blast that devastated the capital does not profit from its destruction .
International diplomacy usually calls for careful language .
Rigged votes are “ irregular.
” The response to furious protests should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency.
” But Macron ’ s response to the crowd , and later in a speech in Beirut , was unusually blunt : The aid “ will not fall into corrupt hands ” and Lebanon ’ s discredited government must change .
Germany , Lebanon ’ s second-biggest bilateral donor , made similar demands .
“ That ’ s precisely what the Lebanese people have rightly demanded : individual interests and old lines of conflict must be overcome and the welfare of the entire population must be put first , ” German Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid streaming into Lebanon is purely for humanitarian emergencies and relatively easy to monitor .
France , Britain , Canada and Australia , among others , have been clear that it is going directly to UN agencies or the Lebanese Red Cross .
But actual rebuilding requires massive imports of supplies and equipment .
The contracts and subcontracts that have given Lebanon ’ s ruling elite its wealth and power , while leaving the country with crumbling roads , regular electricity cuts , trash that piles on the streets and intermittent water supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon is directly linked today to the level of corruption , ” said Neemat Frem , a prominent Lebanese businessman and independent member of parliament .
“ We badly need more dollars but I understand that the Lebanese state and its agencies are not competent.
” Lebanon has an accumulated debt of about $ 100 billion , for a population of just under 7 million people - 5 million Lebanese and 2 million Syrians and Palestinians , most of them refugees .
Its electricity company , controlled like the port by multiple factions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year , although Frem said most factories pay for their own generators because power is off more than it ’ s on .
“ There ’ s grand theft Lebanon and there ’ s petty theft Lebanon .
Petty theft Lebanon exists but that ’ s not what got the country in the hole we ’ re in , ” said Nadim Houry , executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative .
Prior aid , Houry said , ended up as a tool in the hands of the political leaders , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and money to supporters .
“ The pie is getting smaller and smaller and they just keep taking , ” he said .
Protesters , tired of the small indignities they endure to get through a day - 37 % of people report needing to pay bribes , compared with 4 % in neighboring Jordan , according to Transparency International - and the larger issue of a collapsing state , are going after both .
On Saturday , they seized offices of the Economy Ministry , hauling away files they said would show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheat .
Lebanon ’ s wheat stockpile , stored next to the warehouse filled with ammonium nitrate , was destroyed in the explosion .
“ We restored the economy ministry to the Lebanese people , ” one man called out as they rifled through the desks .
Julien Courson , head of the Lebanon Transparency Association , said the country ’ s non-profits are forming a coalition to monitor how relief and aid money is spent .
He estimated Lebanon loses $ 2 billion to corruption each year .
“ The decision-makers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these files are still in their positions .
Until now , we didn ’ t see any solution to the problem , ” he said .
“ I think the Lebanese government has an interest in finding a suitable solution.
” A first step would be an online clearinghouse for every contract linked to reconstruction , Courson said .
And the first project has to be highly visible and spread the benefits widely , said Christiaan Poortman , board chairman of Infrastructure Transparency Initiative .
“ That will help keeping some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Poortman said .
“ Donors will have to be on top of this .
The issue of procurement is always where lots of corruption takes place … it needs to be done quickly , and there is always the temptation to not follow the rules and go ahead and do something where a lot of people are going to make a lot of money.
” Macron ’ s office said international donors can do nothing until Lebanon ’ s leaders agree to an audit of the national bank , a key demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one that the political factions have resisted .
Speaking at a news conference in which he conspicuously did not appear alongside Lebanese President Michel Aoun , Macron said he was approaching Lebanon with “ the requirements of a friend who rushes to help , when times are hard , but not to give a blank check to systems that no longer have the trust of their people .
”

BEIRUT (AP) - Hospitals and schools, then shattered and bent water pipes, then the crater that once was Lebanon’s port.
The rebuilding needs of Lebanon are immense, but so is the question of how to ensure the millions of dollars promised in international aid is not diverted in a country notorious for missing money, invisible infrastructure projects and its refusal to open the books.
And the port - the epicenter of the explosion that shattered Beirut, the center of Lebanon’s import-based economy, and a source of graft so lucrative that Lebanon’s political factions were willing to divide its control so everyone could get a piece - sits at the heart of the fears.
Sunday’s international donor teleconference raised a total of 252.7 million euro ($298 million) in emergency aid, organizers said.
The conference was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was mobbed last week by tearful victims of the Beirut ammonium nitrate explosion begging him to ensure the corruption they blame for the blast that devastated the capital does not profit from its destruction. The French presidency said France contributed 30 million euros ($35 million).
The head of the International Monetary Fund, which wants an audit of the national bank before handing over any money, was clear: No money without changes to ensure ordinary Lebanese aren’t crushed by debt whose benefits they never see.
“Current and future generations of Lebanese must not be saddled with more debts than they can ever repay,” IMF head Kristalina Georgieva said during the conference. “Commitment to these reforms will unlock billions of dollars for the benefit of the Lebanese people.”
International leaders, government officials and international organization participated Sunday in the teleconference co-organized by France and the United Nations to bring emergency aid to Lebanon, including President Donald Trump.
International diplomacy usually calls for careful language. Rigged votes are “irregular.” The response to furious protests should be “measured.” Disappearing funds require “transparency.”
But Macron’s response to the crowd in Beirut and in a later speech there was unusually blunt: The aid “will not fall into corrupt hands” and Lebanon’s discredited government must change.
In the short-term, the aid streaming into Lebanon is purely for humanitarian emergencies and relatively easy to monitor. The U.S., France, Britain, Canada and Australia, among others, have been clear that it is going directly to trusted local aid groups like the Lebanese Red Cross or U.N. agencies.
“Our aid is absolutely not going to the government. Our aid is going to the people of Lebanon,” said John Barsa of USAID.
But actual rebuilding requires massive imports of supplies and equipment. The contracts and subcontracts have given Lebanon’s ruling elite its wealth and power, while leaving the country with crumbling roads, regular electricity cuts, trash that piles on the streets and intermittent water supplies.
“The level of infrastructure in Lebanon is directly linked today to the level of corruption,” said Neemat Frem, a prominent Lebanese businessman and independent member of parliament. “We badly need more dollars but I understand that the Lebanese state and its agencies are not competent.”
Lebanon has an accumulated debt of about $100 billion, for a population of just under 7 million people - 5 million Lebanese and 2 million Syrians and Palestinians, most of them refugees. Its electricity company, controlled like the port by multiple factions, posts losses of $1.5 billion a year, although Frem said most factories pay for their own generators because power is off more than it’s on.
“There’s grand theft Lebanon and there’s petty theft Lebanon. Petty theft Lebanon exists but that’s not what got the country in the hole we’re in,” said Nadim Houry, executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative.
Prior aid, Houry said, ended up as a tool in the hands of the political leaders, who kept their slice and doled out jobs and money to supporters.
Protesters, tired of the small indignities they endure to get through a day - 37% of people report needing to pay bribes, compared with 4% in neighboring Jordan, according to Transparency International - and the larger issue of a collapsing state, are going after both.
“The public is going to be incredibly distrustful of the way this is done, and I think rightly so,” said Frank Vogl, a co-founder of Transparency International and chairman for the Partnership for transparency Fund.
On Saturday, they seized offices of the Economy Ministry, hauling away files they said would show corruption around the sale and distribution of wheat. Lebanon’s wheat stockpile, stored next to the warehouse filled with ammonium nitrate, was destroyed in the explosion.
“We restored the economy ministry to the Lebanese people,” one man called out as they rifled through the desks.
Julien Courson, head of the Lebanon Transparency Association, said the country’s non-profits are forming a coalition to monitor how relief and aid money is spent. He estimated Lebanon loses $2 billion to corruption each year.
“The decision-makers and the public servants who are in charge of these files are still in their positions. Until now, we didn’t see any solution to the problem,” he said.
A first step would be an online clearinghouse for every contract linked to reconstruction, Courson said. And the first project has to be highly visible and spread the benefits widely, said Christiaan Poortman, board chairman of Infrastructure Transparency Initiative.
“That will help keeping some of the political stuff at a distance,” Poortman said. “Donors will have to be on top of this. The issue of procurement is always where lots of corruption takes place … it needs to be done quickly, and there is always the temptation to not follow the rules and go ahead and do something where a lot of people are going to make a lot of money.”
Speaking at a news conference in which he conspicuously did not appear alongside Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Macron said he was approaching Lebanon with “the requirements of a friend who rushes to help, when times are hard, but not to give a blank check to systems that no longer have the trust of their people.”
___
Hinnant reported from Paris. AP writers Sarah El-Deeb in Beirut and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--California police reform laws eyed after George Floyd death

SACRAMENTO , Calif. — California lawmakers are pushing to enact nearly a dozen policing reform laws driven by nationwide outrage and protests after George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis in May .
Lawmakers have until Aug. 31 to approve and send legislation to Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
AB1196 by Assemblyman Mike Gipson , D-Carson , would bar law enforcement agencies from using carotid restraints , chokeholds or similar techniques .
The California Police Chiefs Association initially called for banning the carotid and chokeholds , but withdrew its support after it said Gipson broadened his bill “ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjective.
” AB1022 by Assemblyman Chris Holden , D-Pasadena , would require law enforcement officers to immediately intercede and report what they believe to be the use of excessive force .
Officers ’ careers would end if they are found to have used excessive force resulting in serious injury or death , or failed to stop the overuse of force by another officer .
Officers who don ’ t intercede could be criminally charged as accessories to any crimes committed by those who use excessive force .
Associations representing police officers say a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duty to intercede .
They say more training and strong policies are better than criminalizing officers who may only have passing involvement .
AB767 by Assemblyman Tim Grayson , D-Concord , would allow even criminal suspects and their survivors to apply for victims ’ compensation if they were injured or killed by police use of excessive force .
The first-in-the-nation proposal supported by State Treasurer Betty Yee , who sits on the California Victim Compensation Board , would also let the board consider documents beyond police reports that proponents said can be biased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sean Monterrosa , who was killed June 2 in Vallejo , near San Francisco , when police suspected him of stealing from a pharmacy on the night of a national protests over Floyd ’ s death .
Police say what they thought was a gun turned out to be a hammer .
AB66 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez , D-San Diego , would respond to perceived police overreactions during recent protests by limiting the use of tear gas , pepper spray , rubber bullets and other projectiles against demonstrators .
The Los Angeles County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas risks escalating physical confrontations between officers and demonstrators .
SB629 by Sen. Mike McGuire , D-Healdsburg , would protect the right of journalists to cover protests without interference from police .
SB480 would bar law enforcement officials from wearing military-style uniforms .
Sen. Bob Archuleta , D-Pico Rivera , said that can make it difficult for civilians to distinguish officers from members of the National Guard .
He said it can also sow fear and confusion , as when federal officers wore camouflage while confronting protesters in Portland , Oregon .
AB1506 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would create a new division within the state Department of Justice that , if requested by a local law enforcement agency , would investigate an officer-involved shooting or other use of force that kills a civilian .
The department could also prosecute any officer it found had violated state law .
AB1185 , also by McCarty , would let county supervisors name inspectors general to help oversee independently elected county sheriffs .
SB776 by Sen. Nancy Skinner , D-Berkeley , would expand on a 2019 law that lifted some of the nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public access to disciplinary records involving investigations into officer shootings , use-of-force incidents and incidents involving officer misconduct .
It would add records of discipline against officers accused of racist or discriminatory actions , or those who have a history of wrongful arrests or searches , among others .
Investigations would be completed even if officers resign .
Records fees would be limited and fines imposed on agencies that don ’ t comply .
Numerous law enforcement organizations say the bill would remove a requirement that only sustained complaints be made public .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would allow the state Department of Justice to revoke the certification of officers if they are fired for misconduct or convicted of certain crimes , to prevent them from getting new law enforcement jobs elsewhere .
The California Police Chiefs Association , which initially supported the idea , now says the legislation “ is overly complex ” and would remove immunity protections for all public employees .
SB203 , also by Bradford , would would bar those who are 17 years old or younger from being questioned by police or waiving their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consult with an attorney .
California currently applies those restrictions to youths 15 years or younger .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers are pushing to enact nearly a dozen policing reform laws driven by nationwide outrage and protests after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in May. Lawmakers have until Aug. 31 to approve and send legislation to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The bills include:
CHOKEHOLDS
AB1196 by Assemblyman Mike Gipson, D-Carson, would bar law enforcement agencies from using carotid restraints, chokeholds or similar techniques.
The California Police Chiefs Association initially called for banning the carotid and chokeholds, but withdrew its support after it said Gipson broadened his bill “to include additional restrictions that are vague and subjective.”
DUTY TO INTERCEDE
AB1022 by Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, would require law enforcement officers to immediately intercede and report what they believe to be the use of excessive force.
Officers’ careers would end if they are found to have used excessive force resulting in serious injury or death, or failed to stop the overuse of force by another officer. Officers who don’t intercede could be criminally charged as accessories to any crimes committed by those who use excessive force.
Associations representing police officers say a new state law already gives officers a duty to intercede. They say more training and strong policies are better than criminalizing officers who may only have passing involvement.
VICTIMS’ COMPENSATION
AB767 by Assemblyman Tim Grayson, D-Concord, would allow even criminal suspects and their survivors to apply for victims’ compensation if they were injured or killed by police use of excessive force. The first-in-the-nation proposal supported by State Treasurer Betty Yee, who sits on the California Victim Compensation Board, would also let the board consider documents beyond police reports that proponents said can be biased.
Advocates include the sisters of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa, who was killed June 2 in Vallejo, near San Francisco, when police suspected him of stealing from a pharmacy on the night of a national protests over Floyd’s death. Police say what they thought was a gun turned out to be a hammer.
RUBBER BULLETS
AB66 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, would respond to perceived police overreactions during recent protests by limiting the use of tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and other projectiles against demonstrators.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says barring tear gas risks escalating physical confrontations between officers and demonstrators.
JOURNALISTS
SB629 by Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, would protect the right of journalists to cover protests without interference from police.
MILITARY UNIFORMS
SB480 would bar law enforcement officials from wearing military-style uniforms. Sen. Bob Archuleta, D-Pico Rivera, said that can make it difficult for civilians to distinguish officers from members of the National Guard. He said it can also sow fear and confusion, as when federal officers wore camouflage while confronting protesters in Portland, Oregon.
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS
AB1506 by Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, would create a new division within the state Department of Justice that, if requested by a local law enforcement agency, would investigate an officer-involved shooting or other use of force that kills a civilian. The department could also prosecute any officer it found had violated state law.
SHERIFFS OVERSIGHT
AB1185, also by McCarty, would let county supervisors name inspectors general to help oversee independently elected county sheriffs.
POLICE RECORDS
SB776 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would expand on a 2019 law that lifted some of the nation’s most secretive police records by requiring public access to disciplinary records involving investigations into officer shootings, use-of-force incidents and incidents involving officer misconduct.
It would add records of discipline against officers accused of racist or discriminatory actions, or those who have a history of wrongful arrests or searches, among others. Investigations would be completed even if officers resign. Records fees would be limited and fines imposed on agencies that don’t comply.
Numerous law enforcement organizations say the bill would remove a requirement that only sustained complaints be made public.
DECERTIFYING OFFICERS
SB731 by Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, would allow the state Department of Justice to revoke the certification of officers if they are fired for misconduct or convicted of certain crimes, to prevent them from getting new law enforcement jobs elsewhere.
The California Police Chiefs Association, which initially supported the idea, now says the legislation “is overly complex” and would remove immunity protections for all public employees.
JUVENILE INTERROGATIONS
SB203, also by Bradford, would would bar those who are 17 years old or younger from being questioned by police or waiving their rights until they have a chance to consult with an attorney. California currently applies those restrictions to youths 15 years or younger.


washingtontimes--2020-08-09--Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested under security law

HONG KONG ( AP ) - Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was arrested Monday on suspicion of collusion with foreign powers , his aide said , in the highest-profile use yet of the new national security law Beijing imposed on the city after protests last year .
“ Jimmy Lai is being arrested for collusion with foreign powers at this time , ” Mark Simon wrote on Twitter .
Hong Kong police said seven people had been arrested on suspicion of violating the national security law , but the statement did not reveal the names of those arrested .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily , is an outspoken pro-democracy figure in Hong Kong and regularly criticizes China ’ s authoritarian rule .
The national security law came into effect June 30 and is widely seen as a means to curb dissent after anti-government protests rocked Hong Kong last year .
Simon said that police searched both Lai and his son ’ s home , as well as other members of media group Next Digital , which Lai founded .
Next Digital operates the Apple Daily tabloid , which Lai founded in 1995 , ahead of Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
Like Lai , Apple Daily has a strong pro-democracy stance and often urged its readers to take part in pro-democracy protests .
The security law outlaws secessionist , subversive and terrorist acts , as well as collusion with foreign forces in the city ’ s internal affairs .
The maximum punishment for serious offenders is life imprisonment .
Last month , Chinese broadcaster CCTV said pro-democracy activist Nathan Law and five others were wanted under the law , although all six had fled overseas .
Law had relocated to Britain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong .

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities broadened their enforcement of a new national security law on Monday, arresting media tycoon Jimmy Lai, searching the headquarters of his Next Digital group and carting away boxes of what they said was evidence.
Two days after Chinese and Hong Kong officials shrugged off sanctions imposed on them by the U.S., the moves showed China’s determination to enforce the new law and curb dissent in the semi-autonomous city after months of massive pro-democracy demonstrations last year.
The police action marked the first time the law was used against news media, stoking fears that authorities are suppressing press freedom. Next Digital operates Apple Daily, a feisty pro-democracy tabloid that often condemns China’s Communist Party government. Last year, the newspaper frequently urged readers to take part in the anti-government protests.
Hong Kong police arrested Lai on Monday morning, an aide to the businessman said, in the highest-profile detention under the new law since it took effect in late June. Lai, 71, is an outspoken pro-democracy figure who regularly criticizes China’s authoritarian rule and Hong Kong’s government.
Mark Simon, a Next Digital executive and Lai’s aide, said Lai was charged with collusion with foreign powers. He said police searched the homes of Lai and his son and detained several other members of the media company.
Hong Kong police said they arrested at least nine people between the ages of 23 and 72 on suspicion of violating the new security law, with offenses including collusion with a foreign country and conspiracy to defraud. They did not release the names of those arrested or provide further details of the charges.
Following Lai’s arrest, about 200 police raided Next Digital’s headquarters, cordoning off the area, searching desks and at times getting into heated exchanges with staff. What police were looking for in the building wasn’t clear, although they later said they took away 25 boxes of evidence for processing.
Lai, who was arrested at his mansion in Kowloon in the morning, was also brought to the headquarters of Next Digital, where he remained for about two and a half hours before police took him away in a car.
“We are completely shocked by what’s happening now, with the arrest and followed by the ongoing raid inside the headquarters of Next Digital,” said Chris Yeung, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association.
“With the passage of the national security law and the really tough powers given to the police in their operations, we have seen now what we call ‘white terror’ become a reality, which will affect media organizations and journalists’ reporting.”
Police unblocked Next Digital’s headquarters at mid-afternoon, with senior superintendent of police Steve Li saying that staff were free to resume their work.
The share price of Next Digital soared over 200% in the afternoon, following posts on a popular online forum encouraging investors to support the company by buying its stock.
The reason for the charge against Lai wasn’t clear.
In May, shortly after Beijing announced its intention to pass the national security law for Hong Kong, Lai condemned the legislation in a series of tweets. The state-owned newspaper Global Times called the tweets “evidence of subversion.”
Lai also wrote an op-ed in the New York Times in May stating that China was repressing Hong Kong with the legislation.
“I have always thought I might one day be sent to jail for my publications or for my calls for democracy in Hong Kong,” Lai wrote. “But for a few tweets, and because they are said to threaten the national security of mighty China? That’s a new one, even for me.”
Lai was earlier arrested in February and April for allegedly participating in unauthorized protests last year. He also faces charges of joining an unauthorized vigil on June 4 marking the anniversary of Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
Last year, Lai met U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the White House to discuss a controversial bill - since withdrawn - that would have allowed criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial.
But Hong Kong officials have said the security law, which took effect June 30, would not be applied retroactively. The law is widely seen as a means to curb dissent after anti-government protests rocked the semi-autonomous city for months last year.
The legislation outlaws secessionist, subversive and terrorist acts, as well as collusion with foreign forces in the city’s internal affairs. The maximum punishment for serious offenders is life imprisonment.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council condemned the arrests in a statement, saying they were a tool for the Chinese Communist Party’s “political cleansing and hegemonic expansion.” It said the law is being abused to suppress freedom of speech, press freedom and the civil rights of Hong Kong people.
Last month, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said pro-democracy activist Nathan Law and five others were wanted under the law, although all six had fled overseas. Law relocated to Britain in July to continue international advocacy work for Hong Kong.