washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Sutherland family works together on spinner bait business

SUTHERLAND , Neb .
( AP ) - Jason and Shawna Cooper began their venture into business a few years ago , working from their house and then their garage .
They outgrew their home and moved to a building located on First Street in Sutherland and now have expanded into a brand new building down the block at 810 First St .
The original idea for the Big Eye Spinner Baits came from a fishing buddy asking Jason if he could make a bigger spinner bait .
“ I said , well , I can make big ones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He ’ s like , all right , how many can you make.
” Jason made 50 spinner baits in a week for the friend .
“ We worked all night , ” Jason said .
“ We poured them , painted them and all that stuff and then he beat us in a fishing tournament the next week using the spinner baits I tied for him.
” The friend suggested they start a business manufacturing the spinner baits , but the friend ’ s interest didn ’ t last long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be so much fun , ” Jason said .
“ He bailed and here we are.
” The Coopers started making the lures in their home and then moved out to the garage before deciding they needed more space .
“ We moved into the building down the block and were there for about two years , ” Shawna said .
“ We just kept going and we ’ ve talked about this business being something Jason can fall back on.
” The current Union Pacific railroader found his love for fishing when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a pond at our house and I used to go fishing all the time and my mom never had to worry about where I was , ” Jason said .
The love for the sport was passed on to Jason from his dad and now the Cooper ’ s boys have taken it to the next level as competitive bass fishermen .
“ They are not into walleye , they ’ re bass fishermen , ” Shawna said .
“ That took up about half our space in the other store because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff.
” She gives credit for the success of the business to the connections Jason and their sons , Hunter and Jaron , have made through fishing competitions .
“ I think that ’ s how our customer base grew so fast , ” Shawna said .
“ Jason did a lot of walleye fishing and that ’ s how our name got out there so quickly .
Then the boys with their bass fishing , that helps with the bass customers coming in to us.
” With the new building and extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide assortment of product .
“ We try to carry anything that ’ s for walleye fishing around our area for sure and even if you ’ re going to go out of state , ” Jason said .
“ We try to get all the new ice fishing lures .
New is always better.
” The store also carries hunting clothes and shotgun shells .
“ We ’ re trying to get into rifle ammunition , ” Jason said .
“ That ’ s hard to get right now.
” Jason still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shawna will run the business and said he will help when he can .
“ And our boys , Jaron is a senior in high school so he ’ ll help and Hunter works at Walmart ( Distribution Center ) , so he ’ ll work a night or two here , ” Shawna said .
The process has changed a little from the early stages of the business .
The Coopers would build the lures from scratch .
“ We have the heads made for us now because we couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They have a wire and hook on them and we have the skirts made for us as well .
Pretty much we just assemble them now and package them.
” “ Even my mom helps out , ” Jason said .
“ She took over where my dad ( Steve Cooper , deceased ) left off.
” The Coopers said they can do about 100 in an hour .
Through the past summer and fall , the family would get together every Monday .
“ I ’ d cook supper and everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then we ’ d put ( the spinner baits ) together , ” Shawna said .
“ For me , it ’ s just a good family tradition to start so we could always have - because with our son ( Hunter ) graduating two years ago - we could have something where we were still connecting.
” Shawna also said the community of Sutherland has come alongside the Coopers and have been a tremendous support in getting their new location up and running .

SUTHERLAND, Neb. (AP) - Jason and Shawna Cooper began their venture into business a few years ago, working from their house and then their garage.
They outgrew their home and moved to a building located on First Street in Sutherland and now have expanded into a brand new building down the block at 810 First St.
The original idea for the Big Eye Spinner Baits came from a fishing buddy asking Jason if he could make a bigger spinner bait.
“I said, well, I can make big ones,” Jason told The North Platte Telegraph. “He’s like, all right, how many can you make.”
Jason made 50 spinner baits in a week for the friend.
“We worked all night,” Jason said. “We poured them, painted them and all that stuff and then he beat us in a fishing tournament the next week using the spinner baits I tied for him.”
The friend suggested they start a business manufacturing the spinner baits, but the friend’s interest didn’t last long.
“He said, it will be so much fun,” Jason said. “He bailed and here we are.”
The Coopers started making the lures in their home and then moved out to the garage before deciding they needed more space.
“We moved into the building down the block and were there for about two years,” Shawna said. “We just kept going and we’ve talked about this business being something Jason can fall back on.”
The current Union Pacific railroader found his love for fishing when he was really young.
“We had a pond at our house and I used to go fishing all the time and my mom never had to worry about where I was,” Jason said.
The love for the sport was passed on to Jason from his dad and now the Cooper’s boys have taken it to the next level as competitive bass fishermen.
“They are not into walleye, they’re bass fishermen,” Shawna said. “That took up about half our space in the other store because we had to get into the bass stuff.”
She gives credit for the success of the business to the connections Jason and their sons, Hunter and Jaron, have made through fishing competitions.
“I think that’s how our customer base grew so fast,” Shawna said. “Jason did a lot of walleye fishing and that’s how our name got out there so quickly. Then the boys with their bass fishing, that helps with the bass customers coming in to us.”
With the new building and extra space, the Coopers are offering a wide assortment of product.
“We try to carry anything that’s for walleye fishing around our area for sure and even if you’re going to go out of state,” Jason said. “We try to get all the new ice fishing lures. New is always better.”
The store also carries hunting clothes and shotgun shells.
“We’re trying to get into rifle ammunition,” Jason said. “That’s hard to get right now.”
Jason still works full time on the railroad and Shawna will run the business and said he will help when he can.
“And our boys, Jaron is a senior in high school so he’ll help and Hunter works at Walmart (Distribution Center), so he’ll work a night or two here,” Shawna said.
The process has changed a little from the early stages of the business. The Coopers would build the lures from scratch.
“We have the heads made for us now because we couldn’t keep up,” Shawna said. “They have a wire and hook on them and we have the skirts made for us as well. Pretty much we just assemble them now and package them.”
Building the spinner baits involves their entire family.
“Even my mom helps out,” Jason said. “She took over where my dad (Steve Cooper, deceased) left off.”
The Coopers said they can do about 100 in an hour. Through the past summer and fall, the family would get together every Monday.
“I’d cook supper and everybody would come together and eat supper and then we’d put (the spinner baits) together,” Shawna said. “For me, it’s just a good family tradition to start so we could always have - because with our son (Hunter) graduating two years ago - we could have something where we were still connecting.”
Shawna also said the community of Sutherland has come alongside the Coopers and have been a tremendous support in getting their new location up and running.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Family carries on tradition at Loveberry’s Tree Farm

QUINCY , Mich. ( AP ) - Just before sunset on a recent Tuesday , 16-year-old Luke Loveberry bundled and carried a Christmas tree into the back of a stranger ’ s pickup truck .
His 18-year-old sister , Addie Loveberry was working behind the register , answering phone calls inside the small log-cabin gift shop that her grandfather , Jon Loveberry , built for his family business , Loveberry ’ s Tree Farm in Quincy .
“ I don ’ t know anything else during Christmas time except for the Christmas tree farm , ” Addie told the Battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 when I started doing odd jobs around here .
Roasted chestnuts for a while , then I moved on to serving hot chocolate and restocking things .
Last year , I started working in the cabin where it ’ s warm.
” Jon Loveberry died on April 9 following his third bout with cancer .
He was 81 .
It ’ s the farm ’ s first Christmas season without him .
“ I don ’ t know how many times I look up and expect him to walk through that door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect him to be sitting in that chair by the fire , ” said Lisha Loveberry , Luke and Addie ’ s aunt , sitting on a couch near the fireplace inside the cabin .
“ He always wore a Stormy Kromer hat .
He ’ s everywhere down here .
This is his dream .
Jon Loveberry , everywhere you look.
” For generations of Loveberrys , this holiday season is not about getting through the first Christmas without Jon .
Instead , the family is honoring their beloved patriarch by carrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creating memories for other families looking to bring home a Loveberry Christmas tree .
“ Nothing will overwhelm us .
Because we lived with Jon Loveberry , ” said Virginia Loveberry , his wife of 61 years .
Virginia now owns Loveberry Farms .
Lisha is a sixth grade teacher for Marshall Public Schools , and her brother , Doug , is the owner of a campground on the Michigan-Ohio border .
The two help with the tree operation , while additional staff are hired to help prune the trees and to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Santa also makes an appearance at the farm .
“ I spoke with people this weekend about how fun it is to be involved in so many Christmases and to see families come together , ” Doug said .
“ But yet , that ’ s what happens for us too .
Our family comes together because of this.
” The family ’ s Victorian-style home sits on a hill just a stone ’ s throw from the cabin and a lot filled with pre-cut Christmas trees .
Inside the house , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the man she married in 1958 , a year after they graduated from Quincy High School .
“ I didn ’ t want to go with Jon and didn ’ t want to have anything to do with him , ” Virginia quipped .
“ But he showed me how a man , a guy , would treat a girl with respect .
I never had anybody open the door for me .
I felt almost embarrassed .
My father was kind of a rough guy .
So I thought , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I think I need this guy in my life.
” After high school , Jon worked at the Quincy Ice Company before he and his brother Jim purchased Warner Oil Company in Coldwater in 1970 .
In 1974 , with Virginia expecting the couple ’ s fifth child , they purchased the farm .
“ Dad had never farmed before , and he wanted to try it .
So he did , ” Lisha said .
“ He was an entrepreneur and he just continued to reinvent himself over and over again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then on top of it a farmer , then on top of it a Christmas tree farmer.
” The Christmas tree farm didn ’ t come until later in life .
The first tree seeds were planted at Loveberry Farms shortly after Jon retired from the petroleum industry in 2001 .
It opened its doors to the public in 2006 - it takes between four and 15 years for a Christmas tree to grow - and has remained a holiday destination in south central Michigan ever since .
“ A guy that retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , ” Lisha said .
“ What a role model for people to look up to .
You don ’ t have to stop .
You keep dreaming.
” It wasn ’ t Jon ’ s first effort to plant Christmas trees .
He had previously tried unsuccessfully on some land in Coldwater through a government program .
Virginia believes the idea of running a Christmas tree farm was planted long before his retirement , when he would take his own family out to tree farms to cut their own .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree , ” Virginia said .
“ The last tree I remember all of us cutting down was so big .
It was a disaster .
‘ I don ’ t think it ’ s going to work.
’ We tried to get it into the door .
The branches didn ’ t lay , they were hanging .
It was not a nice tree , but it had a big trunk.
” When he began running his own tree farm , Jon was known to give Christmas trees away to those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had fallen on hard times .
He at least would make the prices more affordable .
“ This is personal .
This isn ’ t selling trees to make money .
It ’ s the people , ” Doug said emotionally .
“ That was dad.
” Jon continued working the tree farm even as his health deteriorated .
But , in September of 2019 , he began having severe back pain and could no longer make it down to the log cabin .
It was soon discovered he had bone cancer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive around-the-clock care if he moved into Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Coldwater as he continued to fight cancer for the third time in his life .
“ He was at Maple Lawn in his gown , I bent over the bed to kiss him and started to cry , and he said , ‘ Now don ’ t start that !
’ ” Virginia said .
“ The next day I went and said , ‘ What am I going to do without you ?
’ And he said , ‘ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I took that as he does not want me to be unhappy.
” After Jon passed in April , he was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Quincy .
The family was unable to hold a large funeral service due to the COVID-19 pandemic , but they were grateful for the many visitors who stopped by in his final days .
Soon , the Loveberrys had to make a decision about the future of the farm .
With Virginia ’ s blessing , they decided to forge ahead and plant seeds a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really interesting how it was timed out that way , ” Lisha said .
“ It was just the Lord bringing us together , because I don ’ t know if we wanted to do that at that moment , but we are doing it , like a labor of love for dad .
”

QUINCY, Mich. (AP) - Just before sunset on a recent Tuesday, 16-year-old Luke Loveberry bundled and carried a Christmas tree into the back of a stranger’s pickup truck.
His 18-year-old sister, Addie Loveberry was working behind the register, answering phone calls inside the small log-cabin gift shop that her grandfather, Jon Loveberry, built for his family business, Loveberry’s Tree Farm in Quincy.
“I don’t know anything else during Christmas time except for the Christmas tree farm,” Addie told the Battle Creek Enquirer. “I was like 10 when I started doing odd jobs around here. Roasted chestnuts for a while, then I moved on to serving hot chocolate and restocking things. Last year, I started working in the cabin where it’s warm.”
Jon Loveberry died on April 9 following his third bout with cancer. He was 81. It’s the farm’s first Christmas season without him.
“I don’t know how many times I look up and expect him to walk through that door or come around the corner and I expect him to be sitting in that chair by the fire,” said Lisha Loveberry, Luke and Addie’s aunt, sitting on a couch near the fireplace inside the cabin. “He always wore a Stormy Kromer hat. He’s everywhere down here. This is his dream. Jon Loveberry, everywhere you look.”
For generations of Loveberrys, this holiday season is not about getting through the first Christmas without Jon. Instead, the family is honoring their beloved patriarch by carrying on his legacy of spreading cheer by creating memories for other families looking to bring home a Loveberry Christmas tree.
“Nothing will overwhelm us. Because we lived with Jon Loveberry,” said Virginia Loveberry, his wife of 61 years.
Virginia now owns Loveberry Farms. Lisha is a sixth grade teacher for Marshall Public Schools, and her brother, Doug, is the owner of a campground on the Michigan-Ohio border. The two help with the tree operation, while additional staff are hired to help prune the trees and to take families on carriage rides on weekends, when Santa also makes an appearance at the farm.
“I spoke with people this weekend about how fun it is to be involved in so many Christmases and to see families come together,” Doug said. “But yet, that’s what happens for us too. Our family comes together because of this.”
The family’s Victorian-style home sits on a hill just a stone’s throw from the cabin and a lot filled with pre-cut Christmas trees. Inside the house, Christmas music played as Virginia shared stories about the man she married in 1958, a year after they graduated from Quincy High School.
“I didn’t want to go with Jon and didn’t want to have anything to do with him,” Virginia quipped. “But he showed me how a man, a guy, would treat a girl with respect. I never had anybody open the door for me. I felt almost embarrassed. My father was kind of a rough guy. So I thought, I couldn’t mess up on this because I think I need this guy in my life.”
After high school, Jon worked at the Quincy Ice Company before he and his brother Jim purchased Warner Oil Company in Coldwater in 1970. In 1974, with Virginia expecting the couple’s fifth child, they purchased the farm.
“Dad had never farmed before, and he wanted to try it. So he did,” Lisha said. “He was an entrepreneur and he just continued to reinvent himself over and over again. He was a business man, then on top of it a farmer, then on top of it a Christmas tree farmer.”
The Christmas tree farm didn’t come until later in life. The first tree seeds were planted at Loveberry Farms shortly after Jon retired from the petroleum industry in 2001. It opened its doors to the public in 2006 - it takes between four and 15 years for a Christmas tree to grow - and has remained a holiday destination in south central Michigan ever since.
“A guy that retired had a dream to start a new business,” Lisha said. “What a role model for people to look up to. You don’t have to stop. You keep dreaming.”
It wasn’t Jon’s first effort to plant Christmas trees. He had previously tried unsuccessfully on some land in Coldwater through a government program. Virginia believes the idea of running a Christmas tree farm was planted long before his retirement, when he would take his own family out to tree farms to cut their own.
“He was always anxious to get the tree,” Virginia said. “The last tree I remember all of us cutting down was so big. It was a disaster. ‘I don’t think it’s going to work.’ We tried to get it into the door. The branches didn’t lay, they were hanging. It was not a nice tree, but it had a big trunk.”
Lisha added, “The bad ones make the good stories.”
When he began running his own tree farm, Jon was known to give Christmas trees away to those who were in the military or those who had fallen on hard times. He at least would make the prices more affordable.
“This is personal. This isn’t selling trees to make money. It’s the people,” Doug said emotionally. “That was dad.”
Jon continued working the tree farm even as his health deteriorated. But, in September of 2019, he began having severe back pain and could no longer make it down to the log cabin. It was soon discovered he had bone cancer.
Eventually, it was determined Jon would receive around-the-clock care if he moved into Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Coldwater as he continued to fight cancer for the third time in his life.
“He was at Maple Lawn in his gown, I bent over the bed to kiss him and started to cry, and he said, ‘Now don’t start that!’” Virginia said. “The next day I went and said, ‘What am I going to do without you?’ And he said, ‘You are going to serve Jesus.’ So I took that as he does not want me to be unhappy.”
After Jon passed in April, he was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Quincy. The family was unable to hold a large funeral service due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they were grateful for the many visitors who stopped by in his final days.
Soon, the Loveberrys had to make a decision about the future of the farm. With Virginia’s blessing, they decided to forge ahead and plant seeds a week after his passing.
“It was really interesting how it was timed out that way,” Lisha said. “It was just the Lord bringing us together, because I don’t know if we wanted to do that at that moment, but we are doing it, like a labor of love for dad.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Dubuque group wants to continue offering free meals

DUBUQUE , Iowa ( AP ) - A Dubuque nonprofit launched an initiative to feed hungry neighbors when the coronavirus pandemic upended the organization ’ s usual business model , and now it seeks community support to continue and expand the effort in 2021 .
Convivium Urban Farmstead , 2811 Jackson St. , has provided 1,150 free casseroles to Dubuque residents in need during the past 12 weeks .
“ This became a way we solved a problem for ourselves and for the community , ” Leslie Shalabi , Convivium ’ s co-founder , told the Telegraph Herald of Dubuque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use in an on-site restaurant and during hands-on classes devoted to nutritious eating .
“ COVID hit , and it changed things quite a bit , ” Shalabi said .
The restaurant ’ s menu changed , and Convivium backed away from hands-on instruction to minimize health risks .
However , the organization ’ s produce kept growing .
“ We had 3,000 pounds of produce , ” Shalabi said .
“ Our challenge was how to use it up while maintaining our mission.
” Convivium officials decided to launch Community Casseroles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , healthy vegetable , grain and protein-based casseroles to local residents in need .
Each casserole feeds six people .
A disruption in food intake or eating patterns due to lack of money or other resources is known as “ food insecurity.
” Information for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque ’ s third annual Data Walk event found that the number of “ food insecure ” people in Dubuque County rose from 8,500 people before the coronavirus pandemic struck to 13,455 as of October , an increase from 8.8 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Data Walk research also indicated a lack of food resources in Convivium ’ s general neighborhood .
“ We did also map out where food distribution sites are located , and the North End around Convivium has fewer food distribution sites than other parts of the city , ” said Jason Neises , the community foundation ’ s community development coordinator .
Community Casseroles program coordinator Natalie Roling said a social media post announcing the start of the initiative “ went viral.
” “ It got about 50,000 views and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Social media and word of mouth alerted local residents to the program , and Community Casseroles has provided meals to 323 different households through last week .
More than 100 of the households have children , and a survey by Convivium indicated that 48 % of the recipient households had total incomes of less than $ 25,000 .
Volunteers assemble and distribute the casseroles weekly at Convivium .
Leanne Golinvaux and Lisa Landgraf have volunteered each week in the effort .
“ I thought it was a worthwhile program , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nutritious and free.
” Landgraf said the casseroles are already baked .
“ So when we hand out the casseroles , we also hand out a sheet on reheating instructions and the actual recipes , in case people want to make it themselves , ” Landgraf said .
The casseroles cost about $ 25 each to produce - a figure that includes Convivium ’ s overhead , purchased ingredients and containers for the meals , according to Shalabi .
A City of Dubuque grant funded the initial , 12-week pilot program , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intends to continue the program in 2021 , providing meals for the first six months of the year and increasing the number of meals distributed weekly from 100 to 150 .
Plans also call for two more distribution locations in different parts of the city and delivering meals to those who can ’ t leave their homes , in partnership with DuRide .
“ We will need more funding , ” she said .

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - A Dubuque nonprofit launched an initiative to feed hungry neighbors when the coronavirus pandemic upended the organization’s usual business model, and now it seeks community support to continue and expand the effort in 2021.
Convivium Urban Farmstead, 2811 Jackson St., has provided 1,150 free casseroles to Dubuque residents in need during the past 12 weeks.
“This became a way we solved a problem for ourselves and for the community,” Leslie Shalabi, Convivium’s co-founder, told the Telegraph Herald of Dubuque.
Convivium grows its own produce for use in an on-site restaurant and during hands-on classes devoted to nutritious eating.
“COVID hit, and it changed things quite a bit,” Shalabi said.
The restaurant’s menu changed, and Convivium backed away from hands-on instruction to minimize health risks. However, the organization’s produce kept growing.
“We had 3,000 pounds of produce,” Shalabi said. “Our challenge was how to use it up while maintaining our mission.”
Convivium officials decided to launch Community Casseroles, an initiative to produce and distribute free, healthy vegetable, grain and protein-based casseroles to local residents in need. Each casserole feeds six people.
A disruption in food intake or eating patterns due to lack of money or other resources is known as “food insecurity.”
Information for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s third annual Data Walk event found that the number of “food insecure” people in Dubuque County rose from 8,500 people before the coronavirus pandemic struck to 13,455 as of October, an increase from 8.8% of the county’s population to 13.9%.
The Data Walk research also indicated a lack of food resources in Convivium’s general neighborhood.
“We did also map out where food distribution sites are located, and the North End around Convivium has fewer food distribution sites than other parts of the city,” said Jason Neises, the community foundation’s community development coordinator.
Community Casseroles program coordinator Natalie Roling said a social media post announcing the start of the initiative “went viral.”
“It got about 50,000 views and was shared nearly 300 times,” Roling said.
Social media and word of mouth alerted local residents to the program, and Community Casseroles has provided meals to 323 different households through last week. More than 100 of the households have children, and a survey by Convivium indicated that 48% of the recipient households had total incomes of less than $25,000.
Volunteers assemble and distribute the casseroles weekly at Convivium.
Leanne Golinvaux and Lisa Landgraf have volunteered each week in the effort.
“I thought it was a worthwhile program,” Golinvaux said. “The food is nutritious and free.”
Landgraf said the casseroles are already baked.
“So when we hand out the casseroles, we also hand out a sheet on reheating instructions and the actual recipes, in case people want to make it themselves,” Landgraf said.
The casseroles cost about $25 each to produce - a figure that includes Convivium’s overhead, purchased ingredients and containers for the meals, according to Shalabi.
A City of Dubuque grant funded the initial, 12-week pilot program, which ends this week.
Shalabi said Convivium intends to continue the program in 2021, providing meals for the first six months of the year and increasing the number of meals distributed weekly from 100 to 150. Plans also call for two more distribution locations in different parts of the city and delivering meals to those who can’t leave their homes, in partnership with DuRide.
“We will need more funding,” she said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Historic Grand Island theater still closed but not forever

GRAND ISLAND , Neb .
( AP ) - Despite being closed for nearly nine months due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the show will go on at the Grand Theatre .
Craig Hand , president of the Grand Theatre Foundation board , said the 83-year-old theater has been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
As businesses were starting to close and notices were being sent out about how contagious COVID-19 is , the board decided to “ err on the side of safety ” and made the decision to temporarily close .
Hand told The Grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be “ a lot more temporary than it has been.
” “ We have had discussions about when to reopen , but Hollywood has pretty much made that decision for us , ” he said .
“ It is very hard to get any new films that are any good because the major markets are all still closed .
Until those open - mainly Los Angeles and New York - there will not be any really good films coming out .
There will be an occasional one here and there , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ; we don ’ t want to try it right now.
” Hand said it also does not make sense for the Grand to show classic films as the theater has to pay a royalty to show them and it is likely that not many people would attend these screenings , making it impossible to pay the royalty and make a profit .
He said that , when the Grand reopens , it will follow COVID-19 guidelines , informed by health experts , from the National Association of Theatre Owners CinemaSafe initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think once the vaccine hits the streets and people can get immunized , then people will be more willing to come out and see movies , ” Hand said .
“ I am hoping when that happens , the theaters in big cities like Los Angeles and New York also will reopen and we will have a good market where the good movies will start coming out again.
” He said being closed for nine months is depleting the Grand ’ s reserve funds but that it “ will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hand said , the Grand was about to sign a contract to put new seating in the theater .
It was expected to be a $ 400,000 project , but because the contract was not signed , the Grand was able to save the money .
While the pandemic delayed the project , Hand said the Grand still plans to add new seating .
Hand said the Grand tried doing curbside concessions like other central Nebraska movie theaters during its closure , but “ it didn ’ t work out so well.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ things at the Grand to help people with taking care of people , ” he said .
“ We have made popcorn to take around to the police stations and the fire stations to give them a little treat here and there .
We also had our volunteers here for a free movie showing where we have had everybody social distance to show them appreciation.
” Hand said that while the Grand may be closed temporarily , as its marquee states , “ We ’ ll be back .
”

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) - Despite being closed for nearly nine months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show will go on at the Grand Theatre.
Craig Hand, president of the Grand Theatre Foundation board, said the 83-year-old theater has been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As businesses were starting to close and notices were being sent out about how contagious COVID-19 is, the board decided to “err on the side of safety” and made the decision to temporarily close.
Hand told The Grand Island Independent the board expected the closure to be “a lot more temporary than it has been.”
“We have had discussions about when to reopen, but Hollywood has pretty much made that decision for us,” he said. “It is very hard to get any new films that are any good because the major markets are all still closed. Until those open - mainly Los Angeles and New York - there will not be any really good films coming out. There will be an occasional one here and there, but we cannot really open it for that; we don’t want to try it right now.”
Hand said it also does not make sense for the Grand to show classic films as the theater has to pay a royalty to show them and it is likely that not many people would attend these screenings, making it impossible to pay the royalty and make a profit.
He said that, when the Grand reopens, it will follow COVID-19 guidelines, informed by health experts, from the National Association of Theatre Owners CinemaSafe initiative to determine how to do so safely.
“I think once the vaccine hits the streets and people can get immunized, then people will be more willing to come out and see movies,” Hand said. “I am hoping when that happens, the theaters in big cities like Los Angeles and New York also will reopen and we will have a good market where the good movies will start coming out again.”
He said being closed for nine months is depleting the Grand’s reserve funds but that it “will be fine.”
Right before the pandemic hit, Hand said, the Grand was about to sign a contract to put new seating in the theater. It was expected to be a $400,000 project, but because the contract was not signed, the Grand was able to save the money.
While the pandemic delayed the project, Hand said the Grand still plans to add new seating.
Hand said the Grand tried doing curbside concessions like other central Nebraska movie theaters during its closure, but “it didn’t work out so well.”
“We have done some interesting things at the Grand to help people with taking care of people,” he said. “We have made popcorn to take around to the police stations and the fire stations to give them a little treat here and there. We also had our volunteers here for a free movie showing where we have had everybody social distance to show them appreciation.”
Hand said that while the Grand may be closed temporarily, as its marquee states, “We’ll be back.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Redemption center closures difficult for groups, individuals

Des Moines ( AP ) - The elderly woman stopped almost weekly at the Pella Can and Bottle Redemption Center .
But until the COVID-19 pandemic hit , owner Sheri Cunningham never knew why .
Then one day last spring the woman approached with tears in her eyes , thanking Cunningham for remaining open .
“ She said she ’ s retired , and her husband had passed away , ” Cunningham recalled .
“ She said she uses the money she gets , about $ 20 each time , to help buy food .
She has heart problems , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes to medical bills.
” As Cunningham was talking to the woman , another customer listening in joined the conversation .
He said the nickels he gets for each can and bottle he brings in help pay for his insulin .
“ On an almost daily basis , this is what I hear , ” Cunningham told the Des Moines Register .
When Gov .
Kim Reynolds shut down can and bottle redemption centers at grocery stores across the state from March until July , many Iowans who cashed in deposits on bags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nowhere to go .
Pella Can and Bottle , one of the largest processors for cities and towns in central Iowa , stayed open .
“ It was absolutely insane , ” Cunningham said .
“ When COVID hit , a lot of redemption centers closed .
But I have a lot of people who depend on me to remain open , so I did.
” People drove 100 miles and even farther so they could exchange all the containers they ’ d piled up during the shutdown .
By Dec. 1 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million worth of containers this year - the most ever , and about $ 40,000 more than last year .
“ This is something I have never done .
When I first purchased my center 20 years ago , my revenue was $ 200,000 , ” she said .
“ Looking at it from a recycling standpoint , that means this year to date my center alone has recycled 16,666,667 containers.
” What happens at redemption centers illustrates why Iowa ’ s nearly 42-year-old bottle bill has become invaluable to charities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixed incomes .
Bags of beverage bottles and cans add up to revenue for food pantries , Boy Scout troops , school bands and Rotary and Kiwanis clubs .
They help pay for weddings and funerals , supplement seniors ’ Social Security checks , provide cash for the homeless and extras for families scraping by on tight budgets .
The centers became even more important this year during the deep recession caused by the pandemic .
But many have shut down or cut their hours because of health concerns .
Some were in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more rural areas , because too few containers were being turned in to cover costs .
For members of St. Malachy Parish in Madrid , about an hour from Pella , collecting cans and bottles for redemption has long been a way to help others .
For years , Dwight Frideres and his wife , Judy , helped collect the recyclables at the church so he could take truckloads about 10 minutes away to a redemption center in Woodward run largely by people with disabilities .
When the coronavirus pandemic hit Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center shut down .
Frideres suddenly had no place to take mounds of recyclables .
“ It was pretty comical , ” his wife said .
“ You couldn ’ t walk through his woodworking shop … We also had boxes and boxes of wine and beer bottles stacked up in the garage.
” Eventually she found another center that was open about an hour away in Jefferson .
More recently , her husband has been taking truckloads to a center in Nevada , about 30 miles .
“ The church ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips and outings , ” she said .
“ But for my husband , doing this is more personal .
He has a fish and wildlife degree and a background in conservation .
So it ’ s a win-win .
He keeps stuff out of landfills , and the kids benefit.
” Cunningham has set aside a large room with stalls in the back of her well-organized center to collect recyclables gathered by an ever-changing mix of community groups .
Others haul them in trailers , which they park in back of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count them .
“ Ninety percent of those who come here will wind up spending money in Pella when they ’ re done , ” Cunningham said .
In addition to collecting the thousands of containers her employees sort for different fundraisers across Iowa , Cunningham has set up three sheds in the front of her business so people can donate cans and bottles to benefit causes of their choosing .
Deposits from the cans and bottles placed in one of the sheds go to people with disabilities at Pella ’ s Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two others almost always go to help causes for local youth .
Two years ago , donations over three months brought in $ 3,000 for a high school band trip .
This past summer , customers donated containers that generated $ 1,700 for a show choir trip .
In all , fundraising efforts at Pella Can and Redemption brought in more than $ 106,000 by mid-November for organizations in 19 communities across Iowa , and $ 19,000 for others in Pella , according to Cunningham ’ s tally .
“ I absolutely love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do this , ” she said .
“ Recycling ’ s great , but I know I can help different organizations , and I can ’ t ever say no.
” In Iowa and several of the other U.S. states that have bottle bills , redemption centers have faced a deepening economic crisis as handling fees for deposits have failed to keep up with inflation .
Iowa ’ s 5-cent deposit is among the lowest in the 10 U.S. states with bottle bills .
Redemption centers and retailers get just a penny for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 40 years , they have been asking us to work on the same penny , ” Cunningham said .
“ But back then , you might have spent $ 4 for a case of pop , and now it ’ s more like $ 10.
” A former accountant who has been in the business more than 20 years , Cunningham , 55 , has fared better than many competitors , some of whom have closed shop because they were unable to cover costs at the current rate of reimbursement .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to remain in business if she didn ’ t charge service fees for handling the recycling in bulk or for a driver to pick up collected containers .
Customers pay 65 cents for an industrial-sized bag they can fill and return if they don ’ t want to stand around and wait for employees to count each container by hand .
They receive deposits back based on an estimate that deducts the add-on fee for the bag .
Some grocers also help cover her costs .
The Hy-Vee in Pella has steadfastly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years for center workers to process its cans and bottles .
A divorced single mother of two , Cunningham keeps her overhead low .
She says she currently has 12 employees and could use 12 more , but she can not afford them .
“ I did consider buying reverse vending machines , ” she said , referring to the automated container return machines common in supermarket redemption rooms .
“ But it ’ s almost a $ 200,000 investment , and here ’ s my thing : If I was 20 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m 10 years away from retiring .
Do I want to invest in a piece of equipment that can end my entire career with one vote at the Legislature ?
” She says she knows she ’ d have more competition if the Legislature raised the penny handling fee she receives for each container to 2 cents , which many in the industry insist is needed .
But there ’ s also pressure for the Legislature , which begins its 2021 session next month , to do away with the redemption law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirees , families , churches , volunteer groups and schools that rely on the deposit money ?
“ I have mixed feelings about what they might do , ” Cunningham said .

Des Moines (AP) - The elderly woman stopped almost weekly at the Pella Can and Bottle Redemption Center. But until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, owner Sheri Cunningham never knew why.
Then one day last spring the woman approached with tears in her eyes, thanking Cunningham for remaining open.
“She said she’s retired, and her husband had passed away,” Cunningham recalled. “She said she uses the money she gets, about $20 each time, to help buy food. She has heart problems, so the majority of her retirement money goes to medical bills.”
As Cunningham was talking to the woman, another customer listening in joined the conversation. He said the nickels he gets for each can and bottle he brings in help pay for his insulin.
“On an almost daily basis, this is what I hear,” Cunningham told the Des Moines Register.
When Gov. Kim Reynolds shut down can and bottle redemption centers at grocery stores across the state from March until July, many Iowans who cashed in deposits on bags full of empty containers found they had nowhere to go.
Pella Can and Bottle, one of the largest processors for cities and towns in central Iowa, stayed open.
“It was absolutely insane,” Cunningham said. “When COVID hit, a lot of redemption centers closed. But I have a lot of people who depend on me to remain open, so I did.”
People drove 100 miles and even farther so they could exchange all the containers they’d piled up during the shutdown.
By Dec. 1, Cunningham’s employees had sorted $1 million worth of containers this year - the most ever, and about $40,000 more than last year.
“This is something I have never done. When I first purchased my center 20 years ago, my revenue was $200,000,” she said. “Looking at it from a recycling standpoint, that means this year to date my center alone has recycled 16,666,667 containers.”
What happens at redemption centers illustrates why Iowa’s nearly 42-year-old bottle bill has become invaluable to charities and fundraisers, as well as people on fixed incomes.
Bags of beverage bottles and cans add up to revenue for food pantries, Boy Scout troops, school bands and Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. They help pay for weddings and funerals, supplement seniors’ Social Security checks, provide cash for the homeless and extras for families scraping by on tight budgets.
The centers became even more important this year during the deep recession caused by the pandemic. But many have shut down or cut their hours because of health concerns. Some were in trouble even before the pandemic, especially in more rural areas, because too few containers were being turned in to cover costs.
For members of St. Malachy Parish in Madrid, about an hour from Pella, collecting cans and bottles for redemption has long been a way to help others.
For years, Dwight Frideres and his wife, Judy, helped collect the recyclables at the church so he could take truckloads about 10 minutes away to a redemption center in Woodward run largely by people with disabilities.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit Iowa in March, however, the redemption center shut down. Frideres suddenly had no place to take mounds of recyclables.
“It was pretty comical,” his wife said. “You couldn’t walk through his woodworking shop … We also had boxes and boxes of wine and beer bottles stacked up in the garage.”
Eventually she found another center that was open about an hour away in Jefferson. More recently, her husband has been taking truckloads to a center in Nevada, about 30 miles.
“The church’s youth group needs the money for mission trips and outings,” she said. “But for my husband, doing this is more personal. He has a fish and wildlife degree and a background in conservation. So it’s a win-win. He keeps stuff out of landfills, and the kids benefit.”
Cunningham has set aside a large room with stalls in the back of her well-organized center to collect recyclables gathered by an ever-changing mix of community groups. Others haul them in trailers, which they park in back of the business until her employees have time to count them.
“Ninety percent of those who come here will wind up spending money in Pella when they’re done,” Cunningham said.
In addition to collecting the thousands of containers her employees sort for different fundraisers across Iowa, Cunningham has set up three sheds in the front of her business so people can donate cans and bottles to benefit causes of their choosing.
Deposits from the cans and bottles placed in one of the sheds go to people with disabilities at Pella’s Christian Opportunity Center. The proceeds from the two others almost always go to help causes for local youth.
Two years ago, donations over three months brought in $3,000 for a high school band trip. This past summer, customers donated containers that generated $1,700 for a show choir trip.
In all, fundraising efforts at Pella Can and Redemption brought in more than $106,000 by mid-November for organizations in 19 communities across Iowa, and $19,000 for others in Pella, according to Cunningham’s tally.
“I absolutely love fundraisers. That’s why I do this,” she said. “Recycling’s great, but I know I can help different organizations, and I can’t ever say no.”
In Iowa and several of the other U.S. states that have bottle bills, redemption centers have faced a deepening economic crisis as handling fees for deposits have failed to keep up with inflation.
Iowa’s 5-cent deposit is among the lowest in the 10 U.S. states with bottle bills. Redemption centers and retailers get just a penny for sorting the containers.
“For more than 40 years, they have been asking us to work on the same penny,” Cunningham said. “But back then, you might have spent $4 for a case of pop, and now it’s more like $10.”
A former accountant who has been in the business more than 20 years, Cunningham, 55, has fared better than many competitors, some of whom have closed shop because they were unable to cover costs at the current rate of reimbursement.
She says she likely wouldn’t be able to remain in business if she didn’t charge service fees for handling the recycling in bulk or for a driver to pick up collected containers.
Customers pay 65 cents for an industrial-sized bag they can fill and return if they don’t want to stand around and wait for employees to count each container by hand. They receive deposits back based on an estimate that deducts the add-on fee for the bag.
Some grocers also help cover her costs. The Hy-Vee in Pella has steadfastly paid $500 a month for 20 years for center workers to process its cans and bottles.
A divorced single mother of two, Cunningham keeps her overhead low. She says she currently has 12 employees and could use 12 more, but she cannot afford them.
“I did consider buying reverse vending machines,” she said, referring to the automated container return machines common in supermarket redemption rooms. “But it’s almost a $200,000 investment, and here’s my thing: If I was 20 or 30, I might. But I’m 10 years away from retiring. Do I want to invest in a piece of equipment that can end my entire career with one vote at the Legislature?”
She says she knows she’d have more competition if the Legislature raised the penny handling fee she receives for each container to 2 cents, which many in the industry insist is needed.
But there’s also pressure for the Legislature, which begins its 2021 session next month, to do away with the redemption law. But what would happen to the retirees, families, churches, volunteer groups and schools that rely on the deposit money?
“I have mixed feelings about what they might do,” Cunningham said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Trucks with first COVID-19 vaccine in US get ready to roll

The first trucks carrying a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use in the United States were set to pull out of a Michigan manufacturing plant Sunday , with the shots that are critical to stopping the nation ’ s coronavirus outbreak destined to reach states a day later .
An assembly line of workers began in the early morning hours pulling doses out of a freezer , boxing the vaccine and loading the units onto pallets so they could be placed on trucks at a Pfizer plant in Michigan .
Dry ice , shipping labels and packing tape were on hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face shields and gloves - put together the packages inside the warehouse .
One forklift driver transported the boxes to a loading area where a second forklift driver transferred the pallets from inside the facility onto a semitruck .
Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will set in motion the biggest vaccination effort in American history at a critical juncture of the pandemic that has killed 1.6 million and sickened 71 million worldwide .
Initially , about 3 million doses were expected to be sent out , and the priority is health care workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations and deaths soar in the U.S. With numbers likely to get worse over the holidays , the vaccine is offering a bright spot in the fight against the pandemic that ’ s killed nearly 300,000 Americans .
Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer ’ s vaccine will be staggered , arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday , with an additional 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday , and the remaining 66 on Wednesday .
The vaccine , co-developed by German partner BioNTech , is being doled out based on each state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care giant UPMC has chosen staff who are critical to operating its facilities as among those getting the first round of vaccinations , said Dr. Graham Snyder , who led the center ’ s vaccine task force .
“ It ’ s very exciting .
I will be thrilled , that moment when we administer our first dose , ” Snyder said Saturday .
“ That will clearly be a watershed moment for us.
” Snyder said the UPMC system estimates that half its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The vaccine is heading to hospitals and other sites that can store it at extremely low temperatures - about 94 degrees below zero .
Pfizer is using containers with dry ice and GPS-enabled sensors to ensure each shipment stays colder than the weather in Antarctica .
Doses should be delivered to all vaccination sites identified by states , such as local pharmacies , within three weeks , federal officials said .
The 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi expects to receive more than 9,000 doses in the coming days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hospital quality .
Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection , she said .
“ I would say there ’ s enthusiasm , ” Kemmerly said Saturday .
“ There ’ s that thought that maybe they don ’ t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune.
” The rollout will ensure there is enough vaccine to give people the two doses needed for full protection against COVID-19 .
That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doses to give those vaccinated in the first round a second shot a few weeks later .
The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the vaccine Friday , saying it is highly protective and presents no major safety issues .
While U.S. regulators worked for months to emphasize the rigor and independence of their review , they faced political pressure until the final stages .
Concerns that a shot was rushed out could undermine vaccination efforts in a country with deeply ingrained skepticism about vaccines .
The head of the FDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on science , not politics , despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn ’ t approved before Saturday .
While the vaccine was determined to be safe , regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions .
The FDA ’ s instructions tell providers not give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients .
Another vaccine by Moderna will be reviewed by an expert panel this week and soon afterward could be allowed for public use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from New York and Scolforo from Harrisburg , Pennsylvania .
Associated Press Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard in Alexandria , Virginia , and Health Writer Candice Choi in New York contributed to this story .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

MATTHEW PERRONE, MIKE STOBBE and MARK SCOLFORO

PORTAGE, Michigan (AP) - The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday, as the nation’s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000.
The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history - one that health officials hope the American public will embrace, even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry. Shots are expected to be given to health care workers and nursing home residents beginning Monday.
Quick transport is key for the vaccine, especially since this one must be stored at extremely low temperatures - about 94 degrees below zero. Early Sunday, workers at Pfizer - dressed in fluorescent yellow clothing, hard hats and gloves - wasted no time as they packed vials into boxes. They scanned the packages and then placed them into freezer cases with dry ice. The vaccines were then taken from Pfizer’s Portage, Michigan, facility to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, where the first cargo plane took off amid what airport officials called a “jubilant” mood.
“This is a historic day,” said Richard W. Smith, who oversees operations in the Americas for FedEx Express, which is delivering 630-some packages of vaccine to distribution sites across the country. United Parcel Service also is transporting a share of the vaccine.
Helping with the transport of the vaccine has special meaning to Bruce Smith, a FedEx package handler at the Grand Rapids airport, whose older sister, Queen, died after she contracted the coronavirus in May. She was hospitalized in Georgia one day after he saw her on a video chat, and they never spoke again.
“I think she would be ecstatic to know that something that has ravaged our family - that a family member is going to be part of such a big project,” said Smith, 58, whose nephew, Queen’s son, also got sick and is still undergoing therapy for stroke-like symptoms. “It is very, very important.”
Tracked with GPS-enabled sensors, the initial shipments were expected to contain about 3 million doses, with many more to come. Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with another 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. Doses of the vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, are given out based on each state’s adult population. Then the states decide where they go first.
In California, where health care workers will be among the first to be vaccinated, state health officials are prioritizing hospitals that have adequate storage capacity, serve high-risk populations and have the ability to vaccinate people quickly.
Initial surveys have found that even some health care workers don’t want to be first in line. Dr. Graham Snyder, who’s led the vaccine task force at Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC, estimates that about half of its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered.
But many health officials expect enthusiasm to grow.
“There’s that thought that maybe they don’t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune,” said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, medical director of hospital quality at the 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi. Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection, she said. Enough vaccine is being saved so that each person who gets the first dose of vaccine can get a second required shot a few weeks later.
Senior U.S. government officials, including some White House officials who work in close proximity to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, are among those who will be offered coronavirus vaccines as soon as this week, two people familiar with the matter confirmed.
A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Another quarter aren’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the vaccines have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes.
Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the FDA, which approved the Pfizer vaccine Friday, has repeatedly insisted that the agency’s decision was based on science, not politics, despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn’t approved before Saturday.
Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed, a U.S. effort to get vaccines developed quickly, also said he is “very concerned” about the skepticism about the vaccine in some circles.
“Unfortunately … there’s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is, and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners …,” Slaoui said. “I can guarantee you that no such things have happened, that we follow the science.”
He called the development of vaccines from several pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna and AstraZeneca, “a remarkable achievement of science, academia, the industry ecosystem and the U.S. government, working together.”
While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients.
The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel Thursday and soon afterward could be allowed for public use.
—
Irvine reported from Chicago. Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--California attorney general tells clubs to follow order

SAN DIEGO ( AP ) - California ’ s attorney general has told the owners of two San Diego strip clubs to follow orders because he said they are violating the state ’ s new stay-at-home policy , which bars social gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus .
In a letter sent Friday to Midway Ventures LLC and F-12 Entertainment Group , the owners of Pacers Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen ’ s Club , respectively , Xavier Becerra said the clubs must change their policies because they are in violation of the order , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California .
“ Specifically , the Regional Stay at Home Order requires that restaurants , including your clients ’ restaurants , may continue to operate for carry-out and delivery services but may not offer indoor or outdoor dining or other services that cause people from different households to come into contact for extended periods of time and thereby increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19 , ” Becerra said .
“ Therefore , MIDWAY AND F-12 are hereby ordered to cease and desist from operating in violation of the Regional Stay at Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursue legal action if the companies don ’ t comply .
The clubs could not immediately be reached for comment .
The clubs sued the county in October after officials ordered them to close , saying live entertainment was not allowed under the public health order .
A judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 6 , protecting the establishments from enforcement actions by state and local officials , though the businesses must still adhere to a 10 p.m. curfew and close early .
San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil sided with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ constitutionally protected speech ” and said the harm would be greater to the businesses than to the government .
That argument set the strip clubs apart from restaurants or gyms , whose pleas to allow indoor activity was rejected by another San Diego judge last month when the county moved into the state ’ s most restrictive tier because of spiraling coronavirus cases .

SAN DIEGO (AP) - California’s attorney general has told the owners of two San Diego strip clubs to follow orders because he said they are violating the state’s new stay-at-home policy, which bars social gatherings in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
In a letter sent Friday to Midway Ventures LLC and F-12 Entertainment Group, the owners of Pacers Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club, respectively, Xavier Becerra said the clubs must change their policies because they are in violation of the order, issued Dec. 6, that covers Southern California.
“Specifically, the Regional Stay at Home Order requires that restaurants, including your clients’ restaurants, may continue to operate for carry-out and delivery services but may not offer indoor or outdoor dining or other services that cause people from different households to come into contact for extended periods of time and thereby increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19,” Becerra said.
“Therefore, MIDWAY AND F-12 are hereby ordered to cease and desist from operating in violation of the Regional Stay at Home Order.”
Becerra said the state will pursue legal action if the companies don’t comply. The clubs could not immediately be reached for comment.
The clubs sued the county in October after officials ordered them to close, saying live entertainment was not allowed under the public health order.
A judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 6, protecting the establishments from enforcement actions by state and local officials, though the businesses must still adhere to a 10 p.m. curfew and close early.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil sided with the clubs, saying adult live entertainment is “constitutionally protected speech” and said the harm would be greater to the businesses than to the government.
That argument set the strip clubs apart from restaurants or gyms, whose pleas to allow indoor activity was rejected by another San Diego judge last month when the county moved into the state’s most restrictive tier because of spiraling coronavirus cases.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Body of missing worker in Ohio power plant collapse found

MANCHESTER , Ohio ( AP ) - Crews recovered the body of one of two workers missing since a power @ @ @ @ @ Ohio collapsed early Wednesday .
The man was found dead in the rubble of the @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday , news outlets reported .
The other man was still missing .
Workers @ @ @ @ @ were leading the search effort .
Authorities said the rescue efforts had shifted into a @ @ @ @ @ were using heavy equipment to sift through the debris .
Three other workers who were @ @ @ @ @ hours of the collapse and taken to a hospital .
Their conditions weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ ’ t known what caused the power plant to collapse .
The coal-fired generating station @ @ @ @ @ in May 2018 .
It is located some 75 miles ( 120 kilometers ) east @ @ @ @ @ reported it was scheduled to be demolished on Monday .

MANCHESTER, Ohio (AP) - A worker whose body was recovered from the debris of a collapsed power plant in southern Ohio was identified Sunday as a 42-year-old northeastern Kentucky man.
Doug Gray was killed in the collapse, according to an email from Pat Crowley, a spokesperson for Detroit-based demolition contractor Adamo Group. Gray was from Greenup County, Kentucky, near Ashland, Crowley said.
Another man remained missing following the collapse of the Killen Generating Station in Manchester last Wednesday. Authorities haven’t publicly identified the worker who is still missing.
Gray was found dead in the rubble on Saturday, news outlets reported.
Workers for the Adamo Group were leading the search effort. Authorities said the rescue efforts had shifted into a recovery mission.
The crews were using heavy equipment to sift through the debris. Three other workers who were trapped had been rescued within hours of the collapse and taken to a hospital. Their conditions weren’t made public.
It wasn’t known what caused the power plant, which was set to be demolished, to collapse. The coal-fired generating station opened in 1982 and closed in May 2018. It is located some 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Cincinnati. News outlets reported it was scheduled to be torn down Monday.
__
This story has been updated to correct the name of the contractor. It is Adamo Group, not Adam’s Group.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Chinese capsule with moon rocks begins return to Earth

BEIJING ( AP ) - A Chinese space capsule bringing back the first moon rocks in more than four decades started its three-day return to Earth on Sunday .
The Chang ’ e 5 lunar probe , which had been orbiting the moon for about a week , fired up four engines for about 22 minutes to move out of the moon ’ s orbit , the China National Space Administration said in a social media post .
The craft ’ s lander touched down on the moon earlier this month close to a formation called the Mons Rumker , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site of ancient volcanic activity .
It collected about 2 kilograms ( 4.4 pounds ) of samples .
The return capsule is expected to land in northern China in the Inner Mongolia region after separating from the rest of the spacecraft and floating down on parachutes .
The material would be the first brought back since the Soviet Union ’ s Luna 24 probe in 1976 .
The rocks and other debris were obtained both by drilling into the moon ’ s crust and scooping directly off the surface .
They may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back by earlier U.S. and Soviet missions , possibly offering insights into the moon ’ s history and that of other bodies in the solar system .
China has set up labs to analyze the samples for age and composition and is also expected to share some of them with other countries , as was done with the hundreds of kilograms ( pounds ) brought back by the U.S. and former Soviet Union .
China ’ s space program has a series of ambitious missions underway , including a probe en route to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program , named after the ancient Chinese moon goddess , has been operating the Chang ’ e 4 probe on the moon ’ s less explored far side for the past two years .
Future plans call for returning a human to the moon and perhaps a permanent moon base .
China is also building a space station to begin operating as early as 2022 .

BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese space capsule bringing back the first moon rocks in more than four decades started its three-day return to Earth on Sunday.
The Chang’e 5 lunar probe, which had been orbiting the moon for about a week, fired up four engines for about 22 minutes to move out of the moon’s orbit, the China National Space Administration said in a social media post.
The craft’s lander touched down on the moon earlier this month close to a formation called the Mons Rumker, an area believed to have been the site of ancient volcanic activity. It collected about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of samples.
The return capsule is expected to land in northern China in the Inner Mongolia region after separating from the rest of the spacecraft and floating down on parachutes. The material would be the first brought back since the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 probe in 1976.
The rocks and other debris were obtained both by drilling into the moon’s crust and scooping directly off the surface. They may be billions of years younger than those brought back by earlier U.S. and Soviet missions, possibly offering insights into the moon’s history and that of other bodies in the solar system.
China has set up labs to analyze the samples for age and composition and is also expected to share some of them with other countries, as was done with the hundreds of kilograms (pounds) brought back by the U.S. and former Soviet Union.
China’s space program has a series of ambitious missions underway, including a probe en route to Mars. The Chang’e lunar program, named after the ancient Chinese moon goddess, has been operating the Chang’e 4 probe on the moon’s less explored far side for the past two years.
Future plans call for returning a human to the moon and perhaps a permanent moon base. China is also building a space station to begin operating as early as 2022.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Outgoing mayor looks forward after 12-year service in SC

BEAUFORT , S.C. ( AP ) - The mayor of Beaufort , who has worked to shape a legacy of bringing people together , has spent his final months as an elected official socially distant and in contact with city leaders via video conference .
Perhaps there is irony there , but Billy Keyserling pressed on with his soft-spoken sense of diplomacy anyway .
Amid city protests this summer after the death of George Floyd , he brokered a conversation with police and community activists .
And in one of his final meetings as mayor in November , he invited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black leaders to talk about the future of the city ’ s Civil War monuments .
His leadership style is not always embraced by everyone , including , perhaps , incoming Mayor Stephen Murray , who feels a hammer is sometimes necessary and that some spirited disagreement is healthy .
But it ’ s clear how Keyserling hopes his tenure is viewed in navigating the city through major infrastructure projects , hurricanes and now a pandemic , while helping secure a Reconstruction Era National Park in northern Beaufort County : as an era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you ’ ve watched the way I ’ ve worked for 12 years on council , it ’ s always to be inclusive of the ideas and thoughts and wishes of every council member , ” Keyserling said .
“ Plus we ’ ve never limited public comment.
” Keyserling said he plans to step back and allow a new City Council to work when Murray is sworn in as mayor and newly elected Neil Lipsitz and Mitch Mitchell join the council on Tuesday .
HOW IT STARTED , HOW IT ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Council - and two terms as a state representative - before he was elected mayor in 2008 as the Great Recession was underway .
He had campaigned against plans for a large new municipal complex on Boundary Street , saying the project didn ’ t need to be completed at one time , and city administration could work in the municipal court building until the larger City Hall was needed .
But he got on board once in office .
The special tax district used to help fund the new City Hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million project to transform Boundary Street , work that caused angst among travelers and business owners .
The project , completed in 2018 , helped green-light new development in Beaufort Plaza , with a new Publix grocery store underway and other new businesses expected to follow .
Keyserling advocated the city ’ s purchase of the Beaufort Commerce Park out of foreclosure in 2012 for $ 1.8 million , a deal seen as an opportunity to draw large employers to the Burton area and diversify the local economy .
Eight years later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vision .
But Keyserling has worked to attract companies , the incoming mayor Murray said , though his other work might receive more attention .
Keyserling was an early opponent of oil and gas exploration off the S.C. coast , traveling to Washington , D.C. , on numerous occasions to oppose plans during the Obama and Trump administrations and helping frame the issue as a local one - a stance adopted by municipalities up and down the coast .
The Coastal Conservation League noted Keyserling ’ s leadership .
His “ dedication to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding that it depends on the health of our unique Lowcountry environment , has been unwavering , ” said Jessie White , the league ’ s South Coast director .
The outgoing mayor showed “ early and consistent leadership protecting our coast from offshore drilling , seismic testing , ” White said .
Murray , who was elected to council in 2014 and won the mayoral race over former councilman Mike Sutton in November , noted that “ Billy often sees some of those things early on and is proactive in how he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things .
“ We work on local zoning ; we approve festival permits - there ’ s sort of a narrow box of responsibilities we ’ re in , ” Murray said .
“ To have a conversation to tell residents and ( state and federal officials ) we don ’ t want your offshore testing , it was a little new for some of us on council .
And it tended to be one that is a partisan issue and as a nonpartisan council , we tend to stay out of wholly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged his constituents to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic and donated and distributed thousands of the face coverings .
“ I wish him much success in whatever he ’ s going to do , ” said former Port Royal mayor and friend Samuel Murray .
“ Knowing Billy , he ’ s going to be moving on to doing other things.
” In 2017 President Barack Obama made official a national monument to the Reconstruction Era in Beaufort County , a cause with which Keyserling had been intrinsically involved and has plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nonprofit organization in concert with Community Foundation of the Lowcountry dedicated to advocate for what is now a national park to Reconstruction .
The nonprofit , he anticipates , will equip a network of educators to teach Reconstruction in schools , an effort Keyserling hopes can grow to a nationwide reach .
Keyserling has written a book , “ Sharing Common Ground : Promises Unfulfilled but Not Forgotten , ” recounting those experiences .
The mayor survived a health scare last year when he was hospitalized several days after experiencing breathing difficulties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on St. Helena Island .
Keyserling said he had experienced what ’ s known as “ broken heart syndrome , ” a heart condition brought on by stress .
Subsequent checkups have shown he ’ s healthy , he said .
Before the scare , he had dropped more than 160 pounds , and he says he regularly exercises near his home on Ribaut Island .
His vice remains smoking , as those who have seen Keyserling spark a cigarette at his home during a virtual council meeting can attest .
Keyserling plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city body to chart its own course .
His replacement , Murray , has been a political ally but has challenged Keyserling on some issues , at one point walking out of a public meeting to protest what he felt was the mayor violating proper protocol by tabling a vote .
“ We ’ ve talked a fair amount about the job he ’ s done and the job I hope to do , his strengths and weaknesses , my strengths and weaknesses , ” Murray said .
“ We are a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different .
“ I think Billy gave up on trying to tell me what to do a long time ago , ” Murray said .
“ He ’ s offered more gentle advice , going back to that civility and inclusiveness and allowing the public to be heard - and to make it as easy as possible for them to add input to their local government .
”

STEPHEN FASTENAU, The Beaufort Gazette and The Island Packet

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) - The mayor of Beaufort, who has worked to shape a legacy of bringing people together, has spent his final months as an elected official socially distant and in contact with city leaders via video conference.
Perhaps there is irony there, but Billy Keyserling pressed on with his soft-spoken sense of diplomacy anyway.
Amid city protests this summer after the death of George Floyd, he brokered a conversation with police and community activists. And in one of his final meetings as mayor in November, he invited historians, representatives of Confederacy groups and Black leaders to talk about the future of the city’s Civil War monuments.
His leadership style is not always embraced by everyone, including, perhaps, incoming Mayor Stephen Murray, who feels a hammer is sometimes necessary and that some spirited disagreement is healthy. But it’s clear how Keyserling hopes his tenure is viewed in navigating the city through major infrastructure projects, hurricanes and now a pandemic, while helping secure a Reconstruction Era National Park in northern Beaufort County: as an era of civility and consensus building.
“If you’ve watched the way I’ve worked for 12 years on council, it’s always to be inclusive of the ideas and thoughts and wishes of every council member,” Keyserling said. “Plus we’ve never limited public comment.”
Keyserling said he plans to step back and allow a new City Council to work when Murray is sworn in as mayor and newly elected Neil Lipsitz and Mitch Mitchell join the council on Tuesday.
HOW IT STARTED, HOW IT’S GOING
Keyserling had already served on City Council - and two terms as a state representative - before he was elected mayor in 2008 as the Great Recession was underway.
He had campaigned against plans for a large new municipal complex on Boundary Street, saying the project didn’t need to be completed at one time, and city administration could work in the municipal court building until the larger City Hall was needed. But he got on board once in office.
The special tax district used to help fund the new City Hall later helped pay for a $33 million project to transform Boundary Street, work that caused angst among travelers and business owners. The project, completed in 2018, helped green-light new development in Beaufort Plaza, with a new Publix grocery store underway and other new businesses expected to follow.
Keyserling advocated the city’s purchase of the Beaufort Commerce Park out of foreclosure in 2012 for $1.8 million, a deal seen as an opportunity to draw large employers to the Burton area and diversify the local economy. Eight years later, the city has not yet fulfilled that vision.
But Keyserling has worked to attract companies, the incoming mayor Murray said, though his other work might receive more attention.
Keyserling was an early opponent of oil and gas exploration off the S.C. coast, traveling to Washington, D.C., on numerous occasions to oppose plans during the Obama and Trump administrations and helping frame the issue as a local one - a stance adopted by municipalities up and down the coast.
The Coastal Conservation League noted Keyserling’s leadership. His “dedication to our quality of life, and the understanding that it depends on the health of our unique Lowcountry environment, has been unwavering,” said Jessie White, the league’s South Coast director. The outgoing mayor showed “early and consistent leadership protecting our coast from offshore drilling, seismic testing,” White said.
Murray, who was elected to council in 2014 and won the mayoral race over former councilman Mike Sutton in November, noted that “Billy often sees some of those things early on and is proactive in how he gets the city to move towards those things.
“We work on local zoning; we approve festival permits - there’s sort of a narrow box of responsibilities we’re in,” Murray said. “To have a conversation to tell residents and (state and federal officials) we don’t want your offshore testing, it was a little new for some of us on council. And it tended to be one that is a partisan issue and as a nonpartisan council, we tend to stay out of wholly partisan issues.”
More recently Keyserling had urged his constituents to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic and donated and distributed thousands of the face coverings.
“I wish him much success in whatever he’s going to do,” said former Port Royal mayor and friend Samuel Murray. “Knowing Billy, he’s going to be moving on to doing other things.”
WHAT’S NEXT
In 2017 President Barack Obama made official a national monument to the Reconstruction Era in Beaufort County, a cause with which Keyserling had been intrinsically involved and has plans to continue supporting.
Keyserling has formed a nonprofit organization in concert with Community Foundation of the Lowcountry dedicated to advocate for what is now a national park to Reconstruction. The nonprofit, he anticipates, will equip a network of educators to teach Reconstruction in schools, an effort Keyserling hopes can grow to a nationwide reach.
Keyserling has written a book, “Sharing Common Ground: Promises Unfulfilled but Not Forgotten,” recounting those experiences.
The mayor survived a health scare last year when he was hospitalized several days after experiencing breathing difficulties during a tense meeting at Penn Center on St. Helena Island. Keyserling said he had experienced what’s known as “broken heart syndrome,” a heart condition brought on by stress. Subsequent checkups have shown he’s healthy, he said.
Before the scare, he had dropped more than 160 pounds, and he says he regularly exercises near his home on Ribaut Island. His vice remains smoking, as those who have seen Keyserling spark a cigarette at his home during a virtual council meeting can attest.
Keyserling plans to remain visible but wants the new city body to chart its own course.
His replacement, Murray, has been a political ally but has challenged Keyserling on some issues, at one point walking out of a public meeting to protest what he felt was the mayor violating proper protocol by tabling a vote.
“We’ve talked a fair amount about the job he’s done and the job I hope to do, his strengths and weaknesses, my strengths and weaknesses,” Murray said. “We are a lot alike, but we are a lot different.
“I think Billy gave up on trying to tell me what to do a long time ago,” Murray said. “He’s offered more gentle advice, going back to that civility and inclusiveness and allowing the public to be heard - and to make it as easy as possible for them to add input to their local government.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--NC firefighters celebrate end of co-worker's chemotherapy

SALISBURY , N.C. ( AP ) - Tammy File , the Salisbury Fire Department ’ s administrative assistant , stood outside of Station No .
1 on Wednesday to ring a bell that signaled her final round of chemotherapy .
She was joined for the occasion by dozens of firefighters and other personnel , who surprised File by gathering in front of the station with flowers and balloons .
As she got out of her car Wednesday , File told her husband he couldn ’ t park in front because the firefighters were headed to a call .
At first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then , she was overcome with emotion as she saw the men and women assembled with balloons and flowers .
“ I work with the most wonderful people in the whole world , ” she said .
File had no idea the real reason her husband stepped out of the office was to coordinate her arrival at the station rather than to take her to the doctor .
The original plan was to greet her with a parade of fire trucks in the parking lot of the cancer institute after her final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun to experience numbness in her hands , which is sometimes a side effect of chemotherapy .
Because her cancer was smaller , it meant she could discontinue treatment .
She was finished early .
So , her husband , Doug , and the firefighters switched gears to welcome her at the station several hours earlier than expected .
Doug , who is a cancer survivor also , said it was hard to watch his wife undergo chemotherapy and he would ’ ve much rather trade places with her .
Firefighters Wesley Jackson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lauran McCulloh helped coordinate the surprise .
McCulloh said they were just going to decorate File ’ s office but decided to do more .
Some of the firefighters took a break from training to support and celebrate the end of File ’ s treatment .
Jackson said many of the firefighters know a cancer survivor or someone currently undergoing treatment .
“ Ringing the bell is a big part of being here at the fire department - the bells ring for calls , bells ring to start the day , bells ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ring for your end of tour , but this is not her end of tour , ” Jackson said .
“ She ’ s alive and she ’ s going to be alive for a long time so we got her to ring the bell in celebration.
” He said File is the backbone of the whole fire department operation and is there .
The fact that she continued to work is a testament to her dedication and shows what kind of person she is , Jackson said .
“ She mustered up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure she came in to help us , ” he said .

SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) - Tammy File, the Salisbury Fire Department’s administrative assistant, stood outside of Station No. 1 on Wednesday to ring a bell that signaled her final round of chemotherapy.
She was joined for the occasion by dozens of firefighters and other personnel, who surprised File by gathering in front of the station with flowers and balloons.
As she got out of her car Wednesday, File told her husband he couldn’t park in front because the firefighters were headed to a call. At first, she was confused about the scene. Then, she was overcome with emotion as she saw the men and women assembled with balloons and flowers.
“I work with the most wonderful people in the whole world,” she said.
File had no idea the real reason her husband stepped out of the office was to coordinate her arrival at the station rather than to take her to the doctor.
The original plan was to greet her with a parade of fire trucks in the parking lot of the cancer institute after her final treatment. However, she’d begun to experience numbness in her hands, which is sometimes a side effect of chemotherapy. Because her cancer was smaller, it meant she could discontinue treatment.
She was finished early. So, her husband, Doug, and the firefighters switched gears to welcome her at the station several hours earlier than expected. Doug, who is a cancer survivor also, said it was hard to watch his wife undergo chemotherapy and he would’ve much rather trade places with her.
Firefighters Wesley Jackson and Adrian Gantt along with Capt. Lauran McCulloh helped coordinate the surprise. McCulloh said they were just going to decorate File’s office but decided to do more.
Some of the firefighters took a break from training to support and celebrate the end of File’s treatment.
Jackson said many of the firefighters know a cancer survivor or someone currently undergoing treatment.
“Ringing the bell is a big part of being here at the fire department - the bells ring for calls, bells ring to start the day, bells ring to finish the day and also bells ring for your end of tour, but this is not her end of tour,” Jackson said. “She’s alive and she’s going to be alive for a long time so we got her to ring the bell in celebration.”
He said File is the backbone of the whole fire department operation and is there. The fact that she continued to work is a testament to her dedication and shows what kind of person she is, Jackson said.
“She mustered up every bit of strength she could to make sure she came in to help us,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Roadside bomb wounds 23 near Pakistan police station

ISLAMABAD ( AP ) - A roadside bomb exploded near a police station in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi on Sunday , wounding at least 23 people , police said .
Initially police said a hand grenade was thrown near a water filtration plant across the road from the police station , but a senior Rawalpindi police officer Ahsan Younas later confirmed the blast was from a device planted on the side of the road .
Police said three of the casualties received deep wounds , while others were given medical care and discharged from the hospital .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Pakistani military ’ s headquarters and the offices of the country ’ s spy agencies are located in Rawalpindi , about 15 kilometers ( 9 miles ) south of the capital , Islamabad .
A similar roadside bombing struck Rawalpindi earlier this month , killing one person and wounding seven others near a busy bus terminal .
In June , a roadside bomb went off in a crowded bazaar in the city , killing one and wounding 15 .
Pakistan has witnessed scores of militant attacks on security forces and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a powerful bomb blast killed at least eight students and wounded 136 others at an Islamic seminary on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar .

ISLAMABAD (AP) - A roadside bomb exploded near a police station in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi on Sunday, wounding at least 23 people, police said.
Initially police said a hand grenade was thrown near a water filtration plant across the road from the police station, but a senior Rawalpindi police officer Ahsan Younas later confirmed the blast was from a device planted on the side of the road.
Police said three of the casualties received deep wounds, while others were given medical care and discharged from the hospital.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion.
The Pakistani military’s headquarters and the offices of the country’s spy agencies are located in Rawalpindi, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of the capital, Islamabad.
A similar roadside bombing struck Rawalpindi earlier this month, killing one person and wounding seven others near a busy bus terminal. In June, a roadside bomb went off in a crowded bazaar in the city, killing one and wounding 15.
Pakistan has witnessed scores of militant attacks on security forces and other targets in recent years.
In October, a powerful bomb blast killed at least eight students and wounded 136 others at an Islamic seminary on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar.


washingtontimes--2020-12-13--Student found dead outdoors at Grand Valley State University

ALLENDALE , Mich. ( AP ) - A student ’ s body was discovered on campus at Grand Valley State @ @ @ @ @ “ This is a jarring and shocking event for all of us , ” GVSU @ @ @ @ @ “ Please keep the student ’ s family in your thoughts and offer your support @ @ @ @ @ a friend and fellow student.
” Campus police , state police and the Ottawa County @ @ @ @ @ investigating .
Anyone with information can call ( 616 ) 331-3255 .

ALLENDALE, Mich. (AP) - A student’s body was discovered on campus at Grand Valley State University, authorities said.
A runner found the body near athletic fields Saturday morning.
“This is a jarring and shocking event for all of us,” GVSU President Philomena Mantella said. “Please keep the student’s family in your thoughts and offer your support to those who have lost a friend and fellow student.”
Campus police, state police and the Ottawa County sheriff’s office are investigating. Anyone with information can call (616) 331-3255.