washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Vatican sanctions cardinal in Poland cited in sex abuse case

WARSAW , Poland ( AP ) - The Vatican has imposed sanctions on a prominent Polish cardinal , retired Archbishop Henryk Gulbinowicz , after he was accused of sexually abusing a seminarian and of covering up abuse in another case .
The Vatican ’ s embassy in Poland said Friday that Gulbinowicz , the 97-year-old retired archbishop of Wroclaw , has been forbidden from using his bishop ’ s insignia and participating in any religious celebrations or public events .
The once well-respected cardinal has also been denied the right to have a cathedral burial service or to be buried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest Polish prelate to be sanctioned after a Vatican-mandated investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct .
The reckoning has rocked the Catholic hierarchy in the predominantly Roman Catholic Poland , where the clergy have long been held in high esteem and St. John Paul II , the Polish pope , remains a figure of national pride .
The embassy ’ s statement said the decisions were taken following an investigation into accusations made against Gulbinowicz and other allegations concerning his behavior .
Last year , criminal prosecutors in Wroclaw opened an investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a seminarian , but they dropped the case because too much time had passed .
Gulbinowicz was also cited in a recent video documentary in Poland about predator priests and coverup efforts .
Gulbinowicz is the latest cardinal to face sanction for sexual misconduct-related reasons .
Pope Francis last year defrocked American Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after a Vatican investigation determined he sexually abused minors as well as adult seminarians .

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - The Vatican has imposed sanctions on a prominent Polish cardinal, retired Archbishop Henryk Gulbinowicz, after he was accused of sexually abusing a seminarian and of covering up abuse in another case.
The Vatican’s embassy in Poland said Friday that Gulbinowicz, the 97-year-old retired archbishop of Wroclaw, has been forbidden from using his bishop’s insignia and participating in any religious celebrations or public events. The once well-respected cardinal, who supported Poland’s pro-democracy Solidarity movement in the 1980s, has also been denied the right to have a cathedral burial service or to be buried in a cathedral.
Recently, allegations were also made that Gulbinowicz was an informer for the communist-era secret security.
A spokesman for the Church authorities in Wroclaw said the severity of the Vatican’s decision suggests the various allegations have been confirmed.
The embassy statement shows that “there were in the past people who were wronged in the Wroclaw church and, out of respect for these victims, they are owed the words ‘I apologize,’” said spokesman Mgr. Rafal Kowalski.
The sanction against Gulbinowicz appeared similar to that imposed on the former archbishop of the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam: The Vatican last year upheld its conviction of Archbishop Anthony Apuron for sexually abusing minors and ordered him exiled him from Guam and barred him from presenting himself as a bishop.
Gulbinowicz was also ordered to pay a “certain amount of money” to a Polish church charity that supports victims of sexual abuse.
He is the latest Polish prelate to be sanctioned after a Vatican-mandated investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. The reckoning has rocked the Catholic hierarchy in predominantly Roman Catholic Poland, where the clergy have long been held in high esteem and St. John Paul II, the Polish pope, remains a figure of national pride.
In 2004, St. John Paul II accepted the resignation of 80-year-old Gulbinowicz from his role as Wroclaw Archbishop.
Four years later, Gulbinowicz was awarded Poland’s highest civilian distinction, the Order of the White Eagle, for his role in supporting Solidarity and its persecuted activists. Gulbinowicz also provided safe hiding for Solidarity funds.
The embassy’s statement said the sanctioning decisions were taken as a “result of an investigation into accusations made against Card. Henryk Gulbinowicz and after an analysis of other allegations” concerning the cardinal.
Last year, criminal prosecutors in Wroclaw opened an investigation into allegations against Gulbinowicz concerning sexual abuse of a seminarian in the 1980s, but they dropped the case because too much time had passed.
Gulbinowicz was also cited in a recent video documentary in Poland, called “Tell No One,” about predator priests and coverup efforts which alleged that Gulbinowicz saved a priest suspected of abuse of minors from arrest by vouching for him.
Gulbinowicz is the latest cardinal to face sanction for sexual misconduct-related reasons. Pope Francis last year defrocked American Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after a Vatican investigation determined he sexually abused minors as well as adult seminarians.
Before that, Francis in 2015 revoked Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien’s rights and privileges of being a cardinal after unidentified priests alleged sexual misconduct. O’Brien was, however, allowed to retain the cardinal’s title and he died a member of the College of Cardinals.
More recently, Francis revoked the rights and privileges of an Italian Cardinal, Angelo Becciu, but not for sexual misdeeds: Becciu, who headed the Vatican’s saint-making office, is accused of embezzling Holy See money while he was the No. 2 in the Vatican’s secretariat of state. He denies wrongdoing.
Francis’ willingness to sanction cardinals for wrongdoing is remarkable given the so-called “princes of the church” have long been considered untouchable and unaccountable.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Auto theft suspect in Tulsa is fatally shot by police

Tulsa , Okla. ( AP ) - An auto theft suspect was fatally shot by officers in Tulsa when the @ @ @ @ @ over with a pickup truck , police said .
Officers searching for the man found @ @ @ @ @ and he got into a pickup truck , then rammed a police vehicle and tried @ @ @ @ @ they got out of the vehicle , Officer Jeanne Pierce said .
Four officers then @ @ @ @ @ parking lot , killing the man whose name has not been released , said Pierce @ @ @ @ @ as an American Indian .
The officers are on paid leave and the FBI will @ @ @ @ @ to Pierce .

Tulsa, Okla. (AP) - An auto theft suspect was fatally shot by officers in Tulsa when the man tried to run them over with a pickup truck, police said.
Officers searching for the man found him at a hotel Thursday and he got into a pickup truck, then rammed a police vehicle and tried to run over officers as they got out of the vehicle, Officer Jeanne Pierce said.
Four officers then opened fire in the hotel parking lot, killing the man whose name has not been released, said Pierce, who described the man as an American Indian.
The officers are on paid leave and the FBI will investigate the shooting, according to Pierce.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Police: 2 dead, at least 3 injured in Kansas City shooting

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
( AP ) - At least two people died and several others were injured early @ @ @ @ @ a Kansas City warehouse district known as West Bottoms , police said .
Officers were @ @ @ @ @ after midnight Thursday , police said in a news release .
Arriving officers found a @ @ @ @ @ parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds , and he died at the scene .
Within @ @ @ @ @ of multiple shooting victims arriving at an area hospital .
A woman among those victims @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
Police said they could not give an exact count of how @ @ @ @ @ the shooting , but believe at least three other people were shot .
Those three @ @ @ @ @ police said .
The names of the victims were not immediately released , and no @ @ @ @ @ did not give details on what may have led to the shootings .
Detectives were @ @ @ @ @ of witnesses , police said .

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - At least two people died and several others were injured early Friday in a shooting in a Kansas City warehouse district known as West Bottoms, police said.
Officers were called to the scene just after midnight Thursday, police said in a news release. Arriving officers found a man in a gas station parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds, and he died at the scene. Within minutes, police received word of multiple shooting victims arriving at an area hospital.
A woman among those victims later died from her wounds, police said. Police said they could not give an exact count of how many people were injured in the shooting, but believe at least three other people were shot. Those three are expected to survive, police said. The names of the victims were not immediately released, and no arrests were reported.
Police did not give details on what may have led to the shootings. Detectives were canvassing the area in search of witnesses, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--7 charged with selling virus test documents at Paris airport

PARIS ( AP ) - Officials in France said Friday that seven people have been arrested for selling false certificates @ @ @ @ @ travelers at Paris ’ s largest airport , Charles de Gaulle .
The six men @ @ @ @ @ to 52 were charged with forgery , use of forgery and complicity in fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ office said the faked certificates were being sold to travelers for 150 to 300 euros @ @ @ @ @ 360 ) .
The arrests came as part of an investigation that started with the @ @ @ @ @ checked in for a September flight to Addis Ababa with a phony document that certified @ @ @ @ @ The seven suspects face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of @ @ @ @ @ ) , if they are convicted .

PARIS (AP) - Officials in France said Friday that seven people have been arrested for selling false certificates of negative coronavirus tests to travelers at Paris’s largest airport, Charles de Gaulle.
The six men and one woman ages 29 to 52 were charged with forgery, use of forgery and complicity in fraud.
The Bobigny prosecutor’s office said the faked certificates were being sold to travelers for 150 to 300 euros ($180 to $360).
The arrests came as part of an investigation that started with the discovery of a passenger who checked in for a September flight to Addis Ababa with a phony document that certified receiving negative test results.
The seven suspects face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of 375,000 euros ($445,000), if they are convicted.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Italy shuts down 4 regions as Europe tries lighter lockdowns

MILAN ( AP ) - Luxury fashion boutiques , jewelry shops and most of Milan ‘ s flagship department were shuttered Friday , as the center of Italy ’ s vibrant financial capital fell into a gray quiet on the first day of a partial lockdown in four regions aimed at stopping the virus ’ s resurgence .
The new restrictions - which led to closures of a patchwork of nonessential businesses - allow a great deal more freedom than Italy ’ s near-total 10-week lockdown that started in March , but nonetheless brought recriminations from regional governments that feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , which was largely spared the pandemic in the first surge , chafed the most , despite concerns that its weaker health care system was especially vulnerable .
Italy ’ s move echoes those in many parts of Europe , where infections are surging again , but governments have been reluctant to impose the kind of nationwide shutdowns they did in the spring because of the terrible economic damage they did .
For instance , many European countries have opted to keep schools open , while shutting bars and restaurants and many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time around , however , are drawing stiff criticism - especially in countries like Britain and Italy where they have exacerbated regional tensions .
Under Italy ’ s complicated 21-point formula , the northern regions of Lombardy , Piedmont and Valle d ’ Aosta and the southern region of Calabria , the toe of Italy ’ s boot , faced increased restrictions for the next 15 days , including the closure of all nonessential stores , take-out only for bars and restaurants , distance learning for students 12 and over and a ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health or other serious reasons .
Sicily and Puglia , two other southern regions , fell into a second tier of restrictions , while the rest of the country maintained more freedom of movement but with a 10 p.m. curfew and restaurants closings at 6 p.m .
In Rome , Italy ’ s health minister faced Parliament to defend the government ’ s handling of the new phase in the crisis amid concerns the government has too often bypassed lawmakers during the health crisis .
“ In a great country like Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political battle , ” Roberto Speranza said , noting that the criteria being applied had been in place since April without dissent .
“ I say this with all my strength and from my heart : Enough .
Don ’ t fuel polemics.
” Speranza said the lockdowns were a necessity as the number of confirmed infections skyrockets and deaths reach highs not seen since the spring .
He pointed to other European countries that are faring even worse as evidence of how the continent failed to stamp out the disease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy hit a new all-time high of single-day confirmed infections , at 34,505 , and the highest number of deaths since May , at 428 .
“ Maybe people are getting used to seeing 400 dead .
That number would have people petrified in front of their TV sets .
Now people seem more indifferent , ’ ’ Luca Zerbini , a lawyer drinking a take-out cup of coffee near the Duomo cathedral .
In Calabria , the governor vowed to fight the restrictions .
And some mayors in the Lombardy in cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are less hard-hit now have pushed for restrictions to vary by province and not by the larger category of region .
Milan ’ s mayor , Giuseppe Sala , rejected such differential treatment within regions , which share a common health care system .
“ I invite Milanese to stay home as much as possible in these very difficult days , ” Sala said on Friday .
All was quiet in the city , where even the lines that usually form in front of popular takeaway sandwich shops - still allowed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The hodgepodge of shops considered “ necessary ” includes hairdressers , cosmetic and perfume stores , florists , and sweet shops alongside grocery stores - but not ice cream parlors or pastry shops .
That created the odd situation where the flagship Rinascente department store was open only to customers wanting to access the ground floor for cosmetics , the 7th-floor food court or the penthouse hair salon .
While Milan looked like a ghost town compared to recent days , the fact so many businesses were allowed to operate and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as in the first emergency phase meant many more people were on the streets than in the spring .
Luca Zaia , governor of the northern region of Veneto region , said that the deaths in his region were mostly among people over 70 while most infections were among the young , underlining the necessity for people to observe new rules even in one of the regions with the lightest restrictions .
“ We are entering the most critical phase , ’ ’ Zaia said , noting that if the situation worsens they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find beds for COVID-19 patients .
European neighbors France and Germany are also imposing restrictions with an eye on easing pressure on strained health systems .
Germany ’ s health minister has warned of hard times ahead unless the country can “ break ” the rising trajectory of coronavirus cases , which has doubled the number of patients in intensive care in just 10 days and set a new record of over 21,500 new confirmed cases on Friday .
And the French government is supplying quick virus tests to nursing homes around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infections and deaths in those homes in recent weeks , and to the nation ’ s biggest airport , Paris ’ Charles de Gaulle .
The tests , which look for a specific protein on the virus , are cheap and fast , but experts say they are also less accurate than the standard ones .
“ The second wave is here , and it is violent , ” French Health Minister Olivier Veran warned Thursday night , while urging people to respect a partial national lockdown..

MILAN (AP) - Luxury fashion boutiques, jewelry shops and most of Milan’s flagship department stores were shuttered Friday, as the center of Italy’s vibrant financial capital fell into a gray quiet on the first day of a partial lockdown in four regions aimed at stopping the coronavirus’s resurgence.
The new restrictions - which led to closures of a patchwork of nonessential businesses - allow a great deal more freedom than Italy’s near-total 10-week lockdown that started in March, but nonetheless brought recriminations from regional governments that feel unfairly targeted. In particular, the south, which was largely spared in the spring, chafed the most, despite concerns that its weaker health care system was especially vulnerable.
Italy’s move echoes those in many parts of Europe, where infections are rising again, but governments have been reluctant to impose the kind of nationwide shutdowns they did in the spring because of the terrible economic damage they did. For instance, many European countries have opted to keep schools open - making work easier for parents - while shutting bars and restaurants and many shops.
Even the lighter restrictions this time around, however, are drawing stiff criticism - especially in countries like Britain and Italy where they have exacerbated regional tensions.
Under Italy’s complicated 21-point formula, the northern regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta and the southern region of Calabria, the toe of Italy’s boot, faced increased restrictions for the next 15 days, including the closure of all nonessential stores, take-out only for bars and restaurants, distance learning for students 12 and over and a ban on leaving hometowns except for work, health or other serious reasons.
Sicily and Puglia, two other southern regions, fell into a second tier of restrictions, while the rest of the country maintained more freedom of movement but with a 10 p.m. curfew and restaurants closings at 6 p.m.
In Rome, Italy’s health minister faced Parliament to defend the government’s handling of the new phase of the crisis amid concerns the government has too often bypassed lawmakers during the pandemic.
“In a great country like Italy, this cannot be the field of a political battle,” Roberto Speranza said, noting that the criteria being applied had been in place since April without dissent. “I say this with all my strength and from my heart: Enough. Don’t fuel polemics.”
Speranza said the lockdowns were a necessity as the number of confirmed infections skyrockets and deaths reach highs not seen since the spring.
The restrictions took effect the day Italy hit a new all-time high of single-day confirmed infections - 37,809 - and registered the highest number of deaths - 446 - since spring. Lombardy’s latest caseload surged to nearly 10,000, accounting for more than 25% of Italy’s new confirmed infections on Friday.
“Maybe people are getting used to seeing 400 dead. That number would have people petrified in front of their TV sets. Now people seem more indifferent,’’ Luca Zerbini, a lawyer drinking a take-out cup of coffee near the Duomo cathedral.
In Calabria, the governor vowed to fight the restrictions. And some mayors in the Lombardy in cities that suffered in the first lockdown but are less hard-hit now have pushed for restrictions to vary by province and not by the larger category of region.
Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, rejected such differential treatment within regions, which share a common health care system. “I invite Milanese to stay home as much as possible in these very difficult days,” Sala said Friday.
All was quiet in the city, where even the lines that usually form in front of popular takeaway sandwich shops - still allowed to be open - were nowhere to be seen. The hodgepodge of shops considered “necessary” includes hairdressers, cosmetic and perfume stores, florists, and sweet shops alongside grocery stores - but not ice cream parlors or pastry shops. That created the odd situation where the flagship Rinascente department store was open only to customers wanting to access the ground floor for cosmetics, the 7th-floor food court or the penthouse hair salon.
That patchwork reflects efforts to balance slowing the virus’s spread with protecting the battered economy - and it can be seen across Europe. Many fear that businesses that suffered in the spring won’t survive new restrictions this time around.
In France, bookshops have been shut, and Paris’ landmark English-language store Shakespeare and Company appealed to readers for support. And it got it, receiving 5,000 online orders in one week, compared with the usual 100.
But even as politicians keep a wary eye on the economy, they are also concerned about pressure on their strained health systems.
Luca Zaia, governor of the northern Italian region of Veneto region, said that the deaths in his region were mostly among people over 70 while most infections were among the young, underlining the necessity for people to observe new rules even in one of the regions with the lightest restrictions.
“We are entering the most critical phase,’’ Zaia said, noting that if the situation worsens they will have to halt other medical procedures to find beds for COVID-19 patients.
Germany’s health minister has warned of hard times ahead unless the country can “break” the rising trajectory of coronavirus cases, which has doubled the number of patients in intensive care in just 10 days and set a new record of over 21,500 new confirmed cases on Friday.
And the French government is supplying quick virus tests to nursing homes around the country and to the nation’s biggest airport, Paris’ Charles de Gaulle. The tests are cheap and fast, but experts say they are also less accurate than the standard ones. Nursing homes in France, Spain and other European countries saw tremendous numbers of deaths in the first surge.
“The second wave is here, and it is violent,” French Health Minister Olivier Veran warned Thursday night, while urging people to respect a partial national lockdown.
In Denmark, meanwhile, more than a quarter-million people were put on lockdown in a northern region where a mutated variation of the coronavirus infected a mink farm. Although there was no evidence the mutation posed a threat to people, Danish authorities were taking no chances and ordered millions of the animals to be killed.
___
Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Washington man admits to insider trading of Amazon stock

SEATTLE ( AP ) - A Washington state man has pleaded guilty to using inside information from a relative who @ @ @ @ @ make profitable stock market trades .
Viky Bohra , 36 , pleaded guilty to securities @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8 , 2021 , said @ @ @ @ @ Bohra of Bothell admitted that between 2015 and 2018 he used Amazon inside information he @ @ @ @ @ place trades in Amazon stock , making a profit of $ 1.4 million , Moran @ @ @ @ @ relative had worked in the Amazon Finance Department and had access to confidential information about @ @ @ @ @ Moran said .
As part of the plea agreement , Bohra agreed to forfeit the @ @ @ @ @ the relative will not face criminal charges .
That person no longer works at Amazon @ @ @ @ @ Fraud is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine @

SEATTLE (AP) - A Washington state man has pleaded guilty to using inside information from a relative who previously worked for Amazon to make profitable stock market trades.
Viky Bohra, 36, pleaded guilty to securities fraud in U.S. District Court on Thursday and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8, 2021, said U.S. Attorney Brian Moran.
Bohra of Bothell admitted that between 2015 and 2018 he used Amazon inside information he obtained from his relative to place trades in Amazon stock, making a profit of $1.4 million, Moran said.
Bohra’s relative had worked in the Amazon Finance Department and had access to confidential information about Amazon revenue and expenses, Moran said.
As part of the plea agreement, Bohra agreed to forfeit the proceeds of his trades and the relative will not face criminal charges. That person no longer works at Amazon, Moran said.
Securities Fraud is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--2 dead, 3 injured in Atlanta shooting involving police

ATLANTA ( AP ) - A shooting in downtown Atlanta let two people dead and three injured early Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ erupted outside a nightclub after two groups of people got into an argument .
Two @ @ @ @ @ others were wounded , and one person also was reportedly struck by a vehicle .
@ @ @ @ @ tweeted that it was helping Atlanta police investigate a shooting that involved at least one @ @ @ @ @ unclear whether police bullets struck anyone who was shot .

ATLANTA (AP) - Chicago rapper King Von was among three people shot and killed in a shooting early Friday outside a nightclub in Atlanta that also left three people wounded, state investigators said.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that Dayvon Bennett, aka King Von, and a group of men left the Opium Nightclub and went to the Monaco Hookah Lounge,” the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. “Once there, two men approached the group in the parking lot, and the two groups of men started to argue with each other. The argument quickly escalated to gunfire between the two groups.”
The GBI said on- and off-duty Atlanta police officers responded and one of each fired shots.
“During the shooting incident, six men were shot during the group altercation and officer encounter. Bennett and two men died as a result of their injuries, and three were injured and are being treated at a hospital,” the GBI said in a statement.
The Atlanta Police Department said in a statement that its officers did not kill the rapper, who was 26.
“At this time, our investigators believe Mr. Bennett was shot during the initial shootout between the two groups of males, prior to police responding and attempting to stop the shooting,” the statement said.
The incident happened around 4 a.m. No officers were injured.
“Part of the investigations will include determining which individuals were struck by gunfire from the suspects and whether any were struck by gunfire from the officers. Charges are anticipated against the two suspects detained on-scene and additional charges are likely as the investigation continues,” Atlanta Police spokesman Officer Anthony W. Grant said in a statement.
Last month, King Von released his album “Welcome to O-Block,” a nod to an area on Chicago’s South Side where he was raised. The album featured appearances from Moneybagg Yo, Polo G and Lil Durk.
“He was a devoted father, a deeply loyal friend, and a man who took care of his people before himself,” a statement from his publicist read. “We are heartbroken for his family, his friends, his team, and his fans. Long live King Von.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Republican DeFoor elected Pennsylvania’s auditor general

HARRISBURG , Pa. ( AP ) - Counting of Pennsylvania ballots continued Friday , with results still unclear for the presidential contest as well as a host of downballot races , including for some congressional seats and two statewide offices .
Election officials are tabulating ballots in a state that held its first general election in which voters did not need an excuse to vote by mail .
More than 3 million applied to do so .
President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are hotly contesting Pennsylvania ’ s 20 electoral votes , with both campaigns seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their chances of winning the White House .
While county officials tally votes from what is shaping up as massive turnout , the Trump campaign , state election officials , Republican candidates and others have gone to court in recent weeks to settle fights over aspects of state election law , particularly its year-old law that greatly expanded mail-in voting .
Despite a flurry of legal action by Trump and the Republican Party over aspects of the count , counties across Pennsylvania headed toward the finish line Thursday of a massive tabulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Second-term Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in Bucks County , just north of Philadelphia , won reelection after being a top target again for Democrats as one of just three House Republicans in the country running for reelection in a district won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016′s presidential contest .
Fitzpatrick , a mild-mannered former FBI agent who took over the seat from his late brother , had been challenged by a relative political unknown nominated by Democrats , Christina Finello .
Fitzpatrick voted for Trump ’ s tax cut and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as too weak to stand up to Trump and silent in the face of the president ’ s worst transgressions .
Democrats have a roughly 15,000-voter registration advantage in the district , which Clinton won by 2 percentage points .
Freshman Democrat U.S. Rep. Susan Wild is defending her Allentown-area seat against Republican nominee Lisa Scheller , a former Lehigh County commissioner who started a pigment manufacturer for paints , coatings and inks and touts her background as someone recovered from addiction who advocates for people in recovery .
Wild , a prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thumping of her Republican opponent in 2018′s campaign for what was an open seat .
Wild declared victory Thursday evening , though The Associated Press had yet to call the race .
The district is daunting for a Republican .
Democrats have a 60,000-voter registration advantage , but Scheller ’ s fundraising picked up and closed a big campaign cash advantage that Wild had held going into July .
Four-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright in northeastern Pennsylvania is in his third go-round of seeking reelection in a district where Trump is popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jim Bognet , a first-time candidate who won a six-person GOP primary , in part , by promising to be a staunch Trump ally .
The district is anchored by the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre , both Democratic bastions .
But the party ’ s voter-registration advantage in the district - still at a considerable 58,000 - is shrinking , and Republican hopes of capturing it are perennial .
Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry has won a fifth term in Pennsylvania ’ s 10th Congressional District in the Harrisburg-York area .
Perry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of one of the most conservative voting records in the U.S. House , hung on for another term in a district that is becoming less conservative .
The race was Pennsylvania ’ s most expensive this year , attracting more than $ 11 million in spending by outside groups after a Democratic opponent with little name recognition came within 2.5 percentage points of knocking off Perry in 2018 .
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly won a sixth term in a northwestern Pennsylvania district against a political newcomer , teacher Kristy Gnibus .
Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he won his race by 4 percentage points in 2018 .
The district has a Republican registration advantage , about 22,000 , but Democratic parts of the district took the same conservative turn in 2016 as other historically Democratic parts of Pennsylvania where residents are whiter , less affluent and less educated .
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb sought a second full term after becoming a Democratic star in 2018 for winning two races in two Trump districts - a special election in a district Trump won by 20 percentage points and a general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three-term incumbent .
He declared victory late Wednesday , but The Associated Press has yet to call the race .
Lamb faced a challenge from Republican Sean Parnell , a decorated Army vet who is a regular guest on Fox News programs - he announced his candidacy during an appearance on “ Fox & Friends ” - and is known for his memoir on the war in Afghanistan and authoring two action novels .
Parnell is also a Trump darling .
He got a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention and campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania a regular destination for Trump .
The district runs from Pittsburgh ’ s suburbs through Ohio River towns to the Ohio border and has a heavy - albeit shrinking - Democratic registration advantage of 62,000 votes .
But it is also home to many conservative Democrats who helped Trump win it by 2.5 percentage points in 2016 .
All of Pennsylvania ’ s 18 members of Congress sought reelection , and in early results at least 14 won - Republicans Kelly , John Joyce , Brian Fitzpatrick , Fred Keller , Guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Dan Meuser ; and Democrats Mike Doyle , Dwight Evans , Mary Gay Scanlon , Chrissy Houlahan , Brendan Boyle and Madeleine Dean .
Heather Heidelbaugh , a lawyer from Mount Lebanon and a former Allegheny County Council member , won the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro after running unopposed in the primary .
Heidelbaugh has described Shapiro as lacking experience as a courtroom lawyer and having chased headlines to feed political ambition .
She cites his recent and repeated publicizing of coronavirus-related price gouging cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , criminal prosecutions , she hopes to start her term by convening a meeting of county district attorneys to help determine the best direction in the fight against opioids and methamphetamine .
Shapiro , a resident of Abington , is a former state lawmaker and Montgomery County commissioner who sought a second term .
He took over following the debacle that was Democrat Kathleen Kane ’ s term in office .
Kane resigned in the fourth year of her term after being convicted of fraud and later served jail time .
Shapiro oversaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 release of a grand jury report that found about 300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania had sexually abused children for seven decades , and that their higher-ups helped cover it up .
Joe Torsella , considered a potential gubernatorial or U.S. Senate candidate , said his major accomplishments as state treasurer include setting up a scholarship program that begins for children at birth and leading a lawsuit against large Wall Street banks over their bond fees .
The lawsuit resulted in a nearly $ 400 million settlement over the price fixing claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other plaintiffs .
He has also moved more of the state ’ s investments into index funds , putting the state on track to save hundreds of millions of dollars in investment fees in the coming decades .
Torsella , 57 , a resident of Flourtown , served as President Barack Obama ’ s envoy for United Nations management and reform , headed the National Constitution Center , and was former Gov .
Ed Rendell ’ s choice to serve as chairperson of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education .
The Republican challenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired as a colonel in 2016 after 30 years with the Army Reserves .
She is vice president of a tungsten smelting plant .
Garrity , who lives in Athens in Bradford County , wants to use the Treasury Department ’ s leverage to push lawmakers and the governor to limit spending to money that has been formally appropriated by the Legislature and end the executive branch ’ s spending of money outside the pre-approval process .
Joseph Soloski is the Libertarian candidate running for treasurer , Timothy Runkle the Green Party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitted Republican Timothy L. DeFoor , a county controller in central Pennsylvania , against Democrat Nina Ahmad , a former deputy Philadelphia mayor .
DeFoor was declared the winner Friday .
DeFoor is Black and Ahmad was born in Bangladesh , so in January the state ’ s first elected “ row officer ” of color will begin work .
DeFoor , 58 , the elected controller in Dauphin County , which includes Harrisburg , touts his experience as making him uniquely qualified for the office .
He has spent three decades conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state inspector general , the state attorney general and a large hospital system .
Ahmad , 61 , who has a doctorate in chemistry , had said she wanted to expand the office ’ s traditional watchdog role so that it also examines how equitably public money gets distributed .
She wanted to focus on charter schools and do what she can to expand high-speed internet .
The Green Party candidate for auditor general was Olivia Faison , and the Libertarian was Jennifer Lynn Moore .
All 203 state House seats and half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Republican majority control in both chambers at stake .
At least two incumbent Democrats lost .
First-term Rep. Wendy Ullman of Bucks County in the Philadelphia suburbs was defeated by Republican Shelby Labs .
Democrats also saw hopes of regaining a Senate majority become dimmer as Republican Devlin Robinson unseated Sen. Pam Iovino in a suburban Pittsburgh district .
Democrats went into the election needing a net pickup of nine seats to regain the state House majority , which they have not had in a decade .
Two years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 93 members , versus 110 Republicans .
The Senate is closer , with Democrats needing four seats for a tie that would give them effective majority control .
That gap widened with Iovino ’ s loss .

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania voters have returned at least 17 incumbent members to Congress, with one race undecided, and have elected the first Republican auditor general in more than two decades.
Democrat Josh Shapiro was also declared the winner of his race Friday for a second term as the state’s attorney general.
“I ran as the people’s AG, on my record of taking on the big fights and standing up to the most powerful,” Shapiro said shortly after The Associated Press called his race. “And I’m grateful that the people of Pennsylvania have given me the opportunity to keep working for them and having their backs.”
Two more incumbent congressional Democrats sealed victories, U.S. Reps. Susan Wild in the Allentown area and Matt Cartwright in Scranton. The only uncalled congressional race remaining in the state is in the Pittsburgh area, where U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb faces Republican Sean Parnell.
Republican Timothy DeFoor will be the state’s next auditor general after outpacing Democrat Nina Ahmad, while vote counting continues to determine the result for state treasurer. Republicans will keep majority control of both chambers of the General Assembly.
___
PRESIDENT
President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are hotly contesting Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes, one of the few remaining states to be claimed in their battle for the presidency.
Counting of mail-in ballots pushed Biden into a narrow lead on Friday in a state that’s critical for Trump’s hopes to reach 270 electoral votes and repeat his 2016 Pennsylvania win.
A flurry of litigation over voting and vote counting has been brought by Trump and the Republican Party in recent days, particularly over Pennsylvania’s year-old law that greatly expanded mail-in voting. It’s not clear how those cases may change the race.
___
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1
Second-term Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia, won reelection after being a top target again for Democrats as one of just three House Republicans in the country running for reelection in a district Democrat Hillary Clinton won in 2016.
Fitzpatrick, a mild-mannered former FBI agent who took over the seat from his late brother, had been challenged by a relative political unknown nominated by Democrats, Christina Finello.
Fitzpatrick voted for Trump’s tax cut and opposed his impeachment. Finello attacked Fitzpatrick as too weak to stand up to Trump and silent in the face of the president’s worst transgressions.
Democrats have a roughly 15,000-voter registration advantage in the district, which Clinton won by 2 percentage points.
___
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 7
A freshman Democrat, Wild defended her Allentown-area seat against Republican nominee Lisa Scheller, a former Lehigh County commissioner.
Wild, a prominent lawyer in Allentown, had won her first term in 2018 with a 10-percentage-point thumping of her Republican opponent for what was an open seat.
Wild declared victory Thursday evening, before The Associated Press called the race Friday.
Scheller started a pigment manufacturer for paints, coatings and inks and touted her background as someone recovered from addiction and advocates for people in recovery.
The district was daunting for a Republican, as Democrats hold a 60,000-voter registration advantage.
___
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 8
Cartwright, a four-term Democratic member of Congress from northeastern Pennsylvania, won reelection in a district where Trump is popular.
This time, Cartwright was challenged by Jim Bognet, a first-time candidate who won a six-person GOP primary, in part, by promising to be a staunch Trump ally.
The district is anchored by the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, both Democratic bastions. But the party’s voter-registration advantage in the district - still at a considerable 58,000 - is shrinking, and Republican hopes of capturing it are perennial.
___
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 10
Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry has won a fifth term in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District in the area around Harrisburg and York in central Pennsylvania.
Perry beat Democrat Eugene DePasquale, the state’s two-term auditor general.
Perry, a staunch Trump supporter and owner of one of the most conservative voting records in the U.S. House, hung on for another term in a district that has been gradually turning less conservative.
The race was Pennsylvania’s most expensive this year, attracting more than $11 million in spending by outside groups after a Democratic opponent with little name recognition came within 2.5 percentage points of knocking off Perry in 2018.
___
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 16
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly won a sixth term in a northwestern Pennsylvania district against a political newcomer, teacher Kristy Gnibus. Democrats had viewed Kelly as potentially vulnerable after he won his race by 4 percentage points in 2018.
The district has a Republican registration advantage, about 22,000. But Democratic parts of the district took the same conservative turn in 2016 as other historically Democratic parts of Pennsylvania where residents are whiter, less affluent and less educated.
___
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 17
Lamb sought a second full term after becoming a Democratic star in 2018 for winning two races in two Trump districts - a special election in a district Trump won by 20 percentage points and a general election in a redrawn district against a three-term incumbent.
He declared victory late Wednesday, but The Associated Press has yet to call the race.
Lamb faced a challenge from Republican Parnell, a decorated Army vet who is a regular guest on Fox News programs and is known for his memoir on the war in Afghanistan and for authoring two action novels.
Parnell is also a Trump darling. He got a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention and campaign stump shout-outs from Trump, with southwestern Pennsylvania a regular destination for Trump.
Parnell, in turn, adopted Trump’s law-and-order rhetoric.
The district runs from Pittsburgh’s suburbs through Ohio River towns to the Ohio border and has a heavy - albeit shrinking - Democratic registration advantage of 62,000 votes. But it is also home to many conservative Democrats who helped Trump win it by 2.5 percentage points in 2016.
___
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Shapiro, a former state lawmaker and county commissioner in the Philadelphia suburbs, won the contest to remain the state’s top law enforcement official. He beat Republican Heather Heidelbaugh, a lawyer from Mount Lebanon and a former Allegheny County Council member.
Shapiro, a resident of Abington, has been outspoken about election preparation and proper vote counting in recent weeks, and a regular on television newscasts about the campaign and canvassing in Pennsylvania.
His win of a second term keeps him on the list of potential gubernatorial hopefuls in two years, when Wolf is term-limited.
“Once again, we proved that we can overperform the top of the ticket and earn support from across party lines and ideological lines, based on our record,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro took over following the debacle that was Democrat Kathleen Kane’s term in office. Kane resigned in the fourth year of her term after being convicted of fraud and later served jail time.
Shapiro oversaw the investigation that culminated in the August 2018 release of a grand jury report that found about 300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania had sexually abused children for seven decades, and that their higher-ups helped cover it up.
Heidelbaugh had described Shapiro as lacking experience as a courtroom lawyer and having chased headlines to feed political ambition. She cited his recent and repeated publicizing of coronavirus-related price gouging cases.
___
TREASURER
Republican Stacy Garrity and incumbent Democrat Joe Torsella are waiting to learn who will be the state’s treasurer come January.
Torsella, considered a potential gubernatorial or U.S. Senate candidate, said his major accomplishments as state treasurer include setting up a scholarship program that begins for children at birth and leading a lawsuit against large Wall Street banks over their bond fees.
The lawsuit resulted in a nearly $400 million settlement over the price fixing claims, money that is being split with other plaintiffs. He has also moved more of the state’s investments into index funds, putting the state on track to save hundreds of millions of dollars in investment fees in the coming decades.
Torsella, 57, a resident of Flourtown, served as President Barack Obama’s envoy for United Nations management and reform, headed the National Constitution Center, and was former Gov. Ed Rendell’s choice to serve as chairperson of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.
Garrity, 56, who retired as a colonel in 2016 after 30 years with the Army Reserves. She is vice president of a tungsten smelting plant.
Garrity, who lives in Athens in Bradford County, wants to use the Treasury Department’s leverage to push lawmakers and the governor to limit spending to money that has been formally appropriated by the Legislature and end the executive branch’s spending of money outside the pre-approval process.
____
AUDITOR GENERAL
The race for auditor general pitted Republican Timothy L. DeFoor, a county controller in central Pennsylvania, against Democrat Nina Ahmad, a former deputy Philadelphia mayor. DeFoor was declared the winner Friday.
“What an honor, what a pleasure what a privilege,” DeFoor said Friday, reached by cellphone on a golf course. “And once the race is officially called, I’m ready to serve, ready to serve.”
DeFoor, who is Black, will be sworn in in January as the state’s first elected “row officer” of color.
DeFoor, 58, the elected controller in Dauphin County, which includes Harrisburg, ran on his experience, saying it would make him uniquely qualified for the office. He has spent three decades conducting governmental audits and fraud investigations for the state inspector general, the state attorney general and a large hospital system.
___
LEGISLATURE
All 203 state House seats and half the 50-person Senate were before the voters, and Republicans kept majority control of both chambers.
At least two incumbent Democrats and a Republican state senator lost.
First-term Democratic Rep. Wendy Ullman of Bucks County in the Philadelphia suburbs was defeated by Republican Shelby Labs. Democratic hopes of regaining a Senate majority began to be extinguished when Republican Devlin Robinson unseated Democratic Sen. Pam Iovino in a suburban Pittsburgh district.
Republican state Sen. Tom Killion, who has represented a Delaware County district since 2016, after a long career in the state House, was defeated by Democrat John Kane, a plumbers union administrator.
Just two Senate races remain uncalled, meaning the chamber will remain in Republican hands next session. It is currently 28-21, with an independent who caucuses with the GOP.
Democrats went into the election needing a net pickup of nine seats to regain the state House majority, and Ullman’s loss made the margin 10. But only eight Republican-held seats remain uncalled.
Two years ago, Democrats gained 11 seats to get to 93 members, versus 110 Republicans.
___
Find AP’s full election coverage at APNews.com/Election2020.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Hawaii reopens scenic Pali Lookout after coronavirus closure

HONOLULU ( AP ) - The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources reopened a popular scenic spot on Oahu that has been closed to visitors since the outbreak of the coronavirus .
The Nuuanu Pali State Wayside , popularly known as Pali Lookout , was closed to the public at the outset of the pandemic because of budgetary constraints and crowding concerns .
There were challenges in maintaining physical distancing at the lookout , State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said .
Officials announced the park , which is is among the most visited spots on Oahu , reopened Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 p.m .
The gates to the park ’ s access roads will be unlocked and secured daily by the Honolulu Police Department .
The state set new parking fees of $ 7 per vehicle for nonresidents .
Hawaii residents are not subject to parking and entry fees at any state parks .
Tour buses are largely absent from the lookout , making the volume of visitors is much lower .
Prior to the pandemic , Pali Lookout ’ s parking fees generated about $ 250,000 annually in revenue , Cottrell said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now losing about $ 500,000 in revenue monthly in entrance , parking , concession , lodging and camping fees because of health restrictions related to the coronavirus .
Officials asked visitors to follow social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus .
“ It ’ s really nice to be able to come back , ” said Alexis Gomes of Kaaawa , who brought her children and a visiting family friend to take in the reopened views .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

HONOLULU (AP) - The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources reopened a popular scenic spot on Oahu that has been closed to visitors since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The Nuuanu Pali State Wayside, popularly known as Pali Lookout, was closed to the public at the outset of the pandemic because of budgetary constraints and crowding concerns.
There were challenges in maintaining physical distancing at the lookout, State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said.
Officials announced the park, which is is among the most visited spots on Oahu, reopened Wednesday with daily hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The gates to the park’s access roads will be unlocked and secured daily by the Honolulu Police Department.
The state set new parking fees of $7 per vehicle for nonresidents. Hawaii residents are not subject to parking and entry fees at any state parks.
Tour buses are largely absent from the lookout, making the volume of visitors is much lower. Prior to the pandemic, Pali Lookout’s parking fees generated about $250,000 annually in revenue, Cottrell said.
The Hawaii Division of State Parks is now losing about $500,000 in revenue monthly in entrance, parking, concession, lodging and camping fees because of health restrictions related to the coronavirus.
Officials asked visitors to follow social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.
“It’s really nice to be able to come back,” said Alexis Gomes of Kaaawa, who brought her children and a visiting family friend to take in the reopened views.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--GOP senator: no evidence to support Trump vote-fraud claims

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Some Republican lawmakers are criticizing President Donald Trump ’ s unsupported claim that Democrats are trying to “ steal ” the election , saying Trump ’ s comments undermine the U.S. political process and the bedrock notion that all Americans should have their vote counted .
Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania , whose state is a key battleground in the presidential election , said Friday he had seen no evidence to support Trump ’ s claim Thursday evening of fraud in balloting .
“ The president ’ s speech last night was very disturbing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious allegations without any evidence to support it , ” Toomey told “ CBS This Morning.
” He added : “ I voted for President Trump .
I endorsed President Trump .
I want the next president to be the person who legitimately wins the Electoral College and I will accept whoever that is.
” Trump , who has complained for weeks about mail-in ballots , escalated his allegations late Thursday , saying at the White House that the ballot-counting process is unfair and corrupt .
Trump did not back up his claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and federal officials have not reported any instances of widespread voter fraud .
Rep. Adam Kinzinger , a Republican from Illinois , tweeted that the president ’ s claims of fraud are “ getting insane.
” If Trump has “ legit ” concerns about fraud , they need to be based on evidence and taken to court , Kinzinger said , adding , “ STOP Spreading debunked misinformation.
” Maryland GOP Gov .
Larry Hogan , a potential 2024 presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump , said unequivocally : “ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process .
America is counting the votes , and we must respect the results as we always have before.
” “ No election or person is more important than our Democracy , ” Hogan said on Twitter .
Other criticism , though less direct , came from members of Congress .
Sen. Marco Rubio , a Florida Republican who spoke at a recent Trump campaign rally , said in a tweet that if any candidate believes “ a state is violating election laws they have a right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence in support of their claims.
” Rubio said earlier : “ Taking days to count legally cast votes is NOT fraud .
And court challenges to votes cast after the legal voting deadline is NOT suppression.
” Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah.
, the party ’ s presidential nominee in 2012 , sought to provide a reassuring note .
Counting votes is often “ long ” and “ frustrating , ” Romney said .
If any irregularities are alleged , “ they will be investigated and ultimately resolved in the courts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in democracy , our Constitution and the American people.
” The comments by the Republican lawmakers and other GOP leaders were rare , public rebukes of Trump , who has demanded - and generally received - loyalty from fellow Republicans throughout his four-year term .
Most in the GOP take pains to avoid directly criticizing Trump , even when they find his conduct unhelpful or offensive to their values and goals .
Trump ’ s tweets earlier Thursday declaring victory and calling for officials to “ STOP THE COUNT ” were a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line as he tries to challenge the voting process in court .
Before Trump ’ s speech in the White House briefing room , several Republicans challenged his attempts to halt vote-counting in Pennsylvania and other battleground states .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , a Trump ally who won reelection Tuesday in Kentucky , told reporters that “ claiming you ’ ve won the election is different from finishing the counting.
” His office declined to comment after Trump ’ s address Thursday .
Sen. Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results come in .
“ It is critical that we give election officials time to complete their jobs , and that we ensure all lawfully cast ballots are allowed and counted , ” she said in a statement .
Rep. Will Hurd , a Texas Republican who did not seek reelection , called Trump ’ s comments about corruption “ dangerous ” and “ wrong.
” Trump ’ s remarks undermine the U.S. political process and “ the very foundation this nation was built upon , ” Hurd said .
While Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes needed to win the White House , it was unclear when a national winner would be determined after a long , bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on Americans and the national economy .
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told The Associated Press Thursday he hopes Republicans step up their response to Trump ’ s unsubstantiated claims .
While Republicans may want to give Trump time to “ make his arguments , ” when it becomes clear that claims are without basis , “ My hope is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on him , ” Murphy said .
But one of Trump ’ s top congressional supporters said he supports efforts to question the vote counting process and is donating money to shore up legal challenges .
Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , said on Fox News Thursday night he would donate $ 500,000 to the president ’ s “ legal defense fund ” and urged people to go to the Trump campaign ’ s website to pitch in .
In remarks Wednesday at the White House , Trump baselessly claimed victory and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” as state election officials continued counting ballots amid a huge increase in voter turnout .
Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , a Trump ally who is an analyst for ABC News , said there was no basis for Trump ’ s argument .
Christie called Trump ’ s attack on the integrity of the election “ a bad strategic decision ” and “ a bad political decision , and it ’ s not the kind of decision you would expect someone to make … who holds the position he holds.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shy about expressing their support , took to Twitter to question why GOP lawmakers were not rushing to the president ’ s defense .
“ Where are Republicans !
Have some backbone .
Fight against this fraud .
Our voters will never forget you if your sheep !
” Trump ’ s son Eric tweeted .
Some GOP governors responded .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis urged the president to “ Fight on , exhaust all options.
” South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem tweeted that Trump was fighting “ rigged election systems.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said states administer U.S. elections , not the federal government .
“ We should respect that process and ensure that all ballots cast in accordance with state laws are counted .
It ’ s that simple , ” Portman said in a statement .
Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Meg Kinnard in Columbia , S.C. , contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON (AP) - A key Republican senator said Friday he saw no evidence to support President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Democrats are trying to “steal” the election and called the president’s words “very disturbing.”
Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, whose state is a key battleground in the presidential election, said “There’s simply no evidence anyone has shown me of any widespread corruption or fraud” to supported Trump’s claim Thursday of fraud in balloting.
“The president’s speech last night was very disturbing to me because he made very, very serious allegations without any evidence to support it,” Toomey told “CBS This Morning.”
He added: “I voted for President Trump. I endorsed President Trump. I want the next president to be the person who legitimately wins the Electoral College and I will accept whoever that is.”
Trump, who has complained for weeks about mail-in ballots, escalated his allegations late Thursday, saying at the White House that the ballot-counting process is unfair and corrupt. Trump did not back up his claims with any details or evidence, and state and federal officials have not reported any instances of widespread voter fraud.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell struck a neutral tone: “Every legal vote should be counted,” he tweeted. “All sides must get to observe the process.”
Other GOP senators, governors and other elected officials swiftly pushed back against Trump, a rare break with the president who keeps a firm grip on his party.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Illinois, tweeted Thursday that the president’s claims of fraud are “getting insane.” If Trump has “legit” concerns about fraud, they need to be based on evidence and taken to court, Kinzinger said, adding, “STOP Spreading debunked misinformation.”
Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential 2024 presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally: “There is no defense for the President’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before.”
“No election or person is more important than our Democracy,” Hogan said on Twitter.
Other criticism, though less direct, came from members of Congress. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who spoke at a recent Trump campaign rally, said in a tweet that if any candidate believes “a state is violating election laws they have a right to challenge it in court & produce evidence in support of their claims.”
Rubio said earlier: “Taking days to count legally cast votes is NOT fraud. And court challenges to votes cast after the legal voting deadline is NOT suppression.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., the party’s presidential nominee in 2012, sought to provide a reassuring note. Counting votes is often “long” and “frustrating,” Romney said.
If any irregularities are alleged, “they will be investigated and ultimately resolved in the courts,″ Romney tweeted. “Have faith in democracy, our Constitution and the American people.”
Trump’s tweets earlier Thursday declaring victory and calling for officials to “STOP THE COUNT” were a test of how strongly he can keep Republicans in line as he tries to challenge the voting process in court.
Before Trump’s speech in the White House briefing room, several Republicans challenged his attempts to halt vote-counting in Pennsylvania and other battleground states.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, urged “everyone to be patient” as results come in. “It is critical that we give election officials time to complete their jobs, and that we ensure all lawfully cast ballots are allowed and counted,” she said in a statement.
Rep. Will Hurd, a Texas Republican who did not seek reelection, called Trump’s comments about corruption “dangerous” and “wrong.” Trump’s remarks undermine the U.S. political process and “the very foundation this nation was built upon,” Hurd said.
While Biden was close Friday to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House, it was unclear when a national winner would be determined after a long, bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on Americans and the national economy.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told The Associated Press Thursday he hopes Republicans step up their response to Trump’s unsubstantiated claims. While Republicans may want to give Trump time to “make his arguments,” when it becomes clear that claims are without basis, “My hope is that Republicans will put public and private pressure on him,” Murphy said.
But one of Trump’s top congressional supporters said he supports efforts to question the vote counting process and is donating money to shore up legal challenges. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Fox News Thursday night he would donate $500,000 to the president’s “legal defense fund” and urged people to go to the Trump campaign’s website to pitch in.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump ally who is an analyst for ABC News, said there was no basis for Trump’s argument. Christie called Trump’s attack on the integrity of the election “a bad strategic decision” and “a bad political decision, and it’s not the kind of decision you would expect someone to make … who holds the position he holds.”
Trump’s family, never shy about expressing their support, took to Twitter to question why GOP lawmakers were not rushing to the president’s defense. “Where are Republicans! Have some backbone. Fight against this fraud. Our voters will never forget you if your sheep!” Trump’s son Eric tweeted.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged the president to “Fight on, exhaust all options.” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem tweeted that Trump was fighting “rigged election systems.”
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said states administer U.S. elections, not the federal government. “We should respect that process and ensure that all ballots cast in accordance with state laws are counted. It’s that simple,” Portman said in a statement.
___
Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Meg Kinnard in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Hawaiian Affairs trustee voted out of office after 24 years

HONOLULU ( AP ) - Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Colette Machado has been voted out of office after more than 24 years and replaced by a political newcomer .
Luana Alapa replaced Machado on the Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees following the completion of voting Tuesday , Hawaii Public Radio reported .
Alapa said she was ecstatic upon learning of her new position helping to set policy for the the agency .
“ Being a brand new candidate and going up against an incumbent and sitting chairwoman , that was huge , ” Alapa said .
“ So we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the theme for people was change.
” Alapa defeated Machado by nearly 39,000 votes after campaigning for greater transparency and accountability in spending .
A 2019 audit found as much as $ 7.8 million in potentially fraudulent , wasteful or abusive spending by the agency .
“ A lot of negative fallout has happened because things aren ’ t , you know , transparent .
This is a public state agency , by the way , it ’ s not a Hawaiian entity .
It ’ s a state agency that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to understand where the monies are going , ” Alapa said .
Healani Sonoda-Pale , an analyst with political action committee Ka Lahui Hawai , said she was not surprised by the vote because of the “ scathing ” audit of the organization ’ s finances .
“ At a time when we are in an economic crunch , money matters , ” Sonoda-Pale said .
Machado could not immediately be reached for comment by The Associated Press .
The board includes nine members elected to serve four-year terms at the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the state ’ s Native Hawaiian residents .
The board oversees a trust worth an estimated $ 600 million .
Office of Hawaiian Affairs employee Keola Lindsey also became a new trustee after defeating Mauna Kea activist Lanakila Manguil for the board ’ s Hawaii island seat .

HONOLULU (AP) - Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Colette Machado has been voted out of office after more than 24 years and replaced by a political newcomer.
Luana Alapa replaced Machado on the Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees following the completion of voting Tuesday, Hawaii Public Radio reported.
Alapa said she was ecstatic upon learning of her new position helping to set policy for the the agency.
“Being a brand new candidate and going up against an incumbent and sitting chairwoman, that was huge,” Alapa said. “So we knew what we were up against. But I think the theme for people was change.”
Alapa defeated Machado by nearly 39,000 votes after campaigning for greater transparency and accountability in spending.
A 2019 audit found as much as $7.8 million in potentially fraudulent, wasteful or abusive spending by the agency.
“A lot of negative fallout has happened because things aren’t, you know, transparent. This is a public state agency, by the way, it’s not a Hawaiian entity. It’s a state agency that serves Hawaiian people. We have a right to understand where the monies are going,” Alapa said.
Healani Sonoda-Pale, an analyst with political action committee Ka Lahui Hawaii, said she was not surprised by the vote because of the “scathing” audit of the organization’s finances.
“At a time when we are in an economic crunch, money matters,” Sonoda-Pale said.
Machado could not immediately be reached for comment by The Associated Press.
The board includes nine members elected to serve four-year terms at the agency established 40 years ago to improve conditions for the state’s Native Hawaiian residents. The board oversees a trust worth an estimated $600 million.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs employee Keola Lindsey also became a new trustee after defeating Mauna Kea activist Lanakila Mangauil for the board’s Hawaii island seat.
____
This story corrects the spelling of the last name of of Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee candidate to Lanakila Mangauil instead of Manguil.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--South Carolina Man charged with stealing shrimp boat

MURRELLS INLET , S.C. ( AP ) - A South Carolina man is charged with stealing something that rarely goes missing : a 40-foot-long shrimp boat .
Charlie Werner told The Sun News he left his trawler , the Lila Lee , alone for about 15 hours to find it missing from a marina at Murrells Inlet on Halloween .
Surveillance video later showed a man hop into the boat before taking off hours earlier in the dark .
Werner worried he might never see the $ 75,000 boat again , but it was soon found stuck on a sandbar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poor handling likely caused the boat to stall , causing it to drift until it ran aground , Werner said .
Three days after finding the boat , the Georgetown County Sheriff ’ s Office issued a wanted poster for Daniel Connor Janowski , 28 , who was arrested Thursday on a charge of taking the boat .
He also was charged was possessing a stolen vehicle that was found in the marina parking lot , reports said .
Court records weren ’ t immediately available to show whether the man had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Werner said his main priority now is getting the Lila Lee off land and back to the marina so he can figure out what needs to be fixed .
“ I ’ m ready to go back to work , for sure , ” he said .
“ I ’ m eager to get off land .
It ’ s time to go to work instead of sitting around .
Normally , we work very hard right now .
”

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina man is charged with stealing something that rarely goes missing: a 40-foot-long shrimp boat.
Charlie Werner told The Sun News he left his trawler, the Lila Lee, alone for about 15 hours to find it missing from a marina at Murrells Inlet on Halloween. Surveillance video later showed a man hop into the boat before taking off hours earlier in the dark.
Werner worried he might never see the $75,000 boat again, but it was soon found stuck on a sandbar near the inlet. Rough seas and poor handling likely caused the boat to stall, causing it to drift until it ran aground, Werner said.
Three days after finding the boat, the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office issued a wanted poster for Daniel Connor Janowski, 28, who was arrested Thursday on a charge of taking the boat. He also was charged was possessing a stolen vehicle that was found in the marina parking lot, reports said.
Court records weren’t immediately available to show whether the man had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Werner said his main priority now is getting the Lila Lee off land and back to the marina so he can figure out what needs to be fixed.
“I’m ready to go back to work, for sure,” he said. “I’m eager to get off land. It’s time to go to work instead of sitting around. Normally, we work very hard right now.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Portland church stops homeless services because of damage caused by rioters

A church in downtown Portland , Oregon , announced late Thursday that it was pausing its efforts to help the homeless because of the damage to its doors and windows caused by election night rioters .
City officials said vandals smashed the glass windows and damaged the doors of St. Andre Bessette Church , according to the Portland Tribune .
A church leader told officers that it would halt its homeless shelter “ for the foreseeable future ” because they can ’ t secure the property , the Tribune reported .
The church leader said it served several hundred meals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other services to the city ’ s homeless , according to the news outlet .
“ The loss of shelter beds due to violence and vandalism comes at a time when we desperately need a safe space for vulnerable individuals to seek refuge from a pandemic and a colder , rainier weather .
This hurts the community ’ s efforts to get people off the streets and connected to the crucial resources they need , ” Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese told the Tribune .
Hundreds of protesters swarmed Portland ’ s streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was quickly declared .
Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown deployed the National Guard to help , the first such deployment in 50 years .

A church in downtown Portland, Oregon, announced late Thursday that it was pausing its efforts to help the homeless because of the damage to its doors and windows caused by election night rioters.
City officials said vandals smashed the glass windows and damaged the doors of St. Andre Bessette Church, according to the Portland Tribune.
A church leader told officers that it would halt its homeless shelter “for the foreseeable future” because they can’t secure the property, the Tribune reported.
The church leader said it served several hundred meals a day, provided shelter and offered other services to the city’s homeless, according to the news outlet.
“The loss of shelter beds due to violence and vandalism comes at a time when we desperately need a safe space for vulnerable individuals to seek refuge from a pandemic and a colder, rainier weather. This hurts the community’s efforts to get people off the streets and connected to the crucial resources they need,” Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese told the Tribune.
Hundreds of protesters swarmed Portland’s streets on election night, and a riot was quickly declared. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown deployed the National Guard to help, the first such deployment in 50 years.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Police: Suspect arrested in party shooting that killed 2 men

RESTON , Va. ( AP ) - A suspect has been arrested for a shooting at a house party in @ @ @ @ @ and wounded two others .
Members of the U.S .
Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , four days after the shooting in Woodbridge , Prince William County police spokesman @ @ @ @ @ in a news release .
Police said Jackson fired multiple rounds during an altercation at @ @ @ @ @ four victims .
Christopher Alan Johnson , 24 , and Frank Chineji Sapele , 25 @ @ @ @ @ .
Another man and a woman were both shot but expected to live .
Jackson @ @ @ @ @ charged with multiple charges , including two counts of second degree murder .
It was @ @ @ @ @ had an attorney who could comment on his behalf .

RESTON, Va. (AP) - A suspect has been arrested for a shooting at a house party in Virginia that killed two men and wounded two others.
Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Karriem Angelo Jackson in Reston Thursday, four days after the shooting in Woodbridge, Prince William County police spokesman Sgt. Jonathan Perok said in a news release.
Police said Jackson fired multiple rounds during an altercation at the party, striking the four victims. Christopher Alan Johnson, 24, and Frank Chineji Sapele, 25, were shot to death. Another man and a woman were both shot but expected to live.
Jackson, 26, has been charged with multiple charges, including two counts of second degree murder. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Police fatally shoot man with rifle in Washington state

SEATTLE ( AP ) - Police officers in Washington state fatally shot a man while responding to a domestic-violence call @ @ @ @ @ .
The Kent Police Department responded to the call Wednesday around 8:10 p.m. where arriving @ @ @ @ @ man with a rifle who allegedly fired at least one shot , The Seattle Times @ @ @ @ @ if the man fired at the officers inside or outside the home .
Police Cmdr @ @ @ @ @ returned fire , hitting the man before losing sight of him .
“ We don @ @ @ @ @ was running away or if he fell down behind something , ” Hollis said , @ @ @ @ @ dead at the scene after a SWAT team arrived .
There were no other residents @ @ @ @ @ time of the shooting , authorities said .
No other injuries were reported .
The @ @ @ @ @ s office is expected to identify the man .
No further information about the man @ @ @ @ @ Valley Independent Investigative Team is investigating the shooting .

SEATTLE (AP) - Police officers in Washington state fatally shot a man while responding to a domestic-violence call in Kent, authorities said.
The Kent Police Department responded to the call Wednesday around 8:10 p.m. where arriving officers were confronted by a man with a rifle who allegedly fired at least one shot, The Seattle Times reported. It was unclear if the man fired at the officers inside or outside the home.
Police Cmdr. Robert Hollis said officers returned fire, hitting the man before losing sight of him.
“We don’t know if he was running away or if he fell down behind something,” Hollis said, adding that he was found dead at the scene after a SWAT team arrived.
There were no other residents in the home at the time of the shooting, authorities said. No other injuries were reported.
The King County medical examiner’s office is expected to identify the man. No further information about the man was immediately available.
The Valley Independent Investigative Team is investigating the shooting.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Former Iditarod musher convicted of 2001 rape, kidnapping

ANCHORAGE , Alaska ( AP ) - An Alaska jury convicted a former Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher in a kidnapping and rape case stemming from an attack 19 years ago .
Carmen Perzechino , 59 , was found guilty Wednesday by a jury in Kenai , The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica reported .
Perzechino was accused of raping a woman in January 2001 .
The victim said they met in a bar and Perzechino assaulted her in a van in a secluded area along the Sterling Highway .
The woman said he tackled her when she tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Alaska State Troopers initially closed the investigation in 2002 without identifying a suspect .
In 2018 the state processed DNA evidence from hundreds of previously untested rape kits and a laboratory matched evidence collected from the victim with a DNA swab Perzechino provided to police in 2012 .
U.S .
Marshals extradited Perzechino from the Philippines last year to face the charges .
Defense attorney Andy Pevehouse attacked the victim ’ s testimony .
He questioned how much she had to drink and said she must have consented to the sexual encounter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2004 but did not finish and did not enter again .
His attorney tried to incorporate the race into the defense , asking the jury why someone who was guilty of rape would subject himself to the public spotlight of the event .
Perzechino will be sentenced under laws that were in place in 2001 and faces a possible prison term of eight years for each of two counts of sexual assault and between five and 99 years for the kidnapping conviction , the state Department of Law said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was the first felony jury trial held in Alaska since March .
Superior Court Judge Jennifer Wells adapted the courtroom to allow jurors to sit apart in a gallery area normally occupied by the public to meet social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
Perzechino and the trial attorneys wore clear face masks and plexiglass surrounded the witness stand .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Alaska jury convicted a former Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race musher in a kidnapping and rape case stemming from an attack 19 years ago.
Carmen Perzechino, 59, was found guilty Wednesday by a jury in Kenai, The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica reported.
Perzechino was accused of raping a woman in January 2001. The victim said they met in a bar and Perzechino assaulted her in a van in a secluded area along the Sterling Highway.
The woman said he tackled her when she tried to escape and threatened to kill her.
Alaska State Troopers initially closed the investigation in 2002 without identifying a suspect.
In 2018 the state processed DNA evidence from hundreds of previously untested rape kits and a laboratory matched evidence collected from the victim with a DNA swab Perzechino provided to police in 2012.
U.S. Marshals extradited Perzechino from the Philippines last year to face the charges.
Defense attorney Andy Pevehouse attacked the victim’s testimony. He questioned how much she had to drink and said she must have consented to the sexual encounter.
Perzechino competed in the Iditarod in 2004 but did not finish and did not enter again. His attorney tried to incorporate the race into the defense, asking the jury why someone who was guilty of rape would subject himself to the public spotlight of the event.
Perzechino will be sentenced under laws that were in place in 2001 and faces a possible prison term of eight years for each of two counts of sexual assault and between five and 99 years for the kidnapping conviction, the state Department of Law said in a statement.
The trial, which lasted three weeks, was the first felony jury trial held in Alaska since March.
Superior Court Judge Jennifer Wells adapted the courtroom to allow jurors to sit apart in a gallery area normally occupied by the public to meet social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Perzechino and the trial attorneys wore clear face masks and plexiglass surrounded the witness stand.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Unemployment drops to 6.9% but US job growth slows again to 638,000 in face of surging pandemic

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Unemployment drops to 6.9 % but US job growth slows again to 638,000 in face @ @ @ @

WASHINGTON (AP) - Unemployment drops to 6.9% but US job growth slows again to 638,000 in face of surging pandemic.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Worcester schools delay in-person classes as cases rise

WORCESTER , Mass .
( AP ) - Public schools in Worcester are delaying the start of in-person classes until @ @ @ @ @ cases across the city and state , under a plan approved Thursday .
The state @ @ @ @ @ planning to allow high needs students and vocational students to return to in-person classes on @ @ @ @ @ district ’ s governing body postponed that date at its Thursday meeting , according to @ @ @ @ @ Other students were previously expected to return in January or February .
The district ’ @ @ @ @ @ set a new return date during the first week of December .
The move to @ @ @ @ @ decision , ” said Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty , chairman of the district ’ s @ @ @ @ @ cited rising cases of COVID-19 and a delay in the installation of devices to help @ @ @ @ @ buildings .

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts officials on Friday urged more schools to return to full, in-person instruction, saying that only communities with the highest COVID-19 rates should be using any form of remote learning.
Under previous guidance, schools were told to shift between remote learning, in-person learning or a mix of the two depending on their area’s infection rate. Areas with moderate spread were advised to use remote or hybrid learning, while only those with the lowest rates were encouraged to bring students back full-time.
But speaking at a news conference, Gov. Charlie Baker said there’s growing evidence that schools are not a significant source of spread and that keeping students at home hurts their learning and mental health.
“We continue to see too many communities with children learning in remote-only models,” he said. “We all know that losing a week, a month, a quarter or more in the life of a kid’s education has real consequences.”
He cited state data showing that out of 450,000 public school students attending some form of in-person learning, there have been only 252 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Under new guidance outlined by education officials, schools in areas of low and moderate risk will be expected to teach fully in-person, and even communities with high rates are told to consider a hybrid model rather than going fully remote.
Joining Baker was Jeffrey Riley, the state’s education commissioner, who said “the time to get kids back to school is now.”
“It has become increasingly clear that this virus is going to be with us for a while,” Riley said. “We need to continue to work hard to get as many students back to learning in school buildings as possible.”
The state also announced changes to the way it assigns color-coded risk levels to cities. Meant to guide schools and businesses through the state’s phased reopening plan, the colors were previously based on an area’s average virus rate. Now, the levels will take other factors, including the city’s population, into account.
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NEW RESTRICTIONS
A series of new measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 took effect in Massachusetts on Friday, including an expanded mask mandate and a stay-at-home advisory during certain hours.
The restrictions, ordered by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and unveiled earlier this week, took hold at 12:01 a.m.
Baker’s executive order requires anyone above the age of 5 to wear a mask in public, expanding on a previous order that urged people to wear a mask in public if they couldn’t socially distance.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said Friday it will enforce the order across the transportation system and that Transit Police have been authorized to fine violators up to $300.
Baker’s order also instructs residents to stay home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., with exceptions for certain activities including taking a walk or running critical errands.
It also requires the early closure of many businesses and activities each night at 9:30 p.m., including requiring restaurants to stop table service and mandating liquor stores to stop selling alcohol. Movie theaters, gyms and casinos must also close at 9:30 p.m.
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LONG-TERM CARE
Massachusetts health officials will begin imposing temporary admissions freezes at nursing homes and other care facilities that are deemed at risk of spreading COVID-19, under new measures announced Friday.
The state’s Department of Public Health says it will monitor factors including infection rates, staffing levels and protective equipment supplies at long-term care facilities across the state. If a facility is determined to be at risk of an outbreak, it will be required to stop admitting new residents until conditions improve.
The health department says it will continue to deploy emergency staffing and equipment to facilities as needed.
In announcing the measure, state health officials cited climbing COVID-19 cases across the state and the virus’ disproportionate impact on care facilities. As of Thursday, the state was reporting 6,464 probable or confirmed COVID-19 deaths in long-term care facilities.
The state has also revised visitation guidance at care facilities to promote safe social interaction around the holidays. Visitors must be allowed to stay for at least 45 minutes, up from 30 minutes, and facilities are barred from creating policies for out-of-state visitors that are more restrictive than Gov. Charlie Baker’s travel order.
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SCHOOL DELAY
Public schools in Worcester are delaying the start of in-person classes until Jan. 25 amid rising COVID-19 cases across the city and state, under a plan approved Thursday.
The state’s second-largest district was planning to allow high-needs students and vocational students to return to in-person classes on Nov. 16, but the district’s governing body postponed that date at its Thursday meeting, according to the Telegram & Gazette.
Other students were previously expected to return in January or February. The district’s superintendent said officials will set a new return date during the first week of December.
The move to postpone was a “tough decision,” said Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, chairman of the district’s School Committee. School officials cited rising cases of COVID-19 and a delay in the installation of devices to help kill airborne viruses in school buildings.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Efforts made to establish Alaska regional tribal government

BETHEL , Alaska ( AP ) - Alaska Native regional corporation has set a path toward a plan to organize tribes into a regional government in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta , an official said .
The Calista Corporation established a process for each of 56 tribes to signal their intent to vote on the creation of a government for the western Alaska region , KYUK-AM reported Wednesday .
The deadline for interested tribes to respond has been delayed to the end of the year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The creation of a regional government has been discussed by area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nunavut Alaska Provisional Government President Mike Williams Sr. welcomed the assistance from Calista to groups like his tribal government , which was created through a constitution written by leaders from about half the tribes in his area .
“ Their role is to help facilitate the process , ” Williams said .
“ And we welcome that as tribes because we do not have any resources for travel or getting together , and to provide legal assistance to get this going.
” Williams said the first order of business would be to elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which would have powers including member education , policing and resource regulation and development .
Anchorage-based Calista has more than 33,000 shareholders and is the parent company of more than 30 subsidiary companies in industries including construction , real estate , marine transportation and oil field services , the company ’ s website said .
Calista would have no role in the regional tribal government after its creation .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .

BETHEL, Alaska (AP) - Alaska Native regional corporation has set a path toward a plan to organize tribes into a regional government in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, an official said.
The Calista Corporation established a process for each of 56 tribes to signal their intent to vote on the creation of a government for the western Alaska region, KYUK-AM reported Wednesday.
The deadline for interested tribes to respond has been delayed to the end of the year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The creation of a regional government has been discussed by area residents for almost half a century.
Nunavut Alaska Provisional Government President Mike Williams Sr. welcomed the assistance from Calista to groups like his tribal government, which was created through a constitution written by leaders from about half the tribes in his area.
“Their role is to help facilitate the process,” Williams said. “And we welcome that as tribes because we do not have any resources for travel or getting together, and to provide legal assistance to get this going.”
Williams said the first order of business would be to elect tribal chiefs to positions within the government, which would have powers including member education, policing and resource regulation and development.
Anchorage-based Calista has more than 33,000 shareholders and is the parent company of more than 30 subsidiary companies in industries including construction, real estate, marine transportation and oil field services, the company’s website said.
Calista would have no role in the regional tribal government after its creation.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-11-06--Asia Today: Australia's Victoria has no cases for 8th day

MELBOURNE , Australia ( AP ) - The Australian state of Victoria had its eighth day in a row of no new virus cases or deaths , ahead of another move back to normal living including no limits on travel outside of Melbourne and the resumption of flights to New Zealand .
Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to announce another relaxation of rules on Sunday , including the removal of Melbourne ’ s so-called “ ring of steel.
” No longer confined within a 25-kilometer ( 15-mile ) radius , the city ’ s residents will be allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to expand again when the border with New South Wales state reopens to Victorians on Nov. 23 .
“ They will be big steps , they ’ ll get us much closer to normal than we ’ ve been for six or seven months , which is very significant , ” Andrews said .
On Monday , the state will see the resumption of direct flights from New Zealand , the first international flights into Melbourne since June 30 .
Victoria ’ s latest virus wave , which resulted in more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been traced to outbreaks among staff at two hotels that were acting as quarantine locations for arriving overseas passengers .
A report released Friday on the much criticized program suggested among its 69 recommendations that travelers returning to Victoria should be able to quarantine at home , potentially with an electronic ankle or wrist bracelet to track movements and enforce compliance .
Three other Australian states - Western Australia , New South Wales and South Australia - reported a total of 12 locally transmitted cases in the past 24 hours .

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia’s government said Saturday that it will expand movement restrictions to most parts of the country, with coronavirus cases nearly tripling over the past month.
Another 1,168 new cases were reported Saturday, bringing Malaysia’s total tally to 39,357 - compared to just 13,993 a month ago.
Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said all of peninsula Malaysia except for three states will be placed under a conditional movement control order from Monday until Dec. 6. He said the move will help curb the virus spread and allow targeted screening to be done.
The restrictions have been in effect since Oct. 14 in the country’s biggest city, Kuala Lumpur, the administrative capital, Putrajaya, and the richest state, Selangor.
Malaysia emerged from a three-month lockdown in June, and the fresh outbreak was linked to an election in Sabah state on Borneo island. Restrictions have also been imposed in Sabah.
Under the order, schools and all sports, religious and social events are halted, but businesses can operate as usual with strict measures. Inter-district movement is banned and only two people from a household are allowed out to buy groceries.
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:
- Health authorities in Thailand on Saturday confirmed a new case of local transmission of the coronavirus, one of only a handful discovered in recent months. The Department of Disease Control identified the new case as a 37-year-old Indian man working as a waiter in the southern province of Krabi. It said he tested positive for the disease when he applied Wednesday to have his work permit renewed. Krabi is a province on the Andaman Sea that is normally popular with tourists, though Thailand was completely shut to foreign tourists from early April until last month. The country has confirmed a total of 3,830 coronavirus cases, including 60 deaths.
- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that a Cambodian bodyguard for Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has tested positive for the coronavirus. Szijjarto tested positive upon arrival in Thailand on Tuesday after his Cambodia visit. He was placed in quarantine before leaving for Hungary on Wednesday, and all his meetings in Bangkok were canceled. Hun Sen said Saturday that the bodyguard is the only one among some 900 people who were part of Szijjarto’s visit to test positive. Hun Sen and four Cabinet ministers are in quarantine after they met with Szijjarto the same day he tested positive. Hun Sen said he has tested negative and would abide by the country’s coronavirus guidelines and stay quarantined for 14 days.
- The Australian state of Victoria had its eighth day in a row of no new virus cases or deaths, ahead of another move back to normal living including no limits on travel outside of Melbourne and the resumption of flights to New Zealand. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to announce another relaxation of rules on Sunday, including the removal of Melbourne’s so-called “ring of steel.” No longer confined within a 25-kilometer (15-mile) radius, the city’s residents will be allowed to travel throughout the state. Travel freedom is expected to expand again when the border with New South Wales state reopens to Victorians on Nov. 23. On Monday, the state will see the resumption of direct flights from New Zealand, the first international flights into Melbourne since June 30. Victoria’s latest virus wave, which resulted in more than 18,000 infections and 800 deaths, has been traced to outbreaks among staff at two hotels that were acting as quarantine locations for arriving overseas passengers.
- India reported 50,356 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, one-seventh of them in the country’s capital, which is struggling with a record surge. India’s confirmed cases - currently the second most in the world behind the United States – have exceeded 8.4 million. The Health Ministry on Saturday also reported 577 deaths, raising the death toll to 125,562. India has seen an overall steady dip in cases after touching nearly 100,000 a day in mid-September. However, the daily caseload in New Delhi crossed 7,000 for the first time after dropping to nearly 1,000 last month. There’s also been a spike in southern Kerala state, with 7,002 new cases. New Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain attributed the jump to more aggressive tracing and testing. The government warned that the situation can worsen as people crowd markets for festival shopping, coupled with the onset of winter and high air pollution levels in the capital. India’s daily recoveries have been outnumbering new infections for the past month.
- China on Saturday reported 33 new confirmed coronavirus infections, all of which the National Health Commission said were in patients who contracted the virus abroad.
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