washingtontimes--2020-08-21--Education tax measure certified for November Arizona ballot

PHOENIX ( AP ) - Arizona ’ s Secretary of State has certified that a voter initiative that would boost taxes on high-earning Arizonans to increase school funding will be on the November ballot .
Secretary of State Katie Hobbs announced Friday that a sample of petition sheets sent to county recorders came back with enough verified signatures for the Invest in Education Act to qualify for the ballot .
It will be called Proposition 208 .
The certification means voters will see just two initiatives this November , the education tax and a recreational marijuana legalization initiative , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures whose backers sent qualifying signatures failed to make the ballot .
On Thursday , the state Supreme Court ruled that a measure that would ban surprise medical billing and prevent insurers from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions could not go before voters .
Separately , a lower court judge ruled that backers of another initiative overhauling the state ’ s criminal sentencing laws failed to collect enough qualifying signatures to make the ballot .
Backers of the school tax measure see it as a way to pump about $ 940 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underfunded school system , although the Legislature ’ s budget analysts put the amount at about $ 827 million .
It would impose a 3.5 % tax surcharge on income above $ 250,000 for an individual or above $ 500,000 for couples .
It is opposed by a group backed by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry , which argues the measure would harm small businesses because they usually pay taxes on individual tax returns .
If approved by a majority of voters , half of the new tax will be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % to boosting wages for cafeteria workers , bus drivers and other support staff , and the rest for teacher training , vocational education and other initiatives .
The initiative was the latest outgrowth from a teachers strike two years ago that highlighted low wages for educators and a slow rebound from budget cuts enacted during the Great Recession .
The walkout secured higher wages for teachers , but many education interest groups said it fell short .
The recreational marijuana legalization initiative , formally the Smart and Safe Arizona Act .
would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people 21 and over .
It would add a 16 % excise tax on sales on top of regular sales taxes , with the excise tax funding the government ’ s cost of administering the program , then community colleges , infrastructure , roads and highways , public safety and public health .
The measure would also allow people who have been arrested or convicted of some marijuana offenses , such as possessing , consuming or transporting 2.5 ounces or less , to petition to have their records expunged .
It clarifies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impaired by marijuana .
Whether any initiatives would make the cut was in doubt in March , when the state coronavirus shutdown made it nearly impossible to collect the needed signatures for a slew of proposals to qualify for the ballot .
But easing restrictions in mid-May allowed petition circulators to get out on the streets , and backers of the four initiatives collected far more signatures than needed .

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona’s Secretary of State has certified that a voter initiative that would boost taxes on high-earning Arizonans to increase school funding will be on the November ballot.
Secretary of State Katie Hobbs announced Friday that a sample of petition sheets sent to county recorders came back with enough verified signatures for the Invest in Education Act to qualify for the ballot. It will be called Proposition 208.
The certification means voters will see just two initiatives this November, the education tax and a recreational marijuana legalization initiative, which will be Proposition 207. Two other measures whose backers sent qualifying signatures failed to make the ballot.
On Thursday, the state Supreme Court ruled that a measure that would ban surprise medical billing and prevent insurers from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions could not go before voters. Separately, a lower court judge ruled that backers of another initiative overhauling the state’s criminal sentencing laws failed to collect enough qualifying signatures to make the ballot.
Backers of the school tax measure see it as a way to pump about $940 million a year into the state’s underfunded school system, although the Legislature’s budget analysts put the amount at about $827 million. It would impose a 3.5% tax surcharge on income above $250,000 for an individual or above $500,000 for couples.
It is opposed by a group backed by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which argues the measure would harm small businesses because they usually pay taxes on individual tax returns.
If approved by a majority of voters, half of the new tax will be used for raises for credentialed teachers, 25% to boosting wages for cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other support staff, and the rest for teacher training, vocational education and other initiatives.
The initiative was the latest outgrowth from a teachers strike two years ago that highlighted low wages for educators and a slow rebound from budget cuts enacted during the Great Recession. The walkout secured higher wages for teachers, but many education interest groups said it fell short.
The recreational marijuana legalization initiative, formally the Smart and Safe Arizona Act. would legalize recreational marijuana use in Arizona for people 21 and over.
It would add a 16% excise tax on sales on top of regular sales taxes, with the excise tax funding the government’s cost of administering the program, then community colleges, infrastructure, roads and highways, public safety and public health. The measure would also allow people who have been arrested or convicted of some marijuana offenses, such as possessing, consuming or transporting 2.5 ounces or less, to petition to have their records expunged. It clarifies that people can be charged with driving while impaired by marijuana.
Whether any initiatives would make the cut was in doubt in March, when the state coronavirus shutdown made it nearly impossible to collect the needed signatures for a slew of proposals to qualify for the ballot. But easing restrictions in mid-May allowed petition circulators to get out on the streets, and backers of the four initiatives collected far more signatures than needed.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Gas prices unchanged in NJ, up a bit around nation at large

TRENTON , N.J. ( AP ) - Gas prices remained unchanged in New Jersey as they ticked up on average @ @ @ @ @ analysts say prices may have reached their peak for the year excluding any disruptions due @ @ @ @ @ Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on @ @ @ @ @ unchanged from the week before .
Drivers were paying $ 2.67 a gallon at this @ @ @ @ @ national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $ 2.18 , a penny @ @ @ @ @ .
The national average was $ 2.60 at this time a year ago .
Analysts @ @ @ @ @ and the spread of the COVID-19 virus continue to keep prices for both gas and @ @ @

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Gas prices remained unchanged in New Jersey as they ticked up on average around the nation, but analysts say prices may have reached their peak for the year excluding any disruptions due to major storms.
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $2.16, unchanged from the week before. Drivers were paying $2.67 a gallon at this time last year.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.18, a penny more than the previous week. The national average was $2.60 at this time a year ago.
Analysts say concerns over employment numbers and the spread of the COVID-19 virus continue to keep prices for both gas and oil down.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Mississippi flag designs: Would they make good tattoos?

JACKSON , Miss .
( AP ) - After mothballing its old Confederate-themed state flag , Mississippi could choose a new one with a magnolia , a shield with wavy lines representing water , or an “ edgy ” representation of the Mississippi River snaking along the state ’ s western border .
The Associated Press consulted three experts about five final designs to possibly replace the flag that was retired July 1 .
One of the connoisseurs even submitted a guide titled “ Good Flag Bad Flag ” to the state commission reviewing public submissions .
Steve Knowlton of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning design should be simple and distinctive enough to be replicated on tattoos and pizza boxes .
“ You know it ’ s a good design if people are getting tattoos , ” said Knowlton , first vice president of the North American Vexillological Association .
The group calls itself the world ’ s largest organization of flag enthusiasts and scholars , but it doesn ’ t take sides in political debates about flags .
All three experts consulted by the AP focused solely on visual presentation .
Mississippi had the last state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a big blue X with white stars on a red background that is widely condemned as a symbol of racism and white supremacy .
Lawmakers decided in June to replace it amid nationwide protests against racial inequality .
The change came years after other states had begun removing Confederate symbols from public spaces after the slaying of black worshippers in a church in Charleston , South Carolina .
Commission members - appointed by the governor , lieutenant governor and House speaker - have selected five final designs from nearly 3,000 submitted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufactured and will be hoisted Tuesday in Jackson .
In early September , commissioners will choose one design to put on the November ballot .
If a majority of voters say yes , that will become the new flag .
If they say no , the design process begins again .
The panel has tweaked each design to include a star made of diamond shapes to reflect Choctaw heritage .
By law , the new flag also must display the words “ In God We Trust , ” a provision that persuaded some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Good Flag , Bad Flag ” recommends that a flag should convey an image without using words .
Unless the banner is made with double thickness , which is more expensive , words appear backward on the reverse side .
More than half of the state flags in the U.S. have words .
“ I think the committee faces a huge challenge balancing design and political considerations , ” said Ted Kaye of Portland , Oregon , the guide ’ s author and secretary of the North American Vexillological Association .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has posted the five finalists online , in this order : DESIGN 1 : The “ Great River Flag ” has a red and white shield on a dark blue background , with a single star above the shield and “ In God We Trust ” in a simple typeface .
The designer says the inspiration came from the 1798 seal for the Mississippi territory .
Talamieka Brice , a graphic design professional who lives in Jackson , Mississippi , said the design is attractive .
“ There was a lot of thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Knowlton and Kaye were less enthusiastic .
“ To a person who hasn ’ t had the design explained to them , it looks very much like a generic design associated with the United States , ” Knowlton said .
Kaye said the design is “ only attractive because of the wavy line in the shield.
” DESIGN 2 : This flag shows the western border of the state , dominated by the Mississippi River .
It also has a large magnolia and smaller stars .
“ That design was thought out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong as the others , ” Brice said .
Kaye said the realistic map of the river is “ an edgy idea ” but “ infeasible to sew.
” Social media posts have said the Mississippi border flag looks like the profile of Bart Simpson .
Also , seen from the back - as it will be on a flagpole - the river shape makes less sense .
“ It becomes Mississippi as seen from the center of the Earth , ” Kaye said .
Knowlton said of this flag ’ s wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Mississippi is making territorial claims on Alabama.
” The Mississippi Territory from 1798 to 1819 included most of present-day Alabama , but not the coastal areas of either current state .
DESIGNS 3 and 4 : These are nearly identical , with different color patterns .
Each has a large magnolia in the center .
One has the white flower on a white field with a blue stripe on one end and a red one on the other .
The other has the magnolia on a dark blue field with red stripes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principle called the “ rule of tinctures ” says shapes made of light colors - white and yellow - should not go onto light backgrounds , just as shapes made of dark colors should not go onto dark backgrounds .
Knowlton and Kaye said the magnolia is lost on the white background .
Brice said the magnolia stands out on the blue , but she thinks the flower is “ hugely overused.
” Brice , who is African American , said some Black people might see the magnolia as too closely associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a very loaded image , ” Brice said .
“ It reminds me … if you think about our history and lynching and Billie Holiday ’ s ‘ Strange Fruit.
’ ” But Brice said even though she ’ s not a fan of the magnolia , it ’ s not a deal-breaker .
“ Anything that was linked to the Confederacy would be a deal breaker , ” she said .
DESIGN 5 : This has a stylized magnolia tree on a blue background .
Kaye said it ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks too much like other state flags.
” He said many have a blue background with a state seal or some other symbol in the center .
Knowlton said the magnolia tree design resembles the Gondor flag from “ The Lord of the Rings.
” But , he said it ’ s distinctive : “ You could get it tattooed on your upper arm and have some confidence that the guy wouldn ’ t wreck it.
” Brice said the tree flag is “ a really solid design.
” Like four of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stars that she finds too reminiscent of the first national flag of the Confederacy .
But , she said : “ It ’ s a flag and there are much bigger things in the world to worry about .
”

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - After mothballing its old Confederate-themed state flag, Mississippi could choose a new one with a magnolia, a shield with wavy lines representing water, or an “edgy” representation of the Mississippi River snaking along the state’s western border.
The Associated Press consulted three experts about five final designs to possibly replace the flag that was retired July 1. One of the connoisseurs even submitted a guide titled “Good Flag Bad Flag” to the state commission reviewing public submissions.
Steve Knowlton of Princeton, New Jersey, said the winning design should be simple and distinctive enough to be replicated on tattoos and pizza boxes.
“You know it’s a good design if people are getting tattoos,” said Knowlton, first vice president of the North American Vexillological Association. The group calls itself the world’s largest organization of flag enthusiasts and scholars, but it doesn’t take sides in political debates about flags. All three experts consulted by the AP focused solely on visual presentation.
Mississippi had the last state flag that included the Confederate battle emblem, a big blue X with white stars on a red background that is widely condemned as a symbol of racism and white supremacy. Lawmakers decided in June to replace it amid nationwide protests against racial inequality. The change came years after other states had begun removing Confederate symbols from public spaces after the slaying of black worshippers in a church in Charleston, South Carolina.
Commission members - appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker - have selected five final designs from nearly 3,000 submitted by the public. The five are being manufactured and will be hoisted Tuesday in Jackson.
In early September, commissioners will choose one design to put on the November ballot. If a majority of voters say yes, that will become the new flag. If they say no, the design process begins again.
The panel has tweaked each design to include a star made of diamond shapes to reflect Choctaw heritage. By law, the new flag also must display the words “In God We Trust,” a provision that persuaded some conservative legislators to retire the Confederate symbol.
“Good Flag, Bad Flag” recommends that a flag should convey an image without using words. Unless the banner is made with double thickness, which is more expensive, words appear backward on the reverse side. More than half of the state flags in the U.S. have words.
“I think the committee faces a huge challenge balancing design and political considerations,” said Ted Kaye of Portland, Oregon, the guide’s author and secretary of the North American Vexillological Association.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has posted the five finalists online, in this order:
DESIGN 1: The “Great River Flag” has a red and white shield on a dark blue background, with a single star above the shield and “In God We Trust” in a simple typeface. The designer says the inspiration came from the 1798 seal for the Mississippi territory.
Talamieka Brice, a graphic design professional who lives in Jackson, Mississippi, said the design is attractive. “There was a lot of thought put into that,” she said.
Knowlton and Kaye were less enthusiastic.
“To a person who hasn’t had the design explained to them, it looks very much like a generic design associated with the United States,” Knowlton said.
Kaye said the design is “only attractive because of the wavy line in the shield.”
DESIGN 2: This flag shows the western border of the state, dominated by the Mississippi River. It also has a large magnolia and smaller stars.
“That design was thought out, but it’s not as strong as the others,” Brice said.
Kaye said the realistic map of the river is “an edgy idea” but “infeasible to sew.”
Social media posts have said the Mississippi border flag looks like the profile of Bart Simpson. Also, seen from the back - as it will be on a flagpole - the river shape makes less sense.
“It becomes Mississippi as seen from the center of the Earth,” Kaye said.
Knowlton said of this flag’s wide blue field: “It makes you think Mississippi is making territorial claims on Alabama.”
The Mississippi Territory from 1798 to 1819 included most of present-day Alabama, but not the coastal areas of either current state.
DESIGNS 3 and 4: These are nearly identical, with different color patterns. Each has a large magnolia in the center. One has the white flower on a white field with a blue stripe on one end and a red one on the other. The other has the magnolia on a dark blue field with red stripes on each end.
A flag design principle called the “rule of tinctures” says shapes made of light colors - white and yellow - should not go onto light backgrounds, just as shapes made of dark colors should not go onto dark backgrounds.
Knowlton and Kaye said the magnolia is lost on the white background.
Brice said the magnolia stands out on the blue, but she thinks the flower is “hugely overused.” Brice, who is African American, said some Black people might see the magnolia as too closely associated with the Old South.
“That’s a very loaded image,” Brice said. “It reminds me … if you think about our history and lynching and Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit.’”
But Brice said even though she’s not a fan of the magnolia, it’s not a deal-breaker. “Anything that was linked to the Confederacy would be a deal breaker,” she said.
DESIGN 5: This has a stylized magnolia tree on a blue background.
Kaye said it’s the best design overall, “but it looks too much like other state flags.” He said many have a blue background with a state seal or some other symbol in the center.
Knowlton said the magnolia tree design resembles the Gondor flag from “The Lord of the Rings.” But, he said it’s distinctive: “You could get it tattooed on your upper arm and have some confidence that the guy wouldn’t wreck it.”
Brice said the tree flag is “a really solid design.” Like four of the other finalists, it has a circle of stars that she finds too reminiscent of the first national flag of the Confederacy. But, she said: “It’s a flag and there are much bigger things in the world to worry about.”
____
Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Oregon, Washington respond to areas of outdoor overcrowding

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - The north Oregon coast crowds have been overwhelming the state park sites this summer with highway traffic jams , illegal parking and overflowing trash bins amid the coronavirus pandemic , officials said .
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department , Oregon Department of Transportation and other local agencies on the Oregon coast are teaming up to tackle the issues , the parks department announced Friday .
Key among their efforts will be increased enforcement of illegal parking , the agencies said , including ticketing “ unsafely parked cars ” and towing vehicles when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may receive tickets of $ 115 to $ 250 for illegal parking , the parks department said , and would need to pay for the cost of towing .
Cars are usually towed to the nearest town with tow service .
“ As has been true since March , we ’ re usually left with the ‘ least bad ’ option when it comes to managing a huge crowd of people , ” state parks spokesman Chris Havel said .
No official crowd numbers have been released from this summer , although park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , as anecdotal reports pour in from rangers and visitors on the north coast that weekends have consistently reached “ holiday level ” crowds .
In Washington , people have been cramming themselves into Lake Cushman recreation area on the Olympic Peninsula , prompting closures , The Seattle Times reported .
The U.S. Forest Service said this week the roads allowing public access to the Mason County lake , day spots , trails and the Staircase entrance to Olympic National Park will be closed starting Saturday , for safety and health reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area recently resulted in gridlock on the narrow road and hazardous conditions in which emergency vehicles could not respond to requests for help , Forest Service officials said in a statement .
“ The extreme numbers of people recreating at Lake Cushman are creating unsafe conditions and degrading the experience for everyone .
No one wants to be stuck in a 6-mile-long traffic jam on a narrow , gravel road with no way to turn around , ” said District Ranger Yewah Lau .
Lau said there will be zero public access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and visitation returns to a manageable level .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The north Oregon coast crowds have been overwhelming the state park sites this summer with highway traffic jams, illegal parking and overflowing trash bins amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Oregon Department of Transportation and other local agencies on the Oregon coast are teaming up to tackle the issues, the parks department announced Friday.
Key among their efforts will be increased enforcement of illegal parking, the agencies said, including ticketing “unsafely parked cars” and towing vehicles when needed, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
Drivers may receive tickets of $115 to $250 for illegal parking, the parks department said, and would need to pay for the cost of towing. Cars are usually towed to the nearest town with tow service.
“As has been true since March, we’re usually left with the ‘least bad’ option when it comes to managing a huge crowd of people,” state parks spokesman Chris Havel said.
No official crowd numbers have been released from this summer, although park officials have been sounding the alarm for months, as anecdotal reports pour in from rangers and visitors on the north coast that weekends have consistently reached “holiday level” crowds.
In Washington, people have been cramming themselves into Lake Cushman recreation area on the Olympic Peninsula, prompting closures, The Seattle Times reported.
The U.S. Forest Service said this week the roads allowing public access to the Mason County lake, day spots, trails and the Staircase entrance to Olympic National Park will be closed starting Saturday, for safety and health reasons.
A huge increase in visits to the area recently resulted in gridlock on the narrow road and hazardous conditions in which emergency vehicles could not respond to requests for help, Forest Service officials said in a statement.
“The extreme numbers of people recreating at Lake Cushman are creating unsafe conditions and degrading the experience for everyone. No one wants to be stuck in a 6-mile-long traffic jam on a narrow, gravel road with no way to turn around,” said District Ranger Yewah Lau.
Lau said there will be zero public access to Lake Cushman until the weather cools and visitation returns to a manageable level.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--'Old Home Days' get creative or canceled during pandemic

CONCORD , N.H. ( AP ) - “ Old Home Day ” is more like “ Stay Home Day ” this year .
In a clever marketing campaign to boost the economy , New Hampshire Gov .
Frank Rollins launched a summer celebration in 1899 aimed at luring young people back to their hometowns .
It became an enduring tradition that spread to other New England states and beyond , but the coronavirus pandemic has forced communities to either cancel or get creative .
“ Get ready for a new take on a great day !
” organizers said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vats of baked beans - traditional pea , kidney and spicy southwestern vegetarian - and distributed them via curbside pickup for $ 8/quart .
In Bridgewater , residents who traditionally gather for an annual group picture instead were photographed individually for what will become a digital collage .
Swanzey officials canceled most of the town ’ s festivities but went ahead with a parade , urging participants to wear masks and spread out along the entire route .
Some communities , meanwhile , have gone entirely online - the Sutton Historical Society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video Sunday featuring music , a sermon and aerial footage of local landmarks .
But others made the tough decision to skip the celebration altogether .
Kathleen Walker , head of the Old Home Day Committee in Charlton , Massachusetts , said organizers considered hosting an online art show or other events , but decided instead to focus on making next year ’ s in-person event the best ever .
“ The whole purpose is for people to be together , ” she said .
“ It ’ s about togetherness and community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t cut it.
” Traditionally held over Labor Day weekend , Charlton ’ s event includes a parade , a road race and an award ceremony for outstanding citizens .
The town police chief oversees a frog jumping contest and brings spare amphibians for kids who show up empty handed .
On Saturday night , everyone heads to a hillside , and the children run around until it ’ s dark enough for fireworks .
“ All the families are there gathered on their blankets , and it ’ s very old-timey and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of planning through the winter and spring , the committee started the summer evenly split between those who wanted to cancel and those who wanted to go ahead .
Walker initially opposed canceling , but she ’ s come around now that virus numbers have crept up .
“ It was really sad , because it ’ s been going on for so long , ” she said .
“ But we just really didn ’ t want to take the chance.
” Some towns in Vermont also canceled their annual events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though former residents who ’ ve moved away look forward to returning each year .
“ What ’ s Old Home Week if you can ’ t give someone a hug ?
” said Janet Boyd , a farmer and realtor in Wilmington .
Sarah Baldwin-Welcome , president of the Old Home Day Association in Gilmanton , said she was determined to salvage at least part of her town ’ s celebration , which hadn ’ t been skipped since World War I .
While there weren ’ t enough volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underground pits , they created an online ordering system , prepared them in a commercial kitchen and sold about 170 quarts .
“ I feel good that we weren ’ t the second in history to cancel Old Home Day .
I wasn ’ t going to be that president , ” she said .
Meanwhile , organizers in Chichester , New Hampshire , plowed ahead , albeit with some changes .
Instead of helping themselves to buffet-style roast pork and baked beans and sitting at tables under tents , residents were handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread out on picnic blankets in their own chairs .
“ We never really considered canceling , ” said Malinda Weir , co-chair of the town ’ s Old Home Day committee .
“ Right from the get-go it was , ‘ We ’ ve been doing beans for 120 years , how are we going to make this happen ?
’ And that ’ s what we did.
” Organizers dropped the “ touch a truck ” event that gives kids a chance to climb aboard fire engines and other vehicles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ scavenger hunt , pickup basketball games , road race , horseshoe tournament and a giant slip-and-slide water feature that attracted toddlers , teenagers and adults .
Attendance was about half that of recent years , but the mission of Old Home Day was fulfilled , she said .
“ This is us , this is how we celebrate us : Let ’ s have a pork roast , let ’ s see our selectmen , let ’ s see our fire trucks , let ’ s see who we are as Chichester people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know COVID ’ s out there , we know people are dying from it , we understand .
But we ’ re still a community .
We ’ re still all in this together.
” Associated Press writer Lisa Rathke in Montpelier , Vermont , contributed to this report .

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - “Old Home Day” is more like “Stay Home Day” this year.
In a clever marketing campaign to boost the economy, New Hampshire Gov. Frank Rollins launched a summer celebration in 1899 aimed at luring young people back to their hometowns. It became an enduring tradition that spread to other New England states and beyond, but the coronavirus pandemic has forced communities to either cancel or get creative.
“Get ready for a new take on a great day!” organizers said in Gilmanton, where volunteers still cooked huge vats of baked beans - traditional pea, kidney and spicy southwestern vegetarian - and distributed them via curbside pickup for $8/quart. In Bridgewater, residents who traditionally gather for an annual group picture instead were photographed individually for what will become a digital collage. Swanzey officials canceled most of the town’s festivities but went ahead with a parade, urging participants to wear masks and spread out along the entire route.
Some communities, meanwhile, have gone entirely online - the Sutton Historical Society, for example, will be posting a video Sunday featuring music, a sermon and aerial footage of local landmarks. But others made the tough decision to skip the celebration altogether.
Kathleen Walker, head of the Old Home Day Committee in Charlton, Massachusetts, said organizers considered hosting an online art show or other events, but decided instead to focus on making next year’s in-person event the best ever.
“The whole purpose is for people to be together,” she said. “It’s about togetherness and community and family, and virtual doesn’t cut it.”
Traditionally held over Labor Day weekend, Charlton’s event includes a parade, a road race and an award ceremony for outstanding citizens. The town police chief oversees a frog jumping contest and brings spare amphibians for kids who show up empty handed. On Saturday night, everyone heads to a hillside, and the children run around until it’s dark enough for fireworks.
“All the families are there gathered on their blankets, and it’s very old-timey and wonderful,” said Walker.
After months of planning through the winter and spring, the committee started the summer evenly split between those who wanted to cancel and those who wanted to go ahead. Walker initially opposed canceling, but she’s come around now that virus numbers have crept up.
“It was really sad, because it’s been going on for so long,” she said. “But we just really didn’t want to take the chance.”
Some towns in Vermont also canceled their annual events out of concerns about spreading the coronavirus, even though former residents who’ve moved away look forward to returning each year.
“What’s Old Home Week if you can’t give someone a hug?” said Janet Boyd, a farmer and realtor in Wilmington.
Sarah Baldwin-Welcome, president of the Old Home Day Association in Gilmanton, said she was determined to salvage at least part of her town’s celebration, which hadn’t been skipped since World War I. While there weren’t enough volunteers to cook the beans in the traditional underground pits, they created an online ordering system, prepared them in a commercial kitchen and sold about 170 quarts.
“I feel good that we weren’t the second in history to cancel Old Home Day. I wasn’t going to be that president,” she said.
Meanwhile, organizers in Chichester, New Hampshire, plowed ahead, albeit with some changes. Instead of helping themselves to buffet-style roast pork and baked beans and sitting at tables under tents, residents were handed pre-portioned packages by mask-wearing volunteers and then spread out on picnic blankets in their own chairs.
“We never really considered canceling,” said Malinda Weir, co-chair of the town’s Old Home Day committee. “Right from the get-go it was, ‘We’ve been doing beans for 120 years, how are we going to make this happen?’ And that’s what we did.”
Organizers dropped the “touch a truck” event that gives kids a chance to climb aboard fire engines and other vehicles. But they went ahead with the annual scavenger hunt, pickup basketball games, road race, horseshoe tournament and a giant slip-and-slide water feature that attracted toddlers, teenagers and adults. Attendance was about half that of recent years, but the mission of Old Home Day was fulfilled, she said.
“This is us, this is how we celebrate us: Let’s have a pork roast, let’s see our selectmen, let’s see our fire trucks, let’s see who we are as Chichester people,” she said. “We know COVID’s out there, we know people are dying from it, we understand. But we’re still a community. We’re still all in this together.”
___
Associated Press writer Lisa Rathke in Montpelier, Vermont, contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Pandemic adds risk to already dangerous job of firefighting

HELENA , Mont .
( AP ) - Jon Paul was leery entering his first wildfire camp of the year late last month to fight three lightning-caused fires scorching parts of a Northern California forest that hadn ’ t burned in 40 years .
The 54-year-old engine captain from southern Oregon knew from experience that these crowded , grimy camps can be breeding grounds for norovirus and a respiratory illness that firefighters call the “ camp crud ” in a normal year .
He wondered what the coronavirus would do in the tent cities where hundreds of men and women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their downtime between shifts .
Paul thought about his immunocompromised wife and his 84-year-old mother back home .
Then he joined the approximately 1,300 people spread across the Modoc National Forest who would provide a major test for the COVID-prevention measures that had been developed for wildland firefighters .
“ We ’ re still first responders and we have that responsibility to go and deal with these emergencies , ” he said in a recent interview .
“ I don ’ t scare easy , but I ’ m very wary and concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still going to work and do my job.
” Paul is one of thousands of firefighters from across the U.S. battling dozens of wildfires burning throughout the West .
It ’ s an inherently dangerous job that now carries the additional risk of COVID-19 transmission .
Any outbreak that ripples through a camp could easily sideline crews and spread the virus across multiple fires - and back to communities across the country - as personnel transfer in and out of “ hot zones ” and return home .
Though most firefighters are young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill in these remote makeshift communities of shared showers and portable toilets , where medical care can be limited .
The pollutants in the smoke they breathe daily also make them more susceptible to COVID-19 and can worsen the effects of the disease , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Also , one suspected or positive case in a camp will mean many other firefighters will need to be quarantined , unable to work .
The worst-case scenario is that multiple outbreaks could hamstring the nation ’ s ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August , the hottest and driest month of the year in the western U.S .
The number of acres burned so far this year is below the 10-year average , but the fire outlook for August is above average in nine states , according to the National Interagency Fire Center .
Twenty-two large fires ignited on Monday alone after lightning storms passed through the Northwest .
A study published this month by researchers at Colorado State University and the U.S. Forest Service ’ s Rocky Mountain Research Station concluded that COVID outbreaks “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firefighting mission ” and urged vigilant social distancing and screening measures in the camps .
“ If simultaneous fires incurred outbreaks , the entire wildland response system could be stressed substantially , with a large portion of the workforce quarantined , ” the study ’ s authors wrote .
This spring , the National Wildfire Coordinating Group ’ s Fire Management Board wrote - and has since been updating - protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in fire camps , based on CDC guidelines .
Though they can be adapted by managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team , they center on some key recommendations : Firefighters should be screened for fever and other COVID symptoms when they arrive at camp .
Every crew should insulate itself as a “ module of one ” for the fire season and limit interactions with other crews .
Firefighters should maintain social distancing and wear face coverings when social distancing isn ’ t possible .
Smaller satellite camps , known as spike camps , can be built to ensure enough space .
Shared areas should be regularly cleaned and disinfected , and sharing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The guidelines do not include routine testing of newly arrived firefighters - a practice used for athletes at training camps and students returning to college campuses .
The Fire Management Board ’ s Wildland Fire Medical and Public Health Advisory Team wrote in a July 2 memo that it “ does not recommend utilizing universal COVID-19 laboratory testing as a standalone risk mitigation or screening measure among wildland firefighters.
” Rather , the group recommends testing an individual and directly exposed co-workers , saying that approach is in line with CDC guidance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ turnaround times are factors , according to Forest Service spokesperson Dan Hottle .
The exception is Alaska , where firefighters are tested upon arrival at the airport and are quarantined in a hotel while awaiting results , which come within 24 hours , Hottle said .
Fire crews responding to early-season fires in the spring had some problems adjusting to the new protocols , according to assessments written by fire leaders and compiled by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center .
Shawn Faiella , superintendent of the interagency “ hotshot crew ” - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging or “ hottest ” parts of wildfires - based at Montana ’ s Lolo National Forest , questioned the need to wear masks inside vehicles and the safety of bringing extra vehicles to space out firefighters traveling to a blaze .
Parking extra vehicles at the scene of a fire is difficult in tight dirt roads - and would be dangerous if evacuations are necessary , he wrote .
“ It ’ s damn tough to take these practices to the fire line , ” Faiella wrote after his team responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One recommendation that fire managers say has been particularly effective is the “ module of one ” concept requiring crews to eat and sleep together in isolation for the entire fire season .
“ Whoever came up with it , it is working , ” said Mike Goicoechea , the Montana-based incident commander for the Forest Service ’ s Northern Region Type 1 team , which manages the nation ’ s largest and most complex wildfires and natural disasters .
“ Somebody may test positive , and you end up having to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
But the nice part is you ’ re not taking out a whole camp .
… It ’ s just that module.
” The total number of positive COVID cases among wildland firefighters among the various federal , state , local and tribal agencies is not being tracked .
Each fire agency has its own system for tracking and reporting COVID-19 , said Jessica Gardetto , a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management and the National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho .
The largest wildland firefighting agency is the Agriculture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 firefighters .
Another major agency is the Department of the Interior , which BLM is part of and which had more than 3,500 full-time fire employees last year .
As of the first week of August , 111 Forest Service firefighters and 40 BLM firefighters ( who work underneath the broader Interior Department agency ) had tested positive for COVID-19 , according to officials for the respective agencies .
“ Considering we ’ ve now been experiencing fire activity for several months , this number is surprisingly low if you think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been suppressing wildfires this summer , ” Gardetto said .
Goicoechea and his Montana team traveled north of Tucson , Arizona , on June 22 to manage a rapidly spreading fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains that required 1,200 responders at its peak .
Within two days of the team ’ s arrival , his managers were overwhelmed by calls from firefighters worried or with questions about preventing the spread of COVID-19 or carrying the virus home to their families .
In an unusual move , Goicoechea called upon Montana physician - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfire experience - Dr. Harry Sibold to join the team .
Physicians are rarely , if ever , part of a wildfire camp ’ s medical team , Goicoechea said .
Sibold gave regular coronavirus updates during morning briefings , consulted with local health officials , soothed firefighters worried about bringing the virus home to their families and advised fire managers on how to handle scenarios that might come up .
But Sibold said he wasn ’ t optimistic at the beginning about keeping the coronavirus in check in a large camp in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed cases in Arizona , at the time a national COVID-19 hot spot .
“ I quite firmly expected that we might have two or three outbreaks , ” he said .
There were no positive cases during the team ’ s two-week deployment , just three or four cases where a firefighter showed symptoms but tested negative for the virus .
After the Montana team returned home , nine firefighters at the Arizona fire from other units tested positive , Goicoechea said .
Contact tracers notified the Montana team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests returned negative .
“ I can ’ t say enough about having that doctor to help , ” Goicoechea said , suggesting other teams might consider doing the same .
“ We ’ re not the experts in a pandemic .
We ’ re the experts with fire.
” That early success will be tested as the number of fires increases across the West , along with the number of firefighters responding to them .
There were more than 15,000 firefighters and support personnel assigned to fires across the nation as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 prevention protocols depend largely upon them .
Paul , the Oregon firefighter , said that the guidelines were followed closely in camp , but less so out on the fire line .
It also appeared to him that younger firefighters were less likely to follow the masking and social-distancing rules than the veterans like him .
That worried him as he realized it wouldn ’ t take much to spark an outbreak that could sideline crews and cripple the ability to respond to a fire .
“ We ’ re outside , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes it simpler to social-distance , ” Paul said .
“ But I think if there ’ s a mistake made , it could happen .
”

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Jon Paul was leery entering his first wildfire camp of the year late last month to fight three lightning-caused fires scorching parts of a Northern California forest that hadn’t burned in 40 years.
The 54-year-old engine captain from southern Oregon knew from experience that these crowded, grimy camps can be breeding grounds for norovirus and a respiratory illness that firefighters call the “camp crud” in a normal year. He wondered what the coronavirus would do in the tent cities where hundreds of men and women eat, sleep, wash and spend their downtime between shifts.
Paul thought about his immunocompromised wife and his 84-year-old mother back home. Then he joined the approximately 1,300 people spread across the Modoc National Forest who would provide a major test for the COVID-prevention measures that had been developed for wildland firefighters.
“We’re still first responders and we have that responsibility to go and deal with these emergencies,” he said in a recent interview. “I don’t scare easy, but I’m very wary and concerned about my surroundings. I’m still going to work and do my job.”
Paul is one of thousands of firefighters from across the U.S. battling dozens of wildfires burning throughout the West. It’s an inherently dangerous job that now carries the additional risk of COVID-19 transmission. Any outbreak that ripples through a camp could easily sideline crews and spread the virus across multiple fires - and back to communities across the country - as personnel transfer in and out of “hot zones” and return home.
Though most firefighters are young and fit, some will inevitably fall ill in these remote makeshift communities of shared showers and portable toilets, where medical care can be limited. The pollutants in the smoke they breathe daily also make them more susceptible to COVID-19 and can worsen the effects of the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also, one suspected or positive case in a camp will mean many other firefighters will need to be quarantined, unable to work. The worst-case scenario is that multiple outbreaks could hamstring the nation’s ability to respond as wildfire season peaks in August, the hottest and driest month of the year in the western U.S.
The number of acres burned so far this year is below the 10-year average, but the fire outlook for August is above average in nine states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Twenty-two large fires ignited on Monday alone after lightning storms passed through the Northwest.
A study published this month by researchers at Colorado State University and the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station concluded that COVID outbreaks “could be a serious threat to the firefighting mission” and urged vigilant social distancing and screening measures in the camps.
“If simultaneous fires incurred outbreaks, the entire wildland response system could be stressed substantially, with a large portion of the workforce quarantined,” the study’s authors wrote.
This spring, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s Fire Management Board wrote - and has since been updating - protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in fire camps, based on CDC guidelines. Though they can be adapted by managers at different fires and even by individual team, they center on some key recommendations:
Firefighters should be screened for fever and other COVID symptoms when they arrive at camp.
Every crew should insulate itself as a “module of one” for the fire season and limit interactions with other crews.
Firefighters should maintain social distancing and wear face coverings when social distancing isn’t possible. Smaller satellite camps, known as spike camps, can be built to ensure enough space.
Shared areas should be regularly cleaned and disinfected, and sharing tools and radios should be minimized.
The guidelines do not include routine testing of newly arrived firefighters - a practice used for athletes at training camps and students returning to college campuses.
The Fire Management Board’s Wildland Fire Medical and Public Health Advisory Team wrote in a July 2 memo that it “does not recommend utilizing universal COVID-19 laboratory testing as a standalone risk mitigation or screening measure among wildland firefighters.” Rather, the group recommends testing an individual and directly exposed co-workers, saying that approach is in line with CDC guidance.
The lack of testing capacity and long turnaround times are factors, according to Forest Service spokesperson Dan Hottle.
The exception is Alaska, where firefighters are tested upon arrival at the airport and are quarantined in a hotel while awaiting results, which come within 24 hours, Hottle said.
Fire crews responding to early-season fires in the spring had some problems adjusting to the new protocols, according to assessments written by fire leaders and compiled by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center.
Shawn Faiella, superintendent of the interagency “hotshot crew” - so named because they work the most challenging or “hottest” parts of wildfires - based at Montana’s Lolo National Forest, questioned the need to wear masks inside vehicles and the safety of bringing extra vehicles to space out firefighters traveling to a blaze. Parking extra vehicles at the scene of a fire is difficult in tight dirt roads - and would be dangerous if evacuations are necessary, he wrote.
“It’s damn tough to take these practices to the fire line,” Faiella wrote after his team responded to a 40-acre Montana fire in April.
One recommendation that fire managers say has been particularly effective is the “module of one” concept requiring crews to eat and sleep together in isolation for the entire fire season.
“Whoever came up with it, it is working,” said Mike Goicoechea, the Montana-based incident commander for the Forest Service’s Northern Region Type 1 team, which manages the nation’s largest and most complex wildfires and natural disasters. “Somebody may test positive, and you end up having to take that module out of service for 14 days. But the nice part is you’re not taking out a whole camp. … It’s just that module.”
The total number of positive COVID cases among wildland firefighters among the various federal, state, local and tribal agencies is not being tracked. Each fire agency has its own system for tracking and reporting COVID-19, said Jessica Gardetto, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management and the National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho.
The largest wildland firefighting agency is the Agriculture Department’s Forest Service, with 10,000 firefighters. Another major agency is the Department of the Interior, which BLM is part of and which had more than 3,500 full-time fire employees last year. As of the first week of August, 111 Forest Service firefighters and 40 BLM firefighters (who work underneath the broader Interior Department agency) had tested positive for COVID-19, according to officials for the respective agencies.
“Considering we’ve now been experiencing fire activity for several months, this number is surprisingly low if you think about the thousands of fire personnel who’ve been suppressing wildfires this summer,” Gardetto said.
Goicoechea and his Montana team traveled north of Tucson, Arizona, on June 22 to manage a rapidly spreading fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains that required 1,200 responders at its peak. Within two days of the team’s arrival, his managers were overwhelmed by calls from firefighters worried or with questions about preventing the spread of COVID-19 or carrying the virus home to their families.
In an unusual move, Goicoechea called upon Montana physician - and former National Park Service ranger with wildfire experience - Dr. Harry Sibold to join the team. Physicians are rarely, if ever, part of a wildfire camp’s medical team, Goicoechea said.
Sibold gave regular coronavirus updates during morning briefings, consulted with local health officials, soothed firefighters worried about bringing the virus home to their families and advised fire managers on how to handle scenarios that might come up.
But Sibold said he wasn’t optimistic at the beginning about keeping the coronavirus in check in a large camp in Pima County, which has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in Arizona, at the time a national COVID-19 hot spot. “I quite firmly expected that we might have two or three outbreaks,” he said.
There were no positive cases during the team’s two-week deployment, just three or four cases where a firefighter showed symptoms but tested negative for the virus. After the Montana team returned home, nine firefighters at the Arizona fire from other units tested positive, Goicoechea said. Contact tracers notified the Montana team, some of whom were tested. All tests returned negative.
“I can’t say enough about having that doctor to help,” Goicoechea said, suggesting other teams might consider doing the same. “We’re not the experts in a pandemic. We’re the experts with fire.”
That early success will be tested as the number of fires increases across the West, along with the number of firefighters responding to them. There were more than 15,000 firefighters and support personnel assigned to fires across the nation as of mid-August, and the success of those COVID-19 prevention protocols depend largely upon them.
Paul, the Oregon firefighter, said that the guidelines were followed closely in camp, but less so out on the fire line. It also appeared to him that younger firefighters were less likely to follow the masking and social-distancing rules than the veterans like him. That worried him as he realized it wouldn’t take much to spark an outbreak that could sideline crews and cripple the ability to respond to a fire.
“We’re outside, so it definitely helps with mitigation and makes it simpler to social-distance,” Paul said. “But I think if there’s a mistake made, it could happen.”


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Former Delaware gov writes songs, focuses on social justice

DOVER , Del .
( AP ) - Governors do a lot of different things after leaving office .
Mike Castle and Tom Carper went to Congress .
Pete du Pont ran for president .
Jack Markell biked across the country and wrote music .
Mr. Markell , who served as governor of Delaware from 2009-17 , announced the release of his first song last Wednesday .
Titled “ Charlottesville , ” it is focused on a 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville , Virginia , that turned deadly .
“ I ’ ve always believed that music can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my favorite musicians over the years have been singers who have a message that can move people , ” Mr. Markell said Thursday .
“ Charlottesville ” tells the story of Heather Heyer , a 32-year-old woman among the many counterprotesters at the Aug. 12 , 2017 , incident .
Ms. Heyer was killed when a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd in an act of domestic terrorism .
The song starts and ends with the line , “ If you ’ re not outraged , you ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Heyer ’ s last Facebook post .
In the aftermath of the violence , President Donald Trump said “ both sides ” contain “ very fine people ” and share blame for the incident .
Those comments outraged many , among them Mr. Markell , who said he was “ pissed off.
” Wednesday , the day the song was released , marked the three-year anniversary of the rally and Ms. Heyer ’ s murder .
“ Charlottesville , where she marched for parity .
“ Charlottesville , where her young life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Markell does not sing or play instruments , but he has written poetry for fun for many years and long harbored an interest in songwriting .
A few months ago , the former governor recalled , he connected with a songwriting teacher in New York , who helped turn several poems into songs .
Through the Delaware Theatre Co. , he got in touch with musicians affiliated with the band Moonalice .
Several of them wrote the music to accompany the lyrics , and Moonalice performed the song .
An official video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on YouTube .
The description for Mr. Markell ’ s YouTube channel states the ex-governor “ is channeling his artistic creativity to raise awareness of social justice issues impacting our country.
” Mr. Markell plans to release another song Aug. 28 , this one about the civil rights movement .
While he intends to keep the exact subject a secret for now , he did allow that it is “ about an important document in our civil rights history , and a key player in the civil rights movement is featured in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a continuation of what he did as governor .
During his eight years as Delaware ’ s chief executive , the state approved first civil unions and then gay marriage and began significant criminal justice reform .
He came in as governor during the Great Recession , and as unemployment skyrocketed and revenues plummeted , Mr. Markell was forced to bring together Democratic and Republican lawmakers just to balance the budget .
A few months after his term ended , the former governor rode a bicycle from Oregon to Delaware , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a lifetime , ” albeit one he doesn ’ t exactly plan to do again .
In addition to writing songs , Mr. Markell is also keeping himself busy working with nonprofits and advising presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ( and Delaware resident ) Joe Biden on health care .
But don ’ t count on him signing up to work with Mr. Biden should Democrats win back the White House , as Mr. Markell said he does not expect to take a position with a Biden administration .
He has no misconceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting he won ’ t win a Grammy any time soon .
Still , he ’ s hopeful “ Charlottesville ” makes people think .
“ The answers are within all of us , and we should all make a difference , ” he said .

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Governors do a lot of different things after leaving office.
Mike Castle and Tom Carper went to Congress. Pete du Pont ran for president.
Jack Markell biked across the country and wrote music.
Wait, what?
Mr. Markell, who served as governor of Delaware from 2009-17, announced the release of his first song last Wednesday. Titled “Charlottesville,” it is focused on a 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that turned deadly.
“I’ve always believed that music can be a force for change, and some of my favorite musicians over the years have been singers who have a message that can move people,” Mr. Markell said Thursday.
“Charlottesville” tells the story of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old woman among the many counterprotesters at the Aug. 12, 2017, incident. Ms. Heyer was killed when a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd in an act of domestic terrorism.
The song starts and ends with the line, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention,” a reference to Ms. Heyer’s last Facebook post.
In the aftermath of the violence, President Donald Trump said “both sides” contain “very fine people” and share blame for the incident. Those comments outraged many, among them Mr. Markell, who said he was “pissed off.”
Wednesday, the day the song was released, marked the three-year anniversary of the rally and Ms. Heyer’s murder.
“Charlottesville, where she marched for parity.
“Charlottesville, stood for solidarity.
“Charlottesville, then came barbarity.
“Charlottesville, where her young life ended,” chimes the chorus.
Mr. Markell does not sing or play instruments, but he has written poetry for fun for many years and long harbored an interest in songwriting. A few months ago, the former governor recalled, he connected with a songwriting teacher in New York, who helped turn several poems into songs.
Through the Delaware Theatre Co., he got in touch with musicians affiliated with the band Moonalice. Several of them wrote the music to accompany the lyrics, and Moonalice performed the song.
An official video for “Charlottesville” can be seen on YouTube.
The description for Mr. Markell’s YouTube channel states the ex-governor “is channeling his artistic creativity to raise awareness of social justice issues impacting our country.”
Mr. Markell plans to release another song Aug. 28, this one about the civil rights movement. While he intends to keep the exact subject a secret for now, he did allow that it is “about an important document in our civil rights history, and a key player in the civil rights movement is featured in that video.”
In some ways, it’s a continuation of what he did as governor. During his eight years as Delaware’s chief executive, the state approved first civil unions and then gay marriage and began significant criminal justice reform.
He came in as governor during the Great Recession, and as unemployment skyrocketed and revenues plummeted, Mr. Markell was forced to bring together Democratic and Republican lawmakers just to balance the budget.
A few months after his term ended, the former governor rode a bicycle from Oregon to Delaware, a journey he called an “experience of a lifetime,” albeit one he doesn’t exactly plan to do again.
In addition to writing songs, Mr. Markell is also keeping himself busy working with nonprofits and advising presumptive Democratic presidential nominee (and Delaware resident) Joe Biden on health care. But don’t count on him signing up to work with Mr. Biden should Democrats win back the White House, as Mr. Markell said he does not expect to take a position with a Biden administration.
He has no misconceptions about his ability as a songwriter, noting he won’t win a Grammy any time soon. Still, he’s hopeful “Charlottesville” makes people think.
“The answers are within all of us, and we should all make a difference,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Maryland team's app journals composition of medical cannabis

BOWIE , Md .
( AP ) - Otha Smith III has so much energy he would bottle and sell it if he could , so when he uses cannabis he knows to avoid plants which have been bred to contain a lot of alpha-pinene , the energy-promoting compound that is also found in pine trees and rosemary .
He looks instead for plants heavy in myrcene , a supposedly sedating compound also found in hops , which are used to flavor beer .
To help others keep track of what products they have used , how they felt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed the idea for a phone app called Tetragram , which allows users to log 22 compounds listed in percentage on the side of medical cannabis products in Maryland .
The mission of Tetragram is to use that aggregate data to help patients and medical professionals better understand the positives and negatives of cannabis use , he said .
Giving patients more information also reduces their need to rely on recommendations from budtenders in stores , Smith said , and reduces the risk of trying a strain that causes a negative reaction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cannabis .
Smith , a Bowie resident , entrepreneur and graduate of Bowie State University , teamed up with Towson University graduate and visual designer Lucas Roe and University of Maryland , Baltimore County graduate and computer programmer Julius Moore to officially launch Tetragram on July 10 .
Smith said in the month since they have accumulated more than 400 app users .
The biggest challenge caused by COVID-19 to the launch of the app has been the way it has affected Smith ’ s ability to “ pop up ” at various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the app , he said , similar to how some cannabis brands “ pop up ” to encourage sale of their products .
Tetrahydrocannabinol , or THC , is the compound that gives patients the cerebral “ high ” feeling , Smith said , but the way a strain affects an individual is also determined by compounds called terpenes , which can promote attention or relaxation , stunt hunger , sedate and provide anti-inflammatory benefits .
Smith says it is very important for patients to understand the effects of different terpenes , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottle can be dauntingly long .
Terpenes are present in cannabidiol or CBD products as well , Smith said .
While a strain name is passed from plant generation to plant generation , the chemical composition of the new plant can differ from its parent .
And the market is also constantly changing –– a patient could find a strain they like , but once it sells out it could be weeks before it returns to the store again , as a new batch must be grown and harvested , Smith said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cannabis products when he first became a patient registered with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission as an alternative to using opioids to manage pain that stems from a car crash in 2003 in which he was ejected from the vehicle .
Cannabis business advocate and Anne Arundel Community College professor Shad Ewart said the app could serve as an alternative to a focus group to collect consumer data .
“ One of the things we lack in the cannabis industry is reliable and valid consumer data on usage and effects , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many who consume cannabis are unwilling to speak about it and when they do , they tend to exaggerate or minimize their usage.
” Ewart had two caveats –– the need for accurate data and many , many app users .
If a person is putting information into Tetragram based on a medical product with the composition on the side that ’ s good , he said , but if a person is guessing what the make up of a product is without knowing that could be an issue .
“ The impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the user , so you need a significant number of comments to weed out the outliers , ” Ewart wrote .
Smith said they hope to provide dispensaries and cultivators with consumer information to help them figure what products people prefer and why .
Tetragram also allows the user to say what they are treating , which could provide insight into what strains are the best for what conditions .
There are other cannabis-focused apps on the market such as Leafly and WeedMaps , through which users can see a dispensary ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also research different strains and their reported effects based on reviews .
Smith said his app takes a deeper dive into the data .
They will be rolling out new features soon , he said , such as the ability to share a review with a friend or doctor .
They would like to create a way for users , who don ’ t put a name down , to interact , and are also working on advertisements for the site .

BOWIE, Md. (AP) - Otha Smith III has so much energy he would bottle and sell it if he could, so when he uses cannabis he knows to avoid plants which have been bred to contain a lot of alpha-pinene, the energy-promoting compound that is also found in pine trees and rosemary.
He looks instead for plants heavy in myrcene, a supposedly sedating compound also found in hops, which are used to flavor beer.
To help others keep track of what products they have used, how they felt and what the chemical composition was, Smith developed the idea for a phone app called Tetragram, which allows users to log 22 compounds listed in percentage on the side of medical cannabis products in Maryland.
The mission of Tetragram is to use that aggregate data to help patients and medical professionals better understand the positives and negatives of cannabis use, he said. Giving patients more information also reduces their need to rely on recommendations from budtenders in stores, Smith said, and reduces the risk of trying a strain that causes a negative reaction and makes that person think they hate all cannabis.
Smith, a Bowie resident, entrepreneur and graduate of Bowie State University, teamed up with Towson University graduate and visual designer Lucas Roe and University of Maryland, Baltimore County graduate and computer programmer Julius Moore to officially launch Tetragram on July 10.
Smith said in the month since they have accumulated more than 400 app users. The biggest challenge caused by COVID-19 to the launch of the app has been the way it has affected Smith’s ability to “pop up” at various dispensaries to talk directly with consumers about the app, he said, similar to how some cannabis brands “pop up” to encourage sale of their products.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the compound that gives patients the cerebral “high” feeling, Smith said, but the way a strain affects an individual is also determined by compounds called terpenes, which can promote attention or relaxation, stunt hunger, sedate and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Smith says it is very important for patients to understand the effects of different terpenes, but the list on the side of the bottle can be dauntingly long.
Terpenes are present in cannabidiol or CBD products as well, Smith said.
While a strain name is passed from plant generation to plant generation, the chemical composition of the new plant can differ from its parent. And the market is also constantly changing –– a patient could find a strain they like, but once it sells out it could be weeks before it returns to the store again, as a new batch must be grown and harvested, Smith said.
Smith said he was overwhelmed by variety of cannabis products when he first became a patient registered with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission as an alternative to using opioids to manage pain that stems from a car crash in 2003 in which he was ejected from the vehicle.
Cannabis business advocate and Anne Arundel Community College professor Shad Ewart said the app could serve as an alternative to a focus group to collect consumer data.
“One of the things we lack in the cannabis industry is reliable and valid consumer data on usage and effects,” he said in an email. “Many who consume cannabis are unwilling to speak about it and when they do, they tend to exaggerate or minimize their usage.”
Ewart had two caveats –– the need for accurate data and many, many app users. If a person is putting information into Tetragram based on a medical product with the composition on the side that’s good, he said, but if a person is guessing what the make up of a product is without knowing that could be an issue.
“The impacts of each strain is highly dependent on the user, so you need a significant number of comments to weed out the outliers,” Ewart wrote.
Smith said they hope to provide dispensaries and cultivators with consumer information to help them figure what products people prefer and why. Tetragram also allows the user to say what they are treating, which could provide insight into what strains are the best for what conditions.
There are other cannabis-focused apps on the market such as Leafly and WeedMaps, through which users can see a dispensary’s menu and place an order, and also research different strains and their reported effects based on reviews. Smith said his app takes a deeper dive into the data.
They will be rolling out new features soon, he said, such as the ability to share a review with a friend or doctor. They would like to create a way for users, who don’t put a name down, to interact, and are also working on advertisements for the site.


washingtontimes--2020-08-22--Virginia parents search for child care answers in pandemic

CHESAPEAKE , Va. ( AP ) - The frustration is so thick in Aleks Fentress ’ voice , it seems to be dripping through the phone as she describes her family ’ s options this fall .
A mother of three , Fentress has been scrambling to figure out what to do with her kids since the announcement that Chesapeake would be starting school fully virtual .
In the end , she said she has no good choices .
She ’ s anxious about her kids getting services - two of her children have special needs - and about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her police officer husband made do while schools were closed in the spring .
Neither can work from home , so a nanny came in some days while her in-laws looked after the kids on others .
But now , with education set to resume through a computer screen , she wants to ensure her kids - ages 8 , 5 and 2 - get the direction , help and care they need full-time .
Fentress has explored several options .
Day care would cost at least $ 2,000 a month .
Private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youngest has a condition in which his motor skills struggle to keep up with his brain , rendering him physically unable to speak .
Typically , he ’ d be in line for preschool programs through the public schools .
Now she ’ s planning for private speech therapy - close to $ 300 a week .
That cost will get lumped on top of whatever they spend for daily care .
“ I ’ m literally picking which one of my kids ’ issues to put to the side , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority here ?
” Fentress said basically every dime she makes from her job as a behavioral therapist for children with autism will end up going to child care .
That leaves them with a policeman ’ s salary to cover everything else for a family of five .
“ I will find a way , because that ’ s my job as a parent , ” she said .
“ It ’ s heartbreaking.
” Thousands of families across Hampton Roads and the state will be facing the same tough choices this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19 .
The coronavirus pandemic has tipped an already-fragile child care system into crisis territory .
With mass closure of day cares for younger kids - and virtual learning meaning older ones won ’ t be in school - parents have been left reeling .
There ’ s been a sharp increase in competition for the slots that remain .
Before the pandemic , Virginia had just over 6,000 licensed child care providers , with space for about 392,000 kids .
By Aug. 10 , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 2,200 - had closed , eliminating 168,000 slots for kids , the state Department of Social Services said .
That was almost 43 % of the seats available pre-pandemic .
The fallout : Some parents can ’ t find child care at all .
Some can ’ t afford it when they do .
Some have had to quit jobs to look after their kids .
And with so few options available , some are opening their own ad hoc day cares in their homes .
Fentress ’ frustration and desperation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some are critical of the seeming lack of consideration for child care in the schools ’ reopening decisions .
“ ‘ You figure it out ’ is what they tell parents , ” Fentress said .
“ Nobody is saying how , other than spend $ 3,000 for multiple kids to go to day care and hope the day cares do it.
” Advocates say the child care system already was broken before the pandemic .
It ’ s pricey for parents , even though pay for workers is low and margins for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was stiff to find a spot in a good program .
“ Even for middle and upper income folks , child care is expensive and hard to find , ” said Kathy Glazer , the president of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation .
“ For families who can ’ t afford the high cost , it ’ s a real bind for them .
The public subsidies for low-income families … are not generous .
They don ’ t cover the full cost and only a fraction of eligible families.
” In Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infant care at a daycare center is more than $ 14,500 , and care for a 4-year-old is around $ 11,500 , according to Child Care Aware of America .
A study by the Economic Policy institute found a year of child care in Virginia is about as expensive as a year of college or housing - two other areas with their own affordability crises .
But pandemic-related closures and public health mandates limiting numbers in those that remain open have further cut the available spots for kids .
Early in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced schools would close , officials pleaded for day cares to stay open .
They said that with enhanced health guidelines , programs could safely stay open to look after kids of those critical to keep the country running - medical professionals , first responders , supply chain workers .
But health concerns and financial pressures ― from increased costs due to new cleaning requirements and lost income from being able to care for fewer children in a given space - led many to close their doors .
In particular , larger day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s taking something that ’ s already really squeezed and turning the vise even tighter , ” Glazer said .
Plenty closed for health reasons , she said , noting that many adults working in child care are older .
“ Many also realized the math just wasn ’ t going to work.
” While some grants and other money were doled out via federal stimulus for child care , it was hardly enough , Glazer said .
Still , some 80 % of home-based providers continued to operate throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were scarce to start with , that initial wave of closures didn ’ t overwhelm the child care system , according to Sarah Vaughn of Child Care Aware of Virginia , which helps connect parents in need of child care with available programs .
“ It kind of balanced out , with parents who were working from home and not really needing care .
That ’ s the silver lining , at least in the beginning , where we didn ’ t see a huge need that was unmet , ” Vaughn said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more businesses are reopening , more parents are expected to return to work and schools are restarting virtually .
Some of those centers that closed are slowly reopening , but many are gone for good , taking significant capacity with them .
“ We ’ ve heard from parents who say there ’ s nothing open in my area , ” Vaughn said .
And filling the looming gap is not going to be easy .
Glazer said the hope is that small , in-home care centers will open to help ease the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs because they view them as a safer environment with fewer children amid the pandemic .
“ It ’ s hard to prop those things up overnight , and working with regulatory agencies , but they ’ re happening , ” she said .
“ The reality is we need all hands on deck .
There aren ’ t enough slots in safe , quality , affordable child care right now.
” Imani Chapman always wanted to open her own day care .
She just didn ’ t expect to do it this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years working in a day care center and is now on maternity leave , with a 2-month-old baby .
Her boyfriend has a 4-year-old , and she has a brother getting ready for fifth grade .
Her boyfriend ’ s son needed additional help and her little brother didn ’ t have anywhere to go .
The boy ’ s mother asked Chapman if she would be able to watch him and help him with his virtual learning .
So Chapman decided she ’ d extend her maternity leave for at least the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - that ’ s when Chesapeake says they ’ ll reassess the possibility of in-person learning .
She ’ ll be looking after her infant daughter , her boyfriend ’ s son , her kid brother and is willing to take on another couple of children from outside the family .
Since she posted her plans on Facebook a few weeks ago , Chapman said she ’ s gotten calls every day from parents needing child care .
They tell her they can ’ t find anyone , or can ’ t afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s made it a point to charge less than centers in the area , because she knows so many working families can ’ t afford it .
At the same time , Chapman is planning to attend online courses through Tidewater Community College for a business and marketing degree .
She planned to finish in the spring and open her own full day care center next summer .
“ This is what I ’ ve wanted to do for my entire life , ” she said .
But the demand has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek a license and a building within the next few weeks so she can take on even more kids .
Others are having to give up their dream jobs , at least temporarily .
Tonya Rivers , a preschool teacher at Bayside Presbyterian in Virginia Beach , said she had to quit the job she loved “ in order to deal with the volatile nature of the school year.
” Rivers has two children , ages 6 and 8 , and said she wasn ’ t comfortable putting them in child care where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through kids and adults from other households .
She ’ ll be staying home to care for them and help them with virtual learning .
Even though she ’ s had to give up her beloved job , Rivers said she ’ s lucky to even be in a position to do that .
“ My husband works , we have to tighten our financial belts some , but he ’ s able to support the family so I can be home with the kids , and I know a lot of families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rivers is sharply critical of the Virginia Beach Public Schools reopening plan , which leaves working parents with few options and a lot of unknowns .
The plan was the subject of hours of debate at the most recent school board meeting , but ultimately went unchanged .
She ’ s not the only one who takes issue with the position parents are in because school buildings will be closed .
Glazer , the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation president , said she doesn ’ t want to be too critical of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face , but said she wished there had been more community inclusion in that decision-making process to highlight the dominoes that would fall as a result .
“ I don ’ t know that there was complete recognition of the profound downstream impact on working families , on vulnerable children , on child care providers , employers .
It ’ s chaotic , trying to figure out what you ’ re going to do now , ” she said .
At least some districts seem to be recognizing the issue .
At a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members asked Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong how they could lobby the city for help with the school year .
Her No .
1 answer : reopen rec centers for child care .
Some have reopened for general recreation but the child care programs many offered before- and after-school haven ’ t .
School officials are meeting with city staff next week to discuss options , NPS spokeswoman Madeline Curott said In the short term , people like Chapman are helping alleviate some issues .
And other , larger providers are also expanding programs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of school .
The YMCA of South Hampton Roads , one of the largest providers in the region , has set up a new full-day e-learning program for school-aged children .
Alongside other programs like Champions and the Boys and Girls Club , the YMCA will also be helping to stand up full-day day care in several Norfolk Public Schools buildings .
Long term , Glazer said things need to change .
“ We need to rebuild the system , but we don ’ t want to rebuild the same broken system we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at this disruption as a way to reimagine early childhood education , ” Glazer said .
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation set up a task force in March that is expected to publicly release recommendations in October to remake the child care system in a way that works for families .
The pandemic has made the challenges of child care painfully obvious to many who were unaware , Glazer said .
“ People are hurting over this .
Employers who want to get their workers back and who are calling me saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem , ’ ” Glazer said .
“ Child care is just part of a functioning society and we need to fix it.
” But those are big-picture future reforms .
For parents like Fentress , the problems and frustrations are happening in real time .
“ It was easy for it to be an invisible problem .
And now it ’ s visible , ” Glazer said .
“ Hopefully change is coming .
”

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) - The frustration is so thick in Aleks Fentress’ voice, it seems to be dripping through the phone as she describes her family’s options this fall.
A mother of three, Fentress has been scrambling to figure out what to do with her kids since the announcement that Chesapeake would be starting school fully virtual.
In the end, she said she has no good choices. She’s anxious about her kids getting services - two of her children have special needs - and about the impact on their finances.
Fentress and her police officer husband made do while schools were closed in the spring. Neither can work from home, so a nanny came in some days while her in-laws looked after the kids on others.
But now, with education set to resume through a computer screen, she wants to ensure her kids - ages 8, 5 and 2 - get the direction, help and care they need full-time.
Fentress has explored several options. Day care would cost at least $2,000 a month. Private schools, a little more.
Her youngest has a condition in which his motor skills struggle to keep up with his brain, rendering him physically unable to speak. Typically, he’d be in line for preschool programs through the public schools. Now she’s planning for private speech therapy - close to $300 a week. That cost will get lumped on top of whatever they spend for daily care.
“I’m literally picking which one of my kids’ issues to put to the side,” she said. “How do you make priority here?”
Fentress said basically every dime she makes from her job as a behavioral therapist for children with autism will end up going to child care. That leaves them with a policeman’s salary to cover everything else for a family of five.
“I will find a way, because that’s my job as a parent,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Thousands of families across Hampton Roads and the state will be facing the same tough choices this fall, as schools restart virtually in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19.
The coronavirus pandemic has tipped an already-fragile child care system into crisis territory.
With mass closure of day cares for younger kids - and virtual learning meaning older ones won’t be in school - parents have been left reeling. There’s been a sharp increase in competition for the slots that remain.
Before the pandemic, Virginia had just over 6,000 licensed child care providers, with space for about 392,000 kids.
By Aug. 10, more than a third of those providers - nearly 2,200 - had closed, eliminating 168,000 slots for kids, the state Department of Social Services said. That was almost 43% of the seats available pre-pandemic.
The fallout: Some parents can’t find child care at all. Some can’t afford it when they do. Some have had to quit jobs to look after their kids. And with so few options available, some are opening their own ad hoc day cares in their homes.
Fentress’ frustration and desperation has become the default for many, and some are critical of the seeming lack of consideration for child care in the schools’ reopening decisions.
“‘You figure it out’ is what they tell parents,” Fentress said. “Nobody is saying how, other than spend $3,000 for multiple kids to go to day care and hope the day cares do it.”
A FRAGILE SYSTEM CRACKS
Advocates say the child care system already was broken before the pandemic.
It’s pricey for parents, even though pay for workers is low and margins for operators are thin, and competition already was stiff to find a spot in a good program.
“Even for middle and upper income folks, child care is expensive and hard to find,” said Kathy Glazer, the president of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. “For families who can’t afford the high cost, it’s a real bind for them. The public subsidies for low-income families … are not generous. They don’t cover the full cost and only a fraction of eligible families.”
In Virginia, the average cost of a year of infant care at a daycare center is more than $14,500, and care for a 4-year-old is around $11,500, according to Child Care Aware of America. A study by the Economic Policy institute found a year of child care in Virginia is about as expensive as a year of college or housing - two other areas with their own affordability crises.
But pandemic-related closures and public health mandates limiting numbers in those that remain open have further cut the available spots for kids.
Early in the pandemic, when Gov. Ralph Northam announced schools would close, officials pleaded for day cares to stay open. They said that with enhanced health guidelines, programs could safely stay open to look after kids of those critical to keep the country running - medical professionals, first responders, supply chain workers.
But health concerns and financial pressures ― from increased costs due to new cleaning requirements and lost income from being able to care for fewer children in a given space - led many to close their doors. In particular, larger day care centers with more overhead struggled.
“It’s taking something that’s already really squeezed and turning the vise even tighter,” Glazer said. Plenty closed for health reasons, she said, noting that many adults working in child care are older. “Many also realized the math just wasn’t going to work.”
While some grants and other money were doled out via federal stimulus for child care, it was hardly enough, Glazer said. Still, some 80% of home-based providers continued to operate throughout the spring and summer.
Though spots were scarce to start with, that initial wave of closures didn’t overwhelm the child care system, according to Sarah Vaughn of Child Care Aware of Virginia, which helps connect parents in need of child care with available programs.
“It kind of balanced out, with parents who were working from home and not really needing care. That’s the silver lining, at least in the beginning, where we didn’t see a huge need that was unmet,” Vaughn said.
But that’s shifted as more businesses are reopening, more parents are expected to return to work and schools are restarting virtually.
Some of those centers that closed are slowly reopening, but many are gone for good, taking significant capacity with them.
“We’ve heard from parents who say there’s nothing open in my area,” Vaughn said.
And filling the looming gap is not going to be easy. Glazer said the hope is that small, in-home care centers will open to help ease the pain. Parents are gravitating toward those programs because they view them as a safer environment with fewer children amid the pandemic.
“It’s hard to prop those things up overnight, and working with regulatory agencies, but they’re happening,” she said. “The reality is we need all hands on deck. There aren’t enough slots in safe, quality, affordable child care right now.”
FILLING THE GAP
Imani Chapman always wanted to open her own day care. She just didn’t expect to do it this quickly.
Chapman has spent nearly six years working in a day care center and is now on maternity leave, with a 2-month-old baby.
Her boyfriend has a 4-year-old, and she has a brother getting ready for fifth grade. Her boyfriend’s son needed additional help and her little brother didn’t have anywhere to go. The boy’s mother asked Chapman if she would be able to watch him and help him with his virtual learning.
So Chapman decided she’d extend her maternity leave for at least the first nine weeks of the school year - that’s when Chesapeake says they’ll reassess the possibility of in-person learning.
She’ll be looking after her infant daughter, her boyfriend’s son, her kid brother and is willing to take on another couple of children from outside the family.
Since she posted her plans on Facebook a few weeks ago, Chapman said she’s gotten calls every day from parents needing child care. They tell her they can’t find anyone, or can’t afford established day cares.
Chapman said she’s made it a point to charge less than centers in the area, because she knows so many working families can’t afford it.
At the same time, Chapman is planning to attend online courses through Tidewater Community College for a business and marketing degree. She planned to finish in the spring and open her own full day care center next summer.
“This is what I’ve wanted to do for my entire life,” she said.
But the demand has been so overwhelming, Chapman said she may seek a license and a building within the next few weeks so she can take on even more kids.
Others are having to give up their dream jobs, at least temporarily.
Tonya Rivers, a preschool teacher at Bayside Presbyterian in Virginia Beach, said she had to quit the job she loved “in order to deal with the volatile nature of the school year.”
Rivers has two children, ages 6 and 8, and said she wasn’t comfortable putting them in child care where they could be exposed to the coronavirus through kids and adults from other households.
She’ll be staying home to care for them and help them with virtual learning. Even though she’s had to give up her beloved job, Rivers said she’s lucky to even be in a position to do that.
“My husband works, we have to tighten our financial belts some, but he’s able to support the family so I can be home with the kids, and I know a lot of families aren’t about to do that.”
Rivers is sharply critical of the Virginia Beach Public Schools reopening plan, which leaves working parents with few options and a lot of unknowns. The plan was the subject of hours of debate at the most recent school board meeting, but ultimately went unchanged.
She’s not the only one who takes issue with the position parents are in because school buildings will be closed.
Glazer, the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation president, said she doesn’t want to be too critical of the schools, given the unprecedented challenges they face, but said she wished there had been more community inclusion in that decision-making process to highlight the dominoes that would fall as a result.
“I don’t know that there was complete recognition of the profound downstream impact on working families, on vulnerable children, on child care providers, employers. It’s chaotic, trying to figure out what you’re going to do now,” she said.
At least some districts seem to be recognizing the issue. At a Norfolk School Board meeting last week, members asked Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong how they could lobby the city for help with the school year.
Her No. 1 answer: reopen rec centers for child care. Some have reopened for general recreation but the child care programs many offered before- and after-school haven’t. School officials are meeting with city staff next week to discuss options, NPS spokeswoman Madeline Curott said
In the short term, people like Chapman are helping alleviate some issues. And other, larger providers are also expanding programs to provide care during the first nine weeks of school. The YMCA of South Hampton Roads, one of the largest providers in the region, has set up a new full-day e-learning program for school-aged children. Alongside other programs like Champions and the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA will also be helping to stand up full-day day care in several Norfolk Public Schools buildings.
Long term, Glazer said things need to change.
“We need to rebuild the system, but we don’t want to rebuild the same broken system we had before, so we’re looking at this disruption as a way to reimagine early childhood education,” Glazer said.
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation set up a task force in March that is expected to publicly release recommendations in October to remake the child care system in a way that works for families.
The pandemic has made the challenges of child care painfully obvious to many who were unaware, Glazer said.
“People are hurting over this. Employers who want to get their workers back and who are calling me saying, ‘Child care is a big problem,’” Glazer said. “Child care is just part of a functioning society and we need to fix it.”
But those are big-picture future reforms. For parents like Fentress, the problems and frustrations are happening in real time.
“It was easy for it to be an invisible problem. And now it’s visible,” Glazer said. “Hopefully change is coming.”
-
Staff writer Sara Gregory contributed to this report.