washingtontimes--2020-06-16--A suspect in 2018 shooting killed in standoff with police

BEACH PARK , Ill. ( AP ) - A northern Illinois man wanted in connection with a 2018 murder was killed Tuesday when he allegedly fired on law enforcement officers attempting to arrest him .
The 24-year-old black man jumped from a vehicle opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon as officers approached a home in Beach Park , located 39.61 miles ( 63.75 km ) north of Chicago , with an arrest warrant , said Lake County Sheriff ’ s spokesman Sgt .
Christopher Covelli .
In return fire , the man was struck by bullets an unknown number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
The dead man , who hasn ’ t been identified , was a suspect in the shooting death in Zion of an 18-year-old , Covelli said .
Others have been arrested in connection with the killing of the teenager .
Two officers were injured in Tuesday ’ s incident and taken to area hospitals , Covelli said .
One had a laceration-type injury to his arm , but it is not clear if it was a graze wound .
The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several other people , including a child , were in the home when the shooting occurred , Covelli said .
None were injured .

BEACH PARK, Ill. (AP) - A northern Illinois man wanted in connection with a 2018 murder was killed Tuesday when he allegedly fired on law enforcement officers attempting to arrest him.
The 24-year-old black man jumped from a vehicle opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon as officers approached a home in Beach Park, located 39.61 miles (63.75 km) north of Chicago, with an arrest warrant, said Lake County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli. In return fire, the man was struck by bullets an unknown number of times and pronounced dead at an area hospital.
The dead man, who hasn’t been identified, was a suspect in the shooting death in Zion of an 18-year-old, Covelli said. Others have been arrested in connection with the killing of the teenager.
Two officers were injured in Tuesday’s incident and taken to area hospitals, Covelli said. One had a laceration-type injury to his arm, but it is not clear if it was a graze wound.
The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, which is the policy in officer-involved shootings.
Several other people, including a child, were in the home when the shooting occurred, Covelli said. None were injured.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Police injure journalists covering Portland protests

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - At least two Portland-based reporters were injured while covering protests against police brutality over the weekend .
Oregonian journalist Beth Nakamura recounted police slamming her with a baton Friday while the next night , Portland Tribune reporter Zane Sparling said he was shoved into a wall by an officer and hit by a crowd control munition , Oregon Public Broadcasting reported .
The reporters said they identified themselves to police as press .
In both incidents , the reporters were told by police , in what the journalists described as profanity-laced responses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The incidents against reporters were the first publicly questioned by the mayor since the uprising began over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
On Twitter Monday , Portland ’ s Mayor Ted Wheeler called Nakamura ’ s account of being attacked “ extremely concerning.
” “ Journalists need to be able to cover the protests safely , ” Wheeler said .
“ I know ( the Portland Police Bureau ) works hard to protect the rights of our press , but there are alarming incidents that need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eudaly and Jo Ann Hardesty have also expressed concerns .
A petition circulated by Portland-based reporters asks the mayor ’ s office to stop the police bureau he oversees from assaulting journalists and warns of a “ chilling effect on coverage and debate about PPB ’ s use of force ” if the violence continues .
On Sunday , police released a video in which their lead spokesperson said all crowd members had to follow orders to disperse , even journalists .
Kyu Ho Youm , who holds the Jonathan Marshall First Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Journalism and Communication , said if journalists “ are treated as demonstrators , that ’ s a terrible mistake on the part of police .
”

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - At least two Portland-based reporters were injured while covering protests against police brutality over the weekend.
Oregonian journalist Beth Nakamura recounted police slamming her with a baton Friday while the next night, Portland Tribune reporter Zane Sparling said he was shoved into a wall by an officer and hit by a crowd control munition, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
The reporters said they identified themselves to police as press. In both incidents, the reporters were told by police, in what the journalists described as profanity-laced responses, that their press credentials did not matter.
The incidents against reporters were the first publicly questioned by the mayor since the uprising began over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
On Twitter Monday, Portland’s Mayor Ted Wheeler called Nakamura’s account of being attacked “extremely concerning.”
“Journalists need to be able to cover the protests safely,” Wheeler said. “I know (the Portland Police Bureau) works hard to protect the rights of our press, but there are alarming incidents that need to be addressed.”
Portland City Council members Chloe Eudaly and Jo Ann Hardesty have also expressed concerns.
A petition circulated by Portland-based reporters asks the mayor’s office to stop the police bureau he oversees from assaulting journalists and warns of a “chilling effect on coverage and debate about PPB’s use of force” if the violence continues.
On Sunday, police released a video in which their lead spokesperson said all crowd members had to follow orders to disperse, even journalists.
Kyu Ho Youm, who holds the Jonathan Marshall First Amendment Chair at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, said if journalists “are treated as demonstrators, that’s a terrible mistake on the part of police.”


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent Wisconsin editorials

It is time to stop stationing police officers in Madison schools The national debate about how to reimagine policing has so many points of entry - so many necessary issues to be addressed - that it is perhaps understandable that some people feel overwhelmed .
But that is no excuse for inaction .
In communities across this country , activist groups were framing issues and making demands long before the horrific death in Minneapolis police custody of an unarmed black man , George Floyd , inspired urgent protests against police brutality and racial injustice .
That ’ s certainly true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years challenged the practice of stationing police officers in the city ’ s four main high schools .
There are plenty of debates to be had in Madison , Dane County , Wisconsin and the whole of the United States about actions that must be taken at this critical juncture .
But this debate about police in schools has been had , after many years of ardent advocacy by the social justice group Freedom Inc. , and as a growing number of school board members have embraced the idea .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madison school board should vote to begin the process of removing school resource officers ( SROs ) from the high schools , to develop better models for protecting students and staff , and to invest in the education and services that can provide a true sense of safety and equity .
The board should vote to remove the SROs for two reasons .
First , this shift in approach is appropriate and necessary .
The arguments for it are strong .
The arguments against are weak .
Second , the change can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes that need to be made to create new models for public safety and public service in Madison and Dane County .
The necessity and appropriateness of the change was summed up by Madison Teachers Inc. , the union that represents teachers and staff in the schools .
MTI had historically supported keeping the SROs in the high schools , but MTI president Andy Waity now says , “ We see the systematic racism that exists in our current structures and join the voices of our students and our community in calling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interact with all of our students , especially those most marginalized in our schools and society.
” A statement from the union acknowledged that MTI ’ s past support the SROs was based on a desire “ to create safe places for our students and staff ” and on a understanding that “ School Resource Officers build strong relationships with students , provide a sense of safety and security for all people , and often take on more of the role of a social worker or counselor than that of a law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view that this was a sufficient argument for keeping the SROs in the schools , but we have come to the conclusion that we were wrong .
We don ’ t disregard the sincere efforts of a number of the SROs .
But it is increasingly clear that School Board president Gloria Reyes - a former Madison police officer who recently announced her support for removing the SROs from the schools - is right when she says , “ The complexities of these times have lasting and painful memories for our students and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dismantle systems that perpetuate racism and create new structures , void of harmful inequities , and with the well-being of every student at the center.
” It is also clear that many of the arguments that are being made for keeping the SROs fall short .
We question the logic of a police presence in the schools for a host of practical reasons .
If the point is to keep students safe from mass shootings and other forms of violence , then why are the SROs only in the high schools , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and middle schools ?
And if , as has been suggested , the officers “ often take on more of the role of a social worker or counselor than that of a law enforcement officer , ” then why not use the resources that go to fund SROs to hire social workers and counselors ?
The answer , to our view , is that the schools should do just that .
Ending the police presence in the schools will be a process , and school board members and administrators should begin it by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students and staff safe .
All schools should , as MTI suggests , “ be properly staffed with counselors , psychologists , social workers , nurses , and mental health specialists according to the national American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) recommended levels.
” Teachers and students should get more training in conflict resolution , as well as restorative justice .
“ What ’ s needed , ” says school board member Savion Castro , “ is a commitment to a different model of education .
That ’ s the end goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we rely on the public health and mental health support staff .
That ’ s a new way of thinking about education.
” Which brings us that second point about the prospect that change in the schools can be a starting point for change in the community as a whole .
Public schools , at their best , are the places where new ideas and new approaches are embraced .
If the school board comes up with a smart plan for this different model for education , and if we all help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it can provide a vital template for changes that the city and the county should be making to promote community control of policing and a new vision for public safety that is grounded in principles of racial and social justice .
This is no way to pick a University of Wisconsin System president : The search committee didn ’ t include a member of the faculty or staff , needlessly creating distrust .
Details on the number and types of applicants , as well as the identities of top contenders , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sole finalist for the job backed out just as he was about to be hired .
Now UW System faces months of uncertainty as the search is rebooted - and as the System ’ s 13 universities across 26 campuses face dire financial and health challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Our state universities and their students deserve better .
This time , the UW Board of Regents needs to get it right .
It must be transparent and inclusive about what it is doing and who it might hire .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build public confidence in its decisions and the direction of higher education in our state .
University of Alaska System President Jim Johnsen withdrew his name from consideration Friday just hours before the search committee planned to recommend him to the full Board of Regents .
It was an unfortunate loss of a promising candidate , despite the flawed process that led to his selection .
Johnsen ’ s record of thinking big about how best to structure Alaska ’ s universities with limited resources - while at the same time advocating for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good fit here .
The next UW System president will need to foster a strong relationship with the Legislature in pursuit of greater state support .
The pandemic undoubtedly made the search more difficult .
It limited travel .
It distracted potential candidates .
With the economy sinking , some applicants may have chosen not to risk a big move .
These are strange and challenging times .
The Madison School District similarly lost its pick for superintendent in April .
Matthew Guiterrez , who leads a Texas school district , rescinded his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public health crisis as his reason .
But Madison ’ s search produced three finalists for the public to meet and consider .
UW System ’ s process led to just one .
UW officials say other finalists for the job of System president dropped out , and pulling a semifinalist into the top pool would have been disingenuous .
That ’ s plausible .
Yet the System ’ s successful pursuit of a state law in 2015 allowing it to hide the names of top job candidates shows a lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top UW jobs worry that being identified as finalists might hurt their standing with their current employers , especially if they aren ’ t hired here .
That ’ s an understandable concern .
But the much more compelling priority must be openness with the broader public who pays the bills , and who deserves input on big decisions involving public institutions .
And in the end , the flawed search wasn ’ t even fair to Johnsen .
Even if he had accepted the job , he would have faced intense scrutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process .
The Regents should learn from their mistakes .
They should add a faculty representative to the next search committee .
They should promise greater transparency throughout the hiring process .
They absolutely must release a list of finalists to the public before picking the best one .
‘ Defunding ’ police is not the answer Across the country right now , there is a movement to “ defund ” law enforcement .
In most areas where that is proposed , the idea is to take money away from local police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Milwaukee , there is a proposal to cut $ 75 million out of the police department ’ s $ 297 million budget .
In Madison , where the words “ Defund Police ” were painted across Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard , organizers are asking the city to use police funding to pay for programs to help the black community with things like housing , education and mental health .
Elsewhere in the United States , there are similar proposals to change how policing is done and ultimately cut funding .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in putting his knee into George Floyd ’ s neck for what prosecutors say was more than eight minutes , ultimately killing him , were abhorrent and never should have happened .
The same for the three ex-officers who stood by and watched Floyd die without stepping in to intervene .
Now is the time to evaluate policies and discuss implementing new training and ideas such as Community Oriented Policing , as the Racine Police Department has .
It ’ s not the time to reduce the number of police officers .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to cut ?
Should we cut from third shift , so that if you call at 3 a.m. to report someone breaking into your house , you are told someone will be in there in 30 minutes to an hour ?
That is not going to be acceptable .
In an emergency , you need someone there now and every minute counts .
Or are you going to cut an investigator , making it so that only violent crimes are prioritized and crimes like theft are put on the back burner ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is shown on TV .
Behind the scenes , they are stopping human traffickers , they are arresting drug dealers so that fewer people become addicted , which can lead to other crimes or fatal drug overdoses .
They are going into homes and working directly with social workers to get children out of dangerous , abusive situations .
Just a few months ago , members of the community were sending pizza , gift cards and words of encouragement to thank officers for their service during the coronavirus pandemic .
Now it seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of good officers out there .
There are bad cops in America , not just in Minneapolis , and they need to be punished ; now is the time to look at policies .
But it ’ s not the time to make severe cuts .
Over the past three months , we have been living in a surreal world - a world where schools and businesses have been closed , a world where there are no festivals or mass gatherings .
But have we forgotten all the mass shootings ?
Have we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oct. 1 , 2017 shooting in Las Vegas where 58 people were killed and 869 people were injured ?
Have we forgotten about Feb. 26 of this year , when six people were killed in Milwaukee at the MillerCoors plant when a man open fire on co-workers ?
Have we forgotten about April 27 of this year , when five people were shot dead in a home near 12th and Locust streets in Milwaukee ?
In Racine , earlier this month , five people were shot at North Beach .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to those calls without protecting themselves .
Are the police supposed to take out a loudspeaker and ask to “ talk to the shooter ?
” That is not going to work .
If something bad happens , people deserve to know the police will be there to clear the area and make it safe .
While more training and a review of policies is good , it ’ s not time to cut funding .
That would only cause other problems down the road .

The Capital Times, Madison, June 11
It is time to stop stationing police officers in Madison schools
The national debate about how to reimagine policing has so many points of entry - so many necessary issues to be addressed - that it is perhaps understandable that some people feel overwhelmed. But that is no excuse for inaction. In communities across this country, activist groups were framing issues and making demands long before the horrific death in Minneapolis police custody of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, inspired urgent protests against police brutality and racial injustice. That’s certainly true in Madison, where community members have for years challenged the practice of stationing police officers in the city’s four main high schools.
There are plenty of debates to be had in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin and the whole of the United States about actions that must be taken at this critical juncture. But this debate about police in schools has been had, after many years of ardent advocacy by the social justice group Freedom Inc., and as a growing number of school board members have embraced the idea. Now, it is time to act.
The Madison school board should vote to begin the process of removing school resource officers (SROs) from the high schools, to develop better models for protecting students and staff, and to invest in the education and services that can provide a true sense of safety and equity.
The board should vote to remove the SROs for two reasons.
First, this shift in approach is appropriate and necessary. The arguments for it are strong. The arguments against are weak.
Second, the change can be a starting point for a host of changes that need to be made to create new models for public safety and public service in Madison and Dane County.
The necessity and appropriateness of the change was summed up by Madison Teachers Inc., the union that represents teachers and staff in the schools. MTI had historically supported keeping the SROs in the high schools, but MTI president Andy Waity now says, “We see the systematic racism that exists in our current structures and join the voices of our students and our community in calling for dramatic change in how we educate and interact with all of our students, especially those most marginalized in our schools and society.”
A statement from the union acknowledged that MTI’s past support the SROs was based on a desire “to create safe places for our students and staff” and on a understanding that “School Resource Officers build strong relationships with students, provide a sense of safety and security for all people, and often take on more of the role of a social worker or counselor than that of a law enforcement officer.” This newspaper once shared the view that this was a sufficient argument for keeping the SROs in the schools, but we have come to the conclusion that we were wrong.
We don’t disregard the sincere efforts of a number of the SROs. But it is increasingly clear that School Board president Gloria Reyes - a former Madison police officer who recently announced her support for removing the SROs from the schools - is right when she says, “The complexities of these times have lasting and painful memories for our students and staff, and we must press harder to dismantle systems that perpetuate racism and create new structures, void of harmful inequities, and with the well-being of every student at the center.”
It is also clear that many of the arguments that are being made for keeping the SROs fall short.
We question the logic of a police presence in the schools for a host of practical reasons. If the point is to keep students safe from mass shootings and other forms of violence, then why are the SROs only in the high schools, when most MMSD students are in elementary and middle schools? And if, as has been suggested, the officers “often take on more of the role of a social worker or counselor than that of a law enforcement officer,” then why not use the resources that go to fund SROs to hire social workers and counselors?
The answer, to our view, is that the schools should do just that. Ending the police presence in the schools will be a process, and school board members and administrators should begin it by establishing clear protocols and standards for keeping students and staff safe. All schools should, as MTI suggests, “be properly staffed with counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and mental health specialists according to the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recommended levels.” Teachers and students should get more training in conflict resolution, as well as restorative justice.
“What’s needed,” says school board member Savion Castro, “is a commitment to a different model of education. That’s the end goal. Instead of relying on the police, we rely on the public health and mental health support staff. That’s a new way of thinking about education.”
Which brings us that second point about the prospect that change in the schools can be a starting point for change in the community as a whole. Public schools, at their best, are the places where new ideas and new approaches are embraced. If the school board comes up with a smart plan for this different model for education, and if we all help to find the resources to implement it, it can provide a vital template for changes that the city and the county should be making to promote community control of policing and a new vision for public safety that is grounded in principles of racial and social justice.
___
Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, June 14
UW search needs more transparency
This is no way to pick a University of Wisconsin System president:
The search committee didn’t include a member of the faculty or staff, needlessly creating distrust. Details on the number and types of applicants, as well as the identities of top contenders, were hidden from the public. Then the sole finalist for the job backed out just as he was about to be hired.
Now UW System faces months of uncertainty as the search is rebooted - and as the System’s 13 universities across 26 campuses face dire financial and health challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Our state universities and their students deserve better. This time, the UW Board of Regents needs to get it right. It must be transparent and inclusive about what it is doing and who it might hire. That’s a much better way to build public confidence in its decisions and the direction of higher education in our state.
University of Alaska System President Jim Johnsen withdrew his name from consideration Friday just hours before the search committee planned to recommend him to the full Board of Regents. It was an unfortunate loss of a promising candidate, despite the flawed process that led to his selection.
Johnsen’s record of thinking big about how best to structure Alaska’s universities with limited resources - while at the same time advocating for solid funding - could have been a good fit here. The next UW System president will need to foster a strong relationship with the Legislature in pursuit of greater state support.
The pandemic undoubtedly made the search more difficult. It limited travel. It distracted potential candidates. With the economy sinking, some applicants may have chosen not to risk a big move.
These are strange and challenging times.
The Madison School District similarly lost its pick for superintendent in April. Matthew Guiterrez, who leads a Texas school district, rescinded his acceptance of the local position, citing the public health crisis as his reason.
But Madison’s search produced three finalists for the public to meet and consider. UW System’s process led to just one.
UW officials say other finalists for the job of System president dropped out, and pulling a semifinalist into the top pool would have been disingenuous. That’s plausible. Yet the System’s successful pursuit of a state law in 2015 allowing it to hide the names of top job candidates shows a lack of commitment to transparency.
Some applicants for top UW jobs worry that being identified as finalists might hurt their standing with their current employers, especially if they aren’t hired here. That’s an understandable concern. But the much more compelling priority must be openness with the broader public who pays the bills, and who deserves input on big decisions involving public institutions.
And in the end, the flawed search wasn’t even fair to Johnsen. Even if he had accepted the job, he would have faced intense scrutiny from those who felt shut out of the process.
The Regents should learn from their mistakes. They should add a faculty representative to the next search committee. They should promise greater transparency throughout the hiring process. They absolutely must release a list of finalists to the public before picking the best one.
___
The Journal Times of Racine, June 14
‘Defunding’ police is not the answer
Across the country right now, there is a movement to “defund” law enforcement.
In most areas where that is proposed, the idea is to take money away from local police departments and direct money to other services.
In Milwaukee, there is a proposal to cut $75 million out of the police department’s $297 million budget.
In Madison, where the words “Defund Police” were painted across Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, organizers are asking the city to use police funding to pay for programs to help the black community with things like housing, education and mental health.
Elsewhere in the United States, there are similar proposals to change how policing is done and ultimately cut funding.
Ex-Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin’s actions in putting his knee into George Floyd’s neck for what prosecutors say was more than eight minutes, ultimately killing him, were abhorrent and never should have happened. The same for the three ex-officers who stood by and watched Floyd die without stepping in to intervene.
Now is the time to evaluate policies and discuss implementing new training and ideas such as Community Oriented Policing, as the Racine Police Department has. It’s not the time to reduce the number of police officers.
If you are cutting, what do you want to cut? Should we cut from third shift, so that if you call at 3 a.m. to report someone breaking into your house, you are told someone will be in there in 30 minutes to an hour? That is not going to be acceptable. In an emergency, you need someone there now and every minute counts.
Or are you going to cut an investigator, making it so that only violent crimes are prioritized and crimes like theft are put on the back burner?
Police do a lot more than what is shown on TV. Behind the scenes, they are stopping human traffickers, they are arresting drug dealers so that fewer people become addicted, which can lead to other crimes or fatal drug overdoses.
They are going into homes and working directly with social workers to get children out of dangerous, abusive situations.
Just a few months ago, members of the community were sending pizza, gift cards and words of encouragement to thank officers for their service during the coronavirus pandemic.
Now it seems some have forgotten about the 99% of good officers out there.
There are bad cops in America, not just in Minneapolis, and they need to be punished; now is the time to look at policies. But it’s not the time to make severe cuts.
Over the past three months, we have been living in a surreal world - a world where schools and businesses have been closed, a world where there are no festivals or mass gatherings.
But have we forgotten all the mass shootings?
Have we forgotten about mass-casualty events, such as the Oct. 1, 2017 shooting in Las Vegas where 58 people were killed and 869 people were injured?
Have we forgotten about Feb. 26 of this year, when six people were killed in Milwaukee at the MillerCoors plant when a man open fire on co-workers?
Have we forgotten about April 27 of this year, when five people were shot dead in a home near 12th and Locust streets in Milwaukee?
In Racine, earlier this month, five people were shot at North Beach.
It’s not an option for police to respond to those calls without protecting themselves. Are the police supposed to take out a loudspeaker and ask to “talk to the shooter?” That is not going to work.
If something bad happens, people deserve to know the police will be there to clear the area and make it safe.
While more training and a review of policies is good, it’s not time to cut funding. That would only cause other problems down the road.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Homebuyers seeking space for office, outdoor area in new houses

The coronavirus has changed the way homebuyers are looking at real estate as more shoppers demand space for a home office and stand-alone housing .
That suggests Americans are souring on condominiums and other multifamily properties because of quarantine exhaustion .
Nearly one-third of buyers have told their agents they want a house with a home office and outdoor area , according to data provided this week by Bright MLS , a real estate analytics provider .
Specifically , 31 % of buyers want a home with office space , as more people are working from home since the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger yard , and 21 % are looking for a place in a “ less dense ” neighborhood .
The survey also found 7 out of 10 agents said their clients are looking at single-family houses , noting there ’ s been declining interest in condos as people tire of compact spaces .
“ One of the byproducts of being quarantined and being inside is just a lust for space at this point , ” Chris Finnegan , chief marketing and communications officer for Bright MLS , told The Washington Times .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our offices , but the idea of teleworking and working remotely will only increase from where we were prior to the pandemic , ” he added .
After most states issued stay-at-home orders in the spring — the prime season for selling homes — many agents had to show clients housing options through virtual tours , taking the home shopping experience online .
A quarter of agents said their clients now would be comfortable entering into a contract to buy a house without stepping foot inside , the data showed , suggesting buyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ COVID-19 has had a strong influence on Mid-Atlantic consumer attitudes as well as on the real estate market itself , ” said Brian Donnellan , president and CEO of Bright MLS .
“ Real estate professionals ’ playbook has evolved quickly and the manner with which they conduct their business has changed a great deal in a short period of time.
” The survey questioned 1,100 of the company ’ s subscribers between May 20-28 in the Mid-Atlantic region , including the District of Columbia , Maryland , Delaware and parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey .
Property experts also predict the buying season to shift from spring to this summer and fall since many homeowners were waiting to list their homes until after stay-at-home orders were lifted .
With homeowners hesitant to list their properties for sale earlier this year because of coronavirus lockdowns , the median sale prices ticked up in urban areas , according to data published this spring .
Washington-area homes sold at a median price of $ 507,000 , which was a monthly high for the past 10 years .
Homes didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — an average of seven days — and they were likely to sell at the full asking price .
The low amount of inventory also helped Baltimore hit its highest average monthly sale price , $ 300,000 .
The same occurred in Philadelphia , with the highest median monthly sale price at $ 272,100 .

The coronavirus has changed the way homebuyers are looking at real estate as more shoppers demand space for a home office and stand-alone housing.
That suggests Americans are souring on condominiums and other multifamily properties because of quarantine exhaustion.
Nearly one-third of buyers have told their agents they want a house with a home office and outdoor area, according to data provided this week by Bright MLS, a real estate analytics provider.
Specifically, 31% of buyers want a home with office space, as more people are working from home since the pandemic began. About 26% seek a bigger yard, and 21% are looking for a place in a “less dense” neighborhood.
The survey also found 7 out of 10 agents said their clients are looking at single-family houses, noting there’s been declining interest in condos as people tire of compact spaces.
“One of the byproducts of being quarantined and being inside is just a lust for space at this point,” Chris Finnegan, chief marketing and communications officer for Bright MLS, told The Washington Times.
“Folks realize eventually we will return to our offices, but the idea of teleworking and working remotely will only increase from where we were prior to the pandemic,” he added.
After most states issued stay-at-home orders in the spring — the prime season for selling homes — many agents had to show clients housing options through virtual tours, taking the home shopping experience online.
A quarter of agents said their clients now would be comfortable entering into a contract to buy a house without stepping foot inside, the data showed, suggesting buyers are satisfied with the virtual open-houses.
“COVID-19 has had a strong influence on Mid-Atlantic consumer attitudes as well as on the real estate market itself,” said Brian Donnellan, president and CEO of Bright MLS. “Real estate professionals’ playbook has evolved quickly and the manner with which they conduct their business has changed a great deal in a short period of time.”
The survey questioned 1,100 of the company’s subscribers between May 20-28 in the Mid-Atlantic region, including the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware and parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Property experts also predict the buying season to shift from spring to this summer and fall since many homeowners were waiting to list their homes until after stay-at-home orders were lifted.
With homeowners hesitant to list their properties for sale earlier this year because of coronavirus lockdowns, the median sale prices ticked up in urban areas, according to data published this spring.
Washington-area homes sold at a median price of $507,000, which was a monthly high for the past 10 years. Homes didn’t stay on the market long — an average of seven days — and they were likely to sell at the full asking price.
The low amount of inventory also helped Baltimore hit its highest average monthly sale price, $300,000.
The same occurred in Philadelphia, with the highest median monthly sale price at $272,100.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Navajo resumes weekend lockdowns as Arizona virus cases rise

WINDOW ROCK , Ariz. ( AP ) - The Navajo Nation is resuming lockdowns for at least the next two weekends as the number of coronavirus cases off the reservation increases , most notably in Arizona .
Tribal President Jonathan Nez made the announcement Tuesday in a virtual town hall .
He cited Arizona , which hit an alarmingly high new daily number of cases with nearly 2,400 - almost double the previous record , in urging people to stay home .
During its peak , the Navajo Nation sent the sickest patients from the reservation to larger hospitals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be an option if hospitals in Arizona become overwhelmed with patients , Nez said .
“ A second surge , a worse surge , may put a lot of pressure back on our health care system and our health care workers , ” Nez said .
Residents on the Navajo Nation are still under daily nighttime curfews .
It has been a couple of weeks since they were required to stay home throughout the weekend , from sundown Friday to sunrise Monday .
Tribal police have been citing people for violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public on the reservation .
Tribal government offices remain closed to the public .
The tribe reported 22 new cases of the coronavirus late Monday , one of the lowest daily numbers , and no new deaths .
The total number of cases reported was 6,633 with 311 deaths .
Health officials said nearly half of those who tested positive have recovered .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - The Navajo Nation is resuming lockdowns for at least the next two weekends as the number of coronavirus cases off the reservation increases, most notably in Arizona.
Tribal President Jonathan Nez made the announcement Tuesday in a virtual town hall. He cited Arizona, which hit an alarmingly high new daily number of cases with nearly 2,400 - almost double the previous record, in urging people to stay home. Businesses will be closed during the weekend lockdown.
During its peak, the Navajo Nation sent the sickest patients from the reservation to larger hospitals in Arizona and New Mexico. That might not be an option if hospitals in Arizona become overwhelmed with patients, Nez said.
“A second surge, a worse surge, may put a lot of pressure back on our health care system and our health care workers,” Nez said.
Residents on the Navajo Nation are still under daily nighttime curfews. It has been a couple of weeks since they were required to stay home throughout the weekend, from sundown Friday to sunrise Monday. Tribal police have been citing people for violating the lockdown.
Masks also must be worn in public on the reservation. Tribal government offices remain closed to the public.
Late Tuesday, the tribe reported 39 new cases of COVID-19, and eight more deaths. The total number of cases reported was 6,672 with 319 deaths. Health officials said nearly half of those who tested positive have recovered.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--ACLU sues to protect Arizona county jail inmates from virus

PHOENIX ( AP ) - The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone and the sheriff ’ s office demanding the release of medically vulnerable inmates from the county ’ s jails .
The lawsuit filed on behalf of the nonprofit Puente Human Rights Movement and inmates with medical conditions like diabetes and lung disease comes as positive cases of the coronavirus among Maricopa County jail inmates surge past the total at state prisons .
“ Persons incarcerated at the Maricopa County jails face a particularly acute threat of infection , illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , ” the lawsuit says , calling the lockups “ breeding grounds for infectious diseases , due to such factors as close quarters that hinder social distancing.
” A sheriff ’ s office spokeswoman said the agency could not comment on pending litigation .
Officials say 386 of Maricopa County ’ s estimated 4,400 inmates had tested positive as of Tuesday compared to 252 confirmed cases among the nearly 41,000 inmates in Arizona ’ s prisons .
One week before , 30 inmates in the county ’ s jails had tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more testing and contact tracing inside the jails .
The sheriff ’ s office says it has taken steps to slow the spread of the virus in the five county jails , such as screening suspects during booking , suspending visitation , and providing face masks to inmates and employees .
In anticipation of possible outbreaks , Maricopa County ’ s jail population has been reduced by more than a third - from 7,100 in December to about 4,500 now .
The courts temporarily suspended the sentences of some inmates so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have cited and released nonviolent suspects .
Arizona is among several states seeing a surge in new COVID-19 cases after stay-at-home orders were lifted last month .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .

PHOENIX (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone and the sheriff’s office demanding the release of medically vulnerable inmates from the county’s jails.
The lawsuit filed on behalf of the nonprofit Puente Human Rights Movement and inmates with medical conditions like diabetes and lung disease comes as positive cases of the coronavirus among Maricopa County jail inmates surge past the total at state prisons.
“Persons incarcerated at the Maricopa County jails face a particularly acute threat of infection, illness, permanent injury, and death from COVID-19,” the lawsuit says, calling the lockups “breeding grounds for infectious diseases, due to such factors as close quarters that hinder social distancing.”
A sheriff’s office spokeswoman said the agency could not comment on pending litigation.
Officials say 386 of Maricopa County’s estimated 4,400 inmates had tested positive as of Tuesday compared to 252 confirmed cases among the nearly 41,000 inmates in Arizona’s prisons.
One week before, 30 inmates in the county’s jails had tested positive. The sharp growth has been attributed to more testing and contact tracing inside the jails.
The sheriff’s office says it has taken steps to slow the spread of the virus in the five county jails, such as screening suspects during booking, suspending visitation, and providing face masks to inmates and employees.
In anticipation of possible outbreaks, Maricopa County’s jail population has been reduced by more than a third - from 7,100 in December to about 4,500 now. The courts temporarily suspended the sentences of some inmates so they could return to work and police agencies have cited and released nonviolent suspects.
Arizona is among several states seeing a surge in new COVID-19 cases after stay-at-home orders were lifted last month.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--N. Carolina Medicaid bill delays managed care until mid-2021

RALEIGH , N.C. ( AP ) - North Carolina ’ s Medicaid program wouldn ’ t shift most of its patients to managed care for another year under a funding measure given tentative approval on Tuesday by the state Senate .
The July 1 , 2021 , start date is contained in a bill that also locates another $ 460 million to cover additional expenses during the next fiscal year for Medicaid , the government-run health care plan for mostly poor children , older adults and people with disabilities .
The shift from a traditional fee-for-service program for three-quarters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recipients was to begin late last year and early this year .
Four private insurers and a physicians ’ partnership awarded contracts by the state would have started receiving fixed monthly payments for every patient seen .
But final funding and details got derailed in a legislative showdown between Republican legislators and Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper .
The stalemate also was connected to the governor ’ s pitch to expand enrollment to cover hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults .
Republicans , particularly in the Senate , oppose the expansion idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t contain expansion .
But it puts financial disincentives in place to kick-start managed care .
The five managed-care contractors each would receive $ 4 million for every month in which it doesn ’ t begin beyond the July 2021 start .
The measure , which needs one more Senate vote before going to the House , also directs the state to select land in Wake County to relocate the current offices of the Department of Health and Human Services on the old Dorothea Dix hospital campus in Raleigh .
The 2019 budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took effect , had directed the Dix campus move to Granville County .

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina’s Medicaid program wouldn’t shift most of its patients to managed care for another year under a funding measure given tentative approval on Tuesday by the state Senate.
The July 1, 2021, start date is contained in a bill that also locates another $460 million to cover additional expenses during the next fiscal year for Medicaid, the government-run health care plan for mostly poor children, older adults and people with disabilities.
The shift from a traditional fee-for-service program for three-quarters of the state’s 2.2 million Medicaid recipients was to begin late last year and early this year. Four private insurers and a physicians’ partnership awarded contracts by the state would have started receiving fixed monthly payments for every patient seen.
But final funding and details got derailed in a legislative showdown between Republican legislators and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The stalemate also was connected to the governor’s pitch to expand enrollment to cover hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults. Republicans, particularly in the Senate, oppose the expansion idea.
Tuesday’s measure doesn’t contain expansion. But it puts financial disincentives in place to kick-start managed care. The five managed-care contractors each would receive $4 million for every month in which it doesn’t begin beyond the July 2021 start.
The measure, which needs one more Senate vote before going to the House, also directs the state to select land in Wake County to relocate the current offices of the Department of Health and Human Services on the old Dorothea Dix hospital campus in Raleigh. The 2019 budget bill, which Cooper vetoed and never took effect, had directed the Dix campus move to Granville County.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Las Vegas sheriff defends arrests of protest observers

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) - The Las Vegas police chief said Tuesday that legal observers who were arrested at a weekend protest on the Las Vegas Strip were not neutral witnesses but were “ antagonizing ” and obstructing officers .
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo , who heads the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department , defended his officers at a news conference but acknowledged an ongoing investigation into police actions over the weekend and in more than 80 protests in Las Vegas over the death of George Floyd , a black man who died in Minneapolis after a white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for several minutes .
Lombardo ’ s news conference came a day after Gov .
Steve Sisolak called for an investigation into the arrest of at least six attorneys and law students who were documenting the protest .
Sisolak said Monday night that he was troubled by reports of the arrests of legal observers , who wore red shirts identifying themselves as such .
The Democratic governor urged Las Vegas police to investigate the incident and publish findings quickly .
The sheriff on Tuesday showed several clips from a police body camera video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Las Vegas Strip looking down on the protests Saturday that showed what appeared to be legal observers in red shirts standing near the front line of protesters .
Lombardo said the clips were only snippets ” from the “ early throes of the investigation.
” He said the department had a number of online videos and police body camera footage to review from Saturday ’ s protest .
In one clip , the observers appeared to be holding up their cellphones and filming the officers .
Another clip showed several of the red-shirted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closer to the car to film inside the back seat .
A third video began showing an already-in-progress arrest of a female legal observer .
Lombardo said the videos showed observers walking in the middle of the street with protesters “ as officers attempted to get them out of harm ’ s way and back onto the sidewalk.
” He said one of the legal observers “ shoved her cell phone camera up to an officer ’ s face in a confrontational manner.
” He said another one left a road median and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading the crowd of aggressive protesters.
” When the sheriff was asked about the circumstances surrounding the third clip , showing the in-progress arrest of a female observer , he said , “ That ’ s a great question .
Because if you look at it at face value , you ’ re like , ‘ They weren ’ t doing anything , right ?
’ ” The sheriff said before the arrest , the officers had given a verbal warning telling the demonstrators and observers they needed to leave .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OK ?
They still were in proximity .
Granted , they were on the sidewalk , right ?
But the decision to take them into custody was made prior to that , ” Lombardo said .
Attorney and lead observer John Piro said earlier that he and Belinda Harris , a Clark County chief deputy public defender , were “ snatched ” from a sidewalk , handcuffed with zip ties and arrested for what he said was no reason .
Lombardo said the department was in the early stage of investigating 17 complaints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far regarding their actions in more than 80 protest and demonstrations since Floyd ’ s killing .
He said thus far , no officers have been found to violate any policy but he invited the public to make a complaint for the department to investigate if they have any concern .
Associated Press writer Sam Metz contributed to this report .

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Las Vegas police chief said Tuesday that legal observers who were arrested at a weekend protest on the Las Vegas Strip were not neutral witnesses but were “antagonizing” and obstructing officers.
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who heads the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, defended his officers at a news conference but acknowledged an ongoing investigation into police actions over the weekend and in more than 80 protests in Las Vegas over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.
Lombardo’s news conference came a day after Gov. Steve Sisolak called for an investigation into the arrest of at least six attorneys and law students who were documenting the protest.
Sisolak said Monday night that he was troubled by reports of the arrests of legal observers, who wore red shirts identifying themselves as such. The Democratic governor urged Las Vegas police to investigate the incident and publish findings quickly.
The sheriff on Tuesday showed several clips from a police body camera video and some footage from cameras on the Las Vegas Strip looking down on the protests Saturday that showed what appeared to be legal observers in red shirts standing near the front line of protesters.
Lombardo said the clips were only snippets” from the “early throes of the investigation.” He said the department had a number of online videos and police body camera footage to review from Saturday’s protest.
In one clip, the observers appeared to be holding up their cellphones and filming the officers. Another clip showed several of the red-shirted observers filming a police car and moving closer to the car to film inside the back seat. A third video began showing an already-in-progress arrest of a female legal observer.
Lombardo said the videos showed observers walking in the middle of the street with protesters “as officers attempted to get them out of harm’s way and back onto the sidewalk.” He said one of the legal observers “shoved her cell phone camera up to an officer’s face in a confrontational manner.” He said another one left a road median and leaned into a police vehicle “seemingly leading the crowd of aggressive protesters.”
When the sheriff was asked about the circumstances surrounding the third clip, showing the in-progress arrest of a female observer, he said, “That’s a great question. Because if you look at it at face value, you’re like, ‘They weren’t doing anything, right?’”
The sheriff said before the arrest, the officers had given a verbal warning telling the demonstrators and observers they needed to leave.
“They had been given that warning earlier, OK? They still were in proximity. Granted, they were on the sidewalk, right? But the decision to take them into custody was made prior to that,” Lombardo said.
Attorney and lead observer John Piro said earlier that he and Belinda Harris, a Clark County chief deputy public defender, were “snatched” from a sidewalk, handcuffed with zip ties and arrested for what he said was no reason.
Lombardo said the department was in the early stage of investigating 17 complaints that have been made against his officers so far regarding their actions in more than 80 protest and demonstrations since Floyd’s killing.
He said thus far, no officers have been found to violate any policy but he invited the public to make a complaint for the department to investigate if they have any concern.
___
Associated Press writer Sam Metz contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Board to review licenses of ex-officers in Floyd death

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - A Minnesota board that licenses and set training standards for all peace officers in the state plans to review the death of George Floyd .
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training ( POST ) is required to review all misconduct complaints against licensed police officers .
If the complaint is ruled justified , the board can revoke any officer ’ s license , the Star Tribune reported .
All four Minneapolis police officers who have been charged in the May 25 death of Floyd were fired from the department , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The POST Board has asked the court for copies of the criminal complaints against former officer Derek Chauvin , who is charged with second-degree murder , third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter , as well as former officers Tou Thao , Thomas Lane and J. Kueng , who are all charged with aiding and abetting .
A witness video captured Chauvin , who is white , pressing his knee against Floyd ’ s neck before the handcuffed black man died in Minneapolis .
In a statement , the board said Chauvin ’ s actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive .
“ The video is troubling and disturbing and it is the Board ’ s position that sanctity of life must be the guiding principle for all law enforcement officers , ” the statement said .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A Minnesota board that licenses and set training standards for all peace officers in the state plans to review the death of George Floyd.
The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) is required to review all misconduct complaints against licensed police officers. If the complaint is ruled justified, the board can revoke any officer’s license, the Star Tribune reported.
All four Minneapolis police officers who have been charged in the May 25 death of Floyd were fired from the department, but they are still licensed Minnesota peace officers.
The POST Board has asked the court for copies of the criminal complaints against former officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, as well as former officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Kueng, who are all charged with aiding and abetting. A witness video captured Chauvin, who is white, pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck before the handcuffed black man died in Minneapolis.
In a statement, the board said Chauvin’s actions do not reflect any training that officers receive.
“The video is troubling and disturbing and it is the Board’s position that sanctity of life must be the guiding principle for all law enforcement officers,” the statement said.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Inslee: Yakima County must do more to prevent coronavirus

YAKIMA , Wash. ( AP ) - Residents of Yakima County must do more to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 , which has hit the area in central Washington particularly hard , Gov .
Jay Inslee said Tuesday .
Yakima County has 250,000 residents , but has recorded more than 5,700 cases of COVID-19 , the second-highest total in the state after much more populous King County .
“ ” This virus is on a rampage in this beautiful valley , ” Inslee , a former long-time resident of Yakima County , said during a news conference at Yakima @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus a sort of “ ” earthquake ” that was devastating the economy here .
A big reason the valley has so many cases is that too many people are refusing to wear masks , Inslee said .
He cited a recent finding that only about 35 % of Yakima County residents would wear masks when patronizing a business .
“ ” We need to get that up , ” said Inslee , a former lawyer who lived in the Yakima suburb of Selah and once represented central Washington in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed more testing for the coronavirus and more contact tracing of infected people to bring down the number of cases .
“ ” Our current game is not in the winning column , ” Inslee said .
Projections show a dramatic increase in cases as the summer progresses if changes are not made , Inslee said .
Officials have blamed a large number of cases in nursing homes , a larger than normal supply of essential workers who remained on the job , and the challenges posed by the county ’ s massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
About 45 % of the county ’ s cases are found among the tens of thousands of Hispanic farm workers who toil in the farms and food processing plants .
Inslee has issued a series of statewide proclamations to change how farm workers travel to fields , sleep and work , in order to slow the spread of the virus .
“ ” We are trying to reduce the risk for agricultural workers , ” Inslee said .
In Washington state , there are also high COVID-19 numbers for Benton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have large numbers of farm workers .
Inslee noted there were more than 340 new cases of the coronavirus in the past four days in Yakima County , and the high case numbers were preventing the reopening of businesses .
“ ” Can we get enough people in the Yakima Valley to commit to wearing masks ?
” Inslee said , as he spent the day meeting with local political and business leaders who are anxious to restart the economy .
Inslee noted that local leaders had launched a public relations campaign to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia and death .

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Residents of Yakima County must do more to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, which has hit the area in central Washington particularly hard, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.
Yakima County has 250,000 residents, but has recorded more than 5,700 cases of COVID-19, the second-highest total in the state after much more populous King County.
“”This virus is on a rampage in this beautiful valley,” Inslee, a former long-time resident of Yakima County, said during a news conference at Yakima Valley College.
The Democratic governor called the virus a sort of “”earthquake” that was devastating the economy here. A big reason the valley has so many cases is that too many people are refusing to wear masks, Inslee said.
He cited a recent finding that only about 35% of Yakima County residents would wear masks when patronizing a business.
“”We need to get that up,” said Inslee, a former lawyer who lived in the Yakima suburb of Selah and once represented central Washington in the U.S. House.
Inslee said Yakima County also needed more testing for the coronavirus and more contact tracing of infected people to bring down the number of cases.
“”Our current game is not in the winning column,” Inslee said.
Projections show a dramatic increase in cases as the summer progresses if changes are not made, Inslee said. Officials have blamed a large number of cases in nursing homes, a larger than normal supply of essential workers who remained on the job, and the challenges posed by the county’s massive agriculture industry for the rise in COVID-19 cases.
About 45% of the county’s cases are found among the tens of thousands of Hispanic farm workers who toil in the farms and food processing plants.
Inslee has issued a series of statewide proclamations to change how farm workers travel to fields, sleep and work, in order to slow the spread of the virus.
“”We are trying to reduce the risk for agricultural workers,” Inslee said.
In Washington state, there are also high COVID-19 numbers for Benton, Franklin and Chelan counties, which also have large numbers of farm workers.
Inslee noted there were more than 340 new cases of the coronavirus in the past four days in Yakima County, and the high case numbers were preventing the reopening of businesses.
“”Can we get enough people in the Yakima Valley to commit to wearing masks?” Inslee said, as he spent the day meeting with local political and business leaders who are anxious to restart the economy.
Inslee noted that local leaders had launched a public relations campaign to increase the use of masks.
For most, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Officials predict active Montana fire season amid COVID-19

HELENA , Mont .
( AP ) - Montana will likely see more fires and smoke-filled skies this year than it saw law year , officials said Tuesday .
While snow pack in the state is above average , July is expected to be warmer and drier than normal , raising the fire risk , National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Richmond said during a fire season briefing to Gov .
Steve Bullock and state officials .
Richmond predicted more smoke to come into the western part of the state this year compared to previous years .
Climate patterns could cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Washington and Northern California to settle in northwestern Montana , he said .
“ With the COVID issues and respiratory issues , that is something really serious to be aware of , ” Richmond said .
The 2019 fire season was relatively mild , with less than 156 square miles ( 404 square kilometers ) burned , compared to the record 2017 season , when fire charred 2,125 square miles ( 5,504 square kilometers ) in the state .
Montana Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Fire and Aviation Chief Mike DeGrosky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far this year , burning more than 19 square miles ( 49 square kilometers ) .
The number of fires reported this year is smaller than last year , but the area burned so far is four times larger , likely due to drier conditions in some parts of the state , DeGrosky said .
“ These days , we ’ re always one flash drought away from a very challenging fire season , ” he said .
Bullock said that preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be one of the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re committed to aggressive initial attack in order to minimize risk exposure to our personnel and the public , by keeping fires small and their duration as short as possible , ” Bullock said .
Officials used last weekend ’ s fire south of Helena as an example of the threat the season poses .
“ It was very much the fire that we have worried about in Helena for some time , ” said Director of Natural Resources and Conservation John Tubbs .
The fire , spread by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerous pre-evacuation notices in neighborhoods in Jefferson County and Lewis and Clark County .
All notices were lifted by Tuesday .
The fire was not contained as of Tuesday , but no structures were lost to the fire , Tubbs said .
The source of the fire is still under investigation .
Iris Samuels is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Montana will likely see more fires and smoke-filled skies this year than it saw law year, officials said Tuesday.
While snow pack in the state is above average, July is expected to be warmer and drier than normal, raising the fire risk, National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Richmond said during a fire season briefing to Gov. Steve Bullock and state officials.
Richmond predicted more smoke to come into the western part of the state this year compared to previous years. Climate patterns could cause smoke from fires in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Northern California to settle in northwestern Montana, he said.
“With the COVID issues and respiratory issues, that is something really serious to be aware of,” Richmond said.
The 2019 fire season was relatively mild, with less than 156 square miles (404 square kilometers) burned, compared to the record 2017 season, when fire charred 2,125 square miles (5,504 square kilometers) in the state.
Montana Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Fire and Aviation Chief Mike DeGrosky said 401 fires have been reported so far this year, burning more than 19 square miles (49 square kilometers).
The number of fires reported this year is smaller than last year, but the area burned so far is four times larger, likely due to drier conditions in some parts of the state, DeGrosky said.
“These days, we’re always one flash drought away from a very challenging fire season,” he said.
Bullock said that preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be one of the state’s missions in the upcoming fire season.
“We’re committed to aggressive initial attack in order to minimize risk exposure to our personnel and the public, by keeping fires small and their duration as short as possible,” Bullock said.
Officials used last weekend’s fire south of Helena as an example of the threat the season poses.
“It was very much the fire that we have worried about in Helena for some time,” said Director of Natural Resources and Conservation John Tubbs.
The fire, spread by high wind on Saturday, led to numerous pre-evacuation notices in neighborhoods in Jefferson County and Lewis and Clark County. All notices were lifted by Tuesday.
The fire was not contained as of Tuesday, but no structures were lost to the fire, Tubbs said. The source of the fire is still under investigation.
___
Iris Samuels is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent Minnesota editorials

To no Minnesotan ’ s surprise , the 2020 Legislature is now in a special session .
To the surprise of everyone , though , the hottest topic at the Capitol is not bonding or budgets .
It ’ s police reform .
An issue barely on special-session radar when the regular session adjourned May 20 is now a must-do mandate after the horrific death May 24 of George Floyd while in custody of four now-former Minneapolis police officers .
And , yes , the Legislature and Gov .
Tim Walz must use this special session to start making substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so communities can begin to heal , rebuild trust , and , most importantly , ensure more lives aren ’ t needlessly lost .
Know , though , one special session can not fix a system the evolved over decades The goals for this special session should be simple .
- For policing reforms , work on two fronts .
First , adopt specific measures already thoroughly vetted that directly address factors that led to Floyd ’ s death .
Second , set a legislative framework for continuing reforms next session that focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus to law enforcement duties .
More on this in a moment .
- For the much-discussed bonding bill , DFLers want to spend too much while Republicans are too tight-fisted .
Legislators must find middle ground by focusing the bill on mission-critical projects that grow jobs - including some help for businesses devastated in the Minneapolis riots .
In short : Drop the wants , focus on the needs .
- For COVID-19 issues , do what ’ s necessary to get the state positioned for this long-term battle without getting hung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , politics and power too often are the fuel elected officials use to stop something their party opposes or advance a cause their party embraces .
That must not happen , especially regarding police reforms .
Gov .
Tim Walz on Thursday offered a solid starting point in proposing eight specific reforms , five of which are recommended by the Legislature ’ s own working group on police-involved deadly force encounters .
Among those are : - Reforming the statute that defines when law enforcement is justified in using deadly force to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Creating a new state-level office to administer grants to community-based violence-intervenors and problem solvers to intercept violence and reduce interactions with police .
Fund co-responders , pairing officers with a social worker when responding to crisis calls and welfare checks .
- Creating a grant program to train professional community healers trained to respond with support service to oppression-induced and present-day trauma .
- Provide the Minnesota Attorney General with independent jurisdiction for the prosecution of police-involved deaths and creating an independent investigation unit within Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for police-involved cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands of colleagues and acquaintances , potentially improving community trust in the outcomes of those cases .
- And expanding police training in de-escalation and mental health crisis intervention .
As this board noted just last week , the working group ’ s ideas are based on a credible , transparent process that included public input and discussions with law enforcement statewide .
Legislators have had since January to examine these recommendations .
Given Floyd ’ s death and its aftermath , adopting these specific measures soon will show Minnesotans the Legislature is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanding .
To claim more discussion is needed than this special session , or , worse , to link their passage to unrelated issues like bonding projects or COVID-19 , would amount to legislators dodging accountability .
Again , though , these vetted measures are just a starting point .
Legislators and the governor also must set the stage for crafting more reforms that stop America ’ s momentum to militarize the police .
Yes , specially trained tactical units and appropriate equipment for them are needed on every police force .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ react as an elite soldier - because the communities they serve are not the enemy .
Where officers act as if their community members are the enemy , this editorial board believes officers are ultimately in more danger , not less .
And officer safety is extremely important - but no more and no less important than the safety of people who are innocent under the law until proven guilty in court .
To be clear , one special session can not undo decades of such a mindset .
But some actions must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We can ’ t be at war on our own streets .
Why it matters : Home quarantines brought stresses and challenges , but they also created a closer relationship between dads and kids .
It ’ s been difficult to find many bright spots as the country has been moving through various stages of the coronavirus pandemic .
But one of them is that more dads are connecting with their kids like never before .
As many parents work from home , it ’ s brought some clear challenges .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties , but taking on roles of child care provider and teacher as their kids stayed home and did remote school work .
But it ’ s also brought benefits .
With kids and parents more often staying close to home , time slowed down .
No running to myriad activities , fewer shopping and entertainment trips .
For fathers , in particular , the stay-at-home orders created new bonding opportunities with their kids .
Rather than coming home from work at the end of the day , perhaps tired and stressed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her day at work , dads spent days sharing their children ’ s lives .
The Harvard Graduate School of Education studied the effects of family relationships during the quarantine and found that dads felt more connected and closer to their kids .
Senior lecturer and faculty director Richard Weissbourd said almost 70 % of dads reported they were feeling closer to their kids because of the new dynamics of being at home .
The report , which will be published soon , found that a majority of dads also said their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the dads were sharing more of their feelings with their kids .
Let us hope that as life begins to return to a more normal routine that the lessons learned about the importance of a father ’ s relationship with his kids remains .
Deliberations need not drag on , but there are a variety of issues to tackle .
Minnesota is at the midpoint of what may be a one-week legislative special session if the Republican-controlled Senate has its way .
It is time to consider whether enough work can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered successful , or to acknowledge that 201 adults with competing views and equal standing may need more time to accomplish anything meaningful .
This special session , unlike most , started with Gov .
Tim Walz calling lawmakers back to St. Paul without the usual carefully negotiated set of agenda points and an agreed-upon end date .
By Minnesota law , only the governor can declare a special session , but only the Legislature can end it .
In this case , one half of that equation , the Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that all work would be done within a week .
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka , in talking with an editorial writer , said that much of the work before them had been heard in regular session , such as bonding , but failed to make it over the finish line .
Police reform had resurfaced after George Floyd ’ s death in police custody , but Gazelka said Senate Republicans had adopted some proposals from the House People of Color and Indigenous ( POCI ) Caucus , such as a ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional training and a requirement that use-of-force reports be filed to the state .
Walz , on the other hand , saw the aftermath of Floyd ’ s death as a time to think bigger on police reform , to address long-festering inequities not just in criminal justice , but also in education , the economy and other aspects of society .
One vision leaves too little time to meet the demands of the moment .
Underrepresented communities must be given a chance to be truly heard , to be part of forming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so vast that it must be given dimension and deadlines if it is to have any chance of being realized .
Walz acknowledged as much on Wednesday , saying that “ a deadline is not a bad thing.
” There is obvious common ground here , and much of it has taken shape just recently .
Both sides now are on record in favor of greater police accountability and some specifics .
Though a gulf separates them on the amounts , both sides want a bonding bill .
That is needed now more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is too important an issue to get hung up on Walz ’ s emergency powers , which governors in nearly every state are still using to deal with COVID-19 .
We urge Walz , Gazelka , House Speaker Melissa Hortman , the POCI Caucus and others to work together on legislation that takes a little from both , that is both pragmatic and innovative , attuned to what can be done soon , but goes beyond just the expected .
That will take longer than a week , but it shouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little time and a little willingness .
If the Senate passes bills but leaves no time to work out differences with the House , nothing meaningful will have been accomplished .
There is a chance in the special session to do something worthy on several important fronts , to respond in a meaningful way to events that have thrust this state onto the world stage for the worst possible reasons .
That is worth a little extra time .

St. Cloud Times, June 12
Special session must yield policing reforms
To no Minnesotan’s surprise, the 2020 Legislature is now in a special session.
To the surprise of everyone, though, the hottest topic at the Capitol is not bonding or budgets. It’s police reform.
An issue barely on special-session radar when the regular session adjourned May 20 is now a must-do mandate after the horrific death May 24 of George Floyd while in custody of four now-former Minneapolis police officers.
And, yes, the Legislature and Gov. Tim Walz must use this special session to start making substantial reforms to police policies and law-enforcement practices so communities can begin to heal, rebuild trust, and, most importantly, ensure more lives aren’t needlessly lost.
Know, though, one special session cannot fix a system the evolved over decades
The goals for this special session should be simple.
- For policing reforms, work on two fronts. First, adopt specific measures already thoroughly vetted that directly address factors that led to Floyd’s death. Second, set a legislative framework for continuing reforms next session that focus on demilitarizing police while also refining their focus to law enforcement duties. More on this in a moment.
- For the much-discussed bonding bill, DFLers want to spend too much while Republicans are too tight-fisted. Legislators must find middle ground by focusing the bill on mission-critical projects that grow jobs - including some help for businesses devastated in the Minneapolis riots. In short: Drop the wants, focus on the needs.
- For COVID-19 issues, do what’s necessary to get the state positioned for this long-term battle without getting hung up on politics and power.
Of course, politics and power too often are the fuel elected officials use to stop something their party opposes or advance a cause their party embraces.
That must not happen, especially regarding police reforms.
Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday offered a solid starting point in proposing eight specific reforms, five of which are recommended by the Legislature’s own working group on police-involved deadly force encounters.
Among those are:
- Reforming the statute that defines when law enforcement is justified in using deadly force to prioritize the sanctity of life.
- Creating a new state-level office to administer grants to community-based violence-intervenors and problem solvers to intercept violence and reduce interactions with police. Fund co-responders, pairing officers with a social worker when responding to crisis calls and welfare checks.
- Creating a grant program to train professional community healers trained to respond with support service to oppression-induced and present-day trauma.
- Provide the Minnesota Attorney General with independent jurisdiction for the prosecution of police-involved deaths and creating an independent investigation unit within Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for police-involved cases. That takes such cases out of the hands of colleagues and acquaintances, potentially improving community trust in the outcomes of those cases.
- And expanding police training in de-escalation and mental health crisis intervention.
As this board noted just last week, the working group’s ideas are based on a credible, transparent process that included public input and discussions with law enforcement statewide.
Legislators have had since January to examine these recommendations. Given Floyd’s death and its aftermath, adopting these specific measures soon will show Minnesotans the Legislature is committed to the reforms countless residents are demanding.
To claim more discussion is needed than this special session, or, worse, to link their passage to unrelated issues like bonding projects or COVID-19, would amount to legislators dodging accountability.
Again, though, these vetted measures are just a starting point. Legislators and the governor also must set the stage for crafting more reforms that stop America’s momentum to militarize the police.
Yes, specially trained tactical units and appropriate equipment for them are needed on every police force. But not every officer should be trained to react as an elite soldier - because the communities they serve are not the enemy. Where officers act as if their community members are the enemy, this editorial board believes officers are ultimately in more danger, not less. And officer safety is extremely important - but no more and no less important than the safety of people who are innocent under the law until proven guilty in court.
To be clear, one special session cannot undo decades of such a mindset. But some actions must be taken that show reform is happening. We can’t be at war on our own streets.
___
The Free Press of Mankato, June 16
COVID-19: Pandemic brought some unexpected benefits
Why it matters: Home quarantines brought stresses and challenges, but they also created a closer relationship between dads and kids.
It’s been difficult to find many bright spots as the country has been moving through various stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
But one of them is that more dads are connecting with their kids like never before.
As many parents work from home, it’s brought some clear challenges. Not only are they doing their regular job duties, but taking on roles of child care provider and teacher as their kids stayed home and did remote school work.
But it’s also brought benefits. With kids and parents more often staying close to home, time slowed down. No running to myriad activities, fewer shopping and entertainment trips.
For fathers, in particular, the stay-at-home orders created new bonding opportunities with their kids. Rather than coming home from work at the end of the day, perhaps tired and stressed, and finding their wife tired and stressed from her day at work, dads spent days sharing their children’s lives.
The Harvard Graduate School of Education studied the effects of family relationships during the quarantine and found that dads felt more connected and closer to their kids.
Senior lecturer and faculty director Richard Weissbourd said almost 70% of dads reported they were feeling closer to their kids because of the new dynamics of being at home.
The report, which will be published soon, found that a majority of dads also said their kids were sharing more about their feelings and that the dads were sharing more of their feelings with their kids.
Let us hope that as life begins to return to a more normal routine that the lessons learned about the importance of a father’s relationship with his kids remains.
___ Minneapolis Star Tribune, June 16
Lawmakers shouldn’t leave St. Paul without meaningful results
Deliberations need not drag on, but there are a variety of issues to tackle.
Minnesota is at the midpoint of what may be a one-week legislative special session if the Republican-controlled Senate has its way. It is time to consider whether enough work can be done in the remaining days to be considered successful, or to acknowledge that 201 adults with competing views and equal standing may need more time to accomplish anything meaningful.
This special session, unlike most, started with Gov. Tim Walz calling lawmakers back to St. Paul without the usual carefully negotiated set of agenda points and an agreed-upon end date. By Minnesota law, only the governor can declare a special session, but only the Legislature can end it. In this case, one half of that equation, the Senate, filled in the missing date, declaring that all work would be done within a week.
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, in talking with an editorial writer, said that much of the work before them had been heard in regular session, such as bonding, but failed to make it over the finish line. Police reform had resurfaced after George Floyd’s death in police custody, but Gazelka said Senate Republicans had adopted some proposals from the House People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus, such as a ban on chokeholds and neck restraints, along with additional training and a requirement that use-of-force reports be filed to the state.
Walz, on the other hand, saw the aftermath of Floyd’s death as a time to think bigger on police reform, to address long-festering inequities not just in criminal justice, but also in education, the economy and other aspects of society.
One vision leaves too little time to meet the demands of the moment. Underrepresented communities must be given a chance to be truly heard, to be part of forming the solution. The other vision is so vast that it must be given dimension and deadlines if it is to have any chance of being realized. Walz acknowledged as much on Wednesday, saying that “a deadline is not a bad thing.”
There is obvious common ground here, and much of it has taken shape just recently. Both sides now are on record in favor of greater police accountability and some specifics. Though a gulf separates them on the amounts, both sides want a bonding bill. That is needed now more than ever given a pandemic-induced recession. It is too important an issue to get hung up on Walz’s emergency powers, which governors in nearly every state are still using to deal with COVID-19.
We urge Walz, Gazelka, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, the POCI Caucus and others to work together on legislation that takes a little from both, that is both pragmatic and innovative, attuned to what can be done soon, but goes beyond just the expected.
That will take longer than a week, but it shouldn’t be open-ended. Consensus takes a little time and a little willingness. If the Senate passes bills but leaves no time to work out differences with the House, nothing meaningful will have been accomplished.
There is a chance in the special session to do something worthy on several important fronts, to respond in a meaningful way to events that have thrust this state onto the world stage for the worst possible reasons.
That is worth a little extra time.


washingtontimes--2020-06-16--Bill limiting coronavirus liability advances in Tennessee

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) - Tennessee would become the latest state to provide health care providers , schools and businesses broad protections against coronavirus lawsuits under a proposal gaining traction inside the GOP-dominant Statehouse .
House Republicans approved such a measure Tuesday despite objections from Democrats , who argued the bill was unnecessary .
A separate bill had already passed the Senate last week .
However , the House ’ s version tweaked the proposal , which means now the two chambers must negotiate on a final version .
However , the concept is widely embraced by Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So far , a handful of states - including Arkansas , Louisiana and Utah - have adopted such limits through legislation or executive orders .
Several more states are considering them as the Chamber of Commerce lobbies for national liability protections .
Supporters argue employers need assurance they can open their doors without facing a wave of litigation .
Critics counter that employees already face a high barrier to receiving restitution from businesses that may place them at risk .
According to the House ’ s bill , qualifying businesses would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury or death ” from allegedly contracting the coronavirus at their establishment unless the claimant can prove “ gross negligence or willful misconduct ” that the businesses did not properly comply with public health guidelines .
The bill also stipulates that anyone seeking to file a lawsuit must include a statement from at least one coronavirus expert who agrees there is a “ good faith basis ” to submit the claim But unlike the Senate version , the bill would only take effect once signed into law .
The Senate had included a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doing so might not hold up in court .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up within weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness and be fatal .
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee would become the latest state to provide health care providers, schools and businesses broad protections against coronavirus lawsuits under a proposal gaining traction inside the GOP-dominant Statehouse.
House Republicans approved such a measure Tuesday despite objections from Democrats, who argued the bill was unnecessary.
A separate bill had already passed the Senate last week. However, the House’s version tweaked the proposal, which means now the two chambers must negotiate on a final version.
However, the concept is widely embraced by Republican Gov. Bill Lee and GOP lawmakers.
So far, a handful of states - including Arkansas, Louisiana and Utah - have adopted such limits through legislation or executive orders. Several more states are considering them as the Chamber of Commerce lobbies for national liability protections.
Supporters argue employers need assurance they can open their doors without facing a wave of litigation. Critics counter that employees already face a high barrier to receiving restitution from businesses that may place them at risk.
According to the House’s bill, qualifying businesses would not be liable for any “damages, injury or death” from allegedly contracting the coronavirus at their establishment unless the claimant can prove “gross negligence or willful misconduct” that the businesses did not properly comply with public health guidelines.
The bill also stipulates that anyone seeking to file a lawsuit must include a statement from at least one coronavirus expert who agrees there is a “good faith basis” to submit the claim
But unlike the Senate version, the bill would only take effect once signed into law. The Senate had included a retroactive element, but House members argued that doing so might not hold up in court.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up within weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and be fatal.
___
Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-06-17--Tom Cotton: Twitter threatened to lock my account over posts on military, looting

Sen. Tom Cotton , Arkansas Republican , on Wednesday said Twitter threatened to permanently lock his account over recent posts tied to the ongoing unrest following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month .
Mr. Cotton has attracted significant attention for defending the president ’ s authority to leverage U.S. troops , if necessary , to quell violent rioting and looting that emanated from some of the protests following Floyd ’ s death .
“ So one of their low-level employees in Washington , D.C. , just contacted my office out of the blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweets in 30 minutes or we ’ re going to permanently lock your account , ” Mr. Cotton said on “ Fox & Friends.
” He said they asked for an explanation but that “ it was not really forthcoming.
” “ They cited a policy that didn ’ t really explain or apply to my situation , ” Mr. Cotton said .
“ We sent them back some clear evidence of my meaning on Twitter and then they said well , we ’ re going to consider this.
” “ And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bluff for 30 minutes .
They didn ’ t lock down my account , and then within about two hours they finally got back to us and said , ‘ OK , you can keep your post up , ’ ” he said .
Mr. Cotton said the whole procedure struck him as secretive and unfair .
“ They were just calling us out of the blue demanding that we censor my own tweets or that they would censor my entire account , ” he said .
Twitter did not immediately respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s situation .
Mr. Cotton ’ s recent op-ed in The New York Times defending the president ’ s authority to use military force to quell the riots generated criticism from reporters at the paper and ultimately resulted in the resignation of the paper ’ s editorial page editor .
There is now an editor ’ s note on the piece online saying the essay “ fell short of our standards and should not have been published .
”

Sen. Tom Cotton, Arkansas Republican, on Wednesday said Twitter threatened to permanently lock his account over recent posts tied to the ongoing unrest following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police last month.
Mr. Cotton has attracted significant attention for defending the president’s authority to leverage U.S. troops, if necessary, to quell violent rioting and looting that emanated from some of the protests following Floyd’s death.
“So one of their low-level employees in Washington, D.C., just contacted my office out of the blue and said you have to delete these tweets in 30 minutes or we’re going to permanently lock your account,” Mr. Cotton said on “Fox & Friends.”
He said they asked for an explanation but that “it was not really forthcoming.”
“They cited a policy that didn’t really explain or apply to my situation,” Mr. Cotton said. “We sent them back some clear evidence of my meaning on Twitter and then they said well, we’re going to consider this.”
“And we waited them out. We called their bluff for 30 minutes. They didn’t lock down my account, and then within about two hours they finally got back to us and said, ‘OK, you can keep your post up,’ ” he said.
Mr. Cotton said the whole procedure struck him as secretive and unfair.
“They were just calling us out of the blue demanding that we censor my own tweets or that they would censor my entire account,” he said.
Mr. Cotton said one of his offending phrases was: “No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters.”
“This was apparently too much for the professional umbrage-takers on Twitter,” he wrote in a piece for Fox News. “In high dudgeon, they exclaimed that ‘no quarter’ once meant that a military force would take no prisoners, but instead shoot them.”
The senator noted that the phrase is now a common metaphor for taking a tough approach to something.
A Twitter spokesperson said the tweet was reported to the company.
“Our teams reviewed it within the context in which it was shared, as is standard, and determined it didn’t violate our rules,” the spokesperson said. “We apply the Twitter Rules impartially to every account on our service.”
Company staff did reach out to Mr. Cotton’s office.
Mr. Cotton’s recent op-ed in The New York Times defending the president’s authority to use military force to quell the riots generated criticism from reporters at the paper and ultimately resulted in the resignation of the paper’s editorial page editor.
There is now an editor’s note on the piece online saying the essay “fell short of our standards and should not have been published.”